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Home > Globus > Europe > The Best of Southern Italy 2009
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This popular 11-day vacation starts in Rome with a special welcome dinner in a lively Roman restaurant and includes all the highlights – the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and more. Stay in Sorrento and visit the Isle of Capri. Then cross the Strait of Messina to Sicily. Three nights in Taormina include a visit to Syracuse’s archaeological site with a Local Guide. On your way to Agrigento you can admire the Roman Villa of Casale. In Agrigento guided sightseeing includes the breathtaking Valley of Temples followed by Selinunte’s Dorian Temples and Acropolis. End with two nights in Palermo with highlight visits to the Arab-Norman Palatine Chapel and the 12th-century Norman Cathedral with its precious Byzantine mosaics in Monreale. A farewell dinner has been included.
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ITINERARY
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Day 1: (Thu.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.
Day 2: Arrival in Rome, Italy.
(Fri.) Time to rest or start exploring the “Eternal City.” At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions, and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine at one of Rome’s lively restaurants. (D)
Day 3: Rome.
Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Cross the Tiber and visit the COLOSSEUM and the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman legions marched in triumph. Time for independent activities and exciting optional excursion possibilities. (B)
Day 4: Rome–Naples–Capri–Sorrento.
(Sun.) South on the Highway of the Sun to lively and colorful Naples. Speed across the bay by JETFOIL to the Isle of Capri. Ride the FUNICULAR to Capri Village for a guided visit of this pretty town. Free time to explore the little shops on the Piazzetta before crossing the bay again to the charming resort of Sorrento. Time to check out the local shops and discover its lively center. (B)
Day 5: Sorrento–Taormina Area.
(Mon.) A scenic drive to the toe of the Italian boot in Calabria, where you will board a FERRY to cross the Strait of Messina to Sicily, the largest of the Mediterranean islands. Enjoy the scenic beauty and treasures of the island’s heart on your way to the Taormina Area. (B,D)
Day 6: At Leisure in Taormina.
(Tue.) All day to explore at your own pace. Why not sign up for an optional excursion to Mount Etna in the morning? Afterwards, shop for hand embroidery and local goods, live it up in one of Europe’s most popular beach resorts, or simply relax. (B)
Day 7: Taormina Area. Excursion to Syracuse.
(Wed.) Syracuse, birthplace of the mathematician Archimedes and once a powerful Greek port whose fleet was feared throughout the Mediterranean, attracted visitors such as the philosopher Plato and later the Apostle Paul, who converted its citizens to Christianity. A Local Guide will take you into the ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE. Visit the 5th-century BC sparkling white Greek Theater that could seat up to 16,000 people, the Garden of Paradise, the Ear of Dionysus with its extraordinary acoustics, the Altar of Hieron II, the Roman Amphitheater, and the Cordmakers’ Cave. (B,D)
Day 8: Taormina Area–Agrigento.
(Thu.) A day devoted to the scenic beauty and ancient Greek treasures of southwest Sicily. This morning, focus on the 4th-century ROMAN VILLA OF CASALE near Piazza Armerina. Its colorful and perfectly preserved mosaics depict mythological themes and hunting scenes. Enjoy the ever-changing landscapes of the interior as you drive to Agrigento, where a Local Guide will walk with you through the breathtaking VALLEY OF TEMPLES. Even travelers who have visited Athens and Delphi are awed by the gigantic yet graceful Greek structures that miraculously survived 24 centuries of tormented history. (B,D)
Day 9: Agrigento–Selinunte–Palermo.
(Fri.) This morning, visit the impressive DORIAN TEMPLES and ACROPOLIS in Selinunte. Built on a natural balcony overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean, these accomplishments of an ancient civilization may prompt you to think about the quality of human progress since those days of Greek splendor. On to Palermo, where sightseeing with a Local Guide features the ornate Piazza Bellini and the cathedral. Then, drive up to Monreale for a panoramic view of the Conca d’Oro and a visit to the 12th-century NORMAN CATHEDRAL, famous for its 50,000 square feet of precious Byzantine mosaics. This evening, you may join an optional dinner to celebrate the success of your Sicilian vacation. (B)
Day 10: (Sat.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (B)
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WHATS INCLUDED
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Rome: Welcome dinner at a local restaurant; guided sightseeing, visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, and the Colosseum and Roman ForumNaples-Capri-Sorrento: By jetfoilCapri: Guided visit of Capri village, including a funicular rideStrait of Messina: Ferry crossingSyracuse: Guided walking tour of the archaeological sitePiazza Armerina: Visit the Roman Villa of CasaleAgrigento: Guided walking tour of the Valley of TemplesSelinunte: Visit the Dorian Temples and the AcropolisPalermo: Guided sightseeing, visit the Norman Cathedral in Monreale
MEALS
Buffet breakfast (B) daily; 4 three-course dinners (D), including a special welcome dinner with wine in Rome
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HOTELS
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| Rome Visconti Palace (F), Sorrento Corallo (F) or Grand Hotel Cesare Augusto (F), Taormina Area Naxos Beach Resort (F) at Giardini Naxos, Agrigento Della Valle (F), Palermo NH Palermo (F) | | ^Top |
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OPTIONALS
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INSIDE VISITS
Inside visits and special features are shown in the description, including admission charges when applicable.
AIRPORT TRANSFERS
Airport transfers may be included with land and air price. |
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