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Complex and Beautiful Sicily (A Tour of Our Tour)

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This photo is Sicily, at its core. At every turn, the people draw you into their world and their reality. As a tourist, you feel their triumphs and struggles. It is truly a beautiful island, rich with history, tradition, art, architecture, food, wine and a unique culture. This is, perhaps, due to the many civilizations that inhabited the island over history. The scenery is amazing: the bustling city of Palermo with its contemporary designer stores vs. the rolling vineyards and old countryside vs. the Baroque hilltop towns – the old vs. the new in contrast everywhere. It’s a feast for the senses. It IS like Italy and yet, it IS NOT like Italy. It’s complicated, as they say. We experienced Sicily, it’s beauty and complexities, during our tour in October.
 
 
Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is a bustling city that reflects the rich history of the island and its many civilizations. Staying near the Massimo Opera House, we were centrally located to visit must-see sites with local historian, Jacqueline Alio. Jackie has authored several books on Sicily and its peoples. She was a wealth of knowledge about Sicily’s complex history and culture. With visits to Quattro Canti, The Massimo Opera House, the Norman Palace, the Palatine Chapel and the Fountain of Shame, we saw and learned much of Palermo in one morning of walking with Jackie. It was just the first of many days indulging in Sicilian sites and cuisine!
 
Cefalù is a lovely beachside town outside Palermo with a lively square, wonderful food, a sandy beach, great shopping and people-watching. Some of our guests enjoyed visiting with the locals, some shopped and others made a beeline for the beach after enjoying a lunch of fresh fish, grilled vegetables and pasta.
 
We headed to Ballaró Market for a culinary walking tour with our leaders, Claude & Cristina Baud. Ballaró is the oldest market in Palermo dating back 1000+ years. With food purveyors calling out their goods for sale, it’s a lively scene full of local culture. The vegetables, fruit, meats, nuts, olives and cheeses were divine. Have you ever tried three kinds of pistachios? We tasted Sicilian street foods along the way and picked up items for our upcoming picnics.
 
The Anna Tasca Lanza Cooking School in central Sicily is a 150-year old farmhouse and cooking school started by the late Anna Tasca Lanza. Anna brought classic Sicilian cooking to the world drawing upon Sicily’s native ingredients. Today, the school is run by her daughter, Fabrizia. Surrounded by vineyards and gardens, It is a true farm-to-table experience. Each dish is created from the meats, vegetables, fruit, herbs and grains available from their land. We prepared four Sicilian dishes with Fabrizia learning traditional techniques with her ingredients. A walk in the culinary garden was a delight!
 
The Tasca D’Amerita/Regaleali Estate Winery and the cooking school are both owned by the Tasca family. Tasca/Regaleali produces 4 million bottles of wine per year. The white and red wines made from local grapes (Catarrato, Inzolia, Grillo, Perricone, Nero d’Avola) are divine. We enjoyed a winery tour and tasting led by Regaleali’s sommelier who provided an overview of the Sicilian viticulture of the area. In the remote interior of Sicily, this estate and its scenery are truly magnificent! Regaleali is comprised mainly of vineyards but ancient wheat is also harvested and used for the production of bread and pasta, local sheep graze freely and a very intense extra virgin olive oil is produced from their olive trees.
 
Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Called Akragas, it became one of the richest and most famous of the Greek colonies dating back to 4th century BC. We wandered among the Doric temples with our historical guide, Giovanna Lombardo (she grew up playing in the area as a child). She taught us about how the Greeks built and lived in Agrigento. The Temple of Concordia is the most well-preserved and intact of the seven temples. We also visited the archaeological museum which contains many remnants of everyday life found at the site.
 
The southeastern region of Sicily, called Val di Noto, has its own history and culture. In 1693, a major earthquake devastated the area. Extensive rebuilding of towns and cities took place and the architecture of the reconstructed buildings became known as the ‘Sicilian Baroque Style’.  We visited the UNESCO-protected hilltop towns of Ragusa, Modica and Syracusa with our historical guide, Carlo Montesante, taking in the ornate architecture of this region. A stop at Cafe Siciliia, the pastry shop of Chef Corrado Assenza featured in ‘Netflix’s Chef’s Table Pastry’, treated us with the best almond granita ever made earth (one person’s opinion)!! More than yum!
 
Vendicari Nature Reserve is in the southeastern corner of Sicily. Our off-the-beathen-path excursion for the day was to take a walk with a naturalist to learn about the area and the protected African migratory birds. We observed flamingos, cormorants and pelicans in their natural habitat. The water is crystal clear and the lack of people was a delight!  Close to this area, is the old fishing port of Marzamemi. Picturesque and filled with quaint shops, restaurants and fishing boats, it is a place not to be missed if you are ever in Sicily!  The afternoon called for a shopping spree in which we willingly participated but caught a great end of season sale. This all made for a perfect afternoon!
 
Set on the eastern coast of Sicily, Mt. Etna is one of the world’s most active volcanos. Referred to as ‘she’ – she sends off steam constantly. The steam can be white, black (ash) or pink (with minerals). The locals worry when she is not steaming. It means something ‘big’ could happen. As was explained to us, residents are actually more concerned about the earthquakes in the area than the volcano due their location on tectonic plates. We took a fall hike through a chestnut forest at the base of Mt. Etna passing lava flows. This area is also a wine-growing region. Our guide led us to her family’s estate, Gambino Winery, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch of local specialties paired with wine. Who can ever forget that pumpkin risotto??
 
Spending a day on a catamaran off the coast of Taromina was a delight!  It was finally a chance to sit, relax and do nothing. Our charter took us to a swimming spot where some of us immediately jumped in while one tried a fishing pole. The water was not really cold but refreshing. Follow that with lunch prepared on board by the captain and his crew: marinated swordfish, pasta with mussels, grilled vegetables, eggplant parmesan, salad and wine – makes for happy guests. The captain raised the sails and we were able to sail past Isola Bella, a rocky island off of the coast of Taormina. All this was accomplished before huge rain clouds appeared. We made it through the entire trip without rain – except for the last day. We were very fortunate as Mother Nature descended on us in a great way the next day! 
 
This was our lovely hotel in Taormina. The main historical part of the city is on an upper level accessed by a cable car or taxi from our hotel. We enjoyed the peace and quiet of being on the water. Taormina is a resort town and quite busy with tourists. In front of the hotel is a beautiful small island creating a protected beachfront complete with small fishing boats going in and out during the day. The water is crystal clear and the sound of the tide was magical at night. What better than to sit back, have a drink (or two) and enjoy this beautiful view at the end of a 12-day tour??
 
 

Chianti in Tuscany’s Hill Towns

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Florence & Chianti in Tuscany: A Cultural & Culinary Adventure
September 6-17, 2017

 

During our fall tour, we will base ourselves for a week in a villa in the Chianti region. From the villa, we’ll visit these Tuscan medieval towns. Each town has its unique history, culture, architecture, traditions and charms. We’ll meet locals along the way. Get ready to discover these ‘gems’!

greveGreve: Greve is the hub of the Chianti Classico region. It is the center the Chianti wine industry. Greve regularly hosts a Slow Food Market. Its central square, Piazza Matteotti, is lined with attractive shops, restaurants and  tasting rooms. We’ll wander the streets of Greve, check out its shops and cafes and go to the farmer’s market. We’ll also visit the Wine Museum to learn the history of winemaking in Chianti.

 

panzanoPanzano: Panzano is a charming medieval town located on a high ridge surrounded by Chianti Classico vineyards. Panzano’s views are of vineyards dotted with cypress tress, olive groves, and farmhouses. Panzano has a good range of restaurants, ‘enotecas’/wine tasting shops and is home to the famous ‘Butcher of Panzano’, Dario Cecchini, featured on The Food Network. We’ll visit his butcher shop and have dinner at his restaurant, La Officina. 


san-miniatoSan Miniato is a medieval hilltop village (in the province of  Pisa) half-way between Pisa and Florence. It is an ancient settlement above the meeting point of the Arno and Elsa Rivers giving it a rich history due to its strategic location. Its origin is BC. Ancient artifacts have been found in the surrounding area. The Tower, on the summit of the hill, dominates the valley below. San Miniato is a Tuscan ‘Slow City’ and is the center of the white truffle zone. We will go on a truffle hunt near San Miniato, take a truffle cooking class and visit this remarkable town.

sienaSiena: Siena is the furthermost southern town we will go to in Tuscany. The city center is distinguished by its medieval brick buildings and fan-shaped central square, Piazza del Campo. The Siena Cathedral, a focal point of the city, is a medieval Roman Catholic church completed between 1360 and 1370. Its interior and exterior are constructed of distinctive white and dark green marble in alternating stripes. Built in two stages, the Siena Cathedral combines elements of Gothic, Romanesque and Classical architecture. It is a site not to be missed!  

montefioralleMontefioralle: The ancient village of Montefioralle is still enclosed within its original walls. During the Middle Ages, it was one of the largest military and administrative centers of the area. It is believed to date back to 1085 AD. The village itself is virtually free of cars. The ancient passageways lead to the entrance of its main castle. Vineyards stretch in every direction and there are wonderful hiking trails in the area.

We will visit the town and taste at the Monefioralle winery.


san-gimianoSan Gimignano: San Gimignano is a walled village about halfway between Florence and Siena. It is famous for its fascinating medieval towers that rise above all the other buildings. At the height of its glory, San Gimignano’s patrician families had built 72 tower-houses as symbols of their wealth and power. Although only 14 have survived, San Gimignano still retains its feudal atmosphere and appearance. This town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Visit our website for more details: http://www.packafork.com/florence-tuscany-a-cultural-culinary-adventure/ 

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The Bauds – Our Italy Tour Guides

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Tour Guides

We are so fortunate to have these two people as guides for our trip to Tuscany this fall – Claude & Cristina Baud. They  have been very well received by our guests on past tours! They are knowledgeable about the regions of Italy, having lived in Florence and traveled throughout Italy. They the perfect the guides for our trip!  Claude & Cristina truly care about each person, are interested in what guests want to see/learn and work to provide unique experiences. They are committed to Pack A Fork! tours being outstanding. They will ask guests to try new foods (“just one bite”), point out details most visitors do not normally see, teach guests who want to learn and ensure that everyone has an authentic local experience.  They also make THE BEST gourmet picnics using local artisan foods and wines! A trip with them is rewarding and ‘rich’ in so many ways.  Get ready for a life experience you will not forget!

Claude Baud comes from five generations of Swiss hoteliers. Claude attended the Hotel School of Lausanne in Switzerland. He worked at the Hotel Tamaro in Ascona, Switzerland. He has also been a maitre d’ in country clubs around the United States. Claude speaks four languages: English, Spanish, French and Italian. He is a food and wine connoisseur. He has taught culinary classes and is a talented chef. Claude has been traveling and exploring regions of the world for 35 years. He is truly a ‘man of the world’. Claude has brought community together through food and wine his entire life.

Cristina Baud is a native of Madrid. Cristina’s compulsive craving for travel has taken her to over 38 countries around the world. From these travels, she has gained considerable insight in to numerous cultures, peoples, traditions and religions.  Cristina has dedicated much of her life to learning from the countries she has visited or lived in. When traveling, her soul feel most engaged with the experiences it presents. Cristina also speaks four languages. Her expertise is in history, art, architecture and local cuisine.  She is a delight!

Claude and Cristina have three sons. One lives in Barcelona and has won the ‘Mixologist of Spain’ award. They also have one grandson. The Bauds are from Boulder, CO and own a home in southern Spain.