Soaring Sicily
August 23 - 30, 2007
History, archaeological ruins, an intriguing cuisine, the serene sea, cities
with a cosmopolitan vibe, and two volcanoes define our Sicilian travel
adventure. To see Sicily, you need good transportation and we have arranged
that; we travel everywhere by private car or minibus with our driver/guide.
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Palermo Opera House |
Our Itinerary:
Day 1
Arrive in Palermo where you will be met by our driver for the week. Transfer to
our 4-star hotel conveniently located in the center of town. Relax, take a nap,
or take a walk (based on your energy).
After dinner, we will take a sightseeing tour, Palermo by Night.
Day 2
Buffet breakfast at hotel.
We will explore Arab, Norman and Baroque Palermo. Sightseeing includes the Opera
House, the popular Vuccina food market, and the beautiful cathedral with
Byzantine mosaics at Monreale. You will have time to stroll around the town.
We will have early cocktails with the Princess Alliata at Palazzo Pietraperciata
and then dinner at a restaurant near the palace specializing in Sicilian dishes.
Optional: Opera at Palermo Opera House if there is a performance (orchestra
seats are 97 euros).
Day 3
Buffet breakfast in hotel.
Segesta/Erice/Wine Tasting/Cooking Lesson: Segesta is an ancient village in the
western part of Sicily. We visit its magnificent Greek Theatre and Doric Temple.
Next, on to Erice, a medieval town located at the top of a mountain overlooking
the Meiterranean Sea, for a walking tour. Then on to Marsala, where we will
check into our hotel before stopping at one of Marsala’s famous wineries,
Cantine Pellegrino, where we enjoy a wine tasting.
Finally, we go to a “baglio," an 18th century country villa recently restored
and converted to a charming hotel. The chef at the Baglio will demonstrate
recipes from the province of Trapani. You can participate in preparing meal or
just sit by and watch others work. Dinner will be meal that chef demonstrates.
Return to hotel.
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Greek Temple at Agrigento |
Day 4
Buffet breakfast in hotel.
Agrigento/Piazza Armerina: Visit Agrigento and its group of Doric temples from
the 5th century dotting the hilly landscape -- imposing and beautiful. In the
afternoon, we visit the ruins of the Villa Romano del Casale, in the town of
Piazza Armerina. Its 40 rooms feature extradordinary mosaic floors depicting the
life of the villa in Roman times. (This was one of my favorite stops on my
January 06 trip to Sicily.)
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Mosaics at Villa Romano del Casale |
Caltagirone, the Sicilian capital for ceramics, is our final stop of the day.
There will be time to stroll through town and shop. Tonight we sleep in a
charming farmhouse that produces oranges and lemons. Our dinner there is based
on the best local ingredients.
Day 5
Buffet breakfast in hotel.
Siracusa/The Wines of Etna: Siracusa was one of the most powerful cities in
Sicily during its Greek period. Visit to the architectural zone with its Greek
theatre, the Roman amphitheatre, Ear of Dionysus.
Stroll through Ortigia island to admire its imposing mixture of architectural
styles, its lovely Piazza with Diana fountain and cathedral. Time to investigate
its lovely shops.
After lunch, we visit Tenuta San Michele, a vineyard with a panoramic view of
Mt. Etna, the largest volcano in Europe. The climate and the volcanic soil give
wines a unique mineral taste that is very prized. Wine tasting and visit to wine
cellar with a member of Baron Scammacca del Murgo family, proprietor of the
vineyard.
Transfer to our 4-star hotel in Taormina and dinner.
Day 6
Buffet breakfast in hotel.
A day and overnight in the Aeolian Islands: Lipari, Panarea, and Stromboli.
We will leave our luggage at the hotel in Taormina and just bring a small
overnight bag with us.
Morning visit to Lipari, the largest of the Aeolian Islands, with its pastel
colored houses and lively tempo. Then to tiny Panarea which looks like a Greek
island with its whitewashed houses. We will visit a lovely beach and stop at
port of S. Pietro.
We then move on to Stromboli, circling part of the island and stopping in port
of Scari to wait for the glowing sunset. As night falls, our boat takes us to
the sciara di fucco (slope of fire) to witness the spectacular volcanic
activity. Frommer explains it this way, "lava glows red hot on its way
down to meet the sea with a loud hiss."
We will enjoy a simple dinner of Aeolian spaghetti and local wine on board our
boat. Overnight in Stromboli.
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Greek Theatre at Taormina |
Day 7
Return to Taormina via hydrofoil.
We will spend some time discovering Taormina, the exclusive Sicilian hotspot,
perched above the Ionian Sea with beautiful vistas no matter where you look.
Visit its famous Greek Theatre, tempting boutiques, and nice cafes to sample
their famous pastry, cannoli (pastry filled with ricotta), candied fruits and
pistachios, and, of course, gelati (Italian ice cream).
If we arrive back in Taormina early enough (it depends on hydrofoil schedule
that is not available until June), we will end our tour with a cooking class in
a typical Sicilian house of the 18th century on the slopes of Mt. Etna. The area
is known for its lemon and orange groves, very pure olive oil, pistachio and
olive groves. Our cooking instructor is Mrs. Elenora, a journalist, whose
lecture emphasizes the customs of Sicilian cooking. Dinner is the food
demonstrated. If we do not have time for the cooking class, we will enjoy a
farewell dinner in Taormina.
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Ubiquitous lemon trees thrive everywhere |
Day 8
After a very busy week it’s time to depart for Catania airport and home. We hope
you leave Sicily with many happy memories of this fascinating island and its
diverse culture.
Note: Itinerary subject to minor adjustments.
Cost
$3,500 (USD) includes 7 night hotels (private room, no single supplement);
breakfast; 6 dinners (one is a lunch); activities outlined in itinerary;
transfer to Catania airport; local guided visits in Palermo, Montreale,
Agrigento, Siracusa; and excursion to Aeolian Islands. Price does not
include airfare, transfer from Palermo airport to hotel if arrival doesn’t
coincide with rest of group, alcoholic beverages and wine at dinner, entrance
fees to archaeological sites and museums (usually 10 euros each), tips, and
personal expenses.
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