PALERMO

Arrival in Palermo, the capital city of the beautiful island of Sicily. Upon arrival, private transfer to your hotel. Dinner at a local restaurant or at your hotel.

CORLEONE, FICUZZA

After breakfast at your hotel, travel to the area of Corleone, known as the place where the concept of the ‘Mafia’ phenomena was born, but now known for being the place where it is firmly challenged. Participate in a cooking class to prepare some of the most genuine and traditional Sicilian dishes, then enjoy this special lunch. In the afternoon, a local who lives in Corleone will discuss the current conditions in Sicily and explain the actions locals are taking to eliminate organized crime. Return to Palermo, dinner on your own.

PALERMO, MONREALE (OPTIONAL CEFALU)

Enjoy a buffet breakfast. Begin your morning tour of Palermo, a city full of character, featuring Quattro Canti, a splendid example of Spanish Baroque architecture, the Palace of the Normans and its superb Palatine Chapel, the Cathedral, the famous Benedictine Abbey of Monreale and admire a 12th-century cathedral. Take the rest of the day to relax or take an optional tour with your tour director to the picturesque fishing village of Cefalù. In the evening, enjoy a festive dinner with delectable cuisine and sparkling wine in a local restaurant or at your hotel.

SEGESTA, MARSALA, TRAPANI

Buffet breakfast at your hotel. Begin your journey to Segesta, a large archaeological zone, with a magnificent Doric Temple that ranks as one of the bestpreserved Greek architectural sites. Continue to the sea town of Marsala, re-discovered in the 18th-century by English merchant John Woodhouse and known for its sweet wines. Visit a wine cellar and sample Marsala during a special wine tasting session. Drive along the Trapani coastline and stop for a special Sicilian lunch in a restaurant and return to Palermo. Dinner at your hotel or a local restaurant.

PALERMO – AGRIGENTO – TAORMINA

Buffet breakfast at your hotel. Depart for Agrigento, a hillside town famous for its magnificent Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Learn the history and architecture of Concordia and of the other temples that are part of this archaeological treasure-trove. Arrive in Taormina in the evening. Check in and enjoy a relaxing dinner at your hotel or a local restaurant.

MOUNT ETNA (OPTIONAL SAVOCA, FORZA D’AGRO)

Enjoy buffet breakfast at your hotel. Take a morning walking tour of Taormina and its charming city center including the Greek-Roman amphitheater, with its spectacular view of Giardini Naxos and Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. Enjoy the excursion to Mount Etna and visit the Sylvester Craters to enjoy the best views, as you drive through the fertile slopes and villages that sit on ancient volcanic eruptions. Take an optional tour featuring the authentic villages chosen by Francis Ford Coppola for most of the scenes in the Godfather movies, a great way to explore the real untouched Sicilian countryside, local lifestyle and culture. Enjoy dinner on your own in one of the many colourful restaurants of Taormina.

SIRACUSA

Buffet breakfast at your hotel. Today, journey to Siracusa, once the largest city in the ancient world, to see the Archaeological Park, Greek Theater, Latomia del Paradiso and Cave of Dyonisius’ Ear. This evening, savour a special Sicilian dinner with wine in a local restaurant or at your hotel.