In September 2025, I returned to Sicily with one mission: to create the most incredible culinary tour for 2026.

It was my first visit in twelve years — and I was blown away. Sicily has thrived. It’s evolved into a true gourmet goldmine, bursting with people who are joyfully, unapologetically obsessed with food. Everywhere I went, conversations drifted between what they’d just eaten and what they were planning to eat next. My kind of people!

But something else surprised me. A couple of the charming hotels I used back in 2012 had transformed into glossy 5-star luxury properties. Beautiful, yes — but that’s not the Sicily I want to share with you. You can stay in a fancy hotel anywhere in the world. What makes Sicily extraordinary is its heart, its soul, and the people who live and breathe their land, traditions, and flavours.

So I dug deeper. And deeper. It felt like peeling an onion — each layer revealing another, more delicious find. Before I knew it, the itinerary had grown… and the neatest, most honest version of it became an 11-night tour. And even that was cutting it back! Honestly, I could have kept you there for two full weeks — and that’s without including Palermo or Taormina. They’re gorgeous, but they’re polished and tourist-ready; you don’t need me to show you around those.

For October 2026, I’ve crafted a journey through a part of the real Sicily — the southeast.
We begin with a night in Catania, then head up to the volcanic slopes of Etna for 2 nights. Then we drift south, via one of the most extraordinary archaeological sites in the whole of Italy. Then onto the Baroque jewels of Modica, Noto and 2 nights in Ragusa. Followed by 2 nights at a beautiful olive oil agritourism and a night at an exquisite Relais Chateaux vineyard. Finally, we end with three magical nights by the sea in Ortigia, in a simple, charming hotel where you can breathe in the salt air and wander between street bars, cafés, and sunlit lanes at your own pace.

And the food… my goodness, the food.

Everywhere I ate, it felt like discovering dishes for the first time. From spongy, irresistible focaccia to mozzarella so fresh it almost sighed on the plate… everything was a revelation. I adore Spanish food — you know that. But Sicily? Sicily is something else entirely.

Like Andalucía, Sicily was shaped by centuries of Moorish influence: honey, aubergines, almonds, citrus, pistachios — flavours that feel both familiar and thrillingly different. And the wine! Until this trip, I had no idea how extraordinary Sicily’s indigenous grapes truly are. Catarratto, Nero d’Avola, Carricante, Nerello Mascalese … it’s like discovering a whole new world of exciting wines, especially the volcanic wines.

This is the Sicily I want to share with you — raw, delicious, layered, surprising, soulful, unforgettable.

This is going to be a busy trip, but with a couple of late mornings and 3 free evenings.