Your foodie dream come true - Puglia & Sicily
Guest blog post from Felicity Leo
Here’s a delicious New Year’s resolution you simply must keep: spending time in the stunning culinary destinations of Puglia and Sicily!
A foodie’s dream comes true as we team up with acclaimed Italian Chef Melina to offer guided, luxurious, and unforgettable food tours for women.
Savor authentic flavors and discover how being Italian is more than a nationality—it’s a heartfelt way of life, as Chef Melina beautifully showcases during our women-only tours.
During the Cappuccino Break podcast with Anna, Chef Melina offered a delectable breakdown of Puglia and Sicily—two regions in southern Italy with distinct identities yet deeply connected through shared history, cultural influences, and their incredible cuisines.
“Being Italian is not just an Identity, it’s a state of mind, the soul, the heart.”
Each of Italy’s regions boasts its own unique character that’s beautifully reflected in the mind-blowing food you'll taste during a cooking class.
Going far beyond pasta, Chef Melina loves to break stereotypes about Italian cuisine to help her food group tours discover dishes that make their experience a foodie’s dream come true.
With over 10 years of experience in Italy as a chef, restaurateur, and opening and running a cooking school—food has always been an important and joyful part of Chef Melina's life.
Couscous, cannoli, & caponata in Sicily
Sicily has its own culinary rules. For instance, fish is widely enjoyed, and couscous—a dish rarely found in northern Italy—is a staple in Sicilian cuisine. Chef Melina often serves couscous at her restaurant during lunch, surprising many guests. Another standout is caponata, a delightful mix of sweet and savory flavors that Sicilians adore.
Italy’s historically diverse landscapes created and shaped its regional cuisines. Essentially, the dishes you’d find in the south were often entirely different from those in the north. Italian cuisine is happily rooted in the '0 km' philosophy, emphasizing fresh, local ingredients that truly capture the essence of each region.
Sicilians have a sweet tooth, so you’ll find a lot of Amaretto drink rather than Prosecco you’ll find in Venice, where the cannoli you get in Sicily is from sheep milk, so every food is a surprise!
"La dolce far niente" - "The sweetness of doing nothing"
One of the best parts of either food tour is embracing la dolce far niente—the art of doing nothing. Imagine relaxing under the shade of a beautiful olive tree during a thoughtfully curated picnic.
Also, the hotels selected for your stay are carefully chosen to enhance your experience, offering fresh, locally sourced food - ensuring that every meal is as fresh and authentic as possible.
Here’s a small taste of what you’ll experience on our Wine, Chocolate & You in Sicily trip:
● A walking tour of Palermo's artistic & architectural landmarks
● Centuries-old culinary traditions, with Greek, Arab, Spanish and French influences
● Visit the Ballarò Market & taste local specialties
● Traditional dinner
● Visit a Roman Villa at 721 meters above sea level
● Head to Caltagirone, known for its ceramic art with ornate traditional motifs
● 142-step Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte, decorated with glazed majolica tiles
● Explore Ortigia, the heart of the Syracuse city center
● Cathedral built on the site of an ancient Temple of Athena
● Colorful street market
● A vintage delicatessen to taste typical Sicilian appetizers and local wines
● Granita tasting at one of Siracusa’s renowned bars
Discover more about our women-only small group tours and start planning your unforgettable culinary adventure today!