“To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is to have not seen Italy at all for Sicily is the clue to everything.” Goethe
21 – 28 September 2025
UNDER THE VOLCANO is based in the beautiful Baroque center of Catania on the coast of eastern Sicily. Sandwiched between the Mediterranean and Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, Catania is a cultural expression in complete symbiosis with nature. This explains the dynamism and energy that is felt here and is the overreaching theme behind the design of this singular program.
The tour will be open to a small group (maximum 8) and scheduled once a year only. This will allow us to provide a high level of personalized service in an intimate setting. The week will be organized around daily themes intended to familiarize participants with the rich cultural and gastronomic heritage of Catania and the surrounding provinces.
To provide the widest range of culinary experiences to the group meals will be offered in different venues of varying levels of refinement, all of which will be of the highest quality. To eat in Catania means to eat, first and foremost: seafood, so many menus in Catania will be based on local catch. Land based dishes will also be included especially during our trips in the provinces.
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Program Itinerary
Sunday PM Catania. Orientation followed by Sommelier led presentation of Sicilian Wine followed by tasting. Restaurant dinner.
Monday AM Catania: Sampling of the city’s street food highlights, private tour of Palazzo Biscari followed by visit to Catania fish market where we will enjoy a restaurant lunch. PM tour of the Benedictine monastery of San Nicolo l’Arena. Free evening.
Tuesday AM/PM Guided trekking excursion on Mount Etna. Lunch in small country restaurant. Free evening.
Wednesday AM Etna Winery visit followed by lunch. PM Visit Taormina. Optional Restaurant dinner.
Thursday AM Visit to organic goat cheese farm in province of Siracusa followed by tasting lunch PM Visit producer of Sicily’s only DOCG wine Cerasuolo di Vittoria in Chiaramonte Gulfi. Dinner at winery.
Friday AM Visit self sufficient family farm outside Noto during olive harvest followed by lunch prepared by owners PM Visit to the Baroque town of Noto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Free evening.
Saturday AM Trekking excursion to the necropolis canyon of Pantalica, another UNESCO World Heritage site. Lunch at site. Restaurant dinner.
Sunday AM participants depart after breakfast.
There are some important pre-requisites to attend this program. First, is a LOVE OF FOOD and acceptance of the menus that we have organized with our service partners. The class is not designed for anyone with allergies and food aversions. We will be happy to accept vegetarians as long as they eat seafood. For land based menus we will find vegetarian solutions. Last but not least, participants must be physically fit and capable of doing a LOT of walking and standing on one’s feet for an extended period of time. The treks on Etna and Pantalica will be mildly strenuous and will involve moving up and down on uneven terrain for up to 3-4 hours total time with a break at our destination. The street food segment and monastery tour in Catania will be conducted on foot alone as well as the trip to Noto. In historic centers in general it is not possible to bring a vehicle.
Program Fees & Location
Per Person
$3,750 Double Occupancy
$3,950 Single Occupancy
Fees include: accommodations; breakfast, 6 lunches and 4 dinners; wines, tours, tastings and excursions plus related transport, pick-up from and to Catania airport.
Participants will be lodged at the Hotel Centrum in Catania. The hotel is situated in a very central location, only footsteps away from Piazza Bellini, home of the city’s beautiful opera house. It is a perfect spot from which to explore the historic center on evenings after the daily activities conclude.
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