Southern Italy & Sicily

11 DAYS • 17 MEALS STARTING AT £2,449 Pricing is per person, land only, double occupancy, and varies by departure date.

HIGHLIGHTS Palermo • Monreale • Agrigento • Valley of the Temples • Mt. Etna Volcano • Giardini Naxos • Taormina • Matera • Pompeii • Sorrento • Amalfi Coast

CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

• Stand in awe before the ancient

Greek theatre in Taormina. • Tour a vineyard and cellar with an expert guide. • Experience Mt. Etna Volcano

National Park with a local expert.

IT’S YOUR CHOICE!

Be sure to choose your option before departure. • Day 2 — Embark on a walking tour of Palermo’s historic city centre -OR- tour the Teatro Massimo Opera

House, seen in The Godfather Part

III. • Day 8 — Enjoy free time to explore

Matera’s rock churches -OR- head to Alberobello (UNESCO) and see the trulli homes.

CULINARY INCLUSIONS

10 Breakfasts (B) • 1 Lunch (L) • 6 Dinners (D)

• Sample Sicilian snacks at a popular 19th-century eatery. • Indulge in a delicious regional dinner inside a winery’s agriturismo restaurant. • Sample some local specialties at a family-owned limoncello factory.

ACCOMMODATION

Days 1-3

Day 4

Days 5-6

Days 7-8 Days 9-10

Hotel Federico II Central Palace or Hotel Garibaldi, Palermo Baia di Ulisse Hotel, Agrigento

ROOM UPGRADE AVAILABLE During your stay at the Baia di Ulisse Hotel, you can choose to upgrade your room to a frontal Sea View providing the opportunity to enjoy breathtaking views of Le Dune seaside. CALL FOR DETAILS Hellenia Yachting Hotel or Hotel Diamond, Giardini Naxos MH Matera Hotel, Matera Michelangelo Hotel, Sorrento

Taormina

Journey through a crossroads of civilisations in Sicily and on to the spectacular coastlines of Southern Italy.

Day 1: Palermo, Sicily - Tour Begins Your Italian sojourn opens in Palermo, the capital of Sicily. Discover the city’s vibrant culture as you take in its picturesque harbours, cobblestone piazzas, and captivating energy. Tonight, join your fellow travellers for a welcome dinner featuring authentic Sicilian cuisine. (D)

Day 2: Palermo  Get to know “Palermo in a Nutshell” and discover the city’s Moorish, Norman, and Spanish architecture on a walking tour. Explore the Kalsa district - home to Mafia legends and lush gardens - before tasting local snacks at a 19th-century eatery. Decide how you spend your afternoon because it’s your choice! Embark on a walking tour of the historic city centre and visit La Martorana church, Fontana Pretoria, and more -OR- tour the Teatro Massimo Opera House, the third largest in Europe and seen in The Godfather Part III. (B, L)

Day 3: Palermo - Optional Excursion The entire day is yours! Maybe you’ll peruse the open-air markets, shop in cosy boutiques, or relax in an outdoor café. Or perhaps you will join an optional excursion to medieval Cefalù (UNESCO) with a local guide before visiting a nearby farm for a ricotta cheese demonstration and farm-to-table meal, made with family recipes. (B)

Day 4: Palermo - Monreale - Agrigento - Valley of the Temples Visit the nearby town of Monreale (UNESCO) and wander along the paintings, mosaics, and cloisters of its 12th-century cathedral. Travel over rolling hills and peaceful farmland to the town of Agrigento. As the sun begins to set, explore the stunning Valley of the Temples (UNESCO), one of the world’s most esteemed archaeological sites, and get an up-close view of the temples of Juno, Concordia, and Hercules. (B, D) Day 5: Agrigento - Mt. Etna - Giardini Naxos Journey east to Sicily’s Ionian Coast. En route, discover the impressive Mt. Etna (UNESCO) Volcano National Park where a local expert introduces you to the park’s spectacular landscapes sculpted by nature. Later this afternoon, continue on to Giardini Naxos – the “Garden of Sicily” – for your 2-night stay. (B, D) Day 6: Giardini Naxos - Taormina - Giardini Naxos Set out for beautiful Taormina, home to ancient relics, rocky hills, and charming gardens. With an expert local guide, you’ll see Corso Umberto, the verdant public gardens, and the city’s wellpreserved Greek theatre. Enjoy free time to relax or independently explore on your own. Return to Giardini Naxos for the evening. (B)

This tour requires you to walk and for long periods of time, navigate uneven ground, and climb into various modes of transportation.

Day 7: Giardini Naxos - Matera Take a short ferry ride to Villa San Giovanni, located on Italy’s mainland. Pass through the unspoiled region of Calabria to the Basilicata region. Wander through the twisting vines of a local winery before joining an expert for a tour of the cellar with a tasting. Linger over regional cuisine at dinner in the winery’s restaurant. (B, D)

Day 8: Matera  Explore the Sassi di Matera (UNESCO), an ancient settlement of carved cave dwellings. A local guide shares the history and explains why film producers are seeking out this unique landscape. Visit a local shop and get a taste of regional specialities. This afternoon decide how you explore because it’s your choice! Discover more of Matera with a guided tour of an underground cistern followed by free time to browse the city’s stores and cave churches -OR- head to Alberobello (UNESCO) and marvel at the town’s whimsical trulli homes, known for their distinct, cone-shaped roofs. (B, D)

Day 9: Matera - Pompeii - Sorrento Peninsula After a stop in Vietri Sul Mare, famous for its precious majolica pottery, experience the excavated ruins of Pompeii (UNESCO). A local guide gives you an in-depth look

Matera

MAKE MORE OF YOUR TOUR

Choose to add more time to your trip:

1-2 NIGHTS

PRE NIGHT PALERMO CALL FOR DETAILS

Valley of Temples at Sunset

into this 2,000-year-old Roman town, nestled in the foothills of Mount Vesuvius. Step into another time as you explore its preserved buildings and imagine life in the 1st century. End your day along the Sorrento Peninsula, where you’ll settle in for a 2-night stay. (B) Day 10: Sorrento - Amalfi Coast Drive - Sorrento Peninsula Discover the seaside resort town of Sorrento and learn about the local tradition of wood marquetry. Sample regional specialities at a family-owned limoncello factory before winding your way along the breathtaking Amalfi Coast (UNESCO). Gaze out over the deep blue hues of the sea paired with the bright citrus fruits lining the hillsides. Celebrate the end of your journey with a delightful farewell dinner. (B, D) Day 11: Sorrento Peninsula - Tour Ends Say arrivederci to Italy as your tour comes to a close today. (B)

EVEN MORE TIME? Combine Southern Italy & Sicily with another tour for one seamless, non-stop travel experience. CALL FOR DETAILS

DOUBLE Starting at £2,449 Pricing is per person, land only,

SOLO Starting at £2,999 and varies by departure date. Prices based on 22 September 2021 departure.

March – April 2021

(different itinerary – see note*) 17 March 14 April *Itinerary featured is for May 2021 – May 2022 tour departures. Departures prior to this date may vary. Please confirm at time of reservation.

May 2021 – May 2022

(featured itinerary) 8, 12, 19, 22, 23 May 3, 12, 16, 19 June 14, 21, 28 July 18, 25 August 1, 4, 5, 8, 11, 15, 18 September 19, 22, 25, 26 September 4, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15 May 18, 21 May

ALSO AVAILABLE

Enjoy an additional night in Rome and varied inclusions on seasonal departures. CALL FOR DETAILS.

Departing May 2021 – April 2022

5 May 29 January 29 September 26 February 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27 October 9, 12, 16, 23, 26, 30 March 3, 6, 10, 20 November 2, 3, 6, 10, 27, 28, 30 April 4 December

Please note: This trip requires a passport. Our air passengers will arrive into Rome and depart from Palermo. Airport transfers are available for purchase. The ricotta demonstration may not be available while sheep are nurturing their young. On some dates, this itinerary may vary. Call for details.

“From the beginning to the end, every aspect of the tour was well planned and executed.” – Collette Traveller