8 nights – 9 days
Palermo (2 nights) Agrigento (1 night) Taormina (2 nights) Siracusa (3 nights)
Hotel Accommodation: First Class Properties
Airline Tickets: not purchased by us

LAND:   Palermo (PMO – Falcone Borsellino International Airport) – West Side
LEAVE: Catania (CTA – Fontanarossa International Airport) – East Side

Nov 5 – Landing in Palermo (PMO)
Nov 6 – Palermo Walking Tour with street food snacks and Monreale Half Day
Nov 7 – Palermo > Erice, Marsala and Wine-Olive Oil > Agrigento
Nov 8 – Agrigento and Piazza Armerina > Taormina
Nov 9 – Etna Jeep Ride WD4X4 Experience and Winery from Taormina
Nov 10 – Taormina > Ragusa Ibla and Modica > Siracusa
Nov 11 – Siracusa and Ortigia Half Day
Nov 12 – Counstryside Experience from Siracusa
Nov 13 – Syracusa > Departure from Catania (CTA)

ONLY 1 AGENT PER ROOM IS ALLOWED

1st day (Sunday) Arrival in Palermo airport
Welcome to the warm, beautiful and pleasant island of Sicily! Upon arrival at Palermo Falcone-Borsellino Airport please proceed through Passport Control and collect your luggage inside the customs area. Then independent transfer in your hotel.

H 7PM Meet and Greet with Tour of Sicily Team for a Welcome Drink and Snacks 

Inclusions Today
Hotel Accommodation in Palermo
Meet and Greet with Tour of Sicily Team
Snacks and Welcome Drink

Not Included
Arrival Transfer

Property Used in Palermo
Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa
(Hotels can be substituited with similar categories)

2th day (Monday) Palermo and Monreale Half Day
Today a short drive takes us to Monreale, to see where Arab-Norman art and architecture reached its pinnacle in the Duomo, launched in 1174 by William II. It represents scenes from the Old and New Testaments all in golden mosaics.

The story of how this splendid cathedral came into being starts when the Arabs took control of Palermo in 831. They transformed the cathedral into a mosque and banished the Bishop of Palermo from town. Not wishing to venture too far from his beloved cathedral, the Bishop settled in a small village in the hills overlooking Palermo, the site of modern-day Monreale. There, he built a modest church to keep the flame of local Christian worship alive. Some 240 year later, in 1072, the Normans drove the Arabs from Sicily, establishing Palermo as their capital and re-consecrating the Cathedral. In 1174, in an act of piety, thanksgiving and commemoration of the exiled Bishop, King William II ordered the construction of a new church in Monreale, dedicated to the Virgin Mary (one of the mosaics depicts King William II presenting the church to the Madonna). On its completion in 1182, Pope Lucius III elevated the splendid church to the status of metropolitan Cathedral. Enlightened, tolerant and appreciative of many aspects of North African and middle-eastern culture and art, William II employed the very best Arabic and Byzantine (as well as Norman) craftsmen to work on the cathedral. The result is a fabulous and fascinating fusion of architectural styles, artistic traditions and religious symbolism.

Later we drive back to Palermo to experience the Open Air Markets 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 fruits and local vegetables.

Here you will 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–. Snacks at the Open-Air Market.

This afternoon is at leisure.

Inclusions Today
Breakfast and Hotel Accommodation in Palermo
English speaking guide – half day use
Street Food Snacks
Vehicle to join Monreale and return to Palermo
Admission fee for all the mentioned sites

Not Included
Meals and Beverages

3th day (Tuesday) Palermo > Erice, Winery-Olive Oil and Marsala > Agrigento 
Departure for Erice uptown, 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.

Towering over the west of Sicily at 751m above sea level and often covered in its own personal cloud, Erice is a wonderfully preserved Mediaeval town offering the most breathtaking views and a palpable sense of history. Originally an Elymian city (the Elymians were around before the Greeks ever set foot in Sicily) Erice, or Eryx as it was first called, was a town of no little importance and renown and is said to have attracted the likes Hercules and Aeneas. Like so many Sicilian towns, it passed from one invader to another as all the usual suspects came and went, leaving their architectural calling cards and their cultural footprints. The name changed from Eryx, to Erice to Gebel Hamed and Monte San Giuliano but its essential character remained, obstinately repelling any attempt to change its real identity.

Amongst the most visited sites are the two castles, Pepoli Castle and Venus Castle. The former was built by the Arabs while the latter was a Norman construction with imposing towers that derived its name from the fact that it was built on the site of the ancient Temple of Venus, allegedly founded by Aeneas.

Lunch is included in a local olive/oil-winery farmhouse

This afternoon we drive in direction of Agrigento with a stop at the famous salt flat of Marsala

Tonight, dinner & overnight at hotel in Agrigento

Inclusions Today
Breakfast in Palermo Hotel
Accommodation and Dinner in Agrigento
English speaking tour escort – full day
Lunch in a winery-olive oil farmhouse
1/2 lt mineral water at included meal
Vehicle – full day

Not Included
Beverages not clearly specified
Palermo City taxes –payable on the spot at the hotel check-out–

Property Used in Agrigento
Baglio della Luna Hotel
(Hotels can be substituited with similar categories)

4th day (Wednesday)  Agrigento and Piazza Armerina > Taormina
Following breakfast at hotel, we enjoy the finest of all ancient Greek sites—the complete Doric Temples, one of Sicily’s most famous historical attractions. This is one of the most outstanding examples of Greater Greece art and architecture and is one of the main attractions of Sicily as well as a national monument of Italy. The area was included in the UNESCO Heritage Site list in 1997.

Founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century B.C., Agrigento became one of the leading cities in the Mediterranean world. Its supremacy and pride are demonstrated by the remains of the magnificent Doric temples that dominate the ancient town, much of which still lies intact under today’s fields and orchards. This splendid archaeological park consists of eight temples (and various other remains) built between about 510 BC and 430 BC: the Temple of Hera, the Temple of Concordia, the Temple of Heracles, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Temple of Castor and Pollux, the Temple of Hephaestos, the Temple of Demeter, and the Temple of Asclepius (the God of Medicine). Apart from this latter, which is to be found on the banks of the Akragas river, all are situated in the same area on rocky crests south of modern day Agrigento (not really in a Valley at all!).

Then we travel to Piazza Armerina situated deep in the Sicilian hinterland, at 721 metres above sea level, one of Sicily’s most frequented tourist spots.

This afternoon we visit the famous Mosaics Floor at the Villa Romana del Casale. Built in the middle of the 4th Century AD as a hunting lodge by a Roman patrician (it is not known for sure who the owner was) the Villa is home to some of the best preserved and extensive examples of Roman mosaics spread over around 3500mt.

The villa is one of the most luxurious of its kind. It is especially noteworthy for the richness and quality of the mosaics which decorate almost every room; they are the finest mosaics in situ anywhere in the Roman world. These extraordinarily vivid mosaics, probably produced by North African artisans, deal with numerous subjects, ranging from Homeric escapades and mythological scenes to portrayals of daily life, including the famous tableau of girls exercising in their “bikinis”.

We then continue to Taormina.

Inclusions Today
Breakfast in Agrigento Hotel
Accommodation in Taormina
English speaking tour escort – full day
English speaking guide to visit the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento
English speaking guide to visit the Mosaics Floor at the Roman Villa
Admission fee for all the mentioned sites
Vehicle – full day

Not Included
Meals and Beverages
Agrigento City Taxes — payable on the spot at the hotel check-out–

Property Used in Taormina
Hotel Montetauro
(Hotels can be substituited with similar categories)

5th day (Thursday) Etna by Jeep WD4X4 and Winery
Meet the off-road’s wd4x4 driver and transfer to Etna Volcano. We will enjoy a lovely Jeep experience through Etna area: Mount Fontana (view of Bove Valley), the Thieves Cave (grotta dei ladroni), lava flow from 2002 eruption. Light lunch will be served in a local winery-farmhouse to taste the genuine food of this area (local wine included). During afternoon get back at hotel driving through the Alcantara Valley with its famous Gorges.

Inclusions Today
Breakfast and Accommodation in Taormina
Jeep WD4X4 and English speaking driver – full day
Light lunch in a winery with wine tastings
1/2 lt mineral water at included meal

Not Included
Meals and Beverages not clearly specified

Dress Code Today
Dress in layers, use sturdy shoes or hiking boots and do not forget your coat, hat and scarf

6th day (Friday) Taormina > Ragusa and Modica > Siracusa
Today departure for Ragusa. The city is situated in the Iblean mountains and, along with Ragusa, it is part of the UNESCO Heritage Sites in Sicily. The main economy of the area revolves around dairy cheese & agricultural products like olives, carobs, legumes, and grains. Upon arrival we walk through the historical town of Ragusa Ibla highlights the wide array of Baroque architecture in Sicily, including several stunning palaces and churches.

This afternoon a short drive takes us to Modica a small village famous for the chocolate. Modica’s chocolate is one of the most famous products of the Ragusa area. It is still made the same way the ancient Aztecs made chocolate in Mexico and its tradition dates back to the 16th century. The technique was brought over by the Spaniards who in turn learned about it in what is now Mexico.

Later we then continue onto Siracusa.

Inclusions Today
Breakfast in Taormina Hotel
Accommodation in Siracusa
English speaking tour escort – full day
Vehicle – full day

Not Included
Meals and Beverages
Taormina City Taxes — payable on the spot at the hotel check-out–

Property Used in Siracusa
Ortea Palace Luxury Hotel
(Hotels can be substituited with similar categories)

7th day (Saturday) Siracusa and Ortigia Half Day
This morning we visit Siracusa. Our first stop in at the Archaeological Park highlights of which are the Greek Theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre and the Paradise Quarry. The resulting park contains some of the most extraordinary monuments that classical antiquity has left us and, given their degree of interest and importance, has few equals elsewhere in Italy. Even a quick stay in Siracusa must include a visit to this archaeological site. Then stroll through the streets of Ortigia Island, the heart of the city center, to visit the Dome. This delightful pedestrian square is home to the wonderful Cathedral built on the site of an ancient Temple of Athena as can clearly be seen from the original Doric columns that were incorporated into the building’s main structure. Also on this square is the beautifully symmetrical Baroque Palazzo Beneventano and the church of Santa Lucia, the town’s patron saint. Later to the colourful daily Street Market, which sells a fantastic array of fruit, vegetables, fish and meat.

This afternoon is at leisure. 

Inclusions Today
Breakfast and Accommodation in Siracusa
English speaking guide – half day
Admission fee for all the mentioned sites
Vehicle to join the Archaeological Park and return

Not Included
Meals and Beverages

8th day (Sunday) Countryside Experience from Siracusa
Today’s experience will be a complete surprise! Trust us and enjoy this special day to experience the typical Sicilian countryside with locals!.

Inclusions Today
Breakfast and Accommodation in Siracusa
English speaking tour escort – full day
Vehicle – full day

Not Included
Meals and Beverages

9th day (Monday) Departure from Catania airport
Today independent departure for Catania airport (CTA). Arrivederci!

Inclusions Today
Breakfast in Siracusa Hotel

Not Included
Meals and Beverages
Siracusa City Taxes — payable on the spot at the hotel check-out–