9 Days in Sicily: Eastern Island Eats
Mouthwatering cuisine, turquoise beaches, and Baroque wonders await on this nine-day culinary pilgrimage through eastern Sicily's Syracuse, Val di Noto, and Taormina.
Italy
9 days / 8 nights
$3,600 /person
$3,600 /person
Your trip at a glance
Top Activities
Walking through history in eastern Sicily's Baroque beauties of Noto, Ragusa, and Modica
Learning how to make authentic Sicilian cannolis from a Taormina pastry chef
Tasting Modica chocolate straight from the source at one of the city’s oldest chocolate laboratories
Visiting Taormina’s Greek Theater to imagine the sights and sounds of Hellenistic Sicily
Touring Sicily's volcanic Mount Etna through the lens of its world-class wines
Modica Chocolate, Hilltop Ragusa, and the Val di Noto’s Baroque Villages
Overview
After breakfast this morning, you’ll leave Syracuse to experience the nearby Val di Noto: a UNESCO World Heritage region dominated by a limestone plateau and dreamy Baroque villages. This architectural style of the 17th and 18th centuries fills the postcard-worthy towns of Modica and Noto — both of which you’ll visit en route to Ragusa today. Pick up your rental car and make your way to Noto, less than an hour away. Here, you'll meet your expert local guide for a private walking tour of this Baroque gem, long renowned for its honey-colored stone, harmonious architecture, and refined atmosphere. After the visit, you will continue toward Modica, a town deeply linked to one of Sicily’s best gastronomic traditions — chocolate. In this Willy Wonka-esque city, you’ll step inside a local chocolate laboratory for a tasting with a Sicilian chocolatier. Modica has a reputation for chocolate, though, fair warning: It’s not the same chocolate you probably know. Rather, the texture and taste are entirely unique, so enjoy your samples — and perhaps pick up a few bars for the road. In the late afternoon, you'll finish your drive in Ragusa, where the rest of the day will be at your leisure. Whether that means it's time for a stroll or a spritz, the choice is all yours. (Breakfast)
Highlights
Noto Walking Tour
You may recognize Noto if you've ever seen "The White Lotus" — or, really, any photos of Baroque Sicily. A true icon of the island's southeast, this picturesque town boasts stunning and harmonious architecture, as well as one of the world's best granita shops in Caffe Sicilia. During today's visit to Noto, your expert local guide will lead you through the city's most notable streets, sites, and landmarks while filling you in with details of Noto's past. By the end of your visit, you'll know why, exactly, Noto is recognized both as a UNESCO World Heritage site and an all-time masterpiece of the Sicilian Baroque.
Modica
One of eight UNESCO World Heritage Val di Noto areas in southeast Sicily, Modica is more than meets the eye. The architectural landscape of this chocolate-centric city changed forever after the devastating earthquake of 1693. The medieval old town, once carved into the rock, has since been replaced by stunning Baroque facades and extravagant churches, keeping in theme with Sicily's merger of the old and the new.
Modica Chocolate Tasting
Modica chocolate isn't your average sweet treat — which you'll discover firsthand during today's guided chocolate tasting with a Modica chocolatier. As you enter the laboratory, you'll find chocolate bars that consist mainly of cocoa and sugar, mixed in a cold-working process. This keeps the sugar crystals whole, resulting in the chocolate's grainy texture. The chocolate, likewise, has no added fats, containing only the cocoa butter that's naturally present in cocoa beans. As a result, Modica chocolate comes with a unique flavor profile and grainy texture you'll taste today.
Ragusa
Among the most fascinating towns in Sicily, Ragusa has caused many jaws to drop as visitors lay their first glances upon the city. The Ragusa you'll see today dates almost entirely back to 1693, the year when the city — along with eastern Sicily's Noto, Modica, Scicli, and Catania — was razed to the ground by a terrible earthquake. Public opinion on where to rebuild Ragusa was divided, and so a compromise was made; the wealthier, more aristocratic citizens built a new town on a different site, now Ragusa Superiore, while the other half of the population rebuilt directly over the original site, on a ridge at the bottom of a gorge (Ragusa Ibla). This decision created two places in one, which, in tandem, now result in jaw-dropping panoramas and a one-of-a-kind origin story.
Accommodations
Giardino Sul Duomo (or similar)
Set in the heart of Ragusa Ibla's ancient village, this wonderful hotel occupies a prime location, replete with impeccable views and a beautiful swimming pool. Both spacious and bright, Giardino Sul Duomo's guest rooms span multiple buildings, but all come with tiled floors, modern amenities, and wood-beamed ceilings. With comfort always at the forefront, the property thereby invites guests to experience Sicily's Barocco territory in style, and offers easy access to Ragusa's breathtaking Old Town and its innumerable vistas.
Location:
Via Dottor Solarino, 26/A - Ragusa
Phone:
+393665794027
Transportation
Pick up your rental car and drive to Ragusa, with stops in Noto and Modica en route. At its most direct route, the drive from Syracuse to Ragusa takes around an hour.
Syracuse
Ragusa via Noto and Modica
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What's included
Included in the final price
- Roadbook with local tips and expert recommendations
- On-the-ground support
- On-trip concierge service
- Personalized trip crafting
- Accommodations for eight nights, with daily breakfast included
- All meals mentioned in the itinerary
- All culinary experiences and cooking workshops mentioned in the itinerary
- All ground transfers mentioned in the itinerary
- All activities, guided tours, and experiences mentioned in the itinerary
- Car rental from Syracuse to Catania
Not included in the final price
- International arrival and departure flights
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Daily city taxes
- Anything not mentioned or listed as optional in the itinerary