Sicily Discovery &
MasterExperience!
(8 days / 7 nights: Sun-Sun)
Programme & Itinerary
www.ItaliaSpeciale.com
DAY ONE –
Sunday
Palermo
- Arrival and Meet in Palermo, either at airport or Hotel in the centre
- Transfer to our charming accommodation in the very heart of Palermo welcomed by our wonderful Hosts
- Dependant on time of arrival, leisurely introduction to Palermo
- Dinner
and evening at leisure in Palermo
DAY TWO –
Monday
Monreale – Palermo Markets & Quarters – Art & Theatre
- This
morning, after breakfast, visit to nearby Monreale and its stunning Norman-Byzantine Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an amazing example of
that artistic and architectural fusion of cultures that Sicily is famous for
- Typical lunch in Monreale
- Our journey of discovery
continues with a guided walking experience through the fascinating quarters of Palermo, a true cultural immersion in its history spanning over 2700 years!
- Our walk will include Palermo’s mesmerizing architecture and heritage from the Phoenicians to the Romans, from
the Byzantine influence to its Arab and Norman domination
- Chance to wander around Palermo’s typical markets, visit an Art
Gallery or enjoy an opera at the imposing Teatro Massimo
- Late
afternoon Aperitivo followed by evening at leisure in Palermo
DAY THREE -
Tuesday
Erice – Segesta & Temple – Sicilian Cooking Masterclass I - Palermo
- After breakfast, we set off to visit the charming village
of Erice, where myth, history and culture blend in a marvellous way
- Our walk through Erice will guide us through the cobbled
streets and alleys that inspired the poet Virgil for his poem Aeneid
- Visits will include Erice’s fortified walls, quarters and
churches and castles built in the most beautiful architectural variety, with special attention to the Spanish Quarter and the Norman Castle of
Venus, all overlooking stunning views
- After a late morning Aperitivo and a visit to the woven
carpet and artistic ceramic shops, we carry on to reach the ancient town of Segesta
- Segesta offers an
amazing glimpse into the culture of Ancient Greece through its impressive and well-preserved V-century BCE Temple and Theatre, a breathtaking leap
into a glorious history
- After a typical light lunch, visit to the Temple and the
archaeological site
- Later this afternoon, a very special
treat…sleeves up for a hands-on Cooking Masterclass with Chef to disclose the some of the secrets behind a few Sicilian
staple dishes!
- Our class will cover the most delicious
Sicilian preparations and recipes under the guidance of our passionate Chefs, followed by dinner to sample the fruits of our labour!
- Return to Palermo for a good night’s
rest!
DAY FOUR -
Wednesday
Corleone & Mafia Myth &
Legend – Cooking Masterclass II – Agrigento
- After breakfast, we say goodbye to our hosts in Palermo and start a
very special day ahead through Sicily
- Our first destination is the famous (or infamous?!) town
of God Father memory Corleone for a true in-depth experience of Sicily’s mafia between myth, legend and
reality
- Arrival in Piazza Falcone Borsellino to meet with
our local guide and start our personal Walking Tour
- Introduction to Corleone’s intriguing Mafia origins with several
famous stops along our walk throughout its fascinating historical old town
- We will then take off an a panoramic drive to reach Corleone’s highest mountain point
and visits to several Norman and Arab sites
- Lunch will be at a local Trattoria, but our hosts will
welcome us to our second Cooking Masterclass that will feature Sicily’s most traditional dishes!
- After lunch, we head towards the coast and reach Agrigento, among
Sicily’s most important cultural and historical experiences!
- A Greek settlement dating back millennia, Agrigento was among the
wealthiest colonies of Magna Graecia
- Check-in at our lovely hotel followed by dinner and evening at
leisure
DAY FIVE -
Thursday
Agrigento & The Temple Valley – Ragusa
- This morning will feature a guided
visit through Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples, a breathtaking visit of Sicily’s most notable Temples, Churches and Acropolis
- Lunch will be excellent fish caught
locally at one of Agrigento’s best restaurants, well known by the locals!
- Our destination this afternoon is the
beautiful Baroque town of Ragusa
- After we have checked into our
stunning Hotel, a former Convent partially carved in the mountain, a late afternoon guided Walking Tour to explore its mythological aura and the beautiful
architecture
- Evening at leisure
in Ragusa
DAY SIX -
Friday
Cheese Tasting – Modica & Chocolate Tasting – Noto – Siracusa & Ortigia Island
- After a leisurely breakfast enjoying the stunning views
that Ragusa offers, departure to reach the nearby town of Modica, renowned for its excellent chocolate production
- En-route stop for an amazing local cheese-tasting
experience with our great Hosts
- Our stroll around Modica will be
complemented by a local chocolate tasting followed by lunch based on local traditional recipes and native flavours
- We will then reach the beautiful town
of Noto, that will welcome us with its stunning Baroque architecture
- After
a short visit, time to reach Siracusa, the 2,700 year old town founded by the Greeks and the birthplace of famous mathematician and
scholar Archimedes
- Extremely rich in history, Siracusa offers an amazing combination of Greek and Roman Amphitheatres and Catholic
Basilicas
- Our
Hotel will be on the exclusive Ortigia Island, the original Siracusa, followed by a lovely evening walk to discover its intriguing history and
dinner
DAY SEVEN -
Saturday
Siracusa – Sicily Coast – Giardini Naxos - Taormina
- After breakfast, guided visit through Ortigia and, time permitting, to the Greek Amphitheatre in Siracusa
- Lunch
will be a very local experience in the Ortigia Market!
- Departure along the coast as we head towards Taormina on a beautiful drive that will also offer a glimpse of Mount
Etna in the background
- En-route stop in the lovely fishing town of Giardini Naxos to enjoy stunning views of the Ionian Sea
- Arrival at hotel in Taormina and evening at leisure for shopping, people watching and dinner in town
DAY EIGHT –
Sunday
Taormina – Options & Departure from Catania Airport
- After breakfast, visit to
Taormina’s beautiful Greek Amphitheatre
- After lunch, drive South along the
Sicilian Coastline to Catania Airport….arrivederci Sicily!!
- OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS
& EXPERIENCES (to be quoted separately):
- Mount Etna Volcano
Experience
- Cefalù en-route to Palermo (in case of flight out of Palermo airport)
- Reach Palermo for
flights
...
Highlights & What's included for
“Sicily Discovery & Experience”
€2995 - €3395 eur pp
- Guests: min 5 / max
7
- Starting point: Palermo Airport / Centre on
Day One
- Ending point: Catania Airport on Day
Eight OR CHOSEN OPTIONALS (quoted separately)
- Fully escorted by our Leader and Hosts
- Accommodation 8 days / 7
nights in selected 3Superior and 4 Star venues that deliver a true feeling for the area / city / town :
- 3 nights in Palermo
- 1 night
in Agrigento
- 1 night in Ragusa
- 1 night in Siracusa / Ortigia
Island
- 1 night in Taormina
- Single Room Accommodation
- An exciting and unique journey of discovery through the very best of
Sicily
- Hands-on Cookery Classes at our highly selected venues
under the guidance of our Chefs
- Foodie Experiences:
- Hands on Masterclasses
with Chefs in Segesta and Corleone
- Tastings of Traditional
Sicilian specialties
- Foodie Experiences as
mentioned in Itinerary
- All restaurants and venues are highly selected and offer the most special Abruzzo1 & ItaliaSpeciale Experiences!
- All lunches + 2 dinners included as per the program with highly selected wines from Sicily as part of the ItaliaSpeciale
Experience
A word on Tipping
At Italia Speciale and Abruzzo1 our mission is to assure only the best experiences possible around Abruzzo and Italy through our highly selected network of Partners and
Hosts, all committed to delivering the highest standards of knowledge and service to our guests. We do this by nature and soul, as proud as we are of our proposals and our people. Tips are never
expected and always come as a nice bonus for our partners.
A token of gratitude. Ideally your Host should collect €75 eur in cash per guest on Day 3 to cover all tips that deserve to be shared among
all Partners. Tips are not compulsory by any means, and should be given exclusively for high quality service.
Payment: Bank Transfer + bank charges | Credit Card: +3.5% | Cash: €150 EUR discount