SOUTHERN DELIGHTS (Palermo) – 10 Days

Itinerary

Day 1 Monday: Palermo
Meeting with the participants at the hotel. Dinner and overnight.

Day 2 Tuesday: Palermo, Monreale, Palermo
Buffet breakfast at your hotel. In the morning visit the town of Palermo including: the Palatine Chapel, the Cathedral of Palermo. Continue to Monreale to visit the Cathedral and its Cloister. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon, time at leisure to enjoy the Sicilian capital or participate in an optional excursion of the city : the Catacombs of the Priests Cappuccini, Mondello and some of the most typical highlights of the city centre.Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 3 Wednesday: Palermo, Selinunte, Agrigento
Buffet breakfast at your hotel and then depart for Selinunte. After the visit of this archeological site, lunch in a restaurant near the seaside. We will proceed to Agrigento, and visit the Temples Valley and the ten Doric temples standing here. Accommodation in the hotel in Agrigento.Visit to the "Valle dei Templi" by night, illuminated. Dinner and overnight.

Day 4 Thursday: Agrigento, Piazza Armerina, Ragusa, Noto, Siracusa
After breakfast, depart for Piazza Armerina: in the heart of the island and popular for the splendid Roman Villa del Casale, a luxurious roman dwelling.The wonderful mosaics that cover the floors, illustrate the habits and costumes of the roman way of life. Continue to Ragusa. Lunch in a typical restaurant and then: visit of Ragusa Ibla, the capital of the famous Sicilian Baroque.We will continue to Noto: Symbolic city of the “Sicilian Baroque”. In the evening, arrive in Siracusa. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 5 Friday: Siracusa
Breakfast at the hotel and then depart for a visit to Siracusa: founded between 734 – 733 BC. It is in a splendid position in the east of the Sicilian coast; it stretches out over the sea with the island of Ortigia, where the major testimonies of its glorious past are: The Minerva Temple, today a catholic church, the legendary Arethusa Fountain, Apollo Temple, the Greek Theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre near the Latomie and the Ear of Dionysus. Return to the hotel, lunch. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 6 Saturday: Siracusa, Etna, Taormina, Messina, Reggio Calabria
Breakfast at the hotel and then depart for Mt Etna: the highest active volcano in Europe (3345 mt).The bus will bring you up to the “Rifugio Sapienza” at 1800 m.Visit the extinguished Craters of Mounts Silvestri. Wonderful variety of fauna and flora and moon like landscapes can be seen along the way.The special ambience created during the centuries under nature, culture and history is inimitable throughout the world.We will proceed to a restaurant where we will taste the special Sicilian dishes. Continue to Taormina: pretty and romantic town on Mount Tauro (204 mt). Spare time to visit the famous Greek Theatre with a splendid view of Mt Etna and the Ionian sea or to shop and to stroll through the picturesque lanes of the city centre.Depart for Messina where we will catch the ferry to reach Reggio Calabria. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 7 Sunday: Reggio Calabria, Matera, Bari
Breakfast at the hotel.Then we will visit Reggio Calabria's archeological museum to admire the marvellous Bronzi di Riace.Depart for Matera, little town classified by UNESCO for its famous “ Sassi”, an area where the houses were excavated and built in the caves. Lunch and continue to Bari. Spare time to visit the town called “ the ancient East Harbour” and its important monuments: San Sabino's Cathedral,San Nicola's cathedral and the Aragones castle.Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 8 Monday: Bari, Castellana, Alberobello, Paestum, Naples
Breakfast at the hotel.Depart for the Castellana's caves: natural caves which have formed during the ages thanks to the movement under the water. They are considered the most important speleologist complex in Italy.We then proceed to Alberobello, magical capital of the Trulli – villages using the conical form for its rural houses, a Unesco World estate. Lunch on the way. Continue to Paestum. Spare time to visit the Archeological area.We will continue to Naples.Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 9 Tuesday: Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast, Naples
Breakfast at the hotel. Set out for Pompeii, where we will visit the excavations of this famous town which was completely destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.C Continue to the famous Costiera Amalfitana and visit, from the panoramic road, two most characteristic villages: Positano and Amalfi.We will then arrive in Vietri, where we will have lunch.Then we will return to Naples .Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 10 Wednesday: Naples, Capri, Rome
Breakfast at the hotel.Transfer to Naples harbour to embark to the beautiful isle of Capri. Lunch on the way. Return to Naples by ferry and continue by bus to Rome. Arrival at the hotel in Rome and end of our services.

Tour Details

Prices per person:
Double room/twin share –
Winter $2091 Summer $2364
Single rates on request.
Supplement for April $364

The prices includes:
• Overnight in 4* hotel, in double room and private bath or shower.
• Full board accommodation with buffet breakfast, from dinner on the first day to breakfast of the last day.
• Transportation on a deluxe motorcoach.
• Assistance of English language tour guide
• Local guides for visits in Palermo, Agrigento, Siracusa, Capri and Napoli
• Local taxes
• Ferry from Messina to Reggio Calabria
• Jet Foil Napoli/Capri/Napoli

The prices does not include:
• Air fare
• Transfers airport-hotel-airport
• Drinks during meals
• Entrance fees (please check special price for the tour)
• Tips, extras and anything not specifically mentioned in the program
• Porterage

Our 4 Star hotels
Hotels may be substituted with similar category
• Palermo – Hotel Palermo Centro / Jolly
• Agrigento – Hotel Jolly / Colleverdes
• Siracusa – Hotel Scandic by Hilton / Jolly
• Reggio Calabria – Hotel Plaza
• Bari – Hotel Scandic by Hilton / Mercure
• Napoli – Hotel New Europe / Mercure

Departure Dates:
Winter departure dates: Jan 22, Feb26, Apr02* (*April has supplement)
Summer departure dates: Jun11, July09, Aug06, Sep10,Oct15