Classic Sicily, Etna & Taormina

Lift the veil on Italy’s fascinating southern island outpost, its ancient treasures, natural wonders, sun-kissed beaches and elegant resorts.

Cefalú

The Fountain of Arethusa Day One – Fly from the UK to Italy Fly to Catania on Sicily’s east coast, meet your tour manager and transfer to your first hotel in the quiet seaside resort of Mazzaforno. Rest and relax after the journey and have dinner in the hotel.

Day Two – Included Palermo guided tour

Embark on this morning’s included tour, first calling at the Benedictine monastery at Monreale. Acknowledged as one of Sicily’s greatest architectural glories, this abbey cathedral is a mix of Romanesque, Byzantine and Arab design. Enjoy a guided walking tour of Palermo, the island capital that has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Founded by the Phoenicians, and later home to Carthaginian, Greek and Norman conquerors, Palermo, once Europe’s richest city, offers a glimpse of the entire history of Southern Italy in one place. Wander the streets of its four quarters, the Quattro Canti, watching the world go by from a seat in one of the city’s countless bars and cafés. Return to the hotel later this afternoon, where you can spend some time before dinner by the pool or on the hotel’s private beach. Day Three – Visit to Cefalù The morning sees you in the nearby coastal city of Cefalù. Dominated by a mighty cathedral, which we visit, and the craggy outcrop of ‘La Rocca’, Cefalù is part fishing port, part holiday resort. The 12th-century cathedral is home to one of the world’s finest Byzantine mosaics, and the surrounding maze of medieval cobbled streets is a delight to wander through. The more energetic might even consider a climb to the Temple of Diana on the slopes of La Rocca. The town boasts a superb beach of fine sand, and there’s a good selection of shops, restaurants and pavement cafés for you to explore and soak up the local atmosphere before you return to the hotel this afternoon. Day Four – Explore Piazza Armerina Bidding farewell to Mazzaforno, travel deep into the

Available Aug to Dec 2022, Jan to Jun, Sep to Dec 2023, Jan to Jun & Sep to Dec 2024 May, Jun, Sep & Oct 2023

Fly direct (flight upgrades available). Prices from Fly direct from these airports. Prices from

• Heathrow £1,699 • Manchester £1,749* (UK connecting flights available – call us for details) Gatwick £1,329 • Leeds/Bradford £1,465 • Luton £1,335 Personalise your holiday Room for Sole Use from £145

• New Orleans City Tour (half day) – from £21 • Bayou & Alligators Tour (half day) – from £25Please note: The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately two hours and 45 minutes. On departure the • Memphis: Graceland & Sounds of the South (full day) – from £89transfer time from your hotel is one hour. • Studio B & the Country Music Hall of Fame (half day) – from £45

Room for Sole Use from £592

Please note: *Some departures from Manchester into the USA are via Houston instead of Atlanta and will follow a slightly different itinerary which can be seen on our website. All of the main tour highlights remain included. The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately three hours. Italy

Cefalù Mazzaforno

Aeolian Islands

Sicily

Catania Piazza Armerina

Syracuse Taormina

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ESCORTED TOUR These hugely popular tours, enjoyed by countless happy customers over the years, have truly stood the test of time.

• Three nights close to historic Cefalù • Visit Monreale’s Benedictine monastery • Walking tour of Sicily’s capital Palermo • Explore the Roman mosaics at

Piazza Armerina • Spend four nights in a charming hotel beneath fabled Taormina • Etna cable-car ascent – one of the highest volcanoes in Europe • Enjoy Taormina, a beautiful hilltop town

Taormina & Mount Etna • A day exploring the Aeolian Islands • Visit Syracuse, rich in Greek and

Roman history • Seven nights’ carefully chosen four-star dinner, bed and breakfast accommodation • Return flights to Sicily, with coach travel and transfers throughout • Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager, with specialist local guides where applicable

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Each of the previous rulers of Sicily has left their legacies on this island with their customs, architecture, and cuisine.

Belvedere of Taormina and San Giuseppe church

Cathedral of Monreale

Sicilian interior, to the medieval town of Piazza Armerina, set high in wooded hills, and close to the Roman villa at Casale, with its well-preserved mosaics, giving an insight into Imperial life. Continue to your second hotel, positioned above the resort of Giardini-Naxos, beneath fabled hilltown of Taormina. Rest and relax, perhaps in the pool or spa, and enjoy dinner in the hotel.

Day Five – Included Etna and Taormina tour

Today’s included tour first heads to the southern slopes of towering Mount Etna. Ascend by cable car to a height of 2,300 metres, to take in impressive views on clear days, and you can walk to the base of the volcano’s crater. Taormina is no less stunning, with its marbled squares and flower-decked streets lined with restaurants – perfect spots for lunch. The famous Greco-Roman theatre is cut into the mountainside. Once used for gladiatorial contests, it is now a setting for modern performances that compete for audiences’ attention with the vistas of Etna and the sea. After a special day, return to the hotel for dinner. Day Six – Included Aeolian Island cruise On yet another memorable day, journey to the north coast port of Milazzo, where you’ll step aboard a ferry for the one-hour crossing to the glorious, volcanic Aeolian Isles, which rise out of the blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Arrive on the largest island Lípari, passing Vulcano with its brooding crater, and after docking in Marina Lunga, it is a short transfer to Lípari Town to spend a couple of hours, before returning to the mainland and back to the hotel for dinner. Day Seven – Included Syracuse city tour Unearth the treasures of one of Sicily’s most important cities today, as you make the short journey to discover Syracuse. The former centre of the Greek empire, the ancient heart of the city is on Ortigia island, upon which great temples of Apollo and Athena were built. Visit the Archaeological Park of Neapolis, which contains one of the finest Greek theatres on the island, the Ear of Dionysus and the Cave of Cordari. Return to the hotel for a farewell dinner. Day Eight – Fly back to the UK It’s “Arrivederci, Sicilia”, as you leave the hotel and transfer back to the airport for your return flight to the UK, at the end of an incredible exploration of a truly intriguing island.

fun fact...

Did you know that Mount Etna has been erupting for hundreds of thousands of years, on and off?

your hotels

Hotel Baia del Capitano, Mazzaforno HHHH Half-Board nights 1-3

Overlooking a sandy beach and enclosed by palm trees and olive groves, and located within the Bay of Mazzaforno, just a short drive from Cefalù. An elevated position allows for beautiful views over the sea, and facilities include two restaurants, three bars, an expansive sun terrace, an outdoor pool and Caesar Palace Hotel a tennis court. Light, air-conditioned rooms, with a Sicilian style, feature Wi-Fi, TVs and mini-bars. Caesar Palace Hotel, Naxos Taormina HHHH Half-Board nights 4-7

Hotel Baia del Capitano Centred around an expansive outdoor swimming pool, this casual hotel also has private access to a nearby beach. Air-conditioned guestrooms feature tea/coffee-making facilities, TVs, mini-bars, and free Wi-Fi. Two on-site restaurants serve Italian, Sicilian, and international food in a buffet style. refreshments throughout the day, and a bar lounge hosts live entertainment every evening.

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Among the many bars of Palermo, you should try Antico Caffe’ Spinnato, where you can sit outdoors with a Granita al Caffe con Panna (shaved coffee ice with whipped cream) and watch people go by.

Granita al Caffe con Panna

Seek out cultural, historical, and natural splendours, from coastal highlights to alpine wonders and enrapturing cities in between.

Amsterdam & the Dutch Bulbfields 62 Icelandic Summer 64 Iceland – Reykjavík & the Northern Lights 66 Norway – Northern Lights & Arctic Adventure 67 The Beautiful Fjords of Western Norway 68 Hidden Portugal 70 Lisbon, Seville & the Glorious Algarve 72 Pousadas of Portugal 74 Seville, Granada & Classic Spain 76 Historic Paradors of Hidden Spain 78 Little Trains of the Pyrenees 80 Carcassonne, Avignon & Beautiful Provence 82 Swiss Alpine Glories & the GoldenPass Train 84 Salzburg & the Austria Tyrol 86 The Spirit of Kraków 88 Prague, Vienna & Budapest 90 Dubrovnik, Montenegro & the Dalmatian Coast 92 Croatia’s Istrian Riviera & Lake Bled 94 Classical Greece & the Ancient World 96 Greek Island-Hopping Adventure 98 Cyprus Discovered – Paphos 99 Valletta, Mdina & the Wonders of Malta 100 Hidden Secrets of Northern Cyprus 102 Jordan – Petra & the Dead Sea 103 Istanbul, Ephesus & Troy 104 Jerusalem, Galilee & The Holy Land 106

We’ve just returned from exploring beautiful Dubrovnik and the Dalmatian Coast. It was very well organised from start to finish – everything ran like clockwork. The courier and the driver were helpful and knowledgeable. We saw some great places – thank you, Newmarket Holidays!

David – Dubrovnik, Montenegro & the Dalmatian Coast