A Taste of Sicily: One Week Itinerary

Arrive in Palermo and check into your hotel in the heart of the Historic Center. Spend this first day exploring the exciting capital city on your own taking in the various sites, smells and tastes. Palermo is filled with a unique mix of architecture to feast your eyes on. There are many churches and cathedrals to visit, as well as the famous Teatro Massimo. Sprinkled into the familiar tourist souvenir shops, you will find unique jewelry, art and boutiques. Everywhere you walk you are sure to be met by carts selling refreshing granitas or the ever popular Aperol spritz. For exceptional gelato, be sure to make a stop at Cappadonia. I recommend Ristorante La Galleria, located in a quaint alley near the Cathedral of Palermo, for a delicious, authentic dinner and a large selection of local wines.

A visit to Palermo is not complete without tasting the local street food. Join a street food tour, like this one from Streaty, to learn about Sicilian history, culture and cuisine while meeting other visitors, enjoying a selection of well-known and new delicacies and visiting Palermo’s markets. You will try fried favorites like arancina, panelle and cazzilli fritters, gelato, a spleen sandwich, and much more! While you can visit the markets and sample street food on your own, a food tour is a great way to gain insider knowledge from your expert tour guide.

Take a break from the bustling city to delight in the Sicilian countryside at the luxury boutique hotel, Susafa. While at Susafa you can spend time sitting by the picturesque pool complete with comfortable bean bags to lounge on, roam the extensive gardens, take Sicilian cooking classes (THINK: pasta, bread and cannolis), and indulge in their homemade olive oil, bread and seasonal menu items. It is an opportunity to spend time in nature and escape to a peaceful haven away from the traditional tourist attractions.

Famed by HBO’s The White Lotus, Taormina is a charming hilltop town with lots to see and do. Walk down the main street, Corso Umberto, for a mix of luxury brands, local boutiques, classic Sicilian ceramics shops and souvenir spots. While in Taormina, an eastern Sicilian town, try the arancino and see if you can spot and taste the difference from the arancina you had in Palermo, on the western side! Pasta alla Norma and Parmigiana di Melanzane are also must-try dishes while in Sicily. My favorite Pasta alla Norma was at Ristorante Timeo at the Belmond’s Grand Hotel Timeo, where you can enjoy your dinner with a gorgeous view of Naxos Bay and Mount Etna.

No trip to Italy is complete without a cooking class. It’s one thing to enjoy the local cuisine, but it’s even better to be able to take some tricks of the trade home with you in an attempt to replicate your vacation in your own kitchen. Gianluca at Osteria Santa Domenica in Taormina offers visitors a unique 3-course cooking experience that extends well beyond the kitchen and is a definite must-do. Beginning with granita at Bam Bar for breakfast and getting to know one another, Gianluca shares his Taormina, where he was born and raised, with his guests. Walking along the main strip, Gianluca says hello to all of the local business owners, tells stories and provides information about the town while snapping photos to capture and remember the day. All classes, except for Sunday, feature a visit to the local market to select ingredients to bring back to the restaurant for lunch preparation. At the restaurant, Gianluca shows you how to make an appetizer, pasta from scratch and a fish dish. You are guaranteed to leave Osteria Santa Domenica very full, with a personalized embroidered apron and a customized photo montage to remember your day.

All the way down at the bottom of Taormina you can visit the beach and take a dip in the picture perfect turquoise Ionian Sea. There are beach clubs with restaurants where you can eat and get lounge chairs to sit by the sea. Alternatively, you can stay at a hotel that is situated on the beach and offers direct access for guests. If you’re staying at Grand Hotel Timeo, you have shuttle access to the beach at their gorgeous sister property, Villa Sant Andrea. While at the beach, I recommend viewing and visiting Isola Bella, one of the most famed beaches of Sicily.