Top Sicily Dining Experiences

Sicily is home to a unique cuisine, different from mainland Italy and often hard to access without the knowledge of a local. With this Sicilian cooking class, enjoy an exclusive glimpse into Palermo’s culinary traditions by exploring one of the city’s oldest markets with a local and then preparing classic dishes at a family-run cooking school. Make four courses and sample what you’ve created during a celebratory meal.

Spend your afternoon sailing—and swimming—along the Coast of the Cyclops. The 10-passenger yacht offers a small-group experience, allowing for anyone to learn the basics of sailing. Help to steer the boat if you’d like, and dive in at Ulysses’ Grotto. Toast your Catania sailing trip with a glass of provided Prosecco and a Sicilian aperitif. Bonus: booking this tour supports a non-profit mission to promote sustainable life at sea.

Enjoy a one-of-a-kind perspective on eastern Sicily’s coastal scenery when you sign up for a full-day sailing tour from Catania. Meet your vessel in the morning and set sail; with a maximum of eight attendees, this tour guarantees an intimate experience. You’ll glimpse the medieval castle at Acicastello, will enjoy lunch and wine on board, and will have the chance to snorkel. You can also go for a paddleboat ride among the Cyclopean Islands (in season) or discover the resort town of Acitrezza. At day’s end, return to Catania.

Taste wines and Sicilian delicacies on a local farm and vineyards with a 2-hour tasting near Catania. Sample locally-made salami, cheeses, breads, and more, enjoying a generous spread of treats served in the farm’s palmento, where grapes were once crushed into wine. This 2-hour gourmet tasting makes a generous lunch, and includes a discount at the farm store.

The best way to connect with any local culture is through food, and nowhere is this more true than Sicily. With this cooking class, shop for ingredients at the market in Taormina like a local before learning how to prepare a variety of traditional Sicilian dishes with Chef Massimo in his restaurant kitchen. Enjoy the fruits of our labors over lunch afterwards, served with two local wines.

Dig into delicious Sicilian cuisine by taking this fun half-day cooking class at a restaurant in central Taormina. With a professional Sicilian chef by your side, learn about the history of the regional cuisine and prepare a lush 3-course meal. Visit the outdoor market to purchase ingredients and then head back to the restaurant to begin cooking and, eventually, eating.

Make pizza like a pro during a cooking class in Taormina. Under the expert tuition of a local ‘pizzaiolo,’ you’ll make a versatile dough from scratch and top it with a fresh sauce. Hear tips, learn about the ingredients, then sit down to savor your hard-earned Sicilian feast. Bruschetta, wine, and soft drinks are also included.

Finding the best cannoli bakeries—pasticcerie—in Taormina can be a fun challenge, but it can also turn into fruitless trips between neighborhoods. With this tour, take the guesswork out and let a chef help you prepare cannoli from scratch, using traditional recipes starting with the crusty shell and ending with sweet ricotta cream. When you’re done, taste your creations and receive a “cannoli expert” certificate.

Spend an evening immersed in Sicilian cuisine and culture on this 2.5-hour walking tour of Taormina. Led by a local guide, travel to the city’s top spots to sample fresh fish, bruschetta, sweet Sicilian cakes, and other regional specialties. Complement your dishes with a glass of Prosecco, red and white wine, and Italian liqueur. As you walk and taste, learn more about the city's culinary history from your guide.

Sicilian cuisine is renowned as some of the best in Italy and this 5-hour cooking class is the perfect introduction. Shop for ingredients at Taormina Market, learn to make traditional Sicilian dishes like fresh pasta and Caponata, then sit down to enjoy a delicious homemade lunch, accompanied by Sicilian wine.

Taste your way through the bustling markets and piazzas of Catania on a mouth-watering, half-day culinary tour. Visit fish markets, bakeries, bars and stalls to sample the best Sicilian street food with a local guide. Try regional specialties like ‘arancini’ (stuffed fried rice balls), fizzy drinks, ‘cipollata’ (bacon-wrapped onions), ‘zibibbio’ wine and decadent cannoli. Learn what makes Sicilian cuisine unique from the rest of Italy while discovering some of Catania’s cultural treasures.

Snack your way through the streets of Palermo on this Sicilian food tour. Explore backstreet markets and food stalls specializing in local delicacies like stuffed rice balls and chickpea fritters as your guide fills you in on local history, culture. Plus, this small-group tour has a limited number of participants for a more personalized experience.

On a 3-hour Palermo food walking tour, explore the city center’s squares, monuments and markets with an informative guide as you stop for tastings of street food. Soak up the local culture and learn a bit about Palermo's history while you enjoy samples and meet street food purveyors.

Indulge your love of food and wine on this all-day tour of the Etna countryside. After a convenient hotel pickup, learn about the region’s history and culture from a local guide as you cruise through scenic Sicilian villages. Stop at a family-run winery, a picturesque farmhouse with delicious food, and a pastry bar. Enjoy wine tastings and samples of local cheeses, salumi, and pastas included in the tour price.

Discover Catania’s unique culinary tradition during this 4-hour hands-on cooking class. Begin the tour at the historic fish market to select your fresh ingredients for your meal. Then head to the guide’s apartment to prepare a 3-course meal from a menu of Italian specialties such as bruschetta, gratin mussels, risotto, fresh ravioli, swordfish, stuffed squid and more. Then sit down and enjoy your freshly prepared meal that you created.

Explore Europe's highest active volcano with this Jeep tour on Mount Etna. Join a nature guide and head up to about 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) to discover lava flows and extinct craters, plus take in the views over the Caldera del Valle del Bove. Then don a helmet and headlamp and venture into a lava tube to better to learn how lava flows are formed and cool.

Indulge all your senses on a walking tour of Palermo's rich street food traditions. Join a knowledgeable guide for a walk through the historic part of the city and its vibrant outdoor markets. Sample some of Palermo's unique street foods, such as 'panelle' and 'meusa.' Watch the lively scenes all around you, observing what seems like another time.

See why Taormina earned the nickname ‘the Pearl of the Ionian’ while exploring its picturesque coastline from the water. On this half-day boat tour, get the best perspective of dramatic sea caves, the Grotta Azurra and Capo Taormino as your captain navigates along the rocky shore and through spectacular bays. Splash into the crystal-clear waters for a swim, and enjoy a fresh seafood lunch with views of the Isola Bella island nature reserve.

The only way to fully experience the beauty of Sicly’s Egadi Islands is by sea. Set sail from Trapani with this sailboat tour and skirt the coastlines of these idyllic isles to explore their hidden coves and caves. Take in the famous bays on the island of Levanzo, stopping to swim and snorkel in the turquoise waters. Continue on to Favignana to enjoy time on land to sightsee and have lunch.

Observe dolphins in the Gulf of Catania safely and sustainably with this low-impact tour. Set off with a crew of specialized skippers and marine biologists to learn about the local dolphin population and watch them frolicking in the open waters off Sicily. This tour abides by the international agreement for the conservation of cetaceans and is certified as eco-friendly, so you’ll get close enough to snap photos without disturbing the animals.

Discover the street food and snacks of Catania on a daytime walking tour around the city. Visit the main piazza, and the elegant Via dei Crociferi or Benedettini enclave, learning about Catania’s food and its place in Sicilian culture as you stroll. Sample treats at market stalls and bakeries, and then leave armed with tips for the best places to eat in town. A food 'passport' is included so you can keep track of your favorite bites along the way.

Travel into the scenic countryside with this wine tour in western Sicily. The itinerary can be customized according to your interests, with both a half-day or full-day option. Visit vineyards and wineries to taste some of the region’s best-known wines, including Marsala or Grillo. Hotel pick-up is included.

Escape the hustle and bustle of Catania and discover the great Mount Etna on this full-day excursion. Alongside a private guide, head to the southern slope of the volcano and explore the lava flows and craters. Then, head to Taormina for a guided tour of the city center and free time to explore. End your day in the medieval village of Castelmola and stop to taste the special almond wine.

Mt. Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe and home to fertile vineyards and farms. With this tour, avoid the stress of navigating the winding roads on the mountain on your own and instead visit the dramatic Silvestri Craters and a farm on the slopes of Mt. Etna with a driver. End your experience with a tasting and lunch at a local winery at the foot of the mountain.