Fantasia Siciliana

Day 1 Palermo
Arrive in Palermo and make your own way to your hotel. That night, have  dinner in the hotel and rest up for the adventure that lies ahead.  

Day 2 Palermo
Relax over breakfast, and then head out on a morning excursion to Monreale  an ancient royal town famous for its almonds, olive oil and citrus fruits, as  well  as  its  fine  Norman  architecture.  Visit  the  elaborate  Cathedral  of  Monreale or perhaps shop for local produce to take home. Back to Palermo  and continue with a walking tour ot the city. Wander the streets of the Old  Town,  hearing  tales  of  Palermo’s  3,000‐year  history  and  discovering  attractions like Palermo Cathedral. Walk inside the impressive looking place  of worship and marvel at its arches, cupolas and mosaics – amassed from  each of the city’s successive rulers. Enjoy free time in the late afternoon and  return to your hotel for dinner. Overnight.  

Day 3 Palermo, Erice, Marsala, Agrigento
Rise early for breakfast and departure to Erice, a medieval village stacked  into the side of Monte San Giuliano. Many say that little has changed in the  village since the sixth century, and its labyrinth‐like twist of lanes make for a pleasant morning amble. Continue to Marsala, a pretty coastal town on the  westernmost point of Sicily. Explore at leisure, perhaps shopping for a bottle  of local Marsala dessert wine to take home. Return to your coach and travel  south, passing Mazara del Vallo – the closest Sicilian city to Africa – before  stopping in the town of Agrigento, your final destination of the day. Visit  Ancient Greek monuments and ruins at the Valley of Temples(admission  included), a UNESCO World Heritage site, and learn about archeological  relics like the Classical Temple of Concord the Temple of Hercules, and the  Temple of Jupiter, one of the largest Doric‐style buildings. Check in to your  hotel in the evening. Dinner and overnight.  

Day 4 Agrigento, Noto, Siracusa, Taormina (Giardini Naxos)
Breakfast at the hotel and travel to Noto, a picturesque fishing town that’s  popular for its stately Baroque architecture. Visit Cathedral of San Nicolò, a  recently renovated structure, and then stretch your legs on a walk around  the  center.  Continue  along  the  south  coast  to Syracuse,  on  Sicily’s  southeastern tip. Visit Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, Syracuse’s famous 
archeological zone that’s home to a vast collection of Greek and Roman ruins  from all over Sicily. Head inside to see impressive excavations such as the  Greek theater, Roman amphitheater and the Ear of Dionysius – an artificial  limestone cave. After the visit, cross one of the city’s bridges for a visit to the  island of Ortygia, home to a wealth of Baroque churches and medieval  palaces. In the late afternoon arrive in Taormina, check in to your hotel and  enjoy dinner.  

Day 5 Taormina (Giardini Naxos)  
Breakfast at your hotel and then head off to Mount Etna, the largest active  volcano in Europe and the highest mountain in Italy. Learn about volcanic  activity  and  marvel  at  the  old  lava  fields  and  black  magma  rock  that  comprises Etna’s landscape. If weather permits, you have a chance to climb  to  the  summit  (1800  m).  After,  return  to  Taormina,  the  beautiful  and  romantic town located on Mount Tauro. Relax over dinner and then get  some well‐deserved rest. Return to Taormina in the afternoon and spend the  rest of your day at leisure. Dinner and overnight.  

Day 6 Taormina (Giardini Naxos), Savoca and Forza D’Agrò, Catania  
After breakfast travel to Savoca and Forza D’Agrò a pretty hillside villages  where  Francis  Ford  Coppola  filmed  some  of  the  immortal  scenes  of  Godfather’s trilogy. A visit for lovers of this movie but also even if you aren’t  a fan, this stop is a fascinating way to visit these unspoiled and typical Sicilian  hill towns a real insight into the island and the heart of its people. A stop for  a lemon granita at Bar Vitelli is a must for any visitor in town. It is still run by  the family who owned it at the time of filming and exhibits a collection of  photos taken when Francis Ford Coppola shot some scenes of The Godfather  II.  We  also  leave  you  time  to  explore  further  and  really  soak  up  the  atmosphere  of  this  hidden,  not‐for‐tourists  Sicil‐Fantasia  ian  hilltown.  Everything here is just like in the movie. After the visit depart to Catania.  Afternoon free time to explore Catania’s UNESCO‐listed historical center  with  his  Baroque  palaces  and  Roman  ruins.  See  Piazza  Dante  and  the  Fountain of the Elephant, carved from volcanic rock. Dinner at the hotel and  overnight.

Day 7 Catania
Enjoy one final breakfast before the tour comes to an end  PRICES PER PERSON