ARCHEOLOGICAL TOUR – 15 Days

Itinerary

Day 1 Saturday: Palermo
Transfer on your own to the hotel.Welcome, dinner and overnight.

Day 2 Sunday: Palermo, Segesta, Erice, Marsala
After breakfast, depart for Segesta to visit the Doric Temple of the 5th century BC and the Greek Theatre. Lunch on your own in Erice and visit the medieval town. Proceed to Trapani for wine tasting and a visit in Trapani to the Salt Museum with its mines and ancient windmills.Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Marsala

Day 3 Monday: Marsala, Mothia, Selinunte, Agrigento
After breakfast depart by boat to Mothia Island; the most important Phoenician colony in Sicily. Then continue to Cusa quarry. Lunch on your own in Selinunte. Visit the Acropolis and proceed to Agrigento. Dinner at your hotel and visit by coach to the illuminated Temples. Overnight.

Day 4 Tuesday: Agrigento, Piazza Armerina, Caltagirone, SM Ganzaria
After breakfast visit the Archeological Museum and the famous Valley of the Temples.Then proceed to Piazza Armerina. Lunch at a local restaurant. Visit the famed Villa Romana del Casale with its 3.500 square metres of mosaics. Continue to Caltagirone, the Baroque town well known for its ceramics.Dinner and overnight at your hotel in San Michele di Ganzaria, a typical agricultural village.

Day 5 Wednesday: SM Ganzaria, Pantalica, Palazzolo Acreide, Siracusa
After breakfast, leave for Pantalica. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes to walk through these beautiful mountains where an ancient civilisation was born during the Bronze age. Proceed to Palazzolo Acreide, the ancient Greek colony of Akrai and visit the Theatre. Lunch in a typical restaurant along the river. Proceed to Siracusa.Visit the Archeological Museum. Dinner on your own and overnight.

Day 6 Thursday: Siracusa, Noto, Modica, Ragusa
After breakfast, tour Siracusa including the most famous Greek theatre of Sicily, the legendary Dyonisius’ Ear, the Roman amphitheatre, the Latomie. Visit the island of Ortigia, historical centre of Syracuse, a treasure of Baroque style. Lunch on your own and leave for Noto famed for its Baroque style. Stop in Modica, also know for its Baroque architecture. Continue to Ragusa. Dinner in a local restaurant.Overnight at your hotel.

Day 7 Friday: Ragusa, Catania, Mt Etna, Taormina
After breakfast, depart for Catania, enjoy an orientation tour of the city then, conditions permitting, continue to Mt. Etna, the highest and the most active volcano of Europe climbing to 1.800 metres. Possibility of an optional excursion by cable-car to 3.000 metres. Lunch on your own, then descend and proceed to Taormina. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 8 Saturday: Pedara, Messina, Reggio, Taormina
After breakfast, panoramic tour of Messina and then depart for Reggio di Calabria by hydrofoil.Visit the museum with the famous “Bronzi of Riace”. Continue to Taormina. Free time for lunch on your own.Visit the Greek Theatre. Time at leisure .Dinner and overnight.

Day 9 Sunday: Taormina Area, Lipari,Vulcano, Lipari
After breakfast, depart for Milazzo.Depart by hydrofoil to reach Lipari, the greatest among the Aeolian Islands.Visit the village and possibly visit the Archeological Museum (optional). Lunch on your own. Continue to Vulcano and visit the village. Return to Lipari. Dinner and overnight.

Day 10 Monday: Lipari, Stromboli, Lipari
lunch optional excursion to Stromboli (to be paid locally) with its volcano and the “Sciara”, and to enjoy the village. Return to Lipari. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 11 Tuesday: Lipari,Tindari, Santo Stefano Camastra,Tusa
Breakfast at your hotel. Morning at leisure with time for lunch on your own. Embark for Milazzo, then proceed to Tusa, stopping en route in Tindari for a view of the sand-tongues and the old town ruins and a short stop in Santo Stefano di Camastra, famous for its ceramics.Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Tusa.

Day 12 Wednesday: Tusa, Castelbuono, Cefalu, Solunto, Palermo
After breakfast depart for Castelbuono, a small village in the Sicilian inland. Visit the Cathedral and the Castle built by the Ventimiglia family. Proceed to Cefalù and visit the Cathedral. Lunch on your own. Continue to the archeological park of Solunto. Proceed to Palermo.Dinner and overnight.

Day 13 Thursday: Palermo
Breakfast at your hotel. In the morning visit the Archeological Museum and enjoy a nice walk in the historical centre of the town visiting the Martorana Church, S. Cataldo, the Praetoria Square and the Quattro Canti. Free time for lunch on your own. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner on your own and overnight at your hotel.

Day 14 Friday: Palermo
Breakfast at your hotel. In the morning visit the Palatine Chapel, the Cathedral, St. John of Eremits and Monreale with its exquisite Cathedral and Cloister. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon visit the Catacombs, Mondello (to be paid locally). Dinner and overnight at your hotel

Day 15 Saturday: Palermo
Breakfast at the hotel. End of your tour.

Tour Details

Prices per person:
Double: $3109 Single rate on request.

The prices includes:
• Accommodation as detailed in the itinerary
• Meals as detailed in the itinerary
• Transportation by air-conditioned motorcoach
• Multi-lingual tour escort
• Crossing on hydrofoil Milazzo/Lipari/Vulcano/Lipari/Milazzo
• Local guides where necessary
• Excursion to Stromboli
• Crossing on hydrofoil Messina/Reggio/Messina
• Boat to Mozia

The prices does not include:
• Arrival and departure transfers, entrance fees, beverages, tips, extras, free lunches as per itinerary, everything that is not mentioned under ‘The price includes’

Departure Dates:
April 14th, 28th;
May 12th, 26th;
September 1st, 15th, 29th;
October 13th.