Best of Sicily Winter Escorted Group Tour

From PALERMO to PALERMO

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS: Palermo, Monreale, Cefalu’, Castelbuono with Sicilian sweets tasting, Catania, Mount Etna with lunch in a typical farmhouse, Taormina, Siracusa, Noto, Ragusa with Sicilian typical products tasting, Piazza Armerina, Agrigento, Selinunte with lunch in a typical farmhouse, Segesta, Mount Pellegrino-Catacombs or Lo Capo Market (optional)

TRAVEL ITINERARY:
Day 01 (Saturday): PALERMO
You'll arrive on your own in Palermo, and make your way to the hotel. In the afternoon meet and greet with your tour escort and your group. You'll enjoy a welcome cocktail and dinner together before retiring for the night.

Day 02 (Sunday): PALERMO, CEFALU’, CASTELBUONO with Sicilian products tasting and Lunch in Farmhouse, CATANIA
After breakfast at the hotel, we'll make our way to the charming sea town of Cefalu’. You'll discover the nice city center of this old fisherman village and visit the Norman Cathedral, with its beautiful mosaics, and the medieval wash-house built in the rock. The tour will continue to the medieval town of Castelbuono on the slopes of the Madonie Mountains. After a short visit of the village, enjoy a sweet tasting of some characteristic Sicilian sweets such as the panettone and the famous Rosolio, a flavored artisan liquor, in a local renowned pastry shop. After lunch in a farmhouse in Castelbuono, we will transfer to Catania, a baroque style town, with its unique streets built with black lava stones from the Mount Etna. Enjoy a nice dinner and a good night's rest at your hotel in Catania.

Day 03 (Monday): CATANIA, MOUNT ETNA with wine tasting and lunch in a local farmhouse, TAORMINA, CATANIA
You'll enjoy a breakfast buffet in the hotel before moving on to Mount Etna. If the weather conditions allow us, we'll reach the 2000 meters level of the highest active volcano in Europe from where we'll see an amazing panoramic view of the Ionic Sea. Lunch, and a wine tasting, will be enjoyed at a typical farmhouse on the slopes of Mount Etna, before move to the famous Taormina. We will have some free time to enjoy this beautiful city, over looking Mount Etna and the beautiful sea. Shop for handmade lace, ceramics, coral jewels and local food and sweets in the many small shops on the Corso Umberto, or simply enjoy the view sitting in one of the café sipping a delicious granita. If you would like, you may be able also to visit the famous Roman-Greek Theater (optional, not included). At the end of the day return to Catania for dinner and overnight at our hotel accommodation.

Day 04 (Tuesday): CATANIA, SIRACUSA, RAGUSA with Sicilian specialties tasting
Breakfast will be had at the hotel, before departing for Siracusa, another beautiful city on the coast with a past rich in history and culture. You will visit its archeological site where you'll see the Greek Amphitheater, Dionysus Ear, Minerva's Temple and the Roman Theater. The tour will continue to the Island of Ortigia, the old baroque city center of Siracusa built by the Aragonians. You will admire the Cathedral and the Fountain of Aretusa. At the end of the tour enjoy a nice lunch in a local restaurant in Ortigia Island. The afternoon will find you in Ragusa, a beautiful town built in two sections, the “new” one built after the 1693’s earthquake and the old one called Ragusa Ibla which is a wonderful and well known example of the Baroque architecture and art. Before retiring to the hotel you will enjoy a tasting of typical products overlooking the main square and the majestic Cathedral of Ragusa Ibla. Dinner and overnight at your Hotel in Ragusa.

Day 05 (Wednesday): RAGUSA, PIAZZA ARMERINA, AGRIGENTO
After breakfast at the hotel, you'll head to Piazza Armerina and visit the famous Villa Romana del Casale, housing the world's largest collection of late period Roman Mosaics. We will then move to Agrigento where after a lunch in a local restaurant, we will visit the Valley of the Temples. This collection of temples represents some of the most beautiful Classical architecture, with the temples of Juno, Hercules, Zeus, Concord and Castor and Pollux. Before reach your new hotel in Agrigento for dinner, enjoy an unforgettable after dark tour of the illuminated Valley of the Temples. Dinner and overnight stay in Agrigento Hotel.

Day 06 (Thursday): AGRIGENTO, SELINUNTE with olive oil tasting and lunch in a local farmhouse, SEGESTA, PALERMO
You'll enjoy a breakfast buffet, before leaving for the archaeological park in Selinunte, home of the ancient Acropolis and many Temples and the largest in the Mediterranean area. Enjoy a lunch in a typical farmhouse in the nearby Castelvetrano where you will also taste the local produced olive oil. The afternoon will be spent in Segesta, another beautiful archeological site, home of the majestic Doric Temple and other Grecian ruins. You will end your day in Palermo, where you'll eat dinner and spend the night at your hotel.

Day 07 (Friday): PALERMO, MONREALE, MOUNT PELLEGRINO/CATACOMBS/CAPO MARKET (optional), PALERMO
After breakfast, enjoy a sightseeing tour of the Capital of Sicily, viewing wonders of art and architecture, such as the Palatine Chapel, the Cathedral, the Opera house and Praetorian Square. Immerse yourself in the colorful and vivid life of Palermo. The tour will continue to Monreale, where you'll tour the Cathedral with its beautiful 12th century mosaics and the Benedictine monastery. You'll return to the hotel for lunch, and will enjoy an afternoon of free time. If you'd like, you can join a tour of Monte Pellegrino, the mount outside Palermo from where you will have a wonderful view of the Valley and visit the shrine of Saint Rosa, patron of the city; visit the Catacombs of Cappuccini, where 8000 mummies are entombed and take a walking tour of the Capo Market, one of the most colorful and historical market in Palermo with fresh products, tasty food, and loud sellers (optional activities in the afternoon not included). The night will end with dinner and a good night's sleep at the hotel in Palermo.

Day 08 (Saturday): PALERMO
After breakfast at the hotel, end of services.

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