|
 Our Taste of Sicily Luxury Gay Cultural Tour is filled with abundant pleasures which celebrate all things Sicilian! From the cosmopolitan delights of Palermo and the rugged and romantic countryside to the world-class beaches of Taormina, we will explore the many treasures of this stunning and dramatic island.
Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, has attracted visitors and invaders to its shores for centuries. Romans and Carthaginians, Arabs, and Greeks are among those who have left their historic footprints here. Archimedes taught here; St. Paul preached here; and centuries later, filmmakers glorified Sicily and its notorious mob families and colorful traditions. Now it is our turn to leave the mainland behind and be a part of history.
We’ll start in Palermo, a bustling city with roots tracing back to the Phoenicians. We’ll enjoy Syracuse with its famous Greek amphitheater. We then visit the cities and villages of Val di Noto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the Sicilian Baroque style and impressive olive groves. We finish with four days in Taormina, world-famous for its beaches and dramatic coastline. With Taormina as our base, journey to the slopes of the unpredictable Mt. Etna. There is so much to enjoy in Sicily, and we have chosen some of the best, but you may want to come back for another taste!
• Stay in some of Sicily’s finest hotels, with suite upgrades available
• Explore Palermo’s great restaurants, architectural treasures, and seductive streets
• Admire the golden mosaics of Monreale Cathedral
• Visit the Roman Villa Del Casale dating back to the 3rd century AD
• Marvel at the 5th Century BC Greek Theatre on Syracuse’s historic island of Ortygia
• Wander the Baroque streets of the Val di Noto with lunch at a Michelin-starred local restaurant
• Relax on the beautiful beaches of Taormina, a world-class resort
• View Mt. Etna, Sicily’s active volcano
Day 1 -
 Welcome to Palermo, Sicily!
At the airport (Palermo Airport code - PMO), we will be met by our driver and transferred to the 5* Grand Hotel Wagner, a 19th-century palace. TAfter time to settle in, we will head out for our Welcome Dinner at Palazzo Branciforti.
Day 2 -
 After breakfast, we will enjoy a comprehensive tour of Palermo with a local guide. We will see the Norman Palace, built on Phoenician walls, with its Byzantine Palatine Chapel, and the cathedral. We then drive 20 minutes to Monreale, where the exiled Bishop of Palermo kept Christian worship alive during Arab rule. The cathedral built here by the Norman King William II in the 12th century has an interior covered with over 6,500 square metres of golden mosaics culminating in the figure of Christ Pantocrator.
Back in the city, there is time to explore one of Palermo’s markets: Vucciria, Ballarò, il Capo or Borgo Vecchio. The evening is free to enjoy a restaurant of your choice.
Day 3 -
 Today we travel to the southwest coast and Selinunte, one of the largest archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. Once a leading city of Magna Graecia, it was destroyed by the Carthaginians in 409 BC and its temples, acropolis and agora have lain in ruins since. We continue to Marsala, home of Marsala wine, for lunch, then return to Palermo along the coast past the salt pans. Evening at leisure.
Day 4 -
 After a late start, we drive east from Palermo, stopping for lunch en route, to the seaside town of Cefalù. We will see its Norman cathedral, stroll the medieval streets, and view the ancient Sicanian temple on the cliff above the town before returning to Palermo.
Day 5 -
 This morning we leave Palermo for the southeast. En route we stop at Piazza Armerina to visit the Roman Villa del Casale, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the early 4th century, whose mosaics decorate almost every room. We continue to Syracuse and check in to the 5* Maniace Boutique Hotel Ortigia UNA Esperienze on the island of Ortygia, the baroque heart of the city, for three nights. Enjoy dinner together this evening.
Day 6 -
 This morning will enjoy a tour of Syracuse (Siracusa), once the most powerful polis (city-state) in the Greek World. Among our stops will be the Greek Theater, a 5th century BC amphitheater carved out of the existing rock, then the old island of Ortygia, the baroque heart of the city. We will have the afternoon at our leisure.
Day 7 -
 Today we explore the Val di Noto, rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693 to planned Baroque layouts and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Noto, the honey-colored tufa stone gives the town its name as the “Stone Garden”. In Ragusa Ibla we visit the Cathedral of San Giorgio at the top of over 200 steps. Lunch is a tasting menu at chef Ciccio Sultano’s Michelin-starred Duomo restaurant. We return to Syracuse for the evening.
Day 8 -
 A leisurely drive takes us to Taormina, where Goethe, D.H. Lawrence, Steinbeck and Garbo all stayed. We check in at the 5* luxury Palazzo Vecchio Taormina, a boutique hotel in the historic center, for four nights. The Greek theatre, with its view of Mount Etna/ and the coast, and the medieval old town are on our doorstep.
Day 9 -
 Today we will drive to Catania to meet local friends for a truly authentic experience: we will spend time with an economist with a doctorate from Oxford and a Countess who will host us for lunch and share family stories and Sicilian culinary recollections.
Day 10 -
 In the morning we will enjoy a guided walking tour of Taormina which will include a visit to its Greco-Roman theater.
The afternoon and evening will be at your leisure so you may take in the sights that you choose or just relax at our hotel enjoying the magnificent view.
Day 11 -
 This morning will involve an excursion to Mt. Etna, the most active and largest volcano in Europe. Enjoy the views as we drive up to a vantage point and visitors center; a great spot to admire the 5500-foot Silvestri Craters. We will then continue via Unimog with a Mount Etna Volcanologist Guide. On the way back, we will stop at the Villagrande estate for a luncheon and wine tasting. Tonight we will return to Taormina for an evening of leisure. In the evening we will get together and enjoy each other’s company at our farewell dinner.
Day 12 -
After breakfast, transfers will be provided from Taormina to Catania (CTA) airport for your flights home or to join us on our extension to the Naples region.
Day 12 -
 Upon arrival check-in at our hotel located in the heart of downtown Naples.
In the afternoon, we will meet our local guide for an informal guided walking tour of the old town, with a chance to enjoy some of the most famous Neapolitan pastry delights such as sfogliatella and baba’. Evening at leisure.
Day 13 -
 We will start our day with a visit to the Naples Archaeological Museum, then continue to Pompeii. At the end of the visit, we will drive back to our Naples hotel for the night.
Day 14 -
 Today’s highlight will be a visit to the Amalfi Coast to enjoy the natural beauty of this corner of Italy, driving along one of the most breathtaking thoroughfares in the world.
Later this evening, we shall meet for our farewell dinner in Naples.
Day 15 -
After breakfast, we will have a private transfer to Naples airport for our international flights home.
|
