Itinerary

Day 1

PALERMO
At your arrival at Palermo airport you'll be welcome by our driver guide and transferred to Palermo city. Arrival at Grand Hotel Villa Igiea , luxurious 5-star-hotel place in a liberty style building, overlooking a small bay on the outskirts of the city. The building is completely surrounded by gardens that cover a large area, sloping down to the sea.
Dinner at leisure (try one of our suggested restaurants!)
Overnight at the villa. ( BB,)

Day 2

PALERMO
Buffet breakfast at the hotel
In the morning guided visit of Palermo, which looks like a baroc jewel, thanks to the sumptuous nobiliary buildings located in the elegant avenues around Piazza Vigliena (or Piazza dei Quattro Canti) and to the Kalsa quarter. Furthermore, there are impressive churches, such as: San Giuseppe, SS Salvatore, del Gesù, all decorated with multicolour marbles,stuccos and frescos. In the afternoon continue to Monreale, a small town 7 kilometer from Palermo. Here you can admire the Dome, architectural masterpiece which dates back to the Norman period. Its walls are almost completely covered by Byzantin mosaics and it covers a very large area, including a magnificent cloister, surrounded by 228 columns with inlaid capitals
Lunch and dinner at leisure (We'll give you lots of suggestions for things to see and truly off-the-beaten track places to have lunch/dinner!)
Overnight in Palermo ( BB)

Day 3

PALERMO – SEGESTA – MARSALA - AGRIGENTO
Buffet breakfast at the hotel
In the morning leave to to Segesta, where the ruins of the Greek Theatre, on the slope of Mount Barbaro, of the perfectly kept temple and the old town, have been brought again to light.
Departure for Marsala, a town on the Western coast famous for its wine production.
A brief visit to the Cantine Pellegrino for a tasting of Marsala Wines, conducted by an expert.
Transfer in a farm house to have our : Oil Tasting : visit an Olive Oil Frantoio followed by a lunch
Afternoon transfer in Selinunte, once capital of Magna Grecia.Your driver will pick you up at the hotel at 9am and take you for a full-day private excursion to see the ancient temple at Segesta and Selinunte. Nowadays, thanks to the high position of the temples, whose profiles stand out in the sky, Selinunte represents one of the most important archeological sites in the Mediterranean area.
Overnight Agrigento : Hotel VILLA ATHENA 4* sup. in room with a superb view on the Temples. Dinner at leisure ( BB, L)

Day 4

AGRIGENTO
Buffet breakfast at the hotel
This day will be devoted to a visit of the Valley of Temples.
You will have a private guided tout, with a specialized guide, and the rest of the day is free. The archeological ruins of the Greek domination are numerous and they were visited and narrated by Goethe in his work Viaggio in Italia In the middle of the valley the most spectacular structure, the Concordia temple, rises surrounded by the ruins of the temples dedicated to Juno, Jupiter, Castor and Pollux, Hercules, Vulcan and Esculapio. Lunch at leisure.
Afternoon: free time
Dinner in a special restaurant by the sea
Overnight in Agrigento ( BB,D)

Day 5

AGRIGENTO/PIAZZA ARMERINA ARMERINA / CALTAGIRONE
Buffet breakfast at the hotel
Today onto Piazza Armerina, a small town in the south-central part of the island. Visit the Villa Romana del Casale, a Roman country villa of the 3rd century, famous for its precious mosaics. Lunch on your own
Afternoon: travel to Caltagirone, today considered the capital of Sicilian ceramics, nicknamed the “Faenza of Sicily” . It belongs to the province of Catania, but from a cultural and geographical point of view it belongs much more to the province of Ragusa and aspires to become an autonomous province itself. Its name is derived from the Arab (cal'at ghiran: castle of vases). Check-in at Villa Tasca. a charming farmhouse. Time to relax . Dinner at leisure and overnight. ( BB)

Day 6

AGRIGENTO /RAGUSA and SIRACUSA
Buffet breakfast in hotel
Morning transfer by private car to Eremo della Giubiliana, a hermitage in the province of Ragusa, for our cooking class. The ancient hermitage is a construction with a long and fascinating history; a place where one can uncover physical traces of the great Sicilian history, a treasure as carefully guarded by proprietors as the culinary traditions of local nobile families. There, attend cooking class and prepare several dishes in the style of Patrizian cuisine.
Lunch at the Hermitage, comprised of dishes prepared during the lesson.
Afterwards, head toward Ragusa and stop in its old historic center, Ibla, a place of extremely ancient origin and home to an incomparable array of typical Sicilian architectures and ambiences.
Transfer in Siracusa, situated on the eastern coast of Sicily Accommodation at Grand Hotel (4 stars), an old patrician mansion, pleasant and comfortable.
Dinner at leisure Overnight in Siracusa ( BB, L)

Day 7

SIRACUSA
Buffet breakfast at the hotel
Guided city sightseeing: Siracusa, splendid and magnificent, in the classic age was the richest and the most powerful among the Hellenic towns in Sicily and some archeological ruins testify the former glory: the impressive Greek Theatre, the Jerone's Altar and the ruins of the Apollo, Jupiter and Athena Temples.
Lunch and dinner at leisure Overnight in Siracusa ( BB)

Day 8

SIRACUSA / TAORMINA (220 km.)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel
In the morning leave by private car and drive along the coast, to the north, to the charming Taormina
Stop in Catania, the second biggest town in Sicily, a true lively town with a Baroque-style charm. Known as the the "black-city" from the dark colour of the façades of the building made by the black lava stone. Visit of its most important monuments and to its colorful fish-market. Walking visit and stop in Palazzo Biscari the most magnificent private building in Catania, is unique in terms of structure, outlay and decoration. Received by Baroness Nicoletta Moncada
Lunch at leisure
Transfer in Taormina and accommodation at San Domenico Palace (5 stars), which originally was a monastery, situated on a natural terrace overlooking the sea. Its cloisters are at present lush gardens and the austere furniture of that time gives now a sort of sober and rigorous elegance to the bedrooms.
Dinner in a nice restaurant near Taormina . Overnight in Taormina ( BB, D)

Day 9

Day 9 TAORMINA
Buffet breakfast at the hotel
Days at leisure in this beautiful spot, which offers also historical and cultural attractions, such as the Greek Theatre, used as stage for many important international events. You can also admire the various buildings in Corso Umberto, the main road that in the summer evenings is always crowded and just in the middle it widens on a "belvedere", with an unforgettable view on the whole bay.
Lunch and dinner at leisure. Overnight in Taormina (BB)

Day 10

Day 10 TAORMINA
Buffet breakfast at the hotel Departure

General Information

Duration:

10 Days

Location Start:

Palermo

Location Finish:

Catania

Payment Types:

Paypal, Travellers Cheque, Payment Transfer

We Speak:

Italian, French, English

Extra Information

Inclusions -

• Transfer from the Airport of Palermo to the hotel in Palermo 1st day +• Transfer from Taormina to Catania airport the last day

Exclusions -

• Entrance fees to museums and other attractions

Extras -

This tour can be schedulated as private departure at any times
NB : on request we can reserve restaurants / visit of ancient palaces / cooking courses