Embracing Sicily
Sicily has been called the “eternal crossroads of the Mediterranean” and the vast diversity of her people, cultures, and even topography will certainly support that claim. The largest island in the Mediterranean Sicily offers warm sandy beaches, cloud-scraping mountains, and an epic volcano. Her tender climate nurtures olive groves and fruit plantations, providing tasty results. including some excellent Sicilian wines.
Highlights
- Tour Palermo, Corleone, Marsala, Agrigento, Valley of the Temples, Siracusa, Taormina, and Mount Etna
- Visit the sea town of Marsala where you will visit a wine cellar and wine tasting
- Participate in a cooking lesson featuring traditional Sicilian dishes at Corleone
- Visit the famous Benedictine Abbey, a 12th Century cathedral
- Visit the temples of Juno and Concordia and a beautiful garden
- Ascend 1800 meters up Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano
DAY 1: Welcome to Sicily
Arrive at the Palermo airport and take a transfer to your hotel in the historic center.
Meals included: dinnerDAY 2: The Sicilian Mafia
Spend the day learning about Sicily’s most famous social phenomenon: the Mafia. Ascend the inland mountains to Corleone, the birthplace of the Mafia, where you will participate in a cooking lesson featuring traditional Sicilian dishes. Meals included: breakfast/lunch
DAY 3: Explore Palermo
Enjoy a morning tour of Palermo, the capital of Sicily that is full of character. Visit the Quattro Canti, the Palace of the Normans, and the Cathedral before taking a trip to nearby Monreale. There, you’ll go to the famous Benedictine Abbey, a 12th Century cathedral housing very fine mosaics. Spend the rest of the day in Palermo at your leisure. Meals included: breakfast/dinner
DAY 4: Segesta and Seaside MarsalaJourney to Segesta to admire the town’s large archaeological zone, in particular the Doric Temple dating from 420 BC. Continue to the sea town of Marsala, where you will visit a wine cellar and sample some of the town’s namesake vino. Drive along the Trapani coastline and stop for a special Sicilian lunch, returning to Palermo for the evening. Meals included: breakfast/lunch/dinner
DAY 5: Greek Ruins in Agrigento
Agrigento is home to some of the most impressive Greek ruins in the Mediterranean. Within the Valley of the Temples, you’ll tour the temples of Juno and Concordia, in addition to a beautiful garden. Meals included: breakfast/dinner
DAY 6: Mount Etna and “The Godfather”
Enjoy a morning walking tour of Taormina’s charming city center, including the Greek/Roman amphitheater. Next, ascend 1800 meters up Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, to the inactive Silvestri Craters. En route back to Taormina, you may choose to take a once-in-a-lifetime excursion to the villages used by Francis Ford Coppola in “The Godfather.” (included)
Meals included: breakfastDAY 7: The Splendor of Siracusa
Travel to Siracusa to experience highlights of the city, including the archaeological park, home to the Greek Theater and the Ear of Dyonisius. Meals included: breakfast/dinner
DAY 8: Ciao Sicilia!
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before your transfer to the Catania airport. Meals included: breakfast
Contact us about independent travel on this tour and other cities in Italy to do it your way!Tour Code: CIT
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