General Information

Duration:

8 Days

Location Start:

Palermo airport

Location Finish:

palermo airport

Phone:

+390957652696 ext.309

Fax:

+390957652696 ext.319

Payment Types:

Cash, Paypal, Cheque, Travellers Cheque, Payment Transfer

We Speak:

English

Itinerary

Day 1

Day 1 (Saturday) PalermoUpon arrival to Palermo airport, own transfer to your hotel. Tonight, simple briefing and cocktail, then we enjoy a Welcome Dinner at local trattoria-restaurant.

Day 2

Day 2 (Sunday) The Godfather Movie in Corleone and Ficuzza Natural Park Today’s drive across the vast countryside enables us to see Sicily’s great variety of sceneries. We soon arrive in Corleone, one of the attractive places in the environment of Palermo, primarily known as the birthplace of Mafia. The name of the town was used as the adopted surname of the title character in Francis Ford Coppola's movie, The Godfather. Later, we will continue to Ficuzza, a nature reserve park and small hamlet in the mountains south of Palermo, in the township district of Corleone. We will rest in the park and enjoy a pleasant walk in the Ficuzza village. The park was founded to be a logistic support point for the royal amusement reserve of Bourbon dynasty. During the centuries, Ficuzza wood has been the scenario of many main historical events of Sicily: illegal breeding, mafia murders, Tripolitan rebels deported during WW1, seat of the fascist military headquarters during WW2. During our walk into the natural park through Ferdinand III's hunting lodge, we’ll enjoy a local light lunch in the ancient rail station. Here, we can taste typical local and country dishes, in a fantastic easy feeling. Later, back to Palermo.

Day 3

Day 3 (Monday) Cefalù & Nebrodi ParkToday we depart to Cefalù, a charming coastal town with medieval streets and delightful views overlooking a rocky coast, under the ever present gaze of the Norman-Arab-Byzantine cathedral, one of the greatest churches of southern Europe. Nestled between the Madonie Mountains and the sea, Cefalù Mountain boasts the ruins of a large fortress and an ancient Sicanian-Greek temple. The view from the top is inspiring. Leaving Cefalù, we’ll drive along the Tyrrhenian coast and we’ll enter into the Nebrodi Park, known for its immense forests full of majestic trees. We will stop for a light lunch (not included) in a local country restaurant, located in the area of Miraglia Wood, across the lovely area of San Fratello, also name to an endemic horse breed that lives free in these territories. This afternoon we’ll go across the lovely Cesarò and the fantastic Randazzo at the boundary between the Nebrodi Park and the great Etna Volcano Park. We’ll drive across the northern slopes of Mount Etna to reach Taormina, world famous resort of Sicily for its views and atmosphere. Tonight, dinner at hotel.

Day 4

Day 4 (Tuesday) The rocky Necropolis of Pantalica(In case of bad weather forecast, we will swap this excursion with Syracuse excursion)
Today day trip will be characterized by a full immersion in nature, history and adventure, visiting one of the largest and most beautiful prehistoric necropolis in the world: Pantalica. It will be very interesting to see the big Necropolis of Pantalica, that testify the presence of man in Sicily since pre-history, and it gives a touch of mystery to this area. An expedition through the protected area (soon to become a nature reserve) around the Anapo valley reveals an extraordinary landscape, comprising a succession of gorges defined by vertical cliffs, lemon trees and white limestone. In the afternoon, back in Taormina.

Day 5

Day 5 (Wednesday) Mount Etna in Jeep Ride A short drive by Jeep takes us to the slopes of Mt. Etna. Weather and volcanic conditions permitting, we experience the lava fields and incredible views of Europe’s highest volcano, and one of the most active. We’ll visit the Cave of the Thieves and Mount Fontana, with its spectacular view of Bove Valley, and the extinct craters of Sartorius Mounts. Then to a farmhouse, to taste Etna rural food, indulging in a typical light-lunch at a farmhouse. After light lunch, we enjoy a stop to the entrance of Alcantara Gorges, before driving along the coast to reach Taormina.

Day 6

Day 6 (Thursday) Caltagirone, Agrigento Temples and the wonderful Kolymbetra ParkAfter breakfast, we’ll drive through the heart of Sicily to reach the fine city of Caltagirone, one of the most important towns for Sicilian pottery and ceramics. We’ll walk in the city centre and climb on the famous steps of the Santa Maria stairway, all decorated with local colored ceramics. Time at leisure for shopping in the nice ceramics-shops. Then we will continue to reach the great Agrigento, whose history dates back to 580 BC. An historic, natural and scenery site of immense value is the Kolymbetra Garden, a small valley in the heart of the Valley of Temples. An authentic archaeological and agricultural jewel in the Valley of Temples returned to light after decades of abandon; this is an extraordinary garden in terms of magnificence, abundance and glory of nature, as well as the wealth of archaeological finds that are still coming to light. Dinner at the hotel. After dinner, we enjoy an orientation tour of Agrigento by night, to admire the Illuminated Temples.

Day 7

Day 7 (Friday) Sant'Angelo Muxaro, its country Bread, Pizza & Cooking ExperienceThis morning we’ll depart to the country town of Sant’Angelo Muxaro. Obviously, one who has never been here can’t be but surprised and pleasantly awed when, from the provincial road that from Agrigento meanders into the inland along curves, twists and bends between mountains and hills, will find himself almost immediately in front of a unique and spectacular view. On a lonely hill, in the centre of the valley of the river Platani and surrounded by a wild and harsh vegetation, a handful of houses lie on the sheer slope of the hill itself… this is the small town of Sant’Angelo Muxaro! On arrival, meet Donna Concetta. She will teach us Pizza and Bread preparation. Simple light-lunch to taste Sicilian Pizza and Pane Cunsatu, a typical home-made bread with olive oil, pecorino cheese. During afternoon, brief visit to the little city centre and local shops, to admire the grey-headed men who weave the traditional straw-fruit-baskets. In the afternoon, departure to Palermo. Tonight we gather for a Farewell Dinner at local restaurant.

Day 8

Day 8 (Saturday) PalermoTime to say goodbye to Sicily and own transfer to Palermo airport.

Extra Information

Inclusions -

Agrigento: One night accommodation in First class Hotel, standard room - „Ï Taormina: Three nights accommodation in First class Hotel, standard room no sea-view

Exclusions -

Arrival/Departure airport transfers

Extras -

7 nights / 8 days - Palermo (2 nights), Taormina (3 nights), Agrigento (1 night), Palermo (1 night)- Departure GUARANTEED (with a minimum 4 guest)- Small size group: Minimum 4 clients - Maximum 12 clients.