The Sites & Tastes of Sicily & Aeolian Islands- Itinerary
Tour Dates- 9th June-20th June '19
Sicily Itinerary 9th June - 20th June 2019
Join us as we experience the beauty & warmth of the locals, on the island of Sicily. Taste the famous Sicilian cannoli & paste secche, the many favours of arancini & granite, visit the ruins & gorgeous white cliff beaches in Agrigento, Mt Etna it all its beauty, picturesque & romantic Taormina, cooking classes in Catania, Palermo and much, much more.
Tour Itinerary
All specified day tours & some entrances are included.
Tours will be starting from Catania and finishing in Naples.
Including 11 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch & 6 Dinners
- 12 days/11nights (10-15 people max)
Sun 09/06/19 - Thur 20/06/19 (Deposit must be paid by 22/02/19)
Prices based, per person on Twin share, limited Single rooms available(extra supplement)
Experience the southern culture & exquisite mouthwatering southern cuisine, with authentic cooking classes, cannoli making, wine tasting and many of the destinations you have always wanted to experience, all packed into our culinary boutique tour of Sicily.
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Day 1- Catania- Acireale 9/6/19 Independent arrival to Catania airport and taken to Acireale hotel to relax and enjoy our Welcome dinner to meet and get to know our fellow guests. (D) |
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Day 2- Catania - Cooking Class 10/6/19 Wake up fresh today and head to the historical Baroque centre of Catania. Joining our local guide, we visit the lively, colourful, traditional food markets to purchase our ingredients, to take with us to the penthouse suite of a palace where we commence our cooking class on the roof top garden. The garden overlooks the panoramic copulas all the way out to Mt Etna. We learn about the local cuisine and how it is prepared, and also get to enjoy our delicious creation for lunch. Late afternoon, we go back to our beautiful hotel to relax and maybe enjoy a drink overlooking the Ionian sea. (B,L) |
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Day 3 - Taormina 11/6/19 After breakfast we make our way to the charming town of Taormina, for a full day of exploring. Taormina is renowned for its magnificent position above the sea commanding a celebrated view of Etna. We firstly learn how to make the traditional Sicilian cannoli with lots of taste testing. Yum! Then you are free to lunch in a typical restaurant for some local Sicilian dishes, or visit Taormina’s fascinating Greek theatre. Walk among the picturesque, medieval, typical narrow streets or shop in the local handy craft boutiques for coral jewels, precious laces, ceramics, sweets, biscotti and much more. Don’t forget to go to the famous granita place, Bam Bar, for the best granita in Sicily. The day will end overlooking the beautiful panorama. Back to our hotel in Acireale for a free evening. (B)
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Day 4 - Etna 12/6/18 This morning we will visit Mt Etna the highest (c. 3350m) volcano in Europe and one of the largest and most active in the world, nowadays Unesco World Heritage Site. Its regional park protects 59.000 hectares of unique geology, flora and fauna, villages and farms, and traditional methods of forestry, bee-keeping, wine manufacture, stonework and carpentry. We will reach the “Crateri Silvestri”, small volcanic cones now inactive, surrounded by ancient lava flows. The view beyond the mountain’s hundreds of subsidiary cones and craters, can extend across the whole of Sicily , the Aeolian islands and Calabria. The view is spectacular. Later we will visit a beekeeping farm and the honey extraction lab, tasting homemade honey and typical products of the area. Late afternoon, we make our way to our hotel in Agrigento for our included dinner (B,D)
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Day 5- Agrigento 13/6/19 Today we awake and head for the Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO National Heritage site, where our guide will take us along the historic paths, where among hundreds of almond trees, the ancient Akragas rise. It was defined by Pyndar “the most beautiful city of mortals”. Once one of the most prosperous of the ancient Greek cities on the island, Agrigento presents a remarkable series of Doric Temples of the 5th century. You will see the “Temple of Hera”, the “Temple of Concordia” and the “Temple of Heracles”. After our walk, we drive along to the spectacular ‘Scala dei Turchi’. The Scala is formed of limestone giving it a characteristic white colour. It lies between 2 sandy beaches and accessed through a rock formation in the shape of a staircase, hence the name. The bright white colour resembles a snow covered cliff and you can walk to the very top to admire the gorgeous views over the sea. Free evening back at the hotel tonight (B)
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Day 6 - Palermo 14/6/19 This morning we are on our way to the capital of Sicily, Palermo, one of the richest towns on the island for its history and art. We spend our half day tour covering the city and all its beauty. As we stroll along, we notice how the Baroque predominates and how there's a profusion of different architectural styles reflecting the city’s multicultural past, including an elegant opera house. Today we visit the wonderful Arab-Norman Cathedral, the astonishing Martorana Church and the amazing Cappella Palatina, an example of how different cultures, religions and way of thinking, apparently incompatible can coexist. Continuing our walk we will admire the debated fountain in Pretoria Square, which is adorned with XVI century sculptures, stopping for a food surprise in the famous Antica Focacceria San Francesco. Tonight we have an included dinner at the hotel. (B,D)
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Day 7- Palermo & San Vito Lo Capo 15/6/19 After exploring the city yesterday, we wake up today with two choices. You can choose to be taken to one of the prettiest beaches in Italy, San Vito Lo Capo. Voted the most beautiful beach, time and time again, it's situated North-West of Palermo, in the province of Trapani, in a valley between the mountains. Here you are free to laze around and soak up the sun, walk along the sand or just sit and relax. If, on the other hand, you wish to stay in Palermo for the day, you are free to wonder around and enjoy this beautiful city at your leisure. Tonight you are free to try the local street food for dinner, or go to a local restaurant, but don't forget to leave room for some of the best Sicilian desserts you've ever tasted.(B)
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Day 8- Corleone & Monreale 16/6/18 Today we wake up and head out of the city to one of the most interesting places, sadly, best known as the birth place of the Mafia, the town of Corleone. Our guide will explain how, from the 1960’s onwards, the town became infamous as the home of the most powerful Mafia clans, who established their quarters there. The towns name was used as a surname for the Hollywood movies ‘The Godfather’. After lunch, we continue on to Monreale to visit its huge Norman Cathedral, proclaimed the Eighth Wonder of the World, and its splendid Cloister in Arab-Norman style: admirable masterpiece of art, sculpture, and semi-precious stones marquetry. Later this afternoon, we head back to Palermo for a free evening. (B) |
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Day 9 - Palermo- Tindari- Lipari 17/6/18 Wake up fresh today and start making our way to the Aeolian Islands. First stop, Tindari. A famous destination for pilgrimages and amongst the locals, Tindari is located on the gulf of Patti. The Sanctuary of the black Madonna and black baby Jesus of Tindari, perched above the sea, dates back to 800AD. It is unknown how the madonna arrived here, but the locals embraced her and placed her in a tiny church overlooking the bay. Legend has it, that a pilgrim in the medieval times, who had a baby, refused to pray to the Madonna because she was black. When she left the church, she tripped and dropped her baby, who slipped down the slopes to the beach below. The baby was saved from drowning by a strange strip of sand that rose up to save it. A miracle had occurred and this restored the mothers faith and she started praying to the Madonna. The strip of sand is now its main attraction and the legend lives on. After a short stop here, we make our way to the port of Milazzo, where we board our ferry across to the first of our Aeolian islands, Lipari, for the next 3 nights. Time to relax and enjoy our included dinner tonight (B,D) |
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Day 10- Lipari- Vulcano 18/6/19 We wake up today on the beautiful Isole Eolie. This morning we head for the island of Vulcano. Vulcano is known for its sulphurous hot springs and upon arrival, you are suddenly hit with the strong smell of sulphur. We meet our local guide who will take us around this volcanic island and time permitting, you can bathe in the pools. After our half day relaxing, we make our way back to Lipari to join a cooking school on a family-run farmhouse where you will discover the secrets of the Eolian tradition and taste their magnificent products. (B,D)
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Day 11- Panarea- Stromboli 19/6/18 Breakfast in the hotel and departure from the port of Lipari for the full day excursion Panarea & Stromboli. First stop, Panarea, to visit the beautiful bay of Calajunco, above which lies the prehistoric village of Cape Milazzese. Maybe take a swim at the Zimmari beach. Then the tour leaves for a scenic ride between the Isolotti, visiting the Cave of Lovers, to reach the harbour. Here you can have lunch, take a stroll through the elegant streets, visit the prehistoric village or have a another swim. In the afternoon we will continue to Stromboli. You will stop to admire Ginostra a small fishing village, timeless, then continue to see the Sciara del Fuoco, a steep slope with lava rivers and Strombolicchio, a gigantic rock. At sunset, the tour returns below the Sciara, where the sea meets the volcanic explosion in a symphony of reddish lapilli. Our included dinner will be in a local restaurant that evening, before sailing back to Lipari. (B,D) |
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Day 12- Lipari- Naples 20/6/18 Rise and shine today for our last day in Lipari. We leave on the early ferry and make our way to Naples, where our Sicily tour ends. We hope you have enjoyed every minute and wish you all a safe onward journey. Hope to see you again some time soon. (B)
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