Epicurean Delights: The Food & Wine of Sicily

Valletta, the capital of Malta, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on a peninsula in the island's northeast. The city features a mix of wide streets and narrow stair-stepped alleys. Traditional buildings are marked by painted balconies and carved supports. Traffic is limited in much of the area. Key sites include the Grandmasters Palace, known for its coats of arms and frescoes, as well as Saint John’s Co-Cathedral and the city’s 16th-century defensive ramparts. The Barrakka Gardens, set on terraces, offer open public space with views over the harbor.

Porto Empedocles is located on the southwestern coast of Sicily and is named after the philosopher Empedocles, who lived in the area in the 5th century BC. The town serves as a starting point for visiting the Valley of the Temples, an archaeological site recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site contains remains of several ancient Greek temples dedicated to deities such as Zeus, Hera, and Hephaestus. The surrounding area includes hills with olive orchards and farmland.

Bathed in the cobalt waters of the Tyrrhenian sea, Trapani is the former port of the Greek city of Erice, boasting a privileged natural position in western Sicily. As you wander through its little streets, you discover a secular cultural heritage, bearing witness to the many influences of civilisations that came here: San Lorenzo Cathedral, Maria Santissima Annunziata sanctuary, the fountain of Triton. On the shaded restaurant terraces, savor some fresh fish from the morning’s catch. Or else you can opt for a seafood couscous, a culinary legacy from their Arab neighbors.​

Palermo is the guardian of the Sicilian soul. Many have been attracted to this city, the largest capital of the Italian islands. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans... Palermo is a rich culmination of so many cultural influences as seen in the Moorish designs on the cathedral, and the Byzantine mosaics of the Palatine chapel, which is itself housed within the precincts of the Norman palace. You fall under the spell of the palaces, baroque splendors that grace the town with their obsolete beauty. It is thrilling to stumble upon one of those fabulous markets, high in color, and headily picturesque.

Of the seven Aeolian islands, this is the largest and the most populated. Lying off the north coast of Sicily, in the Tyrrhenian sea, Lipari is one of UNESCO’s marvellous World Heritage sites. Its lava stone quarries and obsidian flow of Rocce Rosse are indications of its volcanic nature. The town, the largest urban area in the whole archipelago, proudly houses its citadel and its castle, both rooted in Antiquity. If you head further into the center, you’ll be surprised to come across a Norman cathedral, complete with a magnificent baroque façade.

Like Ulysses during his Odyssey, you have the opportunity to admire the Stromboli, the capricious volcano that looms over the Aeolian Islands. Its activity, uninterrupted for thousands of years, has earned it the nickname the “Lighthouse of the Mediterranean”.

At the southern tip of the Italian boot, Reggio di Calabria guards the eastern shore of the Strait of Messina. From the lungomare, the sea front promenade, there are magnificent views over Sicily, a little over 3 km away, and Etna. Rebuilt after the 1908 earthquake, Reggio is set out in a grid pattern and has Art Nouveau and Belle Époque architecture that add to its charm. And the fragrance of bergamot, the citrus fruit that dominates the region’s confectionery and perfumery.

Located on Sicily’s eastern coast, in the province of Messina, the seaside town of Taormina is Sicily’s Saint-Tropez, boasting heritage sites, secluded beaches and luxury shopping. You can visit its medieval center, suspended 300 meters above sea level, where terraces offer a spectacular view of the Mediterranean Sea. Another vestige from its past are the ruins of the Greco-Roman theater. This extremely well-preserved site attracts visitors who are fascinated by the natural beauty of the area which overlooks a turquoise bay.

Its undulating rocky coastline, the endless sandy beaches, the menacing form of Mount Etna which surveys its island like a patriarch, the flowery gardens on the hillside... Sicily lays out its varied landscapes like a shopkeeper displays his wares. Described by Cicero as “the most beautiful city in the world”, Syracuse was one of the most prestigious cities in Sicily and at her height was even a rival for Athens. A central city of Ancient Greece, it was home to a succession of civilisations, each of which has left their mark. The blend of Arabic, Roman, Norman, Byzantine and Spanish cultures makes Syracuse a town that is extraordinarily rich in fragrances, colors and flavors.

After breakfast, bid farewell to your fellow travelers as you disembark today. Then, head to the airport for your flight home.