DAY 1 - Tuesday, May 14th, 2024

Departure from New York (or from another airport upon request with cost evaluation), Airline and timing to be defined.

DAY 2 - Wednesday, May 15th, 2024

MORNING

Arrival in Catania and transfer by private coach to Taormina.
Welcome aperitif at the hotel with tastings of local typical products.

AFTERNOON

Guided walk in the historic center and entrance to the Greek Theater (see photo), suspended between sky and sea with the silhouette of Mount Etna in the background. Built in the 3rd century BC, it is the most scenic theater built by the Greeks…
Along the city’s streets, you can see characteristic streets lined with numerous local craft shops for every taste. You can admire churches and monuments that make Taormina great. Palazzo Corvaja, the 18th-century Church of San Giuseppe, the Clock Tower, Cathedral Square with a Baroque fountain, and the 13th-century Cathedral, modified two centuries later by Spanish aristocracy. You can continue to the Sanctuary of Madonna della Rocca dating back to 1640, with a mystical legend.

EVENING

Welcome dinner with a typical Sicilian menu and dessert: Sicilian cannoli and the Sicilian Tarantella.

DAY 3 - Thursday, May 16th, 2024

FULL-DAY TRIP

Excursion to Mount Etna, which at 3326 meters dominates eastern Sicily. On the summit, there are four craters. The volcano is always active and monitored by 120 seismic stations and satellites. The guided walk through this captivating landscape offers views of the snow-capped summit, lunar deserts, and birch forests. A unique and unforgettable experience.

Lunch in a characteristic refuge offering a typical local menu.
The day continues in Bronte, a small town at the foot of Mount Etna, known worldwide for its pistachio production. Pistachios are harvested every two years and are a source of pride for the area.
Visit to an ice cream parlor (see photo) where you can taste pistachio specialties.

Dinner in Taormina with local specialties, including the typical dish, Pasta alla Norma.

DAY 4 - Friday, May 17th, 2024

MORNING/AFTERNOON

Transfer to Ragusa with various stops along the way.
Catania (see photo) is the first destination where you can admire the UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic center with its large square, the Elephant Fountain, white and black palaces, and a wide variety of scenarios where Baroque architecture predominates. You can visit the Teatro Massimo Bellini, completed in 1890 in honor of the great Catania-born composer, the Benedictine Monastery, and the University Palace. The tour concludes at the fish market, La Pescheria, a glory of Catania that displays fresh fish, mollusks, and crustaceans abundantly.

EVENING

Arrival in Ragusa in the evening with dinner at the hotel featuring local specialties.

DAY 5 - Saturday, May 18th, 2024

MORNING

Guided tour of the city, including the historic center of Ragusa Ibla (see photo), with its ups and downs, intricate alleys, gray stone houses, and charming Baroque palaces. Ragusa was destroyed by the 1693 earthquake and then rebuilt in the exact same location. During the tour, you can see Piazza Duomo and Palazzo Arezzo di Trifilettioverlooking it. The ballroom of this palace is characterized by 18th-century Neapolitan mosaic tiles and colorful frescoes on its walls. You’ll also see the Church of San Giorgio, now in ruins, and the Cathedral of San Giorgio, a true jewel of the city.

AFTERNOON

The itinerary includes a visit to Scicli and Modica, both part of the Val di Noto UNESCO World Heritage site. The tour in Scicli passes by the Church of San Matteo, Palazzo Bonelli Patanè (with its neoclassical facade hiding Liberty-style interiors), and the Town Hall, which houses two sets from the Inspector Montalbano series. As you walk the city’s streets, you can recognize scenes made famous by the film adaptation of Andrea Camilleri’s novels. In Modica, famous for its chocolate, you’ll visit the Chocolate Museum and a factory where you can enjoy sweet tastings. The Chocolate Museum of Modica houses an extraordinary collection of archival documents that tell the story of the world’s oldest chocolate. It also displays twenty-two chocolate sculptures created by sculptors and young students from the Art School.

EVENING

Return to Ragusa for a typical dinner with tastings of dishes inspired by Commissario Montalbano.

DAY 6 - Sunday, May 19th, 2024

FULL-DAY TRIP

The tour’s destinations are Siracusa, the farthest, and, during the return journey, Noto.
Siracusa, which gave birth to Archimedes (mathematician, physicist, inventor, 287 BC – 212 BC), is the greatest center of the ancient world. The city’s history began on the island of Ortigia, where colonists disembarked in 734 BC. This is the most picturesque corner of Syracuse. You’ll explore Cathedral Square and visit the Cathedral, Archbishop’s Palace, Town Hall, Lanza-Bucceri Palace, and the Municipal Museum of the Puppets.
Siracusa made a significant contribution to the birth of puppets in ancient times. It is mentioned by writer Xenophon in his Symposium (around 360 BC). You’ll also encounter a craft market in the city’s center, where you can find jewelry, fabrics, ceramics, and more.

In the afternoon, you’ll stop in Noto, which every year hosts the Infiorata event (see photo), an annual tradition for over 20 years. During this event, the Sicilian town, already known for its Baroque pearls, becomes an even more prominent tourist center, attracting visitors from all over Italy.

Dinner in a characteristic restaurant in Noto before returning to Ragusa after dinner.

DAY 7 - Monday, May 20th, 2024

MORNING

Transfer to Enna with stops in Caltagirone and Piazza Armerina, two marvelous towns that are essential in a tour celebrating the history of a region.
The first stop is in Caltagirone, famous for the production of ceramics exported worldwide (see photo). After a walk in the city, you’ll visit the CERAMICS MUSEUM and a workshop where you can participate in a workshop. The city offers unique and unforgettable corners and views.

AFTERNOON

The journey continues in the afternoon with a brief stop in Piazza Armerina, where you immerse yourself in Roman history through well-preserved mosaics at the Villa del Casale, a fascinating moment in history.

EVENING

Arrival at the hotel in Enna with a dinner featuring local specialties.

DAY 8 - Tuesday, May 21st, 2024

MORNING

Living in Enna means immersing yourself in an environment rich in history and culture, but also enjoying a more tranquil pace of life compared to major cities. Enna offers a perfect balance between cultural vitality and tranquility: city tour with a guide who accompanies the group to explore the uppermost historic center, a medieval testimony rich in breathtaking panoramas. Dominating over all is the Castle of Lombardy (see photo), built by the Saracens and later reinforced by the Normans and subsequently by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen.
A stop will also be made at the Cathedral, one of the city’s most imposing buildings.

AFTERNOON/EVENING

Cooking workshop and dinner.

DAY 9 - Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024

FULL-DAY TRIP

Excursion to the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento (see photo), where you can admire an exceptionally well-preserved archaeological site, an example of ancient Greek architecture. It contains a series of temples dedicated to Greek deities such as Zeus and Hera. Meeting with a local authority experienced in the issues of Italians abroad. Stop at the Baglio Bonsignore Winery for a tasting with a villa picnic. The Bonsignore family will tell you about the work to produce the fruits of this magnificent land, which is part of the Wine and Flavors Roads of the Valley of the Temples.
You’ll take a walk among the vineyards, to the lake, and then to the 18th-century building to enjoy a wonderful panorama, visible to Mount Etna on clear days.
At the end of the walk: a guided wine tasting of Bonsignore wines and a picnic among the vine rows with a bottle of the winery’s wine.

DAY 10 - Thursday, May 23rd, 2024

MORNING/AFTERNOON

Transfer to Palermo with a stop in Gangi.
Gangi (see photo), the most beautiful village in Italy, where architectural beauty merges with the natural surroundings, a true delight for the eyes and the spirit. In this village, history and legend, traditions, and reality intertwine. Its inhabitants are known as “gangitani.”
The journey continues to Palermo.
Arrival at the hotel and a first walk with a Tour Leader to get closer to the city.

EVENING

Dinner in a typical restaurant with Palermitan specialties.

DAY 11 - Friday, May 24th, 2024

MORNING

Guided tour of the city to admire palaces and churches that have marked the history of Palermo. The Palatine Chapel, the main tourist attraction, the Cathedral of Palermo, remodeled over the centuries but an extraordinary jewel of Arab-Norman style, the Norman Palace, also known as the Royal Palace, is indeed the oldest royal residence in Europe, the Teatro Massimo in neoclassical style.
Visit to the Ballarò Market where you can find all kinds of food products, where Palermitans regularly do their shopping.

AFTERNOON

Excursion to Monreale (see photo), considered one of the greatest masterpieces of Norman architecture in Sicily. Inside, it features mosaics of infinite beauty.
Return to the city for a stroll in Mondello, the city’s beach, washed by clear turquoise waters.

EVENING

Dinner in a typical Palermitan restaurant.

DAY 12 - Saturday, May 25th, 2024

FULL-DAY TRIP

The destination of the tour is Marsala, with stops along the way at the Trapani salt flats (see photo), a picturesque landscape dotted with disused windmills.
The Trapani and Paceco Salt Flats Nature Reserve, established in 1995, and the Stagnone Nature Reserve. A guided visit by WWF is possible. This is a protected natural environment and a great place for photography!

You will arrive in Marsala, famous in Italian history for Garibaldi’s landing with his thousand followers and also renowned for the production of dessert wine. You will visit the Florio Complex to learn about the production of Marsala wine and local viticulture. Wine tastings accompanied by appetizers will be included. The duration of the visit is 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Return to Palermo and a farewell dinner before departure.

DAY 13 - Sunday, May 26th, 2024

Transfer to Palermo airport, via private motor coach, for a flight.
Lunch and snack served on board. Same day arrival.