Sicily conquers the hearts of tourists from all over the world with its crystal-clear sea and cities full of charm characterised by the indelible signs of the people who have lived there, with artistic and cultural testimonies of great value. Coasts bathed by azure waters, Mount Etna, Europe’s highest active volcano, evocative ancient ruins, baroque and rococo, characteristic villages where time passes slowly, lively markets where you can taste street food.
This is the Sicily to visit!
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Il programma
Arrival at Palermo airport where the group will meet the tour leader. Transfer by bus to Palermo. The city is located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in southern Italy and it is full of great beauties in terms of art, architecture, culture and gastronomy. This enchanting place to visit is ideal for taking a tour and discovering its most iconic monuments and most typical neighborhoods.
Arrival in hotel and check in. Briefing with the tour leader who will explain the tour program.
Free day to settle in and be fascinated by this great beauty or for shopping
Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Breakfast in hotel and meeting with the tour leader. Departure by bus to Monreale, located about 10 km from the center of Palermo. Guided tour of the magnificent Cathedral, which annually attracts millions of tourists from all over the world. The cathedral is impressive with its length of more than 100 meters, inside its arches and apses are rich in decorations, and its golden mosaics give it a suggestive touch and make it unique in its kind. Return by bus to Palermo for a guided tour of the splendid city through the monuments that most characterize it: Palazzo dei Normanni, the Cathedral of Palermo, the famous Martorana Church (with entrance), the Teatro Massimo, the Quattro Canti, the Catacombs of the Capuchins , the Fontana Pretoria, the Markets of Palermo (Capo, Ballarò), the International Museum of Marionettes, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Castello della Zisa or Villa Palagonia. Lunch in a typical “Palermo street food” restaurant to delight local specialties such as: caponata, panelle, crocché, sfincione, aubergine, arancini and much more.
In the afternoon transfer by bus to Bagheria, a town about 17 km from Palermo, also located on the coast between the Gulf of Palermo and the Gulf of Termini Imerese. It is a center famous for its historic villas and eighteenth-century palaces (symbols of Sicilian nobility and wealth) and characterized by the colors of blue in the different shades of the sky and the sea, and of the yellow given by the tuff of which its palaces. Visit to a workshop for the creation of the typical and famous “Sicilian carts”: the owner will illustrate the history of his workshop that has handed down this tradition for 2 generations, showing and explaining the processing for the preparation and construction of the beautiful Sicilian carts. Duration about 1 hour.
Back by bus to Palermo. Free time. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Breakfast in hotel and meeting with the tour leader. Departure by bus to Erice, which can be reached with the characteristic cable car. Erice, located on Monte San Giuliano, offers a splendid panoramic view of Trapani. Medieval village, characterized by squares and alleys full of flowers and colors, typical shops that represent local crafts such as ceramics, sweets and typical products. Stop in a famous local pastry shop to learn about its history and taste the delicious products such as: almond paste pastries, the “Genoese cake”, typical of Erice and made with almond paste, nougat, and the famous Sicilian cannoli.
Free time for shopping and return by cable car to Trapani where the bus awaits you for the transfer to the Marsala area. Visit by your own of Marsala and shopping. (Possibility with supplementary cooking lesson or tasting of the famous Marsala fortified wine in a typical farm of the area).
Continue by bus to Agrigento.
Accommodation in hotel in the Agrigento area. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Breakfast in hotel and meeting with the tour leader. Visit of the center of Agrigento, known in the past as “Girgenti”, so often called by the famous Sicilian composer Luigi Pirandello in his compositions. Famous as “City of Temples” for its expanse of Doric temples of the ancient Greek city located in the so-called Valley of the Temples. Free time for shopping and for lunch.
In the afternoon transfer by bus to the Valley of the Temples, the famous archaeological park of Agrigento. Meeting the guide and departure from the ticket office of the Temple of Juno, on the highest point of the rocky ridge. Walking along the Via Sacra you will admire the Temple of Hera (Juno), the Temple of Concordia, the Temple of Heracles (Hercules), the Temple of Zeus (Jupiter) and the Sanctuary of the Chtonian Divinities where the Temple of Castor and Pollux is located or Dioscuri; the environment is so suggestive that it will seem for visitors to go back in the time. Weather permitting, possibility to enjoy the sunset in this scenic landscape, the images and colors will remain forever immersed in the visitor’s memories.
Pizza dinner in a typical restaurant in the area. Back to hotel for overnight.
Breakfast in hotel and meeting with the tour leader. Departure by bus to Taormina. On this day we will discover the hinterland of this magnificent island and region, rich in history, culture and traditions. During the bus trip we would have the opportunity to travel along roads that will lead us in landscapes with characteristic and different colors and flavors. Stop in Piazza Armerina for the visit: an ancient medieval city with a fine Baroque and Norman historic center. Its mosaics, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are famous. City of art with a strong tourist attraction for its important archaeological, historical, artistic and natural heritage, known as the “City of Mosaics and the Norman Palio”.
Free time. Transfer by bus to Giardini Naxos / Letojanni (Taormina area).
Accommodation in hotel. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Breakfast in hotel. Free day at guests’ disposal for exploring Taormina by themselves, shopping or other.
Taormina, thanks to its enchanting position on the sea, the landscape beauty, the vast historical, cultural and archaeological heritage of which it is rich, is one of the most famous tourist resorts on the island. A place of great charm and beauty, the splendid Sicilian town has seduced poets and writers, has attracted famous travelers, has welcomed celebrities of international fame. Visitors come from all over the world to this “strip of heaven on earth”.
Optional excursion to Etna.
Free time. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Breakfast in hotel and meeting with the tour leader. Guided tour of the splendid Taormina: visit to the famous Greek-Roman Theater (with entrance); guided walk along its medieval streets, passing through the most beautiful and important monuments of the city, the Duomo, the Villa Comunale, Corso Umberto I and the Palazzo di Santo Stefano. The walk continues to admire its breathtaking views, to taste its excellent gastronomy. Free time for lunch.
In the afternoon, transfer by bus for a guided tour of Catania: city of the “full Baroque”, a style in which almost all the noble palaces and city churches were rebuilt after the earthquakes that devastated it, and which today they represent an architectural complex of exceptional value, so much so that the historic center of Catania is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Walk through the places that most represent it, such as: the Duomo, the Cathedral of S. Agata, the Popular Markets, the Via Etna and the Theater, as well as the beautiful Monastery.
Continue by bus to Cefalù: the charm of its medieval village characterizes it all over the world, thanks to the famous Norman Cathedral, its beautiful Cloister and the various breathtaking views that can be enjoyed from this magnificent site.
Accommodation in an hotel in Cefalù area. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Breakfast in hotel and meeting with the tour leader. Transfer to Palermo airport.
Depending on the flight departure time, you will have free time to spend in Cefalù.