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Sicily Lovers Tour 2019

Highlights (9 nights - 10 days schedule):High quality accommodation in perfectly located 4-star hotels: 4 nights in the old city center of Palermo, 2 nights in Ortigia (Syracuse), 3 nights in Taormina. Guided Visits and Excursions (11 UNESCO World Heritage Sites): Palermo, Monreale, Mondello beach, Erice, Salt Road and Stagnone Nature Reserve (Marsala), Caccamo, Cefalù, Valley of the Temples, Villa Romana del Casale (Roman mosaics), Ragusa, Modica, Noto, Ortigia (old city center of Syracuse), Catania, Taormina (city center and coastline by boat) Mt. Etna, Savoca (the Godfather's location). Meals: 9 continental breakfasts, 7 complete lunches and 2 dinners (aperitif and welcome dinner in Palermo; farewell dinner in Taormina). Regarding to the other meals, we will provide you with a list of the best restaurants walking distance to your hotels. Other included services: English speaking tour-guides for the whole tour; private transfers and excursions by grand tourism Mercedes-Benz tour bus. Wine Tastings, Cookery Lessons and Food Experiences: 2 Authentic “Street Food Experiences” (in the old city center of Palermo and in the fish market in Catania); 2 wine tastings (at the oldest Sicilian winery in Marsala; at a winery on the slopes of Mt. Etna); Cooking class with an authentic Sicilian housewife in Caccamo; Chocolate tasting in Modica (with cooking demonstration); Visit to a shepherd to enjoy his cheese. Other traditional Sicilian food tastings: “Barbecue Experience”, prickly pears, Cannolo (ricotta cheese dessert), Granita (typical Sicilian ice cream), Limoncello and other typical Sicilian liquors.

PHILOSOPHY OF THE TOURWe help you enjoy unforgettable experiences in Sicily... our beautiful island!This is a comfortable and high quality tour with terrific food and wine, unique locations, authentic experiences with locals and great leisure time!This is a 9 nights-10 days guided tour, oriented to a small group (from 14 to 16 persons). 10 days is the perfect time-frame to visit the must-see locations of the island and enjoy the most authentic Sicilian experiences!A perfect mix of funny and authentic experiences to live a dream vacation!

THIS SICILY TOUR IS FOR YOU IF YOU WANT TO ENJOY:

Sicilian food and wineYou will be seduced by the amazing flavours and essences of the Sicilian cuisine.You will be welcomed in the most charming restaurants and most beautiful wineries, to experience every day great meals with excellent wines.Each day you will experience a different tasting of the most authentic Sicilian food.

High quality accommodation and great locations to visitYou will discover the most important tourist attractions in Sicily (11 different UNESCO World Heritage Sites), but also we will show you the undiscovered gems of the island.You will stay at high-quality hotels located in the old city centers of the most beautiful Sicilian towns.Staying in these strategic base points means being able to discover with us, in the easiest way possible, the most important tourist sites during the day. We have chosen for you the most comfortable grand tourism Mercedes tour bus, reliable drivers and nice licensed English speaking tour-guides, with a great knowledge of Sicily!

Funny experiences with localsYou will have many opportunities to breathe the true Sicilian atmosphere... living, eating, and doing the things Sicilian people do!

The best of Sicily in the most relaxing way You will enjoy enough leisure time shopping or relaxing. When you return to your hotel in the afternoon, you can easy enjoy your leisure time: the best restaurants, shops and clubs are walking distance from your accommodation!Few base points is the key to optimize your time in Sicily! It means “No need to change your hotel everyday, no need to pack and unpack your luggage every time”.



SCHEDULE:Day 1: Arrival – Palermo – Welcome DinnerDay 2: Old city center of Palermo – MonrealeDay 3: Caccamo and cooking class – CefalùDay 4: Mondello beach – Erice – Salt Road and wineryDay 5: Valley of the Temples – Roman Villa del Casale (Roman mosaics) Day 6: Modica – Ragusa – NotoDay 7: Ortigia (Syracuse) – CataniaDay 8: Mt. Etna (4x4 tour and winery) – Savoca (“The Godfather” filming location)Day 9: Taormina (old city center and boat tour) – Gala DinnerDay 10: Departure

Day 1: Arrival – Palermo – Welcome Dinner

Upon arrival in Sicily our friendly representatives will greet you at the Falcone e Borsellino Airport (Palermo, PMO). Have a direct transfer to your hotel in the old city-center of Palermo, in the Northern coast of Sicily.

Check-in at the hotel.

7.00 pm: meet your tour organizers in the hotel lobby and enjoy a nice evening stroll to a great location in front of the stunning church of San Domenico where you will enjoy a welcome aperitif.

During the aperitif your tour organizers will explain you in more details your 9 nights/10 days itinerary. Then it's off to a restaurant in the old town for a great welcome dinner.

Enjoy the traditional Sicilian cuisine and then spend your night at leisure.

Overnight: 4-star hotel in the old city center of Palermo.

Meals included: Aperitif, Welcome Dinner

On request and according to the arrival time, it is possible to experience more activities in Palermo such as an extra guided tour (to visit more locations not included during the visit of the day after), a performance in the Massimo Theater (the wonderful opera house of Palermo built in late 19th century and featured in the last scenes of The Godfather part 3) or a puppet show in the heart of the town.

Detailed schedule (9 nights - 10 days)


Day 2: Palermo – Street Food Experience – Monreale

10.15 am: meet your tour organizers and a licensed English speaking tourist guide in your hotel lobby and enjoy a guided visit of the stunning old city center of Palermo, the capital of Sicily.Palermo boasts more than 2700 years of history and a unique richness of art and culture. Experience the Arab-Norman circuit (included in the Unesco World Heritage list in 2015). Dicover the most important tourist attractions such as the Cathedral, Piazza Pretoria, “Quattro Canti”, Casa Professa, the numerous outdoor markets, the Massimo Opera House (featured in The Godfather part 3) and the other highly recommended stopover for the discerning visitor.Palermo’s heritage is also greatly reflected in the city’s many culinary delights. This cultural walk will give you the opportunity to taste some of Palermo's most unique street foods and best dishes right in the heart of the city (Palermo is ranked 5th among the world's best cities for quality of street food!).After lunch venture off to beautiful Monreale to visit the magnificent Norman Cathedral, known as one of the best displays of sacred architecture with its stunning painting of Christ Pantocrator, its beautiful Byzantine mosaics and

the splendid 12th Century cloister built by the Benedictines. Monreale is also popular for its yummy cannoli (a great Sicilian dessert made by ricotta cheese). Enjoy a cannolo and return to Palermo. Spend the late afternoon and night at leisure.


Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Cannolo


Day 3: Caccamo – Cookery lesson with an authentic Sicilian housewife – Cefalù

9.00 am: meet your tour organizers in your hotel lobby and depart to Caccamo, a medieval village 45 minutes far from Palermo.Get out from the classic tourist patterns and breathe the atmosphere of this nice medieval town.Visit an authentic shepherd and enjoy his “ricotta”, “tuma”, “pecorino” and other traditional Sicilian cheeses. Reach the heart of Caccamo and have a guided visit of its stunning medieval castle. The “unconquered fortress”, built by Normans directly on a rocky outcrop about 1000 years ago, is the largest in the island and has a breathtaking view. Enjoy a cookery lesson at a typical farmhouse where an authentic Sicilian housewife will teach you how to prepare some of the most popular Sicilian dishes. While ladies will learn how to use the authentic Sicilian flours to make fresh pasta and the typical Sicilian pizza, gentlemen will cook the typical Sicilian sausage at barbecue and learn how to make the “Limoncello” (a great Sicilian lemon liqueur). Then, all together, you will enjoy a complete meal with more Sicilian delicacies.Head to Cefalù, a picturesque fishing village and also a medieval town located on the north coastline of Sicily.After a quick guided visit you will spend some time relaxing on its beautiful beach, walking and shopping through the narrow streets of the medieval center and enjoying a “granita” (a typical Sicilian ice cream) in front of the Norman Cathedral, built in 1131.Return to your hotel in Palermo in the afternoon. Spend the late afternoon and night at leisure.


Meals included: Breakfast, Cheese, Lunch, Granita


Day 4: Guided visit of Erice – Salt Road (Stagnone Nature Reserve) – Florio Winery

9.00 am: meet your tour organizers in the hotel lobby and head to Mondello, a fishermen village close to Palermo, which is one of most popular tourist places in Italy, because of its gorgeous sandy beach. Here, you can enjoy some time in the sun and relax while tasting an ice cream and brioche, a traditional combination in Palermo.Depart to Erice, a beautiful medieval town "suspended in time" at 2460 ft. (750 meters) above the sea level in the Westernmost point of Sicily. With a licensed English speaking tourist guide walk through the narrow streets that lead to the Norman castle and enjoy a splendid view of the Aegadian Islands.Enjoy “cous cous” (an Arabic culinary specialty, now great expression of the Sicilian cuisine) and other great dishes in a complete traditional Sicilian lunch at one of the best restaurants in Erice. Taste a Cassatella (another yummy Sicilian dessert) at the best patisserie in Erice and then follow the Salt Road to the Stagnone Nature Reserve Lagoon near Marsala. Spend some time in front of a stunning surreal environment with pink flamingos, “Saline” (sea salt fields) and windmills. Reach the historic Florio winery in Marsala (one of the most popular wineries in Italy, founded almost 2 centuries ago). Have a guided visit of the winery and enjoy some of the best Sicilian wines during a great wine tasting. Return to your hotel in Palermo in the afternoon. Spend the late afternoon and night at leisure.


Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Cassatella


Day 5: Valley of the Temples – Villa del Casale

8.30 am: check out and depart to the Valley of the Temples and enjoy a guided cultural walk in this splendid archaeological park included in the Unesco Heritage Site list in 1997. Visit the magnificent temples dedicated to the Greek gods, such as the Temple of Concordia, one of the best examples of Doric art in the world. Discover the very best art and architecture from the Magna Graecia period (8th to 5th centuries BC) and have a traditional Sicilian lunch right in front of this magnificent site.Head to the center of Sicily to visit the Archaeological Park of Piazza Armerina which includes the famous Roman Villa del Casale.The Roman Villa (from the 4th century) was originally the hunting residence of a member of the Roman aristocracy; it belongs to UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997. Its surface is very large (over 3500 square meters) and it includes many magnificent mosaics, from the late imperial period, in excellent condition. The variety of works is striking: scenes from Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, representations of classical mythology and portrayals of daily life, including the famous mosaics of girls exercising in their “bikinis”.

Move to East coast of Sicily and check-in at your hotel located in stunning Ortigia, an island connected to the mainland which is also the old city center of Syracuse (Unesco World Heritage Site).Spend your night at leisure.

Overnight: 4-star hotel in Ortigia, the old city center of Syracuse.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch


Day 6: Modica - Ragusa – Noto

09.00 am: meet your tour organizers in the hotel lobby and spend the whole day to discover 3 locations famous for an unique architectural phenomenon in the world, the Val di Noto Baroque, included in the Unesco Heritage Site list.Head to the town of Modica, visit the best patisserie of the town and enjoy a funny show cooking concerning to the making of the traditional Sicilian chocolate, which respects the excellent ancient Aztec recipe that the Spanish imported in Sicily.

Depart to Ragusa Ibla and discover a timeless Sicily in a maze of narrow cobbled streets, churches, palaces and monuments. The most of them are adorned with capitals made of local stone and inlaid by the hands of skilled craftsmen.Enjoy a great lunch at a typical restaurant in the heart of the town, just few steps far from the cathedral.

After lunch it’s off to Noto, one more great expression of the Sicilian Baroque style.The urban fabric of this town retains a rich and varied record of its past including buildings, stairways and plazas from the 18th century.Have a pleasant guided stroll and stop by the best Caffè of the town to try another great Granita made with pistachio and almonds, a wonderful combination from the East side of Sicily.Return to your hotel in Ortigia and spend the late afternoon and night at leisure.

Overnight: 4-star hotel in Ortigia, the old city center of Syracuse.

Meals included: Breakfast, Chocolate, Lunch, Granita


Day 7: Ortigia (Syracuse) - Catania

09.00 am: check-out, meet your tour organizers and your tourist guide and start the guided visit of Ortigia, the heart of the ancient town of Syracuse (it was included in the Unesco Heritage Site list in 2005).“The most beautiful city of Magna Grecia”, in the opinion of Cicero is almost 2700 years old: it was founded by ancient Greek Corinthians and Teneans. Right in Ortigia it is possible to admire the remains of Greek civilization, first of all the temple of Apollo, the oldest one in Sicily and the temple of Athena, incorporated in the cathedral (Duomo), that is also the first Christian church in Europe.

Depart to Catania, the second largest city in Sicily on the slopes of Mt. Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe.Enjoy a funny experience at Piscarìa, an authentic Sicilian outdoor fish market where you will be seduced by colors and flavors while having a typical Sicilian lunch.After lunch enjoy a nice guided stroll around the Baroque city center of Catania (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), famous for the Roman amphitheater, the historical churches, the Ursino Castle and the Piazza Duomo with the famous elephant (symbol of the city).

Then, it's off to gorgeous Taormina, the jewel of Sicily!Check-in at your hotel in the heart of the town, near Corso Umberto, the most elegant street of this picturesque town that was built on a fertile hill (658 ft. - 200 m. above a turquoise sea) and combines the natural beauty with the artistic and archaeological heritage.Spend the late afternoon and night at leisure.

Overnight: 4-star hotel in the old city center of Taormina.



Day 8: Mt. Etna (4x4 tour and winery) - Savoca

8.30 am: meet your tour organizers and driver-guides and depart by 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser to Mt. Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe (3.329 m – 10.922 ft). It was added to the list of Unesco World Heritage Sites in June 2013.

Enjoy a pleasant guided walk to some extinguished craters in the north of Mt. Etna, admire a “lava cave” and the signs of last eruptions.

At lunchtime reach an old Sicilian winery on the slopes of Mt. Etna, surrounded by vineyards and fascinating natural environment where you will be seduced by amazing flavors and essences. Enjoy a guided visit of the winery and have a lunch with some great Sicilian food and delicacies while experiencing the typical Etna Sicilian wines.

After lunch depart to Savoca, a nice small village famous to be one of The Godfather filming locations (many scenes of The Godfather trilogy by Francis Ford Coppola were shot there).

Here you will visit Vitelli a bar that was featured in the motion picture as the place where Michael Corleone asked Apollonia's father if he could meet his daughter. Then you will see the church of San Nicolò, where famous wedding scene took place.

Return to Taormina and spend your late afternoon and night at leisure.

Overnight: 4-star hotel in the old city center of Taormina



Day 14: Taormina (boat tour) – Farewell Dinner

9.00 am: meet your tour organizer in your hotel lobby and enjoy a quick guided visit of Taormina. Discover the famous ancient Greek theater (2nd century BC) and then take the cable car to the famous beach of Isola Bella “the beautiful island” in the bay of Taormina.

Start the cruise along the coastline of Taormina, by a “gozzo” a traditional wooden Sicilian boat.In a couple of hours you will see the surroundings of “Isola Bella”, the Blue Grotto and many other nature beauties.

At the end, you’ll return back to the beach of Isola Bella. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy! You can stay on the beach, return to the hotel and enjoy the hotel’s amenities, or stroll around Taormina and do some last minute shopping for friends and family back home.

7.30 pm: meet your tour organizer in your hotel lobby and enjoy a nice stroll to a gorgeous restaurant in Taormina. Enjoy a terrific farewell dinner with a superb view on Mt. Etna and the bay of Naxos. Spend your last night in Sicily at leisure.

Overnight: 4-star hotel in the old city center of Taormina

Meals included: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner

Day 15: departure

Check-out and meet your tour organizers.Transfer to the airport of Catania according your departure flight.Meals included: Breakfast


Sicily is the largest Italian region, a “little continent” rich in art, culture, archaeology, history (a list of 20 Unesco World Heritage Sites), breathtaking sceneries, (4 Regional Parks, 77 Nature Reserves and 3 volcanoes), crystal clear waters, quiet medieval towns, refined cuisine, great wines, important literary traditions, myths and legends.Sicily is a safe and exclusive destination just few hours by plane from anywhere in Europe.Thanks to its sceneries, heritage and mild climate, it attracts 5 millions annual tourists from all over the world.

HISTORY OF SICILYSicily has been inhabited since the Paleolithic and Mesolithic. It had been part of the Ancient Greece, and then it was invaded and ruled by many different conquerors, such as Romans, Arabs, Normans, Swabians, Spanish and French. Those populations, of course, brought in the island their arts, science, culture and architecture.

GEOGRAPHY

Mount Etna (10900ft/3348 meters) is the largest and the tallest active volcano in Europe. It is also the tallest mountain in Sicily. Palermo is the capital (population: 700.000). Sicilian population is 5.000.000. Sicily has got 6 airports to provide easy access to the various areas of the island; they are well served by international, national and low cost airlines. A direct flight connects New York City to Palermo. Time Difference: GMT +1 Hour. Currency: Euro

CLIMATESicily has a Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers and mild, wet winters.

Sicily has a roughly triangular shape, which earned it the name of Trinacria (in Greek “three promontories”). Sicily is in the middle of Mediterranean Sea and it is the largest of its islands. Sicily's interior offers a wide variety of landscapes: mountains, hills, gorges and two fertile large plains around Catania and Palermo.

Key-facts Sicily

Sicilian food and wineSicilian cuisine, based on the values of the Mediterranean diet (Unesco Heritage), is a rich melting pot of flavors and unique combinations. With the help of the most skilled chefs you will discover the ancient Sicilian culinary tradition that is the result of many foreign cultures alternating in the island during its many centuries of history.

If you are a food lover and appreciate culinary art, you will be welcomed in the most charming restaurants and most beautiful wineries. You will always enter in a stimulating sensory environment where you will be seduced by amazing flavours and essences.

Sicilian foods are combined with the most refined Sicilian wines because the island had a strong wine-growing vocation (Greek settlers produced wine in Sicily before the Romans started their own vineyards in the 2nd century B.C.).

RATES:This vacation package has a cost of € 2980,00 per person. Taxes and vat are included. Price is guaranteed on a minimum of 14 participants. Price is valid for the edition of June 3rd – 12nd, 2019.Important: Departures should be scheduled for June 2nd in order to arrive in Sicily on June 3rd.

The Fee covers:Accommodation in 4-stars hotels according to the program: accommodation in Superior double rooms or Deluxe double rooms with city view in Palermo; accommodation in Classic rooms with city view or in Superior double rooms with sea view in Syracuse; accommodation in Superior double rooms with sea view in Taormina.Private transfers from/to the airports according to the program: arrival in Palermo airport; departure from Catania airport.Excursions by grand tourism Mercedes-Benz tour bus according to the program (whole tour except the tour to Mt. Etna by 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser).Tour organizers and professional English speaking tourist guides during the whole tour according to the program.9 continental breakfasts, 7 lunches and 2 dinners according to the program. All scheduled lunches and dinners are complete (3 or more courses are included; water and at least 1 glass of wine is included).Cookery lessons, wine tastings and other Sicilian food experiences and tastings according to the program.Boat tour along the coastline of Taormina.Whisper tour guide audio system during the whole tour.Entrance tickets to archaeological sites, churches, castles and other tourist attractions included in the program.City taxes.Medical Insurance.A traditional Sicilian gift.

The Fee does not cover:Single room supplement: € 675,00 per person.Other types of rooms (i.e. triple room, junior suite, suite): on request.Other meals not included in the schedule.Extra costs at the hotel (minibar, telephone, etc).Transfers from/to other Sicilian airports (different from the scheduled ones).Airfare tickets.Bank transfer fee and charges. Everything non indicated on the: "The Fee covers".


CUSTOMIZATION OF THE TOURIf you want to spend more time in Sicily (i.e. if you want to visit the Aeolian Islands or explore other Sicilian locations) we can provide you with a tailored extension of this tour.If you belong to a formed group such as a “big family” or if you want to experience this amazing tour of Sicily only with your beloved partner, you can personalize this tour according your needs: you are free to change your arrival/departure dates, the duration of your tour or the places to visit in beautiful Sicily! We would be glad to assist you and help you plan your unforgettable custom vacation in Sicily!

Technical Organization: Wato Tours: C.so Umberto I, 401 - 90045 Cinisi – (PA) Regional Licence: 2365/s9 tur

HOW TO SEND YOUR ENQUIRY

Please fill up the for on the dedicated page of our website:http://www.roundtripconsulting.it/eng/sicily-tours/

For further information you may have please e-mail us at [email protected] or contact us by phone at these numbers:

Office: 0039 091 540830 Mobile: 0039 380 5220620 (also whatsapp)


http://www.roundtripconsulting.it/eng/sicily-tours/

mailto:[email protected]

RESERVATION

In order to guarantee the reservation, the amount of a non-refundable deposit, 30% of the total price, is required to enact the reservation.The payment should be done by bank transfer. A copy of the bank transfer receipt is required.The balance payment will be required 40 days prior to the arrival date.All charges due to bank transfer have to be paid by the sender.The transaction should be done in Euro currency (exchange rates for different currencies have to be paid by the sender). The organizer will send the invoice at the end of the service.

MODIFICATION AND RESPONSIBILITY

The organizer reserves the right to change the program of the tour in case of force majeure or other unforeseeable events that render the execution of the tour impossible and/or not worthwhile or that would lead to the organizer incurring unreasonable expenses in executing the tour. In any case the organizer will not change dates of the tour.

CANCELLATION POLICY

40 days prior to the arrival date: cancellations and amendments are free of charge. Non-refundable deposit will be charged.39-0 days prior to the arrival date: cancellations and amendments will be charged 100% of the total price. No Show will be charged 100% of the total price.


Since more than 6000 years Sicily has been a “Top Destination” in the center of the Mediterranean Sea: an inexhaustible source of surprises

that never fails to fascinate everyone who visits her.

Sicily is the largest Italian region, a “little continent” rich in art, culture, history, breathtaking landscapes, refined cuisine and great wines.

Explore your need… we will provide you with the best end-to-end solutions!

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