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EUROPEAN TOURS
Splendors of Sicily
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| Day 1/Thu Depart USA Day 2/Fri Catania/Taormina After morning arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Balance of the day is at leisure. Tonight's dinner is at your hotel. (D) Day 3/Sat Taormina (optional tour of Mt. Etna Volcano) Morning walking tour of Taormina's charming city center includes the Greek/Roman amphitheater, with its spectacular view of Giardini Naxos and Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. Balance of the day is yours to relax, or explore the slopes of Mt. Etna with our optional tour that also includes an interesting honey-tasting session in Zafferana. Continue climbing to 6,000 feet, where you can enjoy the best views, as you drive through the fertile slopes and villages that sit on ancient volcanic eruptions. Tonight you may experience dinner on your own in one of the many colorful restaurants of Taormina. (B) Day 4/Sun Taormina/Syracuse (optional 'Godfather' tour) Today experience an included excursion to Syracuse. A guided tour of this venerable city highlights the Archaeological Park, Greek Theater, Latomia del Paradiso and Cave of Dionysius' Ear. On the way back to Taormina, we offer a once in a lifetime experience! You may take an optional 'Godfather' tour, featuring the authentic villages chosen by Francis Ford Coppola for most of the scenes in the Godfather movies. This is a good way to explore the real untouched Sicilian countryside, local lifestyle and culture. This evening savor a special Sicilian dinner with wine in a restaurant characteristic of this region. (B, D) Day 5/Mon Taormina/Agrigento/Palermo This morning depart for Agrigento, a hillside town famous for its magnificent Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a guided tour of the valley, dating back to the 5th century B.C. The poet Pindar described the site 'the most beautiful city built by mortal men'. The Doric style temples, all constructed within a century, face east, a standard criteria for both Greek and Roman temples so the statue of the god housed in each temple faced the rising sun. The best temple is that of Concordia (similar in design to the Parthenon in Athens) which is in an almost perfectly preserved condition. Your local guide will highlight the history and architecture of Concordia and of the other temples that are part of this archaeological treasure-trove. After visiting the Valley of the Temples, resume travel to Palermo, where you arrive in the evening in time for an enjoyable and relaxing dinner at your hotel. (B, D) Day 6/Tue Palermo (Excursion to Segesta/Marsala/Trapani) (Special Tasting Of Marsala Sweet Wine) Journey to Segesta, a large archaeological zone, with a magnificent Doric temple, 420 B.C. to 430 B.C., located within a beautiful and natural setting that ranks as one of the best-preserved 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 some Marsala during a special wine tasting session. Drive along Trapani's coastline and stop for a special Sicilian lunch in a restaurant by the sea and return to Palermo. Your tour director can suggest many interesting quality restaurants that offer ambiance and traditional local cuisine for dinner on your own. (B, L) Day 7/Wed Palermo (optional tour of Cefalu) A morning tour of Palermo, a city full of character, features Quattro Canti - a splendid example of Spanish Baroque architecture, the Palace of the Normans and its superb Palatine Chapel, the cathedral, and the famous Benedictine Abbey of Monreale. Here you will admire a 12th century cathedral, housing very fine mosaics representing a complete cycle of the Old and New Testaments. Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or take an optional tour with your tour director to the picturesque fishing village of Cefalu. In the evening, bid arrivederci to your travel companions during a festive farewell dinner with delectable cuisine and sparkling in a fashionable restaurant. (B, D) Day 8/Thu Palermo to USA (or extend your stay) Morning transfer to Palermo Airport for your return flight home. Meals and refreshments served on board. Same day arrival into USA. (B) |
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