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EXCLUSIVE SICILY
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Day 1
Arrival in Palermo. Transfer with private car to Palermo downtown and check in at the Grand Hotel des Palmes, charming four stars hotel.
We suggest to dinner at Osteria dei Vespri.
Return in hotel and overnight stay.
Day 2 - Segesta and Erice
Breakfast in hotel. Departure for Segesta, ancient village in the Western part of Sicily, and visit to its magnificent Greek Theatre and Doric Temple, masterpieces of the Greek architecture in Sicily. Transfer to Erice, a wonderful and mysterious medieval town made famous in ancient times as the birthplace of Venus. Walking through the cobble - stoned streets of the town, smelling a variety of aromas emanating from the numerous pastry shop for which Erice is famous. You will visit the Norman Castle and the Duomo.
Stopping at the world famous pastry shop by Maria Grammatico. You will taste almond sweets, genovesi and nougat. Transfer to the luxury Baglio Donna Franca.
Dinner and overnight stay at the Baglio.
Day 3 - Salt Pans and Wine Tasting
Breakfast at the Baglio.
Visit of the so called Salt Road and its Salt Pans located on the coastline between Trapani and Marsala. Locals extract the salt from the seawater following the same procedure used by the ancient Greeks and Phoenicians who once colonized this part of the Sicily. Once extracted from the water and dried, the salt is heaped into mounds and covered in tiles-just like the ones used on house roofs-so the rain won't melt the salt before it's packed.
Come back to the baglio for a visit to the cellars and a wine tasting with a light lunch, that includes almonds, bread with "mostarda di cipolle rosse Giarratane", olives "nocellara del Belice", cheese "caciocavallo Ragusano", "panelle palermitane", "salsiccia pasquarola" from Valle del Belice.
In the afternoon you will meet Mrs Wiebke at Donnafugata winery for a wine tasting and a tour in the cellars. Then, you will visit the Florio Winery, a brand famous for producing the Marsala wine, its Wine Museum and the ancient "Bottaia". Finally you will taste delicious Sicilian wine.
Dinner on your own, we suggest to dinner at baglio.
Overnight stay at the Baglio.
Day 4 - Egadi Islands
Breakfast in the early morning at the Baglio. Departure to the Port of Trapani, meeting with the guide and departure to Favignana, Visit and leisure time for relax and enjoy shopping. Complete tour of Favignana and Levanzo, visiting the caves and the little bays where you can have a bath, light lunch on the boat. Come back and overnight stay at the Baglio
Day 5 - Agrigento
Breakfast at the Baglio and departure for Agrigento. Accommodation at Domus Aurea Hotel with Temples view. Here meeting with your guide to visit the beautiful Valley of the Temples, one of the most representative sites of Greek civilization in the Mediterranean area. Visit to the Temple of Hercules, the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Castor and Pollux, the wonderful Temple of Concord and finally the beautiful Garden of Kolymbetra. Lunch on your own in Agrigento. Come back to the hotel and relax.
In the afternoon you'll be free to visit the charming old town centre of Agrigento: Arabian quarter of Rabato as well as the Mediaeval and Baroque monuments, The Monastero di Santo Spirito, The Church of Santa Maria dei Greci and finally the Via Atenea, the main shopping street in Agrigento.
Dinner on your own, we suggest restaurant Ruga Reali near the famous Teatro Pirandello. Return in hotel and overnight stay.
Day 6 - Sant'Angelo Muxaro - Walking and Tasting
Breakfast at the Baglio
8:30 a.m. departure to Sant'Angelo Muxaro. You will drive to Sant'Angelo Muxaro, an enchanting little village near Agrigento. You will meet your guide and start with him an archaeological walk through the nature and the largest Tholos Tomb in Sicily. Finally, surrounded on all sides by the genuine Sicilian atmosphere, you will taste some of the finest Sicilian specialities. The guide will take you to a bakery to taste hot bread with extra virgin olive oil and oregano, and home made cookies. Then you will visit the house of Shepard to taste soft pecorino cheese and the ricotta cheese, still warm.
It is a walking itinerary in the Sant'Angelo Muxaro territory, that really take you far from the classic tourist route.
Dinner on your own. Return in hotel and overnight stay. We suggest to dinner at Hotel.
Day 7 - Piazza Armerina and Caltagirone
Breakfast and transfer to Piazza Armerina where you'll view the extraordinary floor mosaics in the Roman Villa del Casale. The Roman mosaics housed in this third century villa are among the best preserved in the world, depicting scenes from everyday life. Scenes include children at play, and big game hunts showing some of the exotic African animals brought to Rome for gladiator games.
In the afternoon you will visit Caltagirone, whose ceramics are a symbol of Sicily. You will see some permanent manger scenes, and an evocative city center full of artisan shops.
Transfer to the Antica Tenuta del Nanfro, a farm producing wine from organic Nero d'Avola grapes. Visit to the property and to the winery before tasting their best wines.
Transfer to Modica and accommodation in a Historic Dwelling Palazzo Failla a beautiful charming hotel in historical centre.
Day 8 - Modica and Ragusa
Buffet Breakfast in hotel. Meeting with your guide and departure for a full day excursion in Modica and Ragusa, you will visit Modica, where admire picturesque lanes and narrows streets, with plenty of old workshops. We will visit the Byzantine Rock Church and St. George's Church, the only one including a nave and as good as four aisles. You will visit the Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, the oldest confectionary shop of Sicily and taste the very famous chocolate of Modica. Transfer to Ragusa and visit of Ragusa Ibla, where you'll admire the flamboyant Baroque architecture of the town. Dinner at leisure. Overnight in hotel.
Day 9 - Noto and Siracusa
Morning Breakfast at your hotel. Departure to Noto. The eastern Sicily through the Baroque, whose heritage, both for importance and for beauty, has been declared World Heritage by the UNESCO.
You will admire the historical centre of Noto, the capital of Baroque in Sicily. A very beautiful town with amazing palaces in baroque style. In 1693 an earthquake totally destroyed the town. The current town was rebuilt by famous architect. They made the new Noto a masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque, It is currently listed among UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Departure to Siracusa
Siracusa was the capital of Sicily, and the most important city on the island, up to 878 A.D. when the Arab conquested the Sicily. Visit to the Orecchio di Dionisio, the Greek Theatre, the Altare di Ierone, the Ortigia isle one of the most interesting urban areas of Sicily with its Duomo built over the ancient Temple of Athena. Return to Modica and overnight at your hotel.
Day 10 - Catania and the Cyclops Coast
Breakfast in hotel. Drive to Catania, visit of the city. This city is dramatically situated between the Ionian Sea and the looming bulk of Mount Etna, which every so often rains ash upon the streets. The town was rebuilt in the Baroque style, and it was during this era that many of the town's finest buildings were constructed. We will visit its impressive Duomo and experience the city's strong personality during a visit to its ebullient Pescheria, the daily fish and vegetable market
Departure through the famous Cyclops Coast with Acitrezza, Acicastello and its Medieval Norman Castle built in 1076 on a prehistoric basalt lava terrace. As you gaze out over the Ionian Sea, you'll admire the Rocks of the Cyclops, imposing, spiky shards of black lava that rises up from the water. It is here, as told in Homer's Odyssey, that the Cyclops Polyphemus threw these rocks at the fleeing Ulysses, who had blinded him. Finally relax at Acireale, the most important town is also the setting of the celebrated novel I Malavoglia by Giovanni Verga, as well as the film version it inspired, directed by Visconti. Transfer to Taormina, Accommodation in a charming hotel Villa Carlotta. Overnight stay.
Day 11 - The Etna Volcano
Buffet Breakfast in Hotel. Meeting in hotel with local English speaking guide and departure for a full day excursion at the Etna Volcano. The excursion includes the English speaking guided tour by cable- car up to 2000 mt and then by jeep up to the new craters opend in 2001 at 3000 mt. Above the sea level (1 hours). Lunch with visit of the cellars and wine tasting in Tenuta San Michele, an ancient estate located on the slopes of the Etna Volcano. Wine tasting of the Etna Rosso , Etna Bianco and Murgo Brut wines. Return in Taormina city centre to enjoy shopping.
Overnight in hotel in Taormina.
Day 12 - Cefalù
Breakfast in hotel. Departure for Cefalù. You'll enjoy a walking tour. This enchanting fishing village and summertime resort sits on a rocky outcrop in the centre of Sicily's north coast. Cefalù lies in a scenic locale between the massive peak and a long sweeping beach. Against this backdrop rise the lofty twin towers of the cathedral built by Roger II in 1130. This splendid cathedral is one of the finest examples of Arab-Norman architecture, and contains luminous mosaics. After you'll visit the Corvo Winery. Today Corvo is a historical brand not only for Sicilian wine making, but also one of Italy's great classical wines, one of the leading and most popular wines in the world. You will visit the Museum of Agricoltura and the ancient "Bottaia". Finally you will have a lunch in the winery and will taste delicious Sicilian wine. Accommodation in Palermo.
Day 13 - Palermo and Monreale
Breakfast meeting with your guide and visit of the city. You'll be enchanted by Palermo's wide boulevards, traditional Sicilian Old Quarter, and baroque palaces. You'll see the city's main sights, including Quattro Canti (the Four Corners), Palermo's extravagant baroque square. The square is ringed by four buildings with baroque sculptures that depict the Four Seasons, Spanish kings, and the patron saints of Palermo's four old quarters. See the twelfth-century Cathedral of Palermo, which houses a pantheon of royal tombs. After you will be taken to Palermo's food market "Capo", typical par excellence, full of colour and folkloric. Here you will taste typical street food such as pani ca meusa, panelle, arancini...
In the afternoon departure for Monreale where you'll discover (on your own) the Arab-Norman splendour of the Monreale Cathedral and the Cloister. This nearby treasure dates from the 12th century and shows the diverse architectural influences of both the Normans and the Arab population..
Day 14 - Arrivederci!!!
Pick up in hotel with private car with driver and transfer direct to Palermo airport.
On request price with/without English speaking driver
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