Sicily Vine to Table

October 11, 2026
The journey begins at Catania Airport, where the warmth of southern Sicily greets you the moment you step outside. A private drive carries us into the countryside of Ragusa, where vineyards, orchards, and softly folding hills hint at the flavors to come. At Baglio Occhipinti, a 17th-century country estate restored with care and intention, time seems to slow. The air carries the scent of figs and dry earth, and the quiet of the gardens offers space to settle into the rhythm of the island.

As the sun begins its descent, we gather on the terrace for a welcome that feels both celebratory and rare. Ariana Occhipinti pours the first glasses herself, guiding us through an exclusive tasting in the very place her vision has brought to life, and whose highly sought-after wines have redefined the possibilities of modern Sicilian winemaking. Through her lens, Sicily comes into focus in a new way, shaped by mineral soils, coastal winds, and ancient varietals with an imprint that’s immediately recognizable.

Dinner follows al fresco, prepared by the estate chef and guided by the day’s harvest. Beneath the evening sky, the first flavors of the Sicilian kitchen unfold slowly, an opening night that tastes like the beginning of something unforgettable.

Meals: D
Overnight: Baglio Occhipinti

October 12, 2026
Breakfast is served at the Baglio as the estate stirs awake, morning light settling softly over gardens and stone. From here, we set off into the countryside for an exclusive visit to the Occhipinti family’s olive oil mill and estate, where ancient trees cultivated since the 17th century still shape the land. Walking the groves, we’re introduced to the estate’s living history before tracing how their extra virgin olive oils are crafted from local varietals such as Nocellara del Belice. The visit concludes with a guided tasting of their acclaimed oils, offering a deeper sense of place through flavor.

We continue on to Vittoria, where we visit a family-run artisan bakery known for its breads made from Sicily’s prized ancient grains and mother yeasts first created by the family matriarch in the 1960s. A leisurely walk through the Baroque center follows, before a light lunch at a local wine bar, where simple plates and regional bottles invite the afternoon to slow.

In the late afternoon, we return to the Baglio for time at leisure. As evening approaches, we gather for a hands-on cooking class led by a local chef with deep roots in the region, preparing quintessential Sicilian specialties shaped by heritage recipes and seasonal produce. The day concludes with a generous feast, built from our handmade creations alongside dishes prepared by our chef, a warm continuation of Sicily’s table.

Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Baglio Occhipinti

October 13, 2026
Morning begins with breakfast at the Baglio before we head into the countryside. Our first stop is a cheesemaker rooted in the Ragusan tradition, where we step inside the creamery to watch Ragusano DOP take shape by hand, crafted from the milk of the farm’s own cows and formed in the time-honored local style. A tasting follows, fresh from the source, offering a vivid snapshot of Ragusa’s pastoral side and the quiet craft behind it.

From there, we travel into the Vittoria countryside for a private experience at Donnafugata’s estate. We’re welcomed for a guided look behind the scenes, moving from vineyard rows into the cellar, then settling into a five-wine tasting that reflects expressions from across Donnafugata’s different estates. Each glass is paired with a Sicilian specialty chosen to amplify what’s in the cup, turning the tasting into a paced, culinary dialogue between wine and food.

In the afternoon, we arrive in Ragusa Ibla, the city’s oldest quarter and its Baroque heart. With a guide, we trace its architectural brilliance through grand churches, storied piazzas, and civic spaces that once defined the social life of the city, taking in landmarks such as the Duomo di San Giorgio and Santa Maria delle Scale along the way. Our walk concludes in the Giardino Ibleo, where gardens and stone offer a softer, quieter close to the day’s exploration.

This evening is reserved for one of Sicily’s most iconic tables. We dine at Duomo, the celebrated two Michelin star restaurant led by Chef Ciccio Sultano, where dinner becomes an elegant, gastronomic voyage through the breadth of Sicilian cuisine. Each course is shaped with precision and imagination, grounded in heritage yet expressed with modern clarity, an experience designed not simply to satisfy, but to reveal the island’s flavors at their highest level.

Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Baglio Occhipinti

October 14, 2026
Breakfast at the Baglio opens into a morning devoted to Sicily’s sweetest artistry. In an immersive pastry workshop led by our chef expert, we step behind the curtain of some of Italy’s most beloved confections, learning the textures, techniques, and small traditions that bring cassata and cannoli to life. Each dessert is prepared by hand, turning familiar names into something vivid, tactile, and entirely of the moment.

Lunch arrives as a relaxed spread of finger foods made for sharing, from local antipasti to the street-food classics Sicily does best, including arancini and panelle. Afterward, the day eases into open time, inviting you to luxuriate in the autumn sun, linger in the gardens, or simply enjoy the rare luxury of having nowhere else to be.
As the light begins to soften, the afternoon is crowned with a lighthearted lesson in conversational Italian, designed to feel playful rather than polished. With a glass of Occhipinti wine in hand and estate-produced olives on the table, the language comes naturally, carried by laughter, small discoveries, and the warmth of the setting sun.

This evening, the estate chef prepares a sumptuous dinner to be enjoyed by candlelight, a glowing close to a day shaped by sweetness, ease, and the quiet romance of Sicily.

Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Baglio Occhipinti

October 15, 2026
Breakfast at the Baglio sets the tone before we depart for Modica, the Baroque jewel that rises in sun-warmed tiers, its churches and palazzi spilling down the hillside like an architectural cascade. This is a city where chocolate is not merely a sweet, but a legacy shaped by centuries of technique and a remarkable relationship with the Americas.

We’re welcomed into the historic family home of Katia Amore, a Modica native and noted food journalist with deep expertise in Sicilian culture and cuisine, for a private chocolate-making workshop and tasting. Stone-ground cacao, unrefined sugar, and spice come together by hand, revealing the grainy, aromatic signature that defines Modican chocolate. Guided by Katia’s stories and technique, each step feels tied to place, and each taste carries more than flavor. It carries memory.

Lunch is enjoyed at a local osteria in the heart of Modica before we continue on to Noto, a luminous Baroque city carved in honey-colored stone. A guided introduction brings the historic center into focus, after which the afternoon is yours to savor. Browse boutique shops, gather gourmet treasures to take home, and wander streets that reward slow admiration, façades and piazzas unfolding at every turn.

Later, we step behind the scenes at a legendary local café for a gelato experience and tasting, sampling seasonal creations inspired by the orchard-rich bounty of the Val di Noto. As evening approaches, we gather for aperitivo on a rooftop terrace with sweeping views over the city, then return together to the Baglio for the night.

Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Baglio Occhipinti

October 16, 2026
After breakfast at the Baglio, we follow the road toward the sea to Ortigia, the ancient island heart of Siracusa. The day opens in its legendary market, where the salt-bright catch of the morning, wheels of cheese, and garden produce spill across the stalls in a vivid show of daily life. From there, a guided walk carries us through the Baroque center, pausing at the Basilica of Saint Lucy to view a rare Caravaggio, then onward through Piazza Duomo and Piazza Archimede, where the Fountain of Diana anchors the square, and finally to the weathered stones of the Temple of Apollo.

Then Ortigia loosens its grip and invites you to roam. Slip into artisan workshops, follow narrow lanes as they bend toward the water, or linger with a granita and watch the light move across the harbor. Lunch follows at an epicurean seafood restaurant in the heart of the island, a tribute to Sicily’s coastal traditions and the elegance of restraint.

In the afternoon, we return to the Baglio for a coffa workshop, where a local artisan introduces the history, materials, and decorative details behind this traditional straw tote before guiding us in creating our own to take home. As evening falls, our final night together unfolds in the estate’s ancient Palmento, a former wine-pressing space now softened by linen-draped tables and candlelight. Here we share an exquisite farewell dinner and raise a last toast to the flavors, hands, and stories that have shaped the week.

Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Baglio Occhipinti

October 17, 2026
Our last morning brings breakfast at the estate before private transfers return us to Catania Airport. Sicily lingers with you long after departure: a landscape of flavor, history and generous spirit.

Meals: B
Overnight: N/A