DAY 1 | Catania

Welcome to Italy! Transfer from Catania airport to your hotel and prepare yourself for a memorable trip. This evening you will meet the tour leader and your travel companions for a short, introductory briefing. Then, treat yourself to dinner at a local restaurant of your choosing and take in the sights on your own leisure without a guide. Return to the hotel for a restful overnight stay.

DAY 2 | Syracuse · Noto

After breakfast in your Catania hotel, depart to Syracuse to visit the world renown Greek colony in Sicily and World Heritage Site. Explore the Archaeological Park of Neapolis, with its Greek Theatre, Roman Amphitheatre, the Latomie of Paradise and the Ear of Dionysius. Afterwards, visit Ortigia, a small and splendid island which is the historical centre of Syracuse. In Ortigia, admire the impressive Sicilia-Baroque façade of the local Cathedral, which once was a Doric temple. From Piazza Duomo you will reach the famous Arethusa's Fountain, one of the most famous fresh-water sources of the Greek world.

Free time for lunch, and then on to Noto, the capital of Sicilian Baroque, famous for its fine eighteenth century architecture and declared Unesco World Heritage Site. Noto's Baroque style is an elegant combination of curves, floral weaves, perspective views, palaces and gardens, and adorned churches and monasteries and is also home to Palazzo Nicolaci Villadorata, a beautiful Baroque residence which you will visit. Afterwards you are free to explore the town until the transfer to Ragusa for dinner and an overnight stay in a hotel.

DAY 3 | Ragusa Ibla · Modica · Piazza Armerina

Today, depart from Catania and visit Ragusa Ibla and its historical center, a cradle of Sicilian Baroque. Featured in the popular Police Inspector Montalbano TV series, it is among the 44 Italian World Heritage Sites. This small, ancient town hosts more than 50 churches and many Baroque architectural treasures! You will be fascinated by its Cathedral, situated in the beautiful Dome square and you will love the "Giardino Ibleo", the oldest of the four main gardens in Ragusa. The tour proceeds towards Modica, another Unesco site. This charming town is also home to Walking along the tiny streets of this charming town, you will have a stop to visit Sabadì, one of the most renowned chocolate manufacturers in Modica for the last 9 years! Explore tantalizing and authentic flavor profiles that go beyond your average chocolate bar.

Visit the beautiful and perfectly preserved noble seventeenth-century Palazzo Castro Polara Grimaldi, with its astonishing balcony and spectacular view. The interior sports frescoes of landscapes, wallpapers in splendid satins, precious vases and furnishings, as well as the private collections of Donna Grazietta Grimaldi. After this impressive journey to the past, return to the present to savor some local delicacies under the shadow of the amazing Orti di San Giorgio: 7 gardens suspended between light and beauty. A breath-taking panorama will be the setting of your relaxing lunch! Then on to Piazza Armerina to visit the famous Villa Romana del Casale, to admire the splendid polychrome mosaics! This majestic villa belonged to a member of the Roman Senatorial aristocracy, hosts prestigious mosaics representing mythological and historical episodes. They are truly a wonder to behold. Afterwards, a departure to Agrigento. Enjoy dinner and a restful overnight in a hotel.

DAY 4 | Agrigento · Marsala · Salt Road

This morning the tour continues in Agrigento with the famous Valley of the Temples, a renowned World Heritage Site. It was described by Pyndar as "the most beautiful city of mortals," and as one of the most prosperous of the ancient Greek cities on the island, Agrigento presents a remarkable series of Doric Temples of the 5th century sure to capture your attention. Nestled among hundreds of almond trees, you will find the ruins of ancient Akragas, and the "Temple of Hera", the "Temple of Concordia" and the "Temple of Heracles," all fantastic landmarks of a bygone age.

Journey on to the charming town of Marsala, a Mediterranean marvel surrounded by sea and land, and full of unforgettable colors: bright yellow, intense blue, strong red, dazzling white and natural green. After a walk along the city center, enjoy a guided tour of the Florio Cellars. The tour begins in front of the giant wine vats, built at the end of the 19th century and still used for the refinement of Marsala wine. Tour 3 barrel chambers, 165 meters long and running beneath 104 arches, under which 1.400 small barrels and about 600 larger barrels and vats of different capacities are arranged, as c. 5.500.000 liters of Marsala wines age in silence and stillness. After a thirty-minute tour through the barrel vaults, you will reach the avant-garde tasting rooms and enjoy a delicious light lunch complete with a memorable wine tasting experience!

The tour moves on to the Salt Road: here the salt marshes have given rise to one of the oldest salt-extracting industries in the world! Between Trapani and Marsala, the Salt Road is now an environmentally protected site due to its interesting and diverse birdlife, as well as its archaeological marvels. Afterwards, transfer on to Palermo, dine independently, and overnight in a hotel in Palermo.

DAY 5 | Monreale · Palermo

After breakfast in the hotel, the morning will be spent visiting Monreale, its huge Norman Cathedral, proclaimed the Eighth Wonder of the World, and its splendid Cloister in Arab-Norman style! Later you will discover stunning Palermo, a treasure trove of history and art. Palermo stands on a bay dominated by Mount Pellegrino, a headland described by the poet Goethe as the loveliest he had ever seen. While the Baroque style dominates the area, there is a selection of different architectural styles reflecting the city's multicultural past: Punic walls, Art Nouveau villas, noble residences, and 17th century squares, including an elegant opera house.

Visit the wonderful eclectic Cathedral, the astonishing Martorana Church and the amazing Cappella Palatina, all proof of how different cultures, religions and way of thinking can exist in harmony. Stop to enjoy a typical lunch with delicious local food, and then admire the famous Teatro Massimo and the fountain in Pretoria Square, situated in the ancient Kalsa area and adorned with 16th century sculptures. Dine on your own and overnight in the hotel.

DAY 6 | Cefalù · Catania

After breakfast transfer to Cefalù, a charming Medieval town situated at the northern coast of Sicily. Visit its stunning Norman Dome, stroll through the town at your leisure or visit the famous Mandralisca Museum! Eat lunch in a famous restaurant after all of that cultural enrichment. Return to Catania to visit its historical center (Unesco World Heritage Site), with its original Baroque style and its unique streets built with black lava stone. The dark colors of the city center buildings are adorned with white limestone details around doors and windows, creating an unforgettable and elegant effect.

Go on a walking tour which starts at the scenic Duomo Square with its magnificent Cathedral and the famous "Liotru" statue: an antique lava-stone elephant, and symbol of the city. A small distance away lies the University Square, where you will enjoy a walk along the splendid baroque Via dei Crociferi, an 18th century street in Catania, and admire the famous S. Benedict Monastery. Enjoy a break in a historical bar right in the city center and taste the popular "granita & brioche." Dine on your own and overnight in hotel.

DAY 7 | Etna · Taormina

This morning, after a visit to the famous "pescheria" (the ancient fish market) in Catania, the tour will continue with an excursion to the Mount Etna, the highest (c. 3350m) volcano in Europe and one of the largest and most active in the world. Its regional park protects 59.000 hectares of unique geology, flora and fauna, villages and farms, and traditional methods of forestry, bee-keeping, wine cultivation, stonework and carpentry. Its stunning landscapes will leave you reeling as you journey on to Rifugio Sapienza. You will reach the "Crateri Silvestri," a series of small volcanic cones (now inactive), surrounded by ancient lava flows. The view beyond the mountain's hundreds of subsidiary cones and craters extends across the whole of Sicily, the Aeolian islands and Calabria. What a spectacle! Afterwards you will have the chance to enjoy local homemade honey and other treats, followed by lunch in a lovely restaurant.

The tour continues in Taormina, a charming town renowned for its magnificent position above the sea commanding a celebrated view of Etna. Visit Taormina's fascinating Greek theatre and its commanding view of Giardini Naxos bay! Enjoy free time for a nice walk among the picturesque and narrow Medieval streets, or shopping and admiring local handicrafts (coral jewels, precious laces, ceramics, pastries and much more). The day will end with an overview of the beautiful Riviera dei Ciclopi and a return to Catania. Back in find yourself some dinner and sleep overnight in hotel.

DAY 8 | Catania

Breakfast at the hotel and then a transfer to Catania airport for your flight home.