Taste of Sicily Tour

Arrive in Sicily and catch a taxi to the hotel in the charming city of Catania. In the late afternoon meeting with our guide, dinner and overnight at the hotel.

The Sicily Tour begins. Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Syracuse , Unesco Heritage, to visit the largest and most powerful Greek colony in Sicily: the Archaeological Park of Neapolis . The visit will start with the splendid Greek Theater, the Roman Amphitheater and to follow the Latomie del Paradiso and the evocative Ear of Dionysius. We will continue with the historical center of Ortigia, where you will be enchanted by the splendid Piazza Duomo and its Cathedral whose façade in perfect Sicilian Baroque style was in the past a Doric style sacred temple. Afterwards, continuing along the delightful alleyways of the center, you will admire the famous Arethusa fountain, a mythological memory, facing the sea. Free lunch. Our day will continue in the direction of Noto, the capital of the Sicilian baroque called ‘stone garden’, Full of beautiful buildings and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Inspired by the baroque ideals of the "open city", it is a rare masterpiece and the clearest example of the theatrical tastes of 18th-century architecture. We will walk through the streets of the centre to admire the skill and genius of local craftsmen. The baroque of Noto is in fact a game of elegant curves, floral intertwining, perspective views, palaces and gardens, capitals and cherubs that adorn the facades of churches and monasteries. Visit of Palazzo Nicolaci Villadorata, wonderful noble residence in a purely Baroque style once the home of Don Giacomo Nicolaci, a man of great culture. Return to Catania, dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure to discover the Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe (3,350 m) and declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The Parco dell'Etna with its 59,000 hectares is unique for its extremely varied and rich flora and protected species that populate it. Today vineyards, olive groves, pistachios, hazelnut and orchards surround the volcano, testifying to an agricultural vocation of the territory widespread and characterised by the presence of particularly interesting local varieties. The first glimpses of interesting landscapes are seen arriving at Rifugio Sapienza. From there we will reach the Silvestri Craters, volcanic cones dating back to 1888 now inactive, surrounded by more recent lava flows. The panorama of which you can enjoy through the multitude of volcanic cones and craters, extends to the Aeolian Islands and Calabria: a truly unique show! 

Following a visit to a beekeeping company: visit of the honey extraction laboratory, tasting of artisanal honey and typical products of the area. Continue to Taormina, famous for its natural landscape, marine beauties, its historical monuments and its unforgettable view of the sea with a privileged view of Mount Etna. 

Lunch at a delightful restaurant in the historic centre where we will attend an interesting show-cooking lesson for the realisation of some typical dishes of the Sicilian culinary tradition! Following a visit to the fascinating Greek-Roman theatre where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the Gulf of Naxos. Free time to stroll along the charming medieval streets of the centre and go shopping to buy some of the best handicrafts from around the island. The day will conclude with an overview of the splendid Riviera dei Ciclopi. Return to the hotel in Catania. Dinner and overnight.

The day will begin with a visit to the historic centre of Catania and its baroque declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Countless hidden treasures of this fascinating city whose late-Baroque architecture, made unique by the use of lava stone, preserves vestiges of the imperial Roman period despite being rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693. Lava and limestone are artistically matched in the Norman windows of the Eighteenth-century Catania with an extremely elegant visual result. Recall that Catania was the capital of the Kingdom of Sicily under the Aragonese dynasty. We will cross the historic " pescheria " (ancient fish market) to reach the spectacular Piazza del Duomowith the splendid Cathedral and the lava stone elephant (symbol of the city) and we will continue to Piazza Università. Afterwards we will visit the splendid and baroque Via dei Crociferi , where the famous Monastery of S. Benedetto is located, made known by Verga's novel "Storia di una Capinera" and Unesco Heritage. Stop in a historic bar of the city, to taste the typical granita with brioche. The walk will continue along the precious streets of the centre. After free lunch we will continue to Cefalù , a marvelous medieval village overlooking the Mediterranean and embellished by the Norman Cathedral. Walk along the streets of the centre and possibility for those who wish to visit the famous Museum Mandralisca. The day will end continuing to Palermo. Hotel accommodation, dinner and overnight.

After breakfast at the hotel, the morning is dedicated to discovering the splendid treasures that the city of Palermohosts. The city lies at the foot of Mount Pellegrino in a promontory described by Goethe as the most beautiful he had ever seen. In Palermo, more than elsewhere in Sicily, the historical epochs revealed by the different architectural styles overlap. The centre bears witness to a closer time, when the city with its theatres, its squares, its baroque palaces and its triumphal entrances to the sea, contended for Naples the urban supremacy of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Its millenary history has given it a remarkable artistic and architectural heritage that ranges from the remains of the Punic walls to reach liberty style villas, noble palaces and seventeenth-century squares, baroque churches and neoclassical theatres.

Residence of emirs and kings, Palermo preserves monuments of the Arab-Norman period including the beautiful Cathedral the Church of the Martorana, one of the most fascinating Byzantine churches of the Middle Ages in Italy; and the Palatine Chapel , a higher example from the historical-artistic point of view, of the coexistence between cultures, religions and apparently irreconcilable ways of thinking, as they were involved in the wise management of Ruggiero II's mastery, Byzantine, Muslim and Latin craftsmen. Continuing we will admire the splendid Teatro Massimo and the controversial Fontana di Piazza Pretoria , decorated with 16th century sculptures and situated on the edge of the ancient Kalsa district. Along the way a pleasant gastronomic surprise is expected at the historic Antica Focacceria S. Francesco. Free lunch. The day will continue to Monreale where you will visit the impressive Arab-Norman Cathedral called the eighth wonder of the world and the beautiful Cloister, a wonderful masterpiece of art and sculpture and the inlay of hard stones! Continue to Marsala where Garibaldi landed in May 1860. Visit of a prestigious winery and tasting. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

The tour of Sicily continues today in the delightful town of Marsala with its colours yellow, blue, blue, red wine, white salt and green vineyards and along the famous Via del Sale to admire the islands of the Stagnone and the salt pans. The lagoon and the islands of the Stagnone constitute a large nature reserve of great environmental value. In fact, the low and warm waters are home to many species of fish, molluscs and crustaceans and a very rich aquatic vegetation. Even today the salt pans represent one of the oldest salt extraction industries in the world. Following will be a stop in Selinunte for a suggestive walk through the remains of the ancient Greek city and its temples, located in the largest archaeological park in the Mediterranean and UNESCO heritage! Free lunch. Transfer to Agrigento and visit of the famous Valley of the Temples declared by Unesco World Heritage Site, where among the almond trees there are the remains of the ancient Akragas, defined by Pindar "the most beautiful city built by mortals". You can admire the temple of Juno, that of Concordia and the temple of Hercules. In the evening, hotel accommodation with dinner and overnight.

After breakfast at the hotel we will continue to Piazza Armerina with a visit to the splendid Villa Romana del Casale , from the late Imperial era and Unesco Heritage. Majestic villa belonging to an exponent of the Roman senatorial aristocracy, perhaps a governor of Rome, presents a monumental entrance from which you can admire the most beautiful collection of Roman polychrome mosaics depicting scenes of hunting and recreation, mythological episodes and scenes of everyday life. Free lunch. The afternoon will be dedicated to the discovery of Ragusa Iblacradle of the late Sicilian baroque with its beautiful churches and the Ibleo garden. 

Made known by the pen of Camilleri and by the television fiction of Commissioner Montalbano, Ragusa is today counted among the 44 Italian sites listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Site. This marvellous ancient city contains over fifty churches and numerous palaces in the Baroque style. The visit will end with a tasting stop for typical products of the area. Transfer to the hotel in Catania, dinner and overnight.

Breakfast in hotel and end of services as you catch a taxi to airport for departure flight.