Southern Italy Sept 1-10 | Dinner in the Field

Dinner in the Field

In Southern Italy, Sept 1-10, 2022

Baia dell'Est Hotel

September 1

It is with great pleasure and pride that we invite you to enjoy our first trip in over two years-- Dinner in the Field Southern Italy Tour 2022! We’ll travel and dine with food and wine connoisseurs from the real Italy: Magna Grecia, Calabria and Sicily-- the places that existed a thousand years before Rome.

· Arrival at the airport, Lamezia Terme (SUF), or at the train station (Lamezia Terme Centrale), and transfer to the hotel

· Welcome dinner over looking the Mediterranean Sea, with chef Paige Healy from Dinner in the Field, and the Italian Culinary Institute's (ICI) president, John Nocita, at the ICI.

· Overnight at the Baia dell’Est Hotel

· Arrival at the airport, Lamezia Terme (SUF), or at the train station (Lamezia Terme Centrale), and transfer to the hotel

· Welcome dinner over looking the Mediterranean Sea, with chef Paige Healy from Dinner in the Field, and the Italian Culinary Institute's (ICI) president, John Nocita, at the ICI.

· Overnight at the Baia dell’Est Hotel

September 2

Dinner at the beach

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Free morning for rest, time at the beach, cooking lessons at the Italian Culinary Institute, or shopping in the town of Soverato

· Lunch at a local restaurant

· Free afternoon for rest, time at the beach, or explore the town of Soverato

· We will enjoy a Dinner in the Field, set on a beach overlooking the Ionian Sea. Our Italian friends and family will join us to welcome you to their homeland and dine together sharing not only recipes, but also their passion for cooking and enjoying our authentic Italian cuisine. Get ready to eat, drink, and laugh with this group!

· Overnight at the Baia dell' Est Hotel

September 3

Maurizio, our host in his Osteria "A Ruga". Cardinale

. Breakfast at the hotel

· Experience an Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar class and Cheese pairing at the Italian Culinary Institute

· Lunch at the ICI by chef John Nocita

. Free afternoon for rest, time at the beach, cooking lesson, or shopping in town.

. Dinner in a traditional "Osteria" with the owner and our friend Maurizio and his family in the old town of Cardinale

. Overnight at the Baia dell' Est Hotel

September 4

Taormina

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Early morning departure for Sicily. Those who have read The Odyssey will remember what a terrible time Odysseus had getting past Scylla and Charybdis, which flank what is now known as the Straits of Messina. We’ll have an easier time on one of Italy’s famous traghettos. A special tradition that we follow on the boat is to eat an “arancino." Aficionados throughout Italy actually travel to the ferry solely for a taste of this elusive delicacy!

· After crossing with the ferry, continue and arrive in Taormina to check in to the hotel and then head to a special lunch at a local restaurant

· Visit the center of historic Taormina, established in 358 BC, and free time begins. The ancient city is surrounded by incredible beauty, situated on a bluff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and Europe’s most active volcano, Mt. Etna. Shopping in Taormina is a sogno siciliano--a Siclian Dream!

· Free time in Taormina

· Dinner open

· Overnight at the hotel in Sicily

September 5

Greek Theater. Taormina

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Free time to explore Taormina, including some of the most precious and intact Roman and Ancient Greek ruins outside of Greece, including the Greek Theater (300BC), Palazzo Corvaja (10th centry), the Duomo (13th century), and much more. After you’ve gotten your cultural fix, shop in some of the hundreds of stores or stop for aperitifs, gelato and cannoli everywhere! Enjoy the sights and shopping of Taormina because both are endless!!!

· Lunch open

· Free afternoon

· Dinner open

· Overnight at the hotel in Sicily

September 6

Cannoli siciliani

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Late morning departure for Messina, where we stop for a visit to a pasticceria (a pastry laboratory) to taste the famous Cannoli

· Lunch - Sicilian focaccia, pizza, or arancino

· Departure for Tropea, Calabria

· Dinner at the Italian Culinary Institute

· Overnight at the Baia dell' Est Hotel

September 7

Pasta Class

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Hands-on Cooking Lesson with Italian Culinary Institute Chefs: Pasta, Pasta, Pasta! In Italy, pasta represents a healthy, tasty, and colorful dish. For chefs and home cooks, pasta inspires unlimited creativity. In addition to hands-on preparation, participants learn Regionalism: understanding where each pasta comes from in Italy enables culinarians to identify the appropriate sauces or condiments for that dish. It also gives a clear idea of how to pair that dish with the perfect wine from a given region. In this lesson, participants work hands-on alongside ICI chefs preparing over 50 types of pasta in just one day!

· Pasta party paired with three Super Southern Italian wines

Masterchef John Nocita ICI

· Free afternoon for rest, time at the beach, cooking lesson, or shopping in town.

· Dinner at a local restaurant

· Overnight at the Baia dell' Est Hotel

September 8

Susan tasting cheese at the Friday market in the town of Soverato.

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Visit to mercatino of Soverato: a typical Italian open air market offers culinarians an insight to the country's most traditional aspects as well as an opportunity to browse foods, cheeses, wines and cured meats that are still produced by artisans. Participants compare and taste the differences between these products and those of the industrial sector

· Wine tasting and pairing in an enoteca accompanied by local delicacies

. Afternoon departure for the archaeological site of Roccelletta di Borgia

. Dinner in the Field at an Organic Farm

. Overnight at the Baia dell' Est Hotel

September 9

The journey continues

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Morning: departure for Ciro', and an award winning winery visit. The Ciro' D.O.C red wines are the oldest wines in Europe. The tasting is accompanied by traditional cheeses and meats from the area

· Afternoon: Visit "Le Castella" at Isola Capo Rizzuto, a picturesque castle nestled on a small island off the coast of Crotone region.

· Return to the hotel, and authentic Mediterranean dinner at the ICI

· Overnight at the Baia dell' Est Hotel

September 10

Until we meet again

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Departure from the hotel with transfer to the train station or the airport of Lamezia Terme (SUF).

Price includes:

9 nights accommodation at 3 Star Hotels in Calabria and Sicily
Transfers to and from the airport
Breakfast everyday
7 Lunches including Focaccia and Cannoli tasting in Messina
7 Dinners including Pizza Party and two open-air Dinner in the Field experiences
All ground transfers listed in the program (including airport transfers plus the ferry for Sicily),
All visits and dining,
English/ Italian speaking guides throughout the program
Cooking Lessons
Welcome bottle of wine in the room
Tax and Vat included.
All gratuities are included.

Prices:

Single Accommodation

Payment of $4800 covers one person in a single room¹.

Double Accommodation
Payment of $5100 covers one of two people sharing a room¹.

Reserve a spot

A refundable deposit of $500 saves a slot for one person².

¹Price does NOT include airfare and expenses during free time

²Deposit fully refundable up to 90 days before the tour start date. AFTER 90 DAYS deposit is only transferable to future tours.