2012 | Sicilian Highlights Tour | 7 days
West to East Side: Saturday from Palermo

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Sicilian Highlights Tour ~ West to East Side
6 nights/7 days
Palermo (3 nights) Taormina (3 nights)
Language: English Only



Day 1 (Saturday) Palermo
Welcome to the warm, beautiful and pleasant island of Sicily! Upon arrival at Palermo airport (PMO) please proceed through the Passport Control and collect your luggage inside the customs area. Then independent transfer to your hotel. Tonight we meet our staff at hotel for a short briefing. Then together we gather for dinner at a local restaurant. (D)

Day 2 (Sunday) Monreale, Palermo & Cefalů
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 explore the lively Capo Market, a large open air street market that captures the flavor of Palermo's Saracen Arab past. Capo is a blend of general confusion and a jumble of vendors' stalls, winding toward the old gate --Porta Carini-- of what used to be the city wall. Later we continue by seeing Piazza Pretoria and Via Maqueda, whose “four corners” converge Palermo at a quartet of baroque palaces left over from the heyday of Spanish rule dating from 1560. This afternoon depart for Cefalů, a charming coastal town home to a massive Norman Cathedral with outstanding mosaics. Here we visit the city center and stroll down main street to reach the Cathedral. Later we return to Palermo (BB)

Day 3 (Monday) Palermo/Erice, Salt Flats, Olive Oil, Segesta & Winery/Palermo
Early departure to tour western Sicily where we reach Erice uptown. The Elymians settled the medieval town of Erice, which was an important religious site associated with the goddess Venus. Wander through its ancient streets and visit some of the famous homemade pastry shops—world-famous for marzipan candies and other delicacies like almond and pistachio pastries. Later we travel to Trapani on the Salt Way Road.  We tour the historic salt flats works, where the ancient tradition of harvesting salt from the sea is still practiced. Then, to an olive oil factory-farmhouse to enjoy a light lunch. This afternoon we continue onto Segesta, one of the major cities of the ancient indigenous Elymian people, to visit the unfinished Doric temple (Admission Fee: not included), late 5th century BC, built on a hilltop just outside of the ancient city and has a commanding view of the surrounding area.  Then to a local winery to taste Sicilian wine. We then return to Palermo. (BB L)

Day 4 (Tuesday) Palermo/Agrigento & Piazza Armerina/Taormina
Following breakfast, we drive through the interior of Sicily to reach Agrigento where we visit the finest of all ancient Greek sites—the complete Doric Temples (Admission Fee: not included). Later we continue to Piazza Armerina. This afternoon we view the ruins of the Roman Villa of Casale (Admission Fee: not included). The mosaics discovered here are celebrated among scholars of antiquity. Then we continue to Taormina, the world famous resort town of Sicily. Tonight dinner in a local trattoria. (BB D)

Day 5 (Wednesday) Taormina/Syracuse/Taormina
Today we depart for Syracuse, founded by colonists from Cornith in 735 B.C. and once the most important competitor to Athens.  On arrival stroll through the streets of Ortygia Island, the heart of the city center. Light lunch at local restaurant. This afternoon visit through the Archaeological Park (Admission Fee: not included) highlights the Greek Theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre and the Paradise Quarry.  Later we return to Taormina. (BB L)

Day 6 (Thursday) Taormina
Today at leisure or Optional Excursion. (BB)

Day 7 (Friday) Taormina/Catania
Time to say goodbye to Sicily.  Independent transfer to Catania airport (CTA). (BB)


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

FEATURED PROPERTIES USED:
Palermo: Hotel Plaza Opera, first class

Taormina: Hotel Villa Diodoro, first class

Hotel may be substituted with similar categories
 

DEPARTURE from Palermo (PMO)
6 nights / 7 days
Palermo (3 nights) Taormina (3 nights) Departure from Palermo | Saturday  Guaranteed (with a minimum of 2 clients)
Small size group: Limited to 25 people
Style of Accommodation: 4 star superior

Meals:
-6 breakfasts;
-one dinner at local restaurant;
-one dinner in a local trattoria;
-one light lunch at olive oil factory-farmhouse;
-one wine tasting at winery;

-one light lunch at local restaurant.

Travel for less with Friends&Family
Inquiry Us
 

37 Guaranteed Departure Dates:

January: 14, 28 | February: 11, 25
March: 10, 17, 24, 31
April:  7 (Easter), 14, 21, 28
May: 5, 12, 19, 26 | June: 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
July 14, 21 | September: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
October: 6, 13, 20, 27 | November: 3, 10, 24
December: 8, 22

LOW SEASON: November 3-March 31
PEAK SEASON: April 7-October 27
 

Prices below are land-only and do not include airfare and airport transfers:

Low Season
Eur 949,00 in triple occupancy
Eur 999,00 in double/twin occupancy

Eur 1.280,00 in single occupancy
Peak Season
Eur 1.049,00 in triple occupancy
Eur 1.099,00 in double/twin occupancy

Eur 1.380,00 in single occupancy

Surcharge, per person:
Easter Dep. (April 7): Eur 120,00

Round Trip airport transfers: Eur 70,00

HOW TO BOOK:
A deposit eur 250,00 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.

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.