us the way this much under-rated wine is produced , and then we enjoy a tasting of their wines discovering how true Marsala is : glorious , nutty and actually , surprisingly , foodfriendly . As well as their traditional Marsalas , we will also try the elegant wines from their estate on Pantelleria , a small volcanic island closer to Africa than Sicily , made from the intriguingly named Zibbibo grape variety . We continue to Mazara del Vallo , where lunchtime is free for you to discover this delightful fishing port . Mazara del Vallo came to international attention when in the 1990 ’ s a local fisherman picked up in his nets , a seven-foot bronze statue of a Dancing Satyr , dating to between 4th and 2nd century BC . There is a strong Tunisian presence in the town , and this shows in the fabulous fish cous cous restaurants to tempt you for lunch , or perhaps simply relax in the Piazza della Repubblica with an ice cream and admiring the Cathedral ! Mid-afternoon , we continue to Planeta La Foresteria to check-in for our next three nights . After time to enjoy their infinity pool overlooking the vines , we have dinner at this boutique hotel , owned by the most dynamic wine estate in Sicily , Planeta , and so dinner will be paired with a selection of their wines .
Day six - Feudo Arancio and Selinunte
After breakfast , we head slightly to the north ( journey time 25 mins ) to the wine cellars of Feudo Arancio . In the rolling hills of this part of southern Sicily , they produce a range of varietal wines , not only from the expected Grillo and d ’ Avola but also international varieties that have settled well on the island , including Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon . We taste a range of their wines at the cellars this morning . Sicily being an island , makes it hard to resist a lunchtime appointment at the beach ! So , we continue to the Planeta ’ s beach club , where under shady large umbrellas we enjoy a light lunch with a glass or two of their refreshing white wine – or perhaps their delicious rosé . This afternoon , you can choose to either remain at the beach club a little longer to enjoy the sea and beach or return to the hotel ( just 10 minutes away ) for a bit of R & R overlooking the vineyards . Alternatively , there is the opportunity after lunch to visit the archaeological park of Selinunte ( journey time 25 mins ). Founded in the 7th Century BC , Selinunte shows both the Phoenician and Greek history of the island . In a lovely setting overlooking the Mediterranean , it has one of the best examples of Doric architecture of a temple in Sicily as well as the ruins of the ancient city . The Planeta family focus very much on using local ingredients , from the wonderful aromatic herbs in the kitchen garden to using made that same day ricotta
Wine tasting in Sicily
from the farm across the hill . This evening we dine at the hotel , where a further selection of wines will be paired to showcase their excellent range of wine styles .
Day seven - Planeta – the modern face of Sicilian wine making
After breakfast , we head to the original Planeta cellars in Sambuca di Sicilia ( journey time 45 mins ), for a visit to understand how this one family were so instrumental in achieving recognition for the modern face of Sicilian wine making on the world stage , most notably with their Chardonnay . They achieved the coveted ‘ Italian Winery of the Year ’ award in 1999 and have expanded quickly since then , now producing wines in five different terroirs of the island . We taste a selection of these wines this morning with a selection of tempting Sicilian canapes as a light lunch . We return to Planeta La Foresteria with time to relax before a farewell dinner which will be paired with a final selection of Planeta wines from their various Sicilian estates .
Day eight - Return to Palermo and flight home
We leave for Palermo airport after breakfast ( journey time about 1 hr 15 mins ) for the return British Airways flight .
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