How to get there
There are no direct flights from Boston to Palermo, Sicily's capital and a city of about 700,000.
There are many car rental agencies operating out of Palermo Falcone-Borsellino Airport. The least expensive is Sicily by Car (www.sbc.it) through Auto Europa. The rate is about $39 per day, depending on the vehicle and the transmission (automatic is double the price of manual). The Ravidàs will provide directions to the villa.
What to do
Ravidà Azienda Agricola Srl
173, via Roma, Menfi
011-39-0925-71109
www.ravida.it, ravida@ravida.it
The website provides a sense of the locale and of the Ravidà family, but few details about the cooking programs. Direct contact with the office is best. Tell them what you are looking for, and they will respond with a list of options. A single-day class is approximately $128 per person, minimum of two people and up to six. The olive oil tasting and farm tour is approximately $64 per person. Classes for groups of more than six will be quoted a price through the office. My one-day class and tasting was about $179.
Rooms are $167 per night, per room (up to two people) and include a continental breakfast. If you are staying and choose to dine in, a multicourse dinner is $64. And you don't have to cook.
