THE BEST OF SICILY - From PALERMO

8 Days / 7 Nights

Operated On SUNDAYS From April 05 To October 25 2015

ITINERARY: PALERMO - MONREALE - MONDELLO - ERICE - TRAPANI - SELINUNTE - AGRIGENTO - ETNA - SIRACUSA - TAORMINA

DAY 1 (Sunday)

PALERMO

Free arrival at the selected hotel in Palermo, in the evening meet your tour escort. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.

DAY 2 (Monday)

PALERMO - MONREALE

OPTIONAL: MONTE PELLEGRINO - MONDELLO

After breakfast in hotel half-day guided tour of PALERMO, regional and provincial capital of Sicily. We will start the visit from the old part of the city with the Royal Palace, the Palatina Chapel and the Cathedral. Afterwards you will visit Monreale famous for its Cathedral with Byzantine mosaics figurating Christ Pancreator and its Cloister. In the afternoon Optional excursion Monte Pellegrino with its spectacular views of the city, its surrounding mountains and the ocean and the sanctuary of Saint Rosalia, the patron of the city. Goethe once described Monte Pellegrino as the most beautiful promontory in the world.

Continuation to the small fishing village MONDELLO with its marvellous beach, where you will have 1 hour free time. Dinner and overnight in hotel at Palermo.

DAY 3 (Tuesday)

ERICE - TRAPANI - SELINUNTE - PALERMO

Breakfast in Hotel. Visit of ERICE, Visit of the medieval town on the summit of Monte San Giuliano. Here we can admire the Norman Castle and the cathedral. Stop at a bakery shop to taste the typical almond pastry of Erice. Onto TRAPANI the ancient Dreapanum, with his medieval district situated on the headland pointing out to the sea . In the afternoon visit of the archaeologicall park of SELINUNTE that contains the ruins of the temples and the Greek Acropolis. Come back to hotel at Palermo, dinner and overnight.

DAY 4 (Wednesday)

AGRIGENTO - PIAZZA ARMERINA - TAORMINA MARE

Breakfast in hotel, in the morning Visit to AGRIGENTO and a guided tour of the TEMPLES VALLEY, where you can admire the temple of Juno, the Temple of Concorde one of the best preserved Doric Temples in the whole Greek world, the Temple of Ercule sand the Temple of Castor & Pollux. Continue to PIAZZA ARMERINA in the afternoon including a short break to have a tasting of typical Sicilian food like olive patè, olives, marmelades and wine. Hereafter you will visit the VILLA ROMANA DEL CASALE, famous for the most beautiful collection of late-Roman mosaics, and later also the city with its Cathedral. Continue to Taormina beach, where you will arrive late afternoon, dinner not overnight.

DAY 5 (Thursday)

TAORMINA MARE - ETNA - TAORMINA

Half board in hotel. In the morning excursion to MT.ETNA, the highest peak of Sicily and the most active volcano in Europe. You will be astonished about the great variety of vegetation and landscapes that we will meet along the way before arriving at the “ Silvesti Craters” (about 1.900 mt). From here on you will have the option to continue the excursion by jeep. Stop at a local beekeeper to taste quality honey and to see how he is produced. In the afternoon visit of TAORMINA, situated on a rocky plateau on the slopes of the steeply dropping Monte Tauro, dominating the Ionian coast from Capo Sant’Andrea to Capo Taormina. Possibility to visit the Greek-Roman theatre the 2nd largest classical theatre in Sicily. Re-entry in hotel. Overnight.

DAY 6 (Friday)

TAORMINA MARE - NOTO - SYRACUSE

Half board in Hotel. Full day excursion. First stop in NOTO to discover the beautiful baroque in Sicily. On to Syracuse, one of the most interesting archaeological sites of the island. Guided tour at the Archeological Park, the Roman Amphitheatre, the Greek Theatre, the Ear of Dionysus, the Cave of the Cordari, Island of Ortigia, the most ancient nucleus of the city with its stunning cathedral. Re-entry in hotel in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 7 (Saturday)

TAORMINA MARE

Breakfast at the Hotel, free day in Taormina Mare, free lunch, dinner and overnight at the Hotel.

DAY 8 (Sunday)

TAORMINA MARE - CASTELBUONO - CEFALÙ- PALERMO

Breakfast in Hotel, departure to Castelbuono, Continue to CEFALÙ to visit this lovely medieval town and its famous Arabian – Norman Cathedral one of the most beautiful churches in Sicily, On to PALERMO. Arrival in the evening end of our services.

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