The Delights of Sicily | Private Tour | 2011 | East to West Side: from Palermo

Day 1 - Palermo airport (PMO)/Menfi
(Sunday | Tuesday | Wednesday)
Welcome to the warm, beautiful and pleasant island of Sicily! Upon arrival at Palermo airport please proceed through the Passport Control and collect your luggage inside the customs area. Then meet our Driver Guide and departure for Menfi, located about 70 km southwest of Palermo and known for its high quality wines both in Italy and abroad. On arrival transfer in a local Winery-Hotel. Tonight dinner at the Foresteria. (D)
Day 2 - Agrigento, Winery Visit, Wine Tasting & Cooking Course
(Monday | Wednesday | Thursday)
Agrigento, licensed local guide not included. This service is available on request
Following breakfast, a short drive takes us to Agrigento to visit the finest of all ancient Greek sites—the complete Doric Temples (Admission fee: not included). Time at leisure. Then back to Menfi. This afternoon we visit Planeta Winery and taste typical local wines. Then we meet the Chef who is pleased to share his passion for exquisite dining experiences. We start our Cooking Course and, at the end, we taste our delicious dishes accompained with local wines. (BB D)
Day 3 - Marsala Wine, Salt Pans, Erice & Cannoli
(Tuesday | Thursday | Friday)
Following breakfast departure for Marsala, a seaport city located in the Province of Trapani. The low coast on which it is situated is the westernmost point of the island. It is best known as the source of Marsala wine, first received a D.O.C. status in 1969. Marsala wine is frequently used in cooking, and is especially prevalent in Italian restaurants in the United States. On arrival transfer to Florio Winery. Of the various wine factories, the Florio cellars of Marsala are among the oldest ones. They were founded by Vincenzo Florio in 1832 and has been in continuous Marsala wine production since then. Then we travel between Marsala and Trapani on the Salt Way Road.  On arrival to Trapani we visit the historic salt pans and ancient windmills of Trapani, where the tradition of manually harvesting salt from the sea is still practiced today.  We will stop at the Saline Ettore & Infersa, and visit an actual windmill (Admission fee: not included). Later we continue to the mountain top town of Erice.  The Elymians settled the medieval town of Erice, which was an important religious site associated with the goddess Venus. While wandering through its ancient streets, we will visit the elegant shop of one of its most noted homemade pastry masters, Maria Grammatico, world-famous for her decorated marzipan and other delicacies like almond and pistachio pastries.  We will enjoy a tasting of some products. This afternoon, on the way to Palermo, a short break takes us in the small village of Dattilo, famous for having only 1 street and 2 businesses!  Lucky for us one of those businesses is the Eurobar, known to religious locals as the “ultimate altar of cannolidom!”  Their cannoli are made fresh every day, filled to order, weigh almost half a pound each and are 9 inches long! Then continue to Palermo, the capital of Sicily. (BB)
Day 4 - Monreale, Palermo Market & Panelle
(Wednesday | Friday | Saturday)
Monreale, licensed local guide not included. This service is available on request
Palermo, English speaking assistant included for maximum 3 hours
Breakfast at hotel. Our first stop is Monreale to see where the Arab-Norman art and architecture reached the pinnacle of its glory with the Duomo, launched in 1174 by William II. It represents scenes from the Old and New Testaments all in golden mosaics. Then onto Palermo to Piazza Pretoria and Via Maqueda, whose famous “four corners” converge in a quartet of baroque palaces from the climax of the Spanish rule dating from 1560.  From here a walking tour takes us to the old city centre exploring the lively Ballarò Market, a place overflowing with beautiful fresh fish, and local vegetables and cheeses.  Originating from the era when Sicily was occupied by the moors, this 1000 year old market has run much in the same manner for centuries.  It has strong Arab influences, resembling an eastern souk, and these influences are also evident in the merchandise itself.  Next to mounds of ricotta and caciocavallo cheeses, barrels of olives and fat slabs of swordfish sit saffron and other spices, as well as sacks of beans and gorgeous indigenous fruit and local vegetables.  Here we have the opportunity to taste a typical palermitano dish, such as the famous Panelle (a thin paste of crushed ceci/garbanzo beans rolled into sheets, fried and served in pizza-like slices).  Later, we meet the driver-guide and transfer at hotel. This afternoon is at leisure to explore the town on our own or rest. (BB)
Day 5 - Piazza Armerina, Taormina & Granita
(Thursday | Saturday | Sunday)
Piazza Armerina, licensed local guide not included. This service is available on request
Following breakfast, we drive through the interior of Sicily to reach Piazza Armerina. On arrival we view the ruins of the Roman Villa of Casale (Admission fee: not included). The mosaics discovered here are celebrated among scholars of antiquity. This afternoon we then continue to Taormina, the resort town of Sicily. Upon arrival in Taormina, time for our hotel check in. Later we walk to reach the Corso Umberto Street, the core of the town, for a stop at a cliff-side bar with a beautiful seaview to enjoy a local favourite, Granita with Brioche - a semi frozen slushy made with fresh local fruit, served atop a soft brioche roll.  The evening is at leisure to enjoy dinner on your own or to explore the town. (BB)
Day 6 - Etna Jeep Ride & Country Meals
(Friday | Sunday | Monday)
IMPORTANT: please be so kind as to dress comfortable shoes (or hiking boots) and do not forget your wind jacket.
Today a off-road’s driver transfer us to the Etna Volcano. Enjoy a lovely Jeep experience through Etna area: Mount Fontana (view of Bove Valley), the Thieves Cave (grotta dei ladroni), extinct craters of Sartorius Mounts, lava  flow from 2002 eruption. Light-lunch at Farmhouse to taste typical Sicilian dishes and house wine. During afternoon off-road drive along the Linguaglossa-Castiglione and Alcantara Gorges. Short visit to Canyon entrance and valley. Later back to Taormina. (BB L)
Day 7 - Taormina Gourmet
(Saturday | Monday | Tuesday)
Today transfer to a local restaurant to meet Chef Antonio.  He will accompany us on a brief walk to an open air market where we'll purchase fresh fish, fruit, vegetables and all the ingredients necessary for the cooking course.  Then back to the restaurant to start cooking some Sicilian specialties!  At the end of the cooking course we will enjoy our scrumptious creations with the perfect pairing - Sicilian Etna wine of course! Then we gather for a Brindisi di Arrivederci-Farewell Toast. This afternoon is at leisure to rest or shops. (BB L)
Day 8 - Taormina/Catania airport (CTA)
(Sunday | Tuesday | Wednesday)
Time to say goodbye to Sicily as we are transferred to Catania Airport (CTA) for our return flight. (BB)

Meal Legend: BB Buffet Breakfast L Lunch or Light Lunch  D Dinner
 

DEPARTURE from Palermo (PMO)
7 nights / 8 days
Menfi (2n) Palermo (2n) Taormina (3n)
Departure from Palermo
Date: Sun, Tue, Wed
Private | On Request (with a min. 4 clients)
Small size group: Limited to 6 people
Style of Accommodation: Boutique
Black-Out: Easter Week

Meals:
-7 breakfasts;
-two dinner at hotel;
-one light lunch in a farmhouse;
-two wine tasting at wineries;
-one cooking course at Planeta Foresteria;
-one cooking course in a local restauranr;
-marzipan tasting in Erice;
-cannolo tasting in a local bar;
-panelle tasting at Palermo market;
-granita & brioche tasting in Taormina;
-beverages during included meals;
-one lunch at local restaurant.

Rate per person, land only:
Minimum 6 people
Eur 2.170,00 in double/twin occupancy
Minimum 4 people
Eur 2.460,00 in double/twin occupancy

FEATURED BOUTIQUE PROPERTIES USED:
Menfi: Planeta Estate
Palermo: Hotel Principe di Villafranca

Taormina: Hotel Villa Carlotta

Hotel may be substituted with similar categories

IMPORTANT TO KNOW:
This tour is operated only with a Driver-Guide up to 6 people. 
The Driver Guide is not a Licensed Tourist Guide --Licensed Tourist Guide: are the only professionals, with a Regional license, permitted to conduct visits and tours in all sites and museums within a city -- and he cannot escort you inside the monuments because this is not allowed by Italian Rules.

This tour is not recommended for:
-people with walking limitation;
-people with meal restrictions.

HOW TO BOOK:
A deposit eur 300,00 per person is required to save the space.
You can pay this amount using the credit card through our secure payment system.

As soon as we receive the deposit we send you the confirmation by H24 during working days.

ADMISSION FEE:
The price of this tour does not include the Admission Fees, which are usually around Euros 8,00/10,00 per person payable directly on the spot. If you are over 65 or under 18 years old and you have EU or Commonwealth Passport,  the admission fees are free of charge for you showing your document (or copy of your document) on the spot.