GRAND TOUR OF SICILY

Next departures:
Duration:

Days

Description

Tour programme

Day 1:

1° day BOLOGNA - NAPLES - PALERMO

COACH TOUR Meet your travel assistant and start the tour in a Gran Turismo bus towards Florence and Naples. Upon arrival embarkation on the ferry to Palermo. Accommodation in private cabins. Dinner at. Overnight stay on board. PACKAGE TOUR ONLY Welcome to Palermo. Optional transfer to the hotel (on request) and meet your English-speaking assistant. Hotel check-in. Dinner at your leisure. Overnight.  

Day 2:

2° day PALERMO – MONREALE

Breakfast at the hotel and start with guided tour of Palermo, the capital and the largest city in Sicily. The day is fully dedicated to the visit of the old town of Palermo. See Palermo Cathedral in Arabic style, splendid Capella Palatina within Palazzo dei Normanni and its outstanding mosaics in both Western and the Eastern traditions, then Quattro Canti di Città, Chesa della Martorana also known as St Mary of the Admiral, and Chiesa di S. Giovanni dei Teatini. Continue with the panoramic tour of the city and admire some of the city-the most striking spots: Teatro Massimo and Piazza Pretoria with beautiful fountain. Lunch at your leisure. In the afternoon, climb to Monreale to visit the Duomo (the Cathedral),one of the greatest examples of Norman architecture in the world. The exterior is pleasant enough, but gives no indication of the golden splendor within. Transfer to the hotel. Dinner and overnight.

Day 3:

3° day PALERMO – ERICE – SELINUNTE – AGRIGENTO

Hotel breakfast. In the morning, departure for Erice, medieval village inspired by traditional handicraft workshops that still preserves the old charm. Lunch at your leisure.  In the afternoon, continue to Selinunte, a home of the largest archeological site on the island. Start with guided tour. There are three different archeological sites: the one of the three Oriental temples, the Acropolis, which once stood at the top overlooking the sea and the Sanctuary of Maloforos, Goddess of pomegranate. Hotel check-in in Agrigento. Dinner and overnight.

Day 4:

4° day AGRIGENTO – PIAZZA ARMERINA – CATANIA

Breakfast in the hotel. This morning we will be visiting, with the guide, the Valley of the temples in Agrigento. It is an archaeological site with the most outstanding examples of Greater Greece art and architecture, and is one of the main attractions of Sicily as well as a national monument of Italy. The area is included in the UNESCO Heritage Site list. Visit to the Temple of Concordio (built in the 5th century BC), Temple of Juno, Temple of Heracles and Temple of Castor and Pollux. Continue to Piazza Armerina. Lunch at your leisure. In the afternoon, proceed with the guided tour of Villa Romana del Casale built between third and 4th century, famous for the beautiful floor mosaics that are showing the a life, the customs and culture of the era. The Villa is included in the UNESCO Heritage Site List. Proceed to Catania. Hotel check-in, dinner and overnight.

Day 5:

5° day CATANIA – SIRACUSA – NOTO – CATANIA

Breakfast in the hotel and head to Syracuse, which was, thanks to the ancient cultural heritage, Renaissance and Baroque included into UNESCO Heritage Site List. Founded in the year 733 BC on the Island of Ortygia by colonists from Corinth.  The Roman-Greek classical nature can be felt everywhere; the numerous remains that have defied the millennia earthquakes and man ravages over the Greek theater, built into the rock and the great stone quarries known as "Latomie", the colossal Gerone Area, Roman Amphitheatre, the great temples and famous cave called "Ear of Dionysius". According to legend, Dionysius used the cave as a prison, spying on his captives from the small opening at the top of the cave where even whispers from the cavern below could be clearly heard. Visit to the Ortygia Island with Minerva temple transformed into the Christian Cathedral and the legendary Aretusa fountain. Lunch at your leisure. In the afternoon, we will reach Noto, a masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque, called the "Stone Garden". Guided tour of the city. Return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight

Day 6:

6° day CATANIA – RIVIERA DEI CICLOPI – ACIREALE

Hotel breakfast. In the morning, guided tour of Catania, ancient capital of Sicily. Visit Piazza di Duomo with Cathedral, Crocifieri Street, Fontana dell'Elefanti (Elephant fountain), Town Hall, Palazzo dei Chierici and Benedictine Monastery. Lunch at your leisure. In the afternoon, visit Riviera dei Ciclopi, the Riviera of the Cyclops, a legendary stretch of coast north from Catania. It passes through several charming villages. We will visit Aci Castello, Azi Trezza, the setting of the famous novel “The Galatea Sea” by the Sicilian writer Giovanni Verga, and Acireale, a small but beautiful Baroque city between volcano Etna and the sea. Hotel accommodation in Acireale or Giardini Naxos. Dinner and overnight.  

Day 7:

7° day ACIREALE – TAORMINA – CEFALÙ – PALERMO – NAVIGATION

COACH TOUR Hotel breakfast. In the morning, visit Taormina, famous touristic town, renowned for its natural beauty and an outstanding view to the sea and Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, 3350 m (10991 ft). See the greatest monument, the Greek Theatre and enjoy some free time wandering around small streets of Taormina. Departure for Palermo with a stop in Cefalù, a picturesque village at the foot of a rocky headland. It is one of the most important seaside of the province. It is dominated by beautiful Cathedral from 12th century. Lunch in a restaurant. Proceed to Palermo. Dinner at leisure. Boarding on a ferry to Naples. Accommodation in private cabins. Overnight stay on board. PACKAGE TOUR ONLY Hotel breakfast. Visit Taormina and Cefalù (see description above). Transfer to the hotel in Palermo. Hotel check-in, dinner and overnight.

Day 8:

8° day NAPLES – CASERTA – BOLOGNA

COACH TOUR Breakfast at leisure on board. Handling of disembarkation formalities and departure for Caserta. Guided visit of Royal Palace designed by Luigi Vanvitelli for King Charles III of Bourbon, who wanted to create a sumptuous royal residence on the model of the Castle of Versailles and the Royal Palace in Madrid. The Palace has twelve hundred rooms, some of which feature elegant decorations in Rococo style while others are furnished in Empire style. It is surrounded by the vast and beautiful decorated park with sculptures and fountains.  Continue to Florence and Bologna. Lunch on the way (not included). Evening arrival to the starting point.   PACKAGE TOUR ONLY Hotel breakfast. Transfer to the airport bookable on request. Farewell Sicily!

Included

• Modern air-conditioned motor coach designed for sightseeing • English speaking tour guide from first to last day of the program • Hotel accommodation in 4 star hotel, rooms with private facilities and breakfast buffet • Meals as per itinerary • Special visits and sightseeing as specified in the program (entrance fees not included) • English speaking driver and local English speaking guides • Luggage handling (1 per person) • Service charges and hotel taxes • 24/7 Englsih speaking assistence by phone

Not included

• International flights, unmentioned entrance fees, transfers, meals and drinks, insurance, tips

GRAND TOUR OF SICILY