Sicily

Itinerary

Day 1 – Depart US

Day 2 – Arrive in Palermo where you will be met by M.A. Shute and Giorgio Calo. We will go
directly to Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa, a lovely hotel in the heart of the city. Relax and explore
the area before convening at 6pm for cocktails and dinner.

Day 3 – Put on your comfortable walking shoes as we spend the day exploring the Arab/Norman
section of Palermo and journey to Monreale just outside of the city. Dinner in Palermo.

Day 4 – Our exploration continues as we travel to the nearby archeological site of Segesta and
the Medieval town of Erice. Return to Palermo for dinner.

Day 5– Today we pack our bags and travel to Syracuse. On our way we will visit Agrigento and
visit the Valley of Temples. We will proceed to Piazza Armerina and visit Roman Villa del Casale.
Arrive in Syracuse where we will stay at Caportigia Bouitque Hotel. After this full day, we will
have a relaxing dinner in Syracuse.

Day 6 – Syracuse, located on the Ionian Sea, is one of the oldest cities on the Mediterranean.
Inhabited for thousands of years, it has a myriad of ancient attractions including the Greek
Theatre, the Temple of Apollo, and the Castello Maniace.  We will venture to nearby Noto
which is also rich in history. In 2002, Noto and its Cathedral became designated UNESCO sites.
Dinner in Palermo.

Day 7 – It’s time to explore Sicilian food with a visit to Olafactory and do a little hands-on
learning during our cooking class. We will enjoy the fruits of our labor for lunch. In the
afternoon we will have a brief visit to Ragusa. Dinner is on your own in Syracuse.

Day 8 – We say goodbye to Syracuse and travel for about 1.5 hours to visit perhaps the most
iconic site of Sicily, Mt. Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe. We will reach 2000 meters
at Rifuigo Sapienza and visit Silvestri Craters. Following this experience, we will travel to an
historic winery where we will enjoy wine along with lunch. Travel on to the beautiful city of
Taormina where we will stay at the Hotel Ariston and Palazzo Santa Catarina. Enjoy dinner on
your own.

Day 9 – Dress for a boat ride today as we ride along the coast of Isolabella for about 2 hours.
Following lunch we will visit the village of Savoca where “The Godfather” was filmed. Dinner is
in Taormina.

Day 10 – This is a free day for relaxation, a beach visit, or to continue to expand your knowledge of the Roman and Greek history of Sicialy.  You can visit the splendid Greek Theatre, the Roman
“Naumachiae”, the 10th century Palazzo Corvaja, the 13th century Cathedral of Saint
Nicolò, the 16th century Palace of the Dukes of Saint Stefano, the public gardens, the “Badia
Vecchia” (Ancient Abbey) and many others. Take some time to soak up the magic of this city
before we gather for our farewell dinner.

Day 11 – It is time to bid “arrivederci” to Sicily as we depart from Catania.