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THE UNKNOWN SICILY
A private escorted tour of Sicily
9 days/ 8 nights
"To have
seen Italy without having seen Sicily
is not to have seen
Italy at all, for Sicily is the key to everything."
Johann von Wolfang Goethe
Enliven your senses and enlighten your fancy with our gastronomic tour of the amazing island of Sicily! Explore extraordinary ruins and enchantingly beautiful scenery, while visiting some of Sicily's most precious towns and select attractions. Our tour lets you uncover the gems of the "largest island in the Mediterranean", while treating you to a variety of pre-arranged and all-inclusive cooking classes, gourmet meals, wine tastings, and guided excursions. During the tour, you will learn to prepare traditional Sicilian dishes, sample vintages at local canteens and wine vineyards, relax each evening in idyllic accommodations—and even have the opportunity to climb Mt. Etna! There is no better way to experience the splendor of Sicily…and on this trip you will savor every moment!
Arrival at Palermo airport .Free Transfer to the hotel. Check into accomodations. Welcome cocktail. Meet our guide . Dinner at the Hotel. After dinner, panoramic tour of Palermo by Night. Return to the hotel and retire for the night.
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Then, transfer to Erice, a magnificent medieval city nestled in a picturesque setting that rests untouched apart from the days our guests spend visiting its ancient churches and rich historic city center. Visit to the Antique Convent Pastry Shop, in via Guarnotti, one of the most renowned Sicilian bakeries. There, enjoy a taste of the fine Erician pastries first created within the convent walls and, as a special treat, sample some of the typical almond dough desserts filled with candied lemon. Afterwards, a guided walk down the narrow streets of the ancient town.
Next, transfer to Marsala, a city famous for the production of its namesake wine.
Lunch on your own
Check in at the hotel for rest and relaxation.
In the afternoon, attend the first cooking class, which will be held at Il Baglio Basile, an antique nautical beam from the end of the 1800s, recently restored, and set in the Marsala countryside. Before the start of the class, accompany the chef to the market to select ingredients and shop for groceries. The chef will demonstrate and explain the preparation of several typical Trapanese recipes, and guests will be guided through the preparation of the very dishes that they will have the pleasure of later savoring during dinner. At the conclusion of the lesson, and before the meal, a brief visit to the Cantine Pellegrino for a tasting of Marsala Wines, conducted by an expert. Dinner at Il Baglio Basile: the menu will consist of the main courses highlighted during the afternoon's lesson. Return to the hotel and retire for the night.
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for Agrigento for a guided visit of the extraordinary Valle dei Templi ("Valley of the Temples"), a masterpiece that stands testament to Greek art in Sicily. Afterwards, continue on to Piazza Armerina.
Lunch on your own.
Afternoon: Guided tour of the Villa Romana del Casale, built during the imperial age and famous for its precious mosaics, which constitute some of the best conserved in the entire Mediterranean basin. Next, transfer to nearby Caltagirone, the Sicilian capital for ceramic artistry, and stopover at the wine cellars of the Antica Tenuta del Nanfro for a guided visit and tasting of typical vintages from the area: Nero d'Avola and the Cerasuolo di Vittoria. Following the visit, registration at the accomodations provided by the agriturismo Valle dei Margi. The establishment is surrounded by a vast open territory dedicated to the cultivation of orange and lemon orchards. Authentic Evening Meal at Agriturismo, whose exceptional kitchens showcase typical regional cuisine and local produce. Retire for the night.
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Eremo della Giubiliana, a hermitage in the province of Ragusa, for the second cooking class. The ancient hermitage is a construction with a long and fascinating history; a place where one can uncover physical traces of the great Sicilian history, a treasure as carefully guarded by proprietors as the culinary traditions of local nobile families. There, attend cooking class and prepare several dishes in the style of Patrizian cuisine.
Lunch at the Hermitage, comprised of dishes prepared during the lesson.
Afternoon: Trasfer to Modica, the ancient capital of Contea, a city full of fascinating architectural, artistic and scenic attractions, unique among those pertaining to the splendid Sicilian Baroque period. Take a guided stroll through the area and stop at the Antique Pastry Shop Bonajuto, where the Ruta family is famous for their chocolate, a delicacy they continue to prepare in the same style once used by the ancient Aztec people. Along with chocolate, enjoy their peperoncino, vanilla and cinnamon, which help lend their desserts their typical Ragusano flavor. Afterwards, head toward Ragusa and stop in its old historic center, Ibla, a place of extremely ancient origin and home to an incomparable array of typical Sicilian architectures and ambiences. Dinner on your own and overnight stay in a nice and typical hotel of the town
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Siracusa, and spend the morning on a guided visit of this splendid city, which along with Athens and Alexandria in Egypt was one of the largest political and cultural centers in the Greek world. Guided tour of the archeological park, followed by a visit to the historic city center on the island of Ortigia.
Lunch on your own
Afternoon: Transfer to hotel at Taormina/Giardini, settle into accomodations with time allowed for rest and relaxation. In the evening, excursion to the foot of Mount Etna, in the territory of Santa Venerina, and visit to the Murgo Estate for a true "discovery of the wines of Etna". Tour of the San Michele del Barone Emanuele Scammacca del Murgo Estate, where the area's traditional wines and esteemed champagne, V.S.Q. Metodo Classico, are produced. Wine tasting. Dinner at the San Michele Estate, with a menu characteristic of Etnean tradition. Afterwards, return to hotel in Taormina/Giardini. Retire for the night.
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Morning activities dedicated to an expedition on Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe. Climb as far as the 1,900 meter mark of the Rifugio Sapienza and, depending on the status of the volcano, choose if desired to continue all the way up to 2,500 meters with the help of land rover transportion to visit the site of the last, great eruption.
Lunch at the agricultural establishment Trinitá, located at the foot of the volcano, where guests will be able to sample typical dishes rediscovered in their original style. Welcome to the establishment by the young baron Salvatore Bonajuto and his wife Marina.
Afternoon: Return to Taormina and enjoy free time for visits, strolls and shopping in this incredible city, a place known throughout the whole world for its panoramic setting above the Ionian Sea and for its breathtaking view of Mt. Etna, ancient Greek theater, and highspirited "Dolce Vita" (frequented up until the end of the 1800s). Free time. Dinner on your own . Retire for the night.
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Parco delle Madonie, passing through central Sicily from Catania towards Palermo. Arrival in Polizzi Generosa a small, medieval town, with an extraordinary wealth in artwork from the Norman period
In a typical restaurant a "madonita" cooking class will take place. There, an expert will demonstrate and instruct guests in thepreparation of several dishes that will ultimately comprise lunch.
Afternoon: Visit the park's museum and enjoy a taste of the local dessert, known as "Sfoglio"..
Check in at the farm house . Dinner on your own . Retire for the night.
Day 8—Palermo Arabo-Normanna and Barocca / Monreale
Morning: Breakfast at the farm and transfer to Palermo. The morning will be spent with a guided visit to the characteristic, hot spots of "Palermo Arabo-Normanna", "Palermo Barocca" and Monreale.
Lunch on your own
Afternoon: Stroll through il mercato della Vucciria, one of the oldest and most frequented fresh produce markets in the city.
Check in at the hotel. Farewell dinner ijn a typical restaurant
Overnight
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Free Transfer to the airport and departure.
Prices on request.
The price includes:
· transportation by private minibus for the entire duration of the tour, from the evening of the 1st day until the evening of the 8th day
· driver guide speaking English x the entire duration of the tour
· Half board accommodation in 4 star Hotels and/or 3 star superior Hotels and agricultural establishments (as specified by the program) with lunches and dinners included (all rooms have private bath) in characteristic restaurants
· guided local tours in Palermo, Monreale, Agrigento and Siracusa
· day trips and excursions (as specified by the program)
· welcome cocktail
· visits to wine and food tastings (as specified by the program)
· 3 cooking classes
· 3 visits to local canteens and wine cellars with tastings
· Transfer from the hotel in Palermo to the airport of Palermo the last day
The price does not include:
· airfare
· Transfer from the aiporto fo Palermo to the hotel the 1st day
· tickets or passes to the anticipated museums and archeological sites to be visited on the tour
· beverages at meals
· the optional excursion above 1,900 m. on Mt. Etna
· tips and gratuities provided by guests at their discretion
· anything not explicitly indicated in itinerary
This tour can be scheduled every week with a minimum of 2 persons and maximum 8 ( program and price on request x more persons)
Call Toll-free 877-466-2934. Local 727-254-4373 or email info@MyTravelFind.com About us
EMCO Travel LLC DBA E&M Travel
is registered with the State of Florida as a Seller of Travel. Registration
No. ST36902
California Travel Seller #
2079011-40
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