SICILY: DIMORA COTTANERA WINE ESTATE & MICHELIN STAR ON MOUNT ETNA
NOMAD HOME CULINARY SERIES
NOMAD HOME: CULINARY SERIES
Nomad Home's Culinary Series partners with chefs, winemakers and estates at the top of their craft to curate private cooking classes, Michelin dining and unforgettable days at a single property.
Our Sicily retreat is hosted at Dimora Cottanera, a restored baronial villa on the Cottanera wine estate, 700 metres up the northern slope of Mount Etna. Thirteen rooms and suites across the old farm buildings, an infinity pool looking over the vines to the Alcantara Valley, a sauna and whirlpool, and 65 hectares of vineyard on black lava soil at your door.
Etna is the most exciting wine region in Italy right now. Nerello Mascalese and Carricante grown on an active volcano make reds compared to Burgundy and whites with the tension of Chablis, and the Cambria family has been making them here for three generations. The food is just as serious: a one Michelin star table fifteen minutes away, pistachios from Bronte, Catania's fish market, granita and the best street food in the country.
Join us for four days of Sicilian cooking, Etna wine and a volcano at the end of the garden, in the company of a handpicked group of founders, creatives and senior professionals.
Dimora Cottanera: A Family Estate on the Volcano
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Dimora Cottanera is a restored baronial villa in Contrada Iannazzo, Castiglione di Sicilia, on the northern slope of Mount Etna, between the volcano and the Alcantara Valley.
Thirteen rooms and suites are spread across the old farm buildings, each one different, most with private terraces looking straight down the vine rows to the mountain. An infinity pool sits above the vineyards, with a whirlpool, sauna, fitness room and massages for the slow afternoons.
Breakfast is Sicilian: Nebrodi provola, cured meats, fruit from the valley, homemade cakes and brioche. The winery is a short walk through the vines, and three natural parks, Etna, the Nebrodi and the Alcantara River, are on the doorstep.
It is one of the most beautiful places to stay on Etna, and for four days it is ours.
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Cottanera farms 65 hectares of vines at around 700 metres on the northern slope of Etna, on soil that is literally lava. The Cambria family planted the first vineyards in the 1990s and now work five of the volcano's best contrade: Cottanera, Diciassette Salme, Calderara, Zottorinoto and Feudo di Mezzo.
The grapes are Etna's own. Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio for reds that are often compared to Burgundy, and Carricante for whites with the tension of a great Chablis. The range runs from a Metodo Classico sparkling and single-contrada whites to the Etna Rosso Riserva Contrada Zottorinoto.
We taste through the whole range with the family, in the cellar and in the vineyards, and their wines are poured at every meal of the retreat.
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Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is the reason the wine here tastes like nowhere else. The vineyards climb its slopes in terraces of black lava stone, some of them on vines more than a century old that survived phylloxera.
We go up. A 4x4 takes us above the vineyards to the lava fields and craters, with the whole of eastern Sicily and the sea below. On the way back down there is Bronte, home of the world's best pistachios, and the medieval towns of Randazzo and Castiglione di Sicilia.
Catania, the baroque city at the volcano's foot, is an hour away: the fish market, arancini and granita with brioche for breakfast. Taormina and the sea are forty-five minutes.
The Cambria Family & A Michelin Star on Etna
Cottanera: Three Generations on Mount Etna
In the 1960s the Cambria family bought a hazelnut farm on the northern slope of Etna. In the 1990s brothers Guglielmo and Enzo Cambria tore out the hazel trees and planted vines, betting on a volcano nobody was talking about. Today Guglielmo's children, Mariangela, Francesco and Emanuele, run 65 hectares across five of Etna's most celebrated contrade, including Calderara, Diciassette Salme and Zottorinoto.
Their wines, from a sparkling Metodo Classico to the Etna Rosso Riserva from Contrada Zottorinoto, are poured at every table on this retreat, and the family hosts us in their cellar and vineyards throughout.
Sicilian Cooking Class & Michelin Star Dinner
Our retreat starts with a welcome dinner at the estate, four courses paired with five Cottanera wines across the contrade, so you taste the volcano before you see it.
The highlight is a hands-on Sicilian cooking class at the estate: pasta alla Norma, caponata, arancini and the dishes that have fed this island for centuries, cooked with Etna produce and eaten with the family's wines.
And one evening we drive fifteen minutes to Linguaglossa for dinner at Shalai, one Michelin star, where chef Giovanni Santoro cooks the food of the volcano at its most refined.
Retreat Dates
Sep 9th - Sep 12th, 2027
4 days
Mount Etna, Sicily
Next: Burgundy, Oct 14th - 17th, 2027
4 days
Côte d'Or, France
What to Expect: All Inclusive Experience
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3 nights at Dimora Cottanera, a restored baronial villa on a working wine estate on the northern slope of Mount Etna, with vineyard-view rooms and private terraces
Daily Sicilian breakfast: Nebrodi provola, cured meats, fruit from the valley, homemade cakes and brioche
Infinity pool over the vines, whirlpool, sauna and fitness room
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Hands-on Sicilian cooking class at the estate with a tasting of four Cottanera wines and lunch of what we cook
Cellar and vineyard tour with the Cambria family across Etna's contrade, with a six-wine tasting of the full range
4x4 excursion up Mount Etna to the lava fields and craters, with a stop in Bronte for the pistachios
Private transport to Randazzo and Castiglione di Sicilia, the medieval towns of the northern slope
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Welcome dinner at the estate: four courses paired with five Cottanera wines from across the contrade
Dinner at Shalai in Linguaglossa, one Michelin star, fifteen minutes from the estate
Farewell dinner at the estate with the Cambria family's top wines, including the Etna Rosso Riserva
All lunches, from the cooking class to pizza night with Etna Bianco, Rosso and Rosato
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Private transfers from Catania airport on the first and last day of the retreat, about one hour from the estate, and all transport during the retreat, including the 4x4 on Etna.
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Resort wifi for pockets of time to work
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Day 1: Arrival & Welcome Dinner
Welcome home! After the Catania airport pick-up, an hour's drive takes you up the northern slope of Etna to Dimora Cottanera. Settle into your room, then meet by the infinity pool for a glass of Cottanera Metodo Classico as the sun goes down behind the volcano.
We'll kick off the night with a welcome dinner at the estate: four courses of Sicilian cooking paired with five Cottanera wines from across the contrade, hosted by the Cambria family. Get to know your new family!
Meals Included: Dinner & Wine
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Day 2: Sicilian Cooking Class & Michelin Star Dinner
Start your day with a Sicilian breakfast on the terrace, then roll up your sleeves for our hands-on cooking class at the estate: pasta alla Norma, caponata, arancini and the dishes that have fed this island for centuries, cooked with Etna produce and paired with four Cottanera wines. Lunch is whatever we've made.
After a slow afternoon by the infinity pool, we drive fifteen minutes to Linguaglossa for dinner at Shalai, one Michelin star, where chef Giovanni Santoro cooks the food of the volcano at its most refined.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Wine
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Day 3: Up the Volcano & Cottanera Cellar Tasting
After breakfast, a 4x4 takes us up Mount Etna, above the vineyards to the lava fields and craters of Europe's highest active volcano, with the whole of eastern Sicily and the sea below. On the way down we stop in Bronte, home of the world's best pistachios, and the medieval town of Randazzo.
Back at the estate, the Cambria family walks us through their vineyards and cellar, across the contrade that make Etna one of the most exciting wine regions in the world, finishing with a six-wine tasting of the full Cottanera range.
Our farewell dinner is at the estate: four courses with the family's top wines, including the Etna Rosso Riserva, and a toast to four days on the volcano.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Wine
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Day 4: Arriverderci, see you later!
We love you! We will miss you! Savour a last breakfast on the terrace with the volcano in front of you, then continue on to your next adventure. We drop you at Catania airport, or in Taormina for anyone staying on, and count down the days until we see you again.
Staying longer in Sicily? We'll happily share where to eat and stay, from Taormina to Noto and the Aeolian Islands.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Pricing & Accommodation
Boutique wine estate on Mount Etna. Infinity pool, sauna and whirlpool. Daily breakfast, all meals, tastings and classes included.
Superior Room
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1 King Bed
1 Desk
Ensuite Bathroom
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3650€ Double Occupancy
4150€ Single Occupancy
Deluxe Room
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1 King Bed
1 Desk
Ensuite Bathroom
Living Room
Deluxe Suite Welcome Snack & Wine Package
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3950€ Double Occupancy
4450€ Single Occupancy
How It Works
Our retreats are intimate by design.
We're selective, so every table is good company.
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Submit the application form and schedule a time for a 30 minute interview with our Founder, Kella, to see if we are a perfect fit.
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If you are selected, you'll receive an acceptance email and can book your first retreat right away.
For those planning multiple journeys, our Multi-Journey Packages offer retreat credits, priority upgrades, complimentary event tickets and extended membership.
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Once you're in, you can browse and book any upcoming retreat or member event.
When you see something you'd like to join, email our team with your preference and we'll send you a payment link and all the details.
Hear from Our Nomad Home Members
Connection is why we exist. Nomad Home is on a mission to redefine solo travel and create a community of adventurous entrepreneurs, remote workers, and creatives.
We are setting the table to lifelong relationships by curating the finest bespoke travel experiences in the world.
Our family is carefully selected to be made up of vibrant, charismatic, and open-minded individuals with a location-agnostic lifestyle.
We’d love to meet you to see if we’d be the perfect fit.
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Charlotte
CO-FOUNDER of HANDS London
My favourite thing about Nomad Home is being able to connect with a large group of people from all over the world. I usually make friends slowly but when you spend so much time with a group of people, you become extremely close very quickly. That has been rare in my adult life and something I’ll always treasure. I’ve made friendships that will last a lifetime - we have already planned a few meetups since.
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Laurie
FOUNDER of Outsourceful
Running my own business can get lonely and repetitive at times so it was refreshing to be able to travel, cowork, and bounce ideas with a group of founders. Although many of us were from different countries, it was surprising how much we had in common. I’ve been to multiple Nomad Home events now and the London events were a great way to meet people in my home city. There are 4 of us that met that have already set up monthly dinners; we really left as a family.
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Andrea
PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER and CONTENT CREATOR
I’ve remote worked for 5 years and found that it’s been difficult to find people that love luxury travel and have a flexible lifestyle. Nomad Home has given me a community to grow together personally and professionally with, when I honestly didn’t realize I could make these deep of connections of my adult life. What’s better is I got to do it while wine tasting and dinner partying.
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Jesse
CO-FOUNDER of BLA Design Group and FOUNDER of Adessa Visuals
I work a lot, which means I don’t have much time to get away, socialize, or plan travel itineraries. Nomad Home has made it easy for me to just show up, enjoy unique activities and dinner parties that are off the beaten path, and connect with interesting people working on cool projects I would have never met otherwise. It was even better that I got to do all of it while getting my work done.
FAQ
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Lodging, transportation, daily breakfast, all activities and meals in the itinerary.
Flights are not included.
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For our 8 day retreats, all guests will have free time during the day to work as they please as most activities are in the evening or weekend.
For our 4 day retreats, activities will be throughout the day so there will only be pockets of work time. Of course, you can participate as you prefer and if you have specific schedule accommodations, please email (admin@nomad-home.com)
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Yes. Please send us an email and indicate what room you’d like, who you would like to be in the room with, and we will take it into consideration in the selection phase.
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Yes. Please let us know your room preference and we will work to pair you with another guest if you both select a shared room.
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Private pick-up and drop-off will be organized at the airport indicated in the itinerary.
Transportation is organized from that specific location, if you have a custom request, we will try our best to help coordinate; subject to additional cost.
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Yes, the minimum age is 21 years old for all stays.
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Please verify the entrance requirements for your respective country. Many countries are able to have a tourist visa issued at no charge upon arrival. When entering the country, we suggest selecting ‘vacation’ on the immigration form and using the villa’s address; provided at the time of booking.
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All tours will have transportation included. If you wish to have your own transportation during weekdays, you can rent a car or bike for personal use.
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We can always accommodate no-alcohol and will try our best to accommodate dietary restrictions, however, we require time to plan the options with food/tour providers.
Please send us an email with your requests and we will inquire on your behalf: admin@nomad-home.com
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If cancelling a booking within 48 hours of placing your booking you will receive a full refund. Please note, the 24 hour period begins when you place your initial booking.
Cancellation after this period incurs cancellation fees, depending on how far in advance you cancel.
If cancelling within:
90 days of the retreat start date - the 1500€ deposit is non-refundable
Within 60 days of the retreat start date - 50% is non-refundable
45 days of the retreat start date - 100% non-refundable
Please email (admin@nomad-home.com) to request cancellation.
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Yes. If chosen as a participant, a 1500€ deposit is required before the remainder of the payment 60 days before the retreat start date.
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Yes. Payment plan below is available, please contact (admin@nomad-home.com) if you’d like to activate:
1500€ Deposit at time of booking
50% of remainder of payment at 90 days from retreat start date
50% of remainder of payment at 60 days from retreat start date