Tiggy's Culinary Journey through Sicily

By Tiggy Binger

Published 27 May 2025

Marketing Executive

Tiggy is a member of the marketing team at Pelorus with a passion for shaping the future of travel through innovative, insight-led marketing.

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Sicily is a feast for the senses - where centuries-old culinary traditions meet sun-drenched landscapes and vibrant local flavors. Tiggy, our Marketing Executive's recent foodie trip across this Italian island was an immersive dive into the heart of Sicilian cuisine, from elegant villas to bustling street markets. If you’re seeking one of the best foodie vacations or planning an Italy culinary trip, Sicily deserves a spot at the top of your list.

Taormina: A Picturesque Culinary Welcome

Our journey began in Taormina, the cliffside jewel of eastern Sicily. With its sweeping views of the Ionian Sea, ancient Greek theatre, and pastel-hued streets, Taormina is the perfect place to kick off any culinary tour of Italy. We stayed with The Thinking Traveller in one of their standout properties - Villa D’Aranchelo.

The villa itself was a dream: bright dining spaces surrounded by lush gardens bursting with blooms, the air perfumed with citrus and jasmine. Our first lunch set the tone - freshly picked tomatoes from nearby Noto, crisp salads, creamy cheeses, and rustic breads made for a simple but memorable introduction to Sicilian flavors. Evenings were filled with traditional aperitivos - delicate canapés of smoked salmon, chorizo, and regional cheeses - before sitting down to dinner. A highlight was the pasta pie, or timballo, a celebratory dish layered with pasta, sauce, meat, and cheese, followed by beautifully grilled fish and seasonal vegetables.

Culinary Immersion in Ortigia

Next, we travelled to Ortigia, a tiny island that's part of the city of Syracuse and brimming with Baroque architecture and authentic Sicilian charm. We toured several breathtaking villas, including the show-stopping La Rocca, and met the incredible Chef Dora - renowned for her culinary expertise in the region.

Chef Dora hosts one of the best cooking lessons in Italy and is proudly known for teaching the art of crafting cannolis from scratch. This hands-on experience can be part of a broader cooking vacation in Italy. Notably La Rocca boasts an enormous kitchen facility for cooking retreats.

We enjoyed our handmade desserts after a hearty lunch of traditional pasta followed by meatballs - comfort food elevated by time-honored techniques and Dora’s passionate storytelling.

No visit to Ortigia would be complete without diving into its famous street food. Our Italy food tour with an expert guide through the local markets was a riot of colors and aromas - fresh produce, herbs, seafood, and spices spilling from the stalls, each with a tale to tell.

Noto

Our final stop was Noto, a UNESCO World Heritage town known for its golden-hued palazzos and refined atmosphere. We visited the exquisite Villa Tenuta Baroniblei, where we were treated to a standout lunch of fresh fish, cured meats, mixed salads, and a personal favorite - Sicily’s take on Russian salad, creamy and delicious.

This leg of our culinary travel experience was more relaxed, with long lunches under the sun and cool glasses of Aperol spritz by the pool. It was the perfect conclusion to an Italian cooking retreat that celebrated both regional diversity and the pleasures of slowing down.

Inspired to Visit Italy?


Whether you're looking for immersive cooking classes in Italy, curated cooking retreats, or a gourmet foodie trip through hidden corners of Sicily, Pelorus can curate a journey for you that offers inspiration for travelers seeking something beyond the usual tourist trail.

Pelorus designs custom culinary vacations that combine luxury, authenticity, and access to the region’s best-kept secrets - bringing you closer to the flavors, people, and traditions that define a place.


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