Wine And Traditions Of Sicily

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Day 1 APT PALERMO – TRAPANI/MARSALA AREA (130 km)

Arrival at airport in Palermo. Meeting with driver and transfer to the hotel in Marsala-Trapani area, accommodation in a wine cellar hotel, welcome cocktail, visit of the winery, dinner and overnight.

Day 2 MARSALA – MOTHYA ISLAND – Visit of a special cheese factory – ERICE –pastries tasting (100 Km)

After breakfast, boat excursion from the salt pan of the “Stagnone” of Marsala to visit the isle of Mothya that was part of the confederation of Punic cities, today a small archaeological park with an adjoining museum. Return by boat and Visit of the salt museum to know all the phases of the production of sea salt according to ancient traditions. Continue to visit an incredibly special cheese factory built inside an old tuff quarry recovered as a garden with its production of typical and traditional cheeses that risk being lost and forgotten.

Lunch in a farm with tasting of cheese, typical appetizers, couscous (typical dish of Arab origin) and dessert. In the afternoon departure towards Trapani through “the salt road” that allows the view of the famous salt pans and then to Erice to visit one of the few typical medieval villages in Sicily located on mount Erice. Free time to visit the historical center with its gothic Cathedral and to admire the suggestive panorama over the Egadi islands and the city of Trapani that divides the Tyrrhenian Sea from the Mediterranean Sea. Stop for a tasting of typical almond pastries. Return to hotel, dinner on your own, overnight.

Day 3 TRAPANI-MARSALA – PALERMO – MONREALE (150 km)

After breakfast, departure to Palermo. Visit with a local guide the historical center of Palermo, one of the largest in Europe; with Martorana Church, Piazza Bellini, Piazza Pretoria, “I Quattro Canti di Città – the four corners”, making a pleasant walking along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the ancient “Cassaro”, Piazza Bologni the Cathedral (internal visit) and the outside of Norman Palace. You will have the chance to taste Palermo’s Street food at a typical local market. In the afternoon departure to Monreale, situated on a hill a few km far from Palermo in a panoramic position. Visit with your local guide of the Cathedral, one of the most beautiful monuments of the world with its Moorish architecture, housing exceptionally fine mosaics representing a complete cycle of the Old and New Testaments, and the Benedictine Cloister in Arab-Norman style.

Dinner at your own, overnight in Palermo in a charming hotel in the historical center.

Day 4 PALERMO – CEFALU – PIAZZA ARMERINA AREA Cooking class dinner (220 km)

After breakfast, departure to Cefalù a former fishing village, now a charming coastal town. Enjoy a walk to the city center and down main street to reach the Arab-Norman Cathedral and the medieval washhouse built in the rock. Free time for lunch at your own. Departure to Piazza Armerina area. Accommodation in a hotel in the heart of the Sicilian countryside. An engaging cooking class will allow customers to learn about some traditions of Sicilian cuisine and the pleasant opportunity to dine with what has been cooked. Overnight.

Day 5 PIAZZA ARMERINA – SIRACUSA (160 km)

After breakfast, visit with a local guide the worldwide known Villa Romana del Casale, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to its well-preserved mosaics depicting mythological themes and hunting scenes. Departure to Syracuse (UNESCO heritage): visit the archaeological area “Neapolis” including the famous Greek theatre, Latomie of the Paradise and the Dionisios “Ear” with a local guide. Continue to the island of Ortigia, the small baroque old city center of Siracusa; visit the Cathedral, which is built upon the site of the Temple of Minerva, the legendary Arethusa Fountain and the Temple of Apollo. Lunch on your own. Time at leisure in Ortigia. Dinner at your own and overnight in a charming hotel in Ortigia. Overnight.

Day 6 TAORMINA – CASTELMOLA – SAVOCA – FORZA D’AGRO’ – HOTEL ETNA AREA (200 km)

After breakfast departure to Taormina, the charming city called the pearl of the Ionian Sea, the most fashionable place in Sicily frequented by famous people since early 1900s. Enjoy time for shopping or walking through its tiny streets. Possibility to visit on your own the Greek-Roman Theatre, with its spectacular view of Giardini Naxos and Mount Etna. Free time for lunch. Continuing the ancient road that leads to Taormina, you reach Castelmola, overhanging the Ionian Sea. From here, you can admire a wonderful panorama. Departure towards the villages of Savoca and Forza d’Agrò where they shot several scenes of the film “The Godfather” by Francis Ford Coppola. You can visit the main places that came out in the famous film such as the Bar Vitelli where it is possible to have a delicious lemon slush or the church of Santa Lucia where the wedding scene of Apollonia and Michael Corleone was filmed. The visit to Savoca will not be a nostalgic tour of a film set but a journey through the culture and popular traditions which will allow you to discover the authenticity of a typical Sicilian Village like Forza d’Agrò.

Continue towards the Etna area to a wine cellar hotel, dinner and wine tasting. Overnight.

Day 7 ETNA Volcano (100 km)

After breakfast departure to Mount Etna, the highest active Volcano in Europe. Weather conditions permitting, across fascinating landscape with diverse kinds of vegetation, a mixture of citrus groves, vineyards and fruit trees. We will reach a height of 1800 meters to visit the Sylvester Craters where we’ll enjoy a spectacular panorama over the Ionian Sea. Possibly climb up to 2,500 meters by cable car and further continuation by jeep up to 2.900 meters (with supplement) Return to the hotel, dinner on your own, overnight.

Day 8 CATANIA APT

After buffet breakfast transfer to Catania airport. End of the Tour.

Rates include:

– Sicily tour by car or by minivan with English speaking driver, from da 1 to day 8

– Expenses for meals and overnights of driver

– Accommodation 2 nights in a wine cellar hotel in Marsala-Trapani Area (subject to availability)

– Accommodation in the historical center of Palermo and Syracuse BB basis

– Accommodation 1 night in Piazza Armerina area in in the rural heart of Sicily

– Accommodation 2 nights in Catania-Etna area in a wine cellar hotel

– Dinner at the wine cellar hotel in Marsala-Trapani area (day 1)

– Lunch in a dairy in Marsala area (day 2)

– Street food experience in Palermo (day 3)

– Cooking class dinner (day 4)

– Wine tasting and dinner at the hotel (day 6)

– English speaking local guides for following visits: Marsala-Erice FD, Palermo (HD), Monreale (2hrs); Roman villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina (2hrs), Etna FD, Siracusa (HD), Taormina area FD.

– Entrance to Mothya islet and Museum

– Entrance to Salt Museum Marsala

– Entrance to Villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina

-Assistance

Rates don’t include:

– Airport porterage, tour escort, entrance fees where not specified that are included, meals where not indicated, local city taxes, tips, personal extras, what not indicated at “rates include”.

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