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Vacation Sicily - Guided Tours Sicily
Catania -
Etna - Taormina - Piazza Armenia - Palermo - Monreale - Segesta - Erice -
Syracuse - Marsala - Selinunte - Agrigento - Modica - Noto - Syracuse- Catania
31Mar - 20Oct 2012
Sicily tour
from
Catania to Catania
8days/7nights - Guaranteed departures
Tour#34
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2012 ITINERARY - CATANIA TO CATANIA -
8DAYS/7NIGHTS
31MAR 2012 - OCT 20 2012
Departure dates on Saturdays: Mar 31, Apr 7, 14, 21, 28, May 5, 12, 19, 26, Jun
2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Jul 7, 14, 21, 28, Aug 4, 11, 18, 25, Sep 1, 8, 15, 22, 29,
Oct 6, 13, 20 2012 1st
Day/Saturday : CATANIA – (hotel in Catania)
Self arrival in hotel in Catania. Meeting with our tour-leader; dinner and
overnight in hotel.
2nd Day/Sunday: ETNA – TAORMINA – (hotel in Catania)
After breakfast, departure to Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe. We
will reach the “Crateri Silvestri”, small volcanic cones now inactive,
surrounded by ancient lava flows. Free time for lunch. In the afternoon we will
visit Taormina, charming town offering a lovely panorama of the Ionic Sea and
Etna, famous for its fascinating Greek theatre, the ancient Cathedral and
Palazzo Corvaja. You can have a nice walk among the typical small streets and go
shopping (coral jewels, precious laces, ceramics, sweets and much more). Back to
hotel in Catania for dinner and overnight.
3rd Day/Monday: AIDONE – PIAZZA ARMERINA – (hotel in Palermo)
After breakfast in hotel we will leave to visit the Archaeological Museum in
Aidone to see the statue of the “Goddess of Morgantina” carved in the 5th
century BC. Transfer to Piazza Armerina where you will have free time for lunch
and where you will admire the splendid polychrome mosaics of the famous Villa
Romana del Casale, representing mythological and historical episodes and scenes
of hunting and entertainments. We will proceed to Palermo for overnight. Dinner
at the hotel or in a restaurant nearby.
4th Day/Tuesday: PALERMO - MONREALE – GIBELLINA – (hotel in Salemi) - ERICE*
After breakfast in hotel, the whole morning will be spent visiting the capital
of Sicily, one of the richest towns in the island for its history and art. We
will visit the Cathedral, the Palazzo dei Normanni with its precious Palatine
Chapel, the fountain in Pretoria Square, adorned with sculptures. We will go on
to Monreale to visit its huge Norman Cathedral, proclaimed the Eighth Wonder of
the World, and its splendid Cloister. Free time for lunch. In the afternoon,
transfer to Salemi passing through Gibellina where you ill see the “Ghost Town”
of Poggioreale, destroyed by an earthquake in 1968. Still today, its ruins
testify how life was before that terrible disaster. We will also visit the
“Cretto di Burri” (Burri's Crevice), one of the widest works of
contemporary art, whose giant slabs just follow the paths of the town’s streets
and alleys; this huge monument of death is what remains today of the old city.
Dinner and overnight at hotel in Salemi. After dinner it will be possible to
make a night excursion to Erice, suggestive medieval town, located in a charming
position, offering a striking panorama of the Egadi Islands.
5th Day/Wednesday: SEGESTA – ERICE – MOTHIA - MARSALA
Breakfast in hotel and departure to Marsala, where we will visit a cellar and
taste the strong sweet wine, famous all-over the world. We will go on to visit
the small island of Mothia, situated at the centre of a large lagoon in Marsala,
known today as 'Stagnone'. Thanks to its particularly favourable location, in
the past it was one of the most prosperous Punic colonies in the Mediterranean.
Free time for lunch and continuation to Segesta to see its famous Doric Temple,
unusually well preserved. Back to Salemi, in time to visit this nice town,
proclaimed the first Capital of Italy in 1860; the visit will start with the
Museum (of
Sacred Art, of Risorgimento, of the Mafia) and will end in Piazza Alicia,
proclaimed the sixth most beautiful square in Europe: there lies the Norman
Castle, erected in 12th century and also the rests of the Mother Church,
destroyed in 1615 by an earthquake and restored in 1968 by a Portuguese
architect, appearing today as a magnificent theatre in the open air. Dinner and
overnight at hotel in Salemi.
6th Day/ Thursday: SELINUNTE – AGRIGENTO – MODICA – (hotel in Modica) - RAGUSA
IBLA*
Breakfast in hotel and departure to Selinunte where, surrounded by a splendid
landscape near the African
Sea, we will walk among the rests of the ancient Greek city, which today
represents the largest archaeological site in the Mediterranean. We will proceed
to Agrigento. Free time for lunch and visit of Valley of the Temples where,
among hundreds of almond trees, the rests of the ancient Akragas rise. It was
defined by Pyndar “the most beautiful city of mortals”. You will see the “Temple
of Hera”, the “Temple of Concordia” and the “Temple of Heracles”. Transfer to
Modica , where we will visit the Church of San Giorgio and taste the delicious
chocolate, typical of this city. Dinner and overnight in hotel in Modica. After
dinner you may make a night excursion to Ragusa Ibla, entirely rebuilt in
baroque style after the earthquake of 1693.
7th Day/Friday: NOTO – SIRACUSA – (hotel in Catania)
After breakfast in hotel we will reach Noto, the capital of Sicilian baroque,
passing through the countries of Ragusa region. Noto, famous for its fine
buildings of the early eighteenth century, is considered one of the main
masterpieces in the Sicilian baroque style and the town was declared UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 2002. Departure to Siracusa, the most beautiful and
greatest Greek colony in Sicily. Free time for lunch. In the afternoon the visit
will start with the Archeaological Park of Neapolis, with its Greek Theatre, the
Roman Amphitheatre, the Latomie of Paradise and the Dyonisios “Ear” and it will
continue with the visit of Ortigia, a small island which is the historical
centre of Siracusa. In Ortigia you will admire the beautiful Cathedral and the
famous Arethusa’s Fountain. Transfer to Catania for dinner and overnight in
hotel.
8th Day/Saturday: CATANIA
Breakfast in hotel and end of services.
Rate includes:
-
Transport service and driver escort/guide for the whole tour
(from day 2nd to 7th) guide from evening of day 1,
-
7nights hotels accommodation in first class or superior
tourist class hotels (see list below)
-
half board with dinners in the hotels
-
local guides where necessary
-
chocolate tasting in Modica (on the 6th day), visit of a
cellar in Marsala and wine tasting (on the 5th day)
-
VAT and taxes
Rates does not include:
Transfers in/out, all lunches, beverages, boat from/to Mothia entrance fees for monuments, tips and
extras in general, anything not specified under “rate includes”.
Price per person in Euro - 2012:
Euro 710,00 per person based on double occupancy
Euro 245 Single supplement
Reduction for 3rd bed: Euro 35 per tour
SUPPLEMENTS:
Pre-night post night in hotel in Catania (in B/B): 60 euro p.p. in double room /
98 euro in
single room;
Transfer service from Catania airport to hotel in Catania (on day 1st): 34 euro
(car 1/3 pax);
Transfer on request from Catania back to Palermo at the end of
the tour
Hotels used for the tour:
CATANIA (4****) NH Bellini or Nettuno or similar
PALERMO (4****) Palazzo Sitano or Mercure or similar
SALEMI (3***sup.) Villa Mokarta or similar
MODICA (4****) Torre del Sud or Modica Palace or similar
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