SICILIAN SHOWCASE TOUR: Itinerary (6 nights/7 days):

Taormina (3 nights) Palermo (3 nights)

Day 1 (Friday): Catania/Taormina

Welcome to the warm, beautiful and pleasant island of Sicily! Upon arrival at Catania airport (CTA) please proceed through the Passport Control and collect your luggage inside the customs area. Outside of customs, you will find the driver waiting holding a sign with your full name. Transfer to Taormina, the resort town of Sicily.

Day 2 (Saturday):  Taormina 
All day long at leisure to explore the town on our own. We recommend a walking in Taormina uptown: the amazing Public Garden, the world famous narrow street of Corso Umberto famous for several shops, bar and restaurants. Independent visit to the Greek-Roman Theatre (admission fee: charge) a showcase from where you can view a outstanding panorama of the Etna Volcano and Giardini Naxos bay. This afternoon is at leisure or Optional Excursion. (BB)

Day 3 (Sunday): Taormina

All day long at leisure to explore the town on our own or Optional Excursion. (BB)

Day 4 (Monday): Taormina/Piazza Armerina/Agrigento/Palermo

Today’s drive across the vast countryside showcases Sicily’s great variety of sceneries. We soon arrive in Piazza Armerina for an independent view to the ruins of the Roman Villa of Casale (admission fee: charge). The mosaics discovered here are celebrated among scholars of antiquity. Today we will indulge in a local lunch at country restaurant. This afternoon we will continue to Agrigento whose history dates back to 580 BC.  An independent tour leads us through the Valley of the Temples (admission fee: charge), a magnificent cluster of Greek ruins overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.  Later we will drive to Palermo, the capital of Sicily (BB L)

Day 5 (Tuesday):  Monreale & Palermo
After breakfast, we will visit where the Arab-Norman art and architecture reached the pinnacle of its glory with the Monreale Duomo, launched in 1174 by William II.  Scenes from the Old and New Testaments are depicted in golden mosaics covering the interior.  Then on to Palermo to explore the lively Capo Market, a large open street market that captures the flavor of Palermo's Saracen Arab past. Capo is a blend of general confusion and a jumble of vendors' stalls, winding toward the old gate (Porta Carini) of what used to be the city wall. We continue by seeing Piazza Pretoria and Via Maqueda, whose “four corners” converge Palermo at a quartet of baroque palaces left over from the heyday of Spanish rule dating from 1560. This afternoon is at leisure to explore the town on our own or shops. (BB)
Day 6 (Wednesday): Palermo/Marsala Winery/Salt Way Road/Erice/Palermo

Early departure to tour western Sicily. Our first stop is in Marsala famous for sweet wine exportation. On arrival we will visit a local winery’s cellar and taste Sicilian wine and our Sicilian snack. Later, we travel between Marsala and Trapani on the Salt Way Road.  We will tour the historic saltpan works, where the ancient tradition of harvesting salt from the sea is still practiced.  Than to Erice uptown. The Elymians settled the medieval town of Erice, which was an important religious site associated with the goddess Venus. Wander through its ancient streets and visit some of the famous homemade pastry shops—world-famous for marzipan candies and other delicacies like almond and pistachio pastries. (BB S)

Day 7 (Thursday): Palermo

Time to say goodbye to Sicily as we are transferred to Palermo Airport (PMO) for our return flight. (BB)

Meal Legend: BB Buffet Breakfast L Lunch D Dinner S Snack