Arrive in Palermo and settle into a city that moves to its own rhythm, grand and a little chaotic, with traces of its past around every corner. After check-in, we meet for a drink with a view, an introduction to the group and the days ahead.

In the evening, we head out for our first dinner together at Trattoria Casamichele, a neighborhood spot run by a young Sicilian couple who have transformed a former bakery into a warm, inviting trattoria. They’ve opened the restaurant just for us. Their cooking leans traditional, with subtle touches shaped by time spent abroad. Wine is poured, conversations loosen, and just like that, you’re in it.

Spend the day exploring Palermo through its food on a tour that moves through markets, neighborhoods, and the everyday places that define how the city eats. Along the way, taste your way through a range of local specialties, from street food classics to small, traditional bites, while meeting the people behind them. It’s a way of understanding Palermo from the inside, through its ingredients, its rhythms, and the stories that surface between stops.

In the evening, we step into another side of Sicilian culture with a visit to the city’s Puppet Museum and a traditional puppet performance. Rooted in centuries-old storytelling, it’s a glimpse into the island’s theatrical past, still very much alive today. Here we’ll get to meet the museum’s puppet master himself, one of Palermo’s cultural guardians. Dinner is on your own tonight, a chance to explore further or revisit a favorite spot from the day.

Head out of Palermo into the hills toward Piana degli Albanesi, a small village shaped by the arrival of Albanian immigrants centuries ago and known across Sicily for its ricotta. At Masseria Ducco, we spend the morning on this working farm, meeting the cows and watching the process behind vastedda, a rare stretched-curd cheese produced only here. Lunch unfolds at the farm, simple and abundant, local breads, cheeses, seasonal dishes, and cannoli filled to order with fresh ricotta, a specialty of the village. In the afternoon, we shift from pasture to sea, driving to the coastal town of Aspra for a visit to the village’s Anchovy Museum. More personal project than traditional museum, the space offers a deep look into Sicily’s anchovy preservation traditions through stories, tools, and the perspective of those who have spent a lifetime in the trade. The visit ends with a tasting of anchovies prepared in different ways, paired with local wine. We return to Palermo in the early evening, with time to rest or again explore on your own.

Western Sicily reveals itself through its landscape, citrus groves, vineyards, and farmland shaped by both tradition and change. In the morning, we leave Palermo behind and head toward the countryside and Terrasini, where we visit a small family-run orchard growing both traditional citrus and unexpected tropical fruit, a reflection of how the island continues to evolve. Walking the property with the owners, we taste what’s in season – fruit, preserves, and nectars – before sitting down to a lunch built around their harvest.

From there, we continue on to seaside Marsala, where the pace shifts and the landscape opens up. By late afternoon, we arrive at Baglio Donna Franca, a restored wine estate that will serve as our base for the next few days. After time to settle in, we gather for a tasting of Ansaldi wines paired with local specialties, an introduction to the region’s winemaking traditions.

Wine and local food follows at the estate, an easy first evening in this quieter corner of Sicily.

In this part of Sicily, food begins with the land, wheat, sun, and time. To get a sense of that, the morning will be spent at Tenuta Maltese, a working farm where grain, vineyards, and family tradition come together. Walking the fields, you begin with the basics, understanding the differences between different grains and their flours and how they shape what ends up on the table. From there, we move into the kitchen, cooking alongside a mother and son who carry on local recipes.

Together, we prepare a seasonal meal, fresh pasta shaped by hand, pesto made from scratch, and dishes that reflect the rhythms of the farm. Lunch is served outside, a long, unhurried meal overlooking the countryside, paired with local wine.

In the late afternoon, we shift from land to sea at the Marsala salt pans, where sea salt is still harvested using traditional methods. Walking along the shallow pools, we learn how this landscape has produced one of Sicily’s essential ingredients for centuries.

As the sun sets, we gather at the edge of the salt flats for an aperitif, wine, small bites, and the changing light over the water. It’s a simple ending to a day rooted in process, place, and the elements that define Sicilian cooking.

In Mazara del Vallo, Sicily’s connection to North Africa comes into sharp focus, not as history, but as daily life. After breakfast, we head to this historic fishing port, where one family introduces us to the world of red shrimp, one of the Mediterranean’s most prized catches. At their private warehouse, we meet the men who mend the nets after each haul and see the quiet work that sustains the industry. A tasting follows, raw shrimp and seafood prepared simply, highlighting the clarity of the catch. From there, we move into the town itself, walking through the kasbah, a maze of narrow streets that reflect Mazara’s long-standing ties to the Arab world. Along the way, we visit the Museum of the Dancing Satyr, home to a striking ancient sculpture pulled from the sea.

The day continues at a local community center, where the connection between Sicily and North Africa becomes tangible. Here, we share a couscous meal prepared by members of the local Tunisian community, and take part in its preparation, seeing how a dish travels, adapts, and becomes part of a new place without losing its origins. Return in the evening, with dinner on your own.

The final day begins slowly, with a relaxed morning at the agriturismo, time for one last breakfast and a chance to take in the landscape before departing.

We return to Palermo by lunchtime, with time to rest or explore at your own pace before the evening’s farewell. Later, we head to Monreale, home to one of Sicily’s most extraordinary landmarks. A visit to the Duomo offers a glimpse into the island’s layered history, its mosaics and architecture reflecting the same cultural intersections we’ve experienced throughout the week. From there, we continue to a private palazzo for our final dinner together. Still home to the family who owns it, the space opens exclusively for us, offering a more refined perspective on Sicilian cuisine, one shaped by aristocratic traditions and outside influences. It’s a fitting close to the journey, a table that brings together everything we’ve encountered over the past week, seen from a different point of view.

Depart for home or extend your stay in Sicily. Until the next adventure!