The Experience

Perhaps you remember this quote from the movie, Patton: Sicily is the most invaded island in all the world. This makes Sicily truly a crossroads of the Mediterranean, with each invading civilization ~ Roman, Vandal, Byzantine, Moor, Hohenstaufen, Catalan and Spanish ~ leaving a distinctive mark for you to experience, each with its own splendor.

Day 1 ~ Arrive Palermo:
Arrive at Palermo,™s Punta Raisi International Airport. (Optional private meet-and-greet private transfer to your hotel available.) (Accommodations, Palermo)

Day 2 ~ Palermo:
We suggest you spend the day sightseeing and relaxing around Palermo, especially the cathedral, chapel of the Norman kings, and Monreale Monastery. (Breakfast & Accommodations,
Palermo)

You dine this evening at La Ristorante Dispensa dei Monsù, a cozy family café specializing in authentic Sicilian cuisine from an ancient family cookbook passed down from a mother to her daughter, Bonetta Dell’oglio, who personally supervises both menu and service. (Please arrive on your own for 8:00 p.m. reservation, present voucher prior to ordering. Includes one 3-course dinner per person, drinks & gratuities not included.)

Day 3 ~ Palermo to Agrigento:
Pick up your rental car in Palermo before driving south to Agrigento, home of the Valley of the Temples . Along the way, you could visit the archaeological ruins at Segesta, Erice, a lovely medieval town, and Marsala, known for its excellent wineries. In Agrigento see the best-preserved Greek temples outside of Greece, dating from the 5th century BC. (Breakfast, Palermo; Accommodations, Agrigento)

Day 4 ~ Agrigento to Siracusa:
After your breakfast at the hotel, spend the morning walking through the temples in the valley before continuing on to Siracusa. (Breakfast, Agrigento; Accommodations, Siracusa)

For your leisurely drive to Siricusa, you have two choices of route:

• Via Licata, Gela, Modica, or Noto, known for their baroque architecture.
• Inland via Caltanisetta, stopping at the Piazza Armerina, where Villa del C asale is the main attraction. This Roman villa of early empire period is famous for its stunning mosaics. Continue onto Caltagirone, known for Sicilian ceramic works, then on to Siracusa.

• 2 Nights Palermo
• 1 Night Agrigento
• 1 Night Siracusa
• 3 Nights Taormina
• One 3-Course Dinner in Palermo and Taormina
• 5-Day Compact Manual Car Rental
• Map and Sicily Guidebook
• Daily Breakfast

Includes:

Day 5 ~ Siracusa to Taormina:
Before your drive to Taormina, explore the archaeological park in Siracusa, considered by the Roman writer, Cicero, to be the most beautiful of Greek cities. Here you will be in the heart of the Greek heritage on the island, and in the shadow of Mount Etna, Italy,™s only active volcano. (Breakfast, Siracusa; Accommodations, Taormina)

Day 6 ~ Taormina:
Visit the Greco-Roman theater or drive close to the crater of Mount Etna to see the lava flow. (Breakfast & Accommodations, Taormina)

Arrive to Ristorante Terraza Angelo, a lovely authentic café offering great pizza prepared in a wood oven as well as traditional Sicilian food such as spaghetti with clams or linguine with lobster plus a broad choice of fresh fish. (Please arrive on your own for your 8:00 p.m. Reservation, present voucher prior to ordering. Includes one 3-course meal per person, drinks & gratuities not included.)

Day 7 ~ Taormina:
Enjoy a full day of exploring the surrounding areas of Taormina, a city steeped in history, and today, a leading destination for sophisticated European travelers. (Breakfast & Accommodations, Taormina)

Day 8 ~ Taormina to Catania:
After breakfast and a leisurely morning in Taormina, drive to Catania and turn in your rental car before your flight home, or, continue on to your next Avanti destination. (Breakfast, Taormina)

Optional Tours:
Private Cefalu Tour from Palermo – Your private driver and hostess will take out of Palermo to the town of Cefalu, one of the better kept examples of Norman architecture, visit the historical centre and see, among other interesting aspects of this town, the public fountains where the ladies of that time used to do the family’s laundry. (Duration: 4 Hours)

Private Segesta, Erice and Trapani Tour from Palermo – Your private driver and hostess will take you out of Palermo to the town of Segesta, an old greek settlement, where you will see the beautifully kept doric temple. Continue to Erice and visit the medieval village still intact as if untouched by time. The tour will continue on to Trapani where you will see the salt windmills before driving back to Palermo. (Duration: 8 Hours)

Private Half-Day Mt. Enta Tour from Taormina – This tour includes a private car with a driver and and English speaking escort taking them from Taormina to Mount Etna and return. The car can reach the height of 1.800 meters. From there, the only vehicles which are allowed to ascent the mountain are jeeps, which, however, cannot get to the top of the crater since the volcano is always active. The ascent by jeep over the height of 1,800 meters is optional and has to be paid by clients directly on the spot. (Duration: 4 Hours)

Sicilian Adventure Drive Information:

• Palermo to Agrigento ,“ 2 Hours, 20 Minutes
• Agrigento to Siracusa ,“ 3 Hours, 30 Minutes
• Siracusa to Taormina ,“ 3 Hours
• Taormina to Catania ,“ 1 Hour, 15 Minutes