Highlights:

• Palermo: The Sicilian capital and Capo Market
• Monreale: Dome and the golden mosaics
• Cefalù: Norman Cathedral
• Marsala: Winery visit and wine tasting
• Trapani province: Saltpan works
• Erice: Castle built on the remnants of Venus Temple
• Agrigento: Valley of the Temples
• Piazza Armerina: Ancient mosaics in the Roman Villa
• Taormina: Worldrenowned Mediterranean resort town

ITINERARY

Day 1 (Saturday) Palermo
Welcome to the warm, beautiful and pleasant island of Sicily! Upon arrival at Palermo airport (PMO) please proceed through the Passport Control and collect your luggage inside the customs area. Then independent transfer to your hotel. Tonight we meet our staff at hotel for a short briefing. Then together we gather for dinner at a local restaurant. (D)

Day 2 (Sunday) Monreale, Palermo & Cefalù
Breakfast at hotel. Our first stop is Monreale to see where the Arab-Norman art and architecture reached the pinnacle of its glory with the Duomo, launched in 1174 by William II. It represents scenes from the Old and New Testaments all in golden mosaics. Then onto Palermo to explore the lively Capo Market, a large open air 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. This afternoon 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 depart for Cefalù, a charming coastal town home to a massive Norman Cathedral with outstanding mosaics. Here we visit the city center and stroll down main street to reach the Cathedral. Later we return to Palermo (BB)

Day 3 (Monday) Palermo/Marsala Wine, Olive Oil, Erice/Palermo
Early departure to tour western Sicily where we reach Marsala where we visit a local winery’s cellar and taste Sicilian wines. Later we travel between Trapani and Marsala on the Salt Way Road. We tour the historic saltpan works, where the ancient tradition of harvesting salt from the sea is still practiced. Then, to an olive oil factory & farmhouse to enjoy a light lunch. This afternoon we continue 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. Later we return to Palermo. (BB L)

Day 4 (Tuesday) Palermo/Agrigento & Piazza Armerina/Taormina
Following breakfast, we drive through the interior of Sicily to reach Agrigento where we visit the finest of all ancient Greek sites—the complete Doric Temples (Admission Fee: not included). Later we continue to Piazza Armerina. This afternoon we view the ruins of the Roman Villa of Casale (Admission Fee: not included). The mosaics discovered here are celebrated among scholars of antiquity. Then we continue to Taormina, the world famous resort town of Sicily. Tonight dinner in a local trattoria. (BB L)

Day 5 (Wednesday) Taormina
Today at leisure or Optional Excursion. (BB)

Day 6 (Thursday) Taormina/Catania
Time to say goodbye to Sicily. Independent transfer to Catania airport (CTA). (BB)


Meal Legend: BB Buffet Breakfast, L Lunch or Light Lunch, D Dinner