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READ MORE...Enjoy a unique blend of escorted & independent touring. Experience a coach tour of Sicily's highlights, a unique place full of art, archaeology, history, folklore & great food and home to heavenly beaches, majestic mountains, before discovering the rich heritage of Malta, one of Europe's most enchanting islands!
Saturday - On arrival at Catania airport make your way to your centrally located hotel (an optional private airport transfer is available). Tonight enjoy a welcome cocktail, dinner and overnight hotel accommodation in Catania. (D)
Sunday - After a buffet breakfast, departure to Syracuse to visit the archaeological area “Neapolis” including the famous Greek theatre, Latomie of the Paradise and the “Dyionisios Ear”. Continue to the island of Ortigia, the small baroque old city centre of Siracusa. Visit the Cathedral, which is built upon the site of the Temple of Minerva, the legendary Arethusa Fountain and the Temple of Apollo. You will then have some free time for lunch and the afternoon at your disposal to stroll through the streets of the centre and for shopping before the return drive to Catania. The evening is yours to experience the city and its nightlife as you choose and to dine in one of the typical restaurants in the city centre. (B)
Monday - Following breakfast, set out for a walking tour of Catania, strolling through the city centre with your professional guide who will charm you with the history of this city, and visit the famous fish market “A PISCARIA”, one of the largest fish markets in Sicily. As old as the city itself, the market offers a great way to experience the abundant fishing & seafood culture of Sicily, with a very special and authentic atmosphere. Departure to Ragusa, renowned for its cheese production, therefore we will not miss the opportunity for a tasting of artisan cheeses and some Sicilian specialities (light lunch). We will then visit the enchanting historical centre “Ibla” with its stunning baroque palaces and churches. Together with other seven cities in the Val di Noto, Ragusa is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Finally, we continue to the hotel where you will have time at your disposal to relax by the swimming pool or at the hotel Spa. Dinner tonight will be served at your hotel in Ragusa. (B.L.D)
Tuesday - After a buffet breakfast, your tour departs to Agrigento, a hillside town famous for its magnificent Valley of the Temples, and UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will visit the Valley, including the Temple of Concordia which is almost perfectly preserved, and the temples of Juno and Heracles. Free time at your disposal for lunch. In the afternoon we’ll proceed to Marsala, a city on the western coast famous for its production of sweet Sicilian wine. Arrival at Baglio Donna Franca Wineresort. Located in the Marsala countryside, this perfectly restored nineteenth-century Baglio rises on the hills in front of the Stagnone Reserve and the Egadi Islands. The Baglio was a property of Florio. Here we will have the opportunity to visit the cellar and learn all about winemaking. At the end of the tour, relax and enjoy a wine tasting & light dinner at sunset. (B.D)
Wednesday - Today's tour begins after breakfast with a departure to Erice via the spectacular “Salt Route”, a road flanked by salt pans, windmills, and “salt houses” where the sea salt is still extracted the same way as during Phoenician times. Arriving in Erice, a medieval village placed on the top of a hill overlooking the city of Trapani and the Egadi Islands, we walk through its tiny and characteristic streets, winding lanes & inner courtyards, and stop for Marzipan and Biscuit tasting. The tour continues to Palermo, the capital of Sicily. Here we'll enjoy a "street food" experience (light lunch) in the center of town before visiting the imposing Cathedral, one of its most important architectural monuments. We will continue our visit by walking along Corso Vittorio Emanuele to reach "I Quattro Canti di Città” Piazza Pretoria, Piazza Bellini, and visit the Church of Santa Caterina. The evening is yours to relax or continue exploring Palermo on your own. (B.L)
Thursday - Today's tour begins with a visit to the town of Monreale, set in a panoramic position on a hill just a few kilometres from Palermo. Here there will be a visit of the Cathedral, one of the most beautiful monuments in the world with its Moorish architecture, housing very fine mosaics representing a complete cycle of the Old and New Testaments in Arab-Norman style. We continue to Cefalù, a former fishing village, now a charming coastal town. Enjoy a walk to the city centre and down the main street to reach the Arab-Norman Cathedral and the medieval washhouse built in the rock. Free time to explore the town, for shopping and lunch on your own. In the afternoon we proceed to Taormina along the coastal road, passing through the town of Messina from where you'll have the chance to admire the suggestive scenery of the Strait of Messina. Check into your Taormina hotel and enjoy a well-deserved rest. (B)
Friday - Today enjoy an excursion to Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe. Weather conditions permitting, we'll journey across a fascinating landscape past citrus groves, vineyards & fruit trees. We will reach a height of 1800 metres and visit the Sylvester Craters from where you can enjoy a spectacular panorama of the Ionic Sea. We then stop at a local vineyard on the eastern slopes of Etna and visit a prestigious cellar, where we'll have the opportunity to taste different local wines accompanied by local cheese & cold cuts. In the afternoon it is back to Taormina, a charming city called "the Pearl of the Ionian Sea". Enjoy time at leisure for shopping or walking through its tiny streets. You'll also have the possibility to visit the Roman-Greek theatre on your own, with its spectacular view of Giardini Naxos and Mount Etna. (B)
Saturday - Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. At the appropriate time, you will be transferred from Taormina to Catania airport to board a flight to Valletta, the capital of the delightful Mediterranean island of Malta. Arriving at Malta Airport, a private transfer will take you to your Malta hotel located in St Paul’s Bay area for dinner and overnight accommodation. (B.D)
Sunday - Today you'll discover the idyllic fishing village of Marsaxlokk with its colourful luzzus and unique character making the unrivalled setting for the local market. Continue the tour with a visit to the Blue Grotto (weather permitting – boat price not included) and the nearby caves. Explore one of Malta’s unspoilt villages: the main square, the hub of the village with its parish church and band club. The remainder of the day is at leisure. (B)
Monday - This morning enjoy a tour of Valletta, Malta’s heritage-rich capital. Tour highlights include the Upper Barracca Gardens and St John’s Cathedral, home to a splendid Caravaggio painting as well as an intriguing Museum. Going down Republic Street you will walk past the Grandmaster’s Palace before watching the Malta Experience, an audiovisual show where malta's history throughout the centuries is brought back to life (*). The remainder of the day is free to relax or continue exploring on your own. (B) * Please note: from April to June and in October the Valletta + Malta Experience tour will take place in the afternoon.
Tuesday - Today’s full day excursion takes us to the central part of Malta, dominated by the medieval fortified city of Mdina, Malta’s former capital city. The narrow streets, dating back to medieval times, lead to the imposing bastions. Leaving Mdina through Greeks’ Gate, we stop at the early Christian catacombs in Rabat before proceeding to the cliffs at Dingli. Lunch is included today and in the afternoon we will visit the San Anton botanical gardens situated near the Presidential Palace, which you will be able to admire from outside. We shall also spend time at the crafts centre at Ta’ Qali. At the end of the tour, allow us to astound you with Mosta’s majestic dome, one of Europe’s largest. (B.L)
Wednesday - Following breakfast at your hotel, a transfer will take you to the airport or port of Valetta where your tour ends. (B)
2025 Saturday Departures
May 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 / June 14 & 21 / July 12 / August 23 & 30 / September 6, 13, 20 & 27 / October 4, 11 & 18
Not included: Entrance fees - approximately Euros 60 per person.
This tour is limited to a maximum of 20 participants (Sicily only)
In the case of 6 or fewer participants, the travel program for such departure might be adjusted and the tour could be operated in two languages.