It’s dream manifestation time on the Summer in Sicily Retreat, July 22 - 29, 2023! Your escape to the Mediterranean offers everything one could ever want in one of Europe’s hottest destinations. Hone your movement practice with daily crafted blends of pilates and yoga amidst a beautiful pastoral Ragusan landscape. Explore fascinating UNESCO World Heritage sites of architectural wonder and seaside revelry. Hike a volcano, sip + tour an infamous Mt. Etna winery, and indulge tastebuds in a private cooking class capturing the essence of incredible Sicilian food + flavor. Walk lavender fields, taste olive oils from recently plucked local groves, and take a beach day (or two) to relish in the perfect r + r fusion of sun and sea. Steeped in culture and surrounded by beauty, you just may never want to leave.
YOUR RETREAT INCLUDES:
~ 7 nights’ stay at a private Ragusan villa
~ Daily open-level pilates + yoga classes
~ Locally sourced breakfast, dinner and two takeaway lunches
~ Access to private pool + beautiful grounds
~ Optional add-on day excursions*
*See below for details. Additional rates apply.
NOTES:
~ Please bring your own mat + props.
~ Private airport transfers may be arranged for an additional fee.
ACCOMMODATIONS + PRICING (PER PERSON):
SOLD OUT! LUXURY SUITE 1 ~
The grandest room in the house, this luxury suite boasts shabby chic style, spacious en suite lounge and a large private jacuzzi + shower. Double Canopy Bed // Private Bath
$3,800 Single / $2,500 Double
SOLD OUT! ROOM 2 ~
Double Bed // Writer’s Desk // Private Bath
$2,650 Single / $2,150 Double
SOLD OUT! ROOM 3 ~
Double Bed // Writer’s Desk // Tea + Coffee Lounge // Private Bath
$2,750 Single / $2,250 Double
SOLD OUT! ROOM 4 ~
Double Bed // Writer’s Desk // Private Bath
$2,650 Single / $2,150 Double
SOLD OUT! ROOM 5 ~
Double Bed // Writer’s Desk // Tea + Coffee Lounge // Private Bath
$2,750 Single / $2,250 Double
SOLD OUT! ROOM 6 ~
Double Bed // Writer’s Desk // Tea + Coffee Lounge // Private Bath
$2,750 Single / $2,250 Double
SOLD OUT! DOUBLE LUXURY SUITE 7 ~
Decorated in classic Sicilian meets modern industrial style, this luxury suite includes an en suite lounge and lovely sea views from the mezzanine. Accommodates 2 - 4 guests.
Ground floor: Double Bed // Private Bath
Mezzanine: Double Bed // Private Bath
$2,250 Double / $2,050 Triple / $1,850 Quad
OPTIONAL DAY TRIPS:
MT. ETNA HIKE + WINERY LUNCH w/ TASTING ~
8:30am: Meet your private driver at the villa and depart to Mt Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe (approx. 2.5 hrs). Stop at Piazzale Sapienza and walk along the Silvestri Craters which enchant viewers with a “lunar-like landscape.”
1pm: Rejoin your driver and depart to a nearby winery (approx. 50 min), to experience the uniqueness of Etna wines, characterized by terroir-rich minerals of complexity and elegance. Enjoy a homemade gastronomic experience paired with a wine tasting to tantalize tastebuds. Return to Ragusa after lunch.
Included:
Private transfers + parking
Tasting + lunch at the winery
Does NOT include Mt. Etna hiking guide
COST (per person):
6 guests: 164 eur
8 guests: 150 eur
10 guests: 130 eur
AGRIGENTO VALLEY OF THE TEMPLES + SCALA DEI TURCHI ~
8.30am: Meet your private driver at the villa and depart to Agrigento (approx. 2.5 hrs). Upon arrival, meet your private guide and enjoy the majestic Greek architecture of the Valley of the Temples. Walk through the Concordia, Hera, Zeus, and Dioscuri temples, soaking up the atmosphere of daily life in ancient Akragas, now called Agrigento.
Afterwards, depart to Scala dei Turchi, in Realmonte, (approx. 25 min), limestone cliffs forged by the waves and the wind over millions of years and often the dramatic backdrop for many famous films. View the scala from the sea and relax on a nearby beach for lunch + rest.
5pm: Rejoin your driver and return to the villa.
Included:
Private transfers + parking
Private guide at the Valley of the Temples
Admissions
NOT included:
Lunch
Beach reservations
COST (per person):
8 guests: 132.5 eur
9 guests: 127 eur
NOTO, MODICA AND RAGUSA IBLA: UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE TREASURES ~
Discover the three jewels of the “Val di Noto,” UNESCO World Heritage towns of late-baroque architectural splendor: Noto, Modica and Ragusa.
9am: meet your private driver + guide and depart to Noto, (approx. 1 hr.), a town that showcases a majestic “open air museum” quality with beautiful churches and amazing noble palaces adorned with wonderful “mascheroni.”
Rejoin your driver + depart to Modica, (approx. 45 min). First stop: Belvedere, taking in a beautiful view of the city center atop a hill. Next, a chocolate tasting experience in one of Sicily’s oldest chocolate factories.
Afterwards, meet your driver for the last stop of this baroque city tour: Ragusa Ibla (10 min.) Ragusa Ibla is known for its old world beauty, oozing with character and charm around every street corner. Revel in the mastery of St. George’s Dome as well as La Rocca Palace.
At the end of the tour, meet your driver and return to the villa.
Included:
Private transfers + parking
Full day private guide
Chocolate tasting in Modica town
NOT included:
Lunch
COST (per person):
9 guests: 125 eur
THE ANCIENT GRAINS: PASTA OR PIZZA PRIVATE COOKING CLASS ~
In the middle of Ragusa’s Santa Domenica Valley, dotted by grottos and Mediterranean vegetation, there is a place where time simply stops. A fully revitalized ancient water mill + granary marks the destination of choice for the region’s most notable cooking classes.
FRESH PASTA COOKING CLASS~
Tour the water mill and learn about the traditional wheat grinding process. Gather in a large, open professional kitchen and partake in a fresh pasta-making class using local ingredients. Enjoy your meal with an optional glass of good Sicilian wine.
Included: private transfers, cooking class, appetizers, lunch w/ homemade pasta, dessert, wine and water.
PIZZA CHEF FOR A DAY~
The most well-known Italian food in the world and loved by everyone has its roots in the Greek period, with a Sicilian tradition added for spice and flare. After the visit to the watermill, learn how to make pizza three ways: pizza with aromas; the classic with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese; and a gourmet pizza, with fresh local seasonal produce. Take home recipes will be provided.
Included: private transfers, cooking class, appetizers, lunch w/ homemade pizza, dessert, wine and water.
COST (per person):
6 - 10 guests: $175 per person
SCICLI UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE AND GARDEN OF AROMATIC HERBS ~
9:30am: meet your private driver and depart to Scicli to connect with your private guide. Explore what poet Elio Vittorini calls “the real soul of Sicily.
Enjoy a homemade lunch at the Aromi Garden (20 min outside of town central), a farm that produces and sells more than 200 different varieties of plants and herbs including ornamental sage, thyme, lavender, rosemary and many more. Walk through the garden with a spectacular view of the Mediterranean Sea.
At approx. 3pm, visit the nearby Aprile Oilve Oil Farm. Learn the ways of olive oil cultivation and enjoy a olive oil tasting to savor the different varieties of Sicilian olive oils.
Return to your villa after the tour and tasting.
Included:
Private transfers
Private guide in Scicli
Herbal garden tour + lunch
Olive oil farm tour + tasting
COST (per person):
5 guests: 240 eur
6 guests: 200 eur
PRIVATE COASTAL BOAT TOUR w/ LUNCH IN IDYLLIC MARZAMEMI ~
Sail from Avola to Portopalo di Capo Passero with beautiful stops along the way: Avola, Calabernardo, Noto, Eloro, Marianelli, Pizzuta, Calamosche, Tonnara, the island of Vendicari, San Lorenzo, Marzamemi and Portopalo. Explore islands, Roman architecture, nature reserves, fortresses and majestic cliffs, beaches, aquamarine waters and hidden caves. Land in Marzamemi, a quintessential seaside village, for a delicious local lunch.
Included:
Snorkel gear + water
Does NOT include lunch in Marzamemi
COST (per person): 110 eur
TRANSPORTATION:
The closest airport is Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), with a 1.5 hour drive to Ragusa. Airport transfers may be booked to make life that much easier upon arrival and departure.
Word on the street is that car rentals are really pricey. You do NOT need to rent a car to experience everything this retreat has to offer, as all day trips include private transportation. But if you must, those cute little Fiats make great companions;)
ALL PAYMENTS MAY BE MADE VIA:
VENMO: @Jordanna-Dworkin
(last four digits -4840)
~or~
PAYPAL: j@intouchsf.com
(slide button on “Family + Friends”)
~or~
ZELLE: j@intouchsf.com / 646.234.4840
TO REGISTER, CONTACT JORDANNA DIRECTLY: 646.234.4840