Programma

First Day:  Catania→ Siracusa;  Night in Siracusa

Arrive at the airport of Catania, pick up your hired car and departure to Siracusa. Accommodation in hotel in Ortigia.  Spend the afternoon walking through the streets of Ortigia , see the Arethusa fountain, come across the Castle of Maniace, the Dome, Palazzo Bellomo, one legend after another.  We suggest to have dinner in an excellent local trattoria.

Second Day:  Siracusa; Night in Siracusa 

After breakfast in hotel, we suggest to visit the Archaeological Park, the Greek Theatre and the Dionysus Ear. Let’s have a relaxed afternoon, wondering around the island, admiring the great views on the sea.
Every year in May and June in the Greek Theatre of Siracusa they still perform the same Greek Tragedies of 3000 years ago.

Third Day:  Siracusa→ Noto→ Ragusa; Night in Ragusa countryside

Leave towards the Sicilian Baroque area: seven baroque towns, part of world heritage defined by UNESCO. The Iblean countryside is a magic place, a pristine landscape with beautiful Masserie and a myriad of stone walls made ​​strictly dry, i.e. without mortar, according to ancient tradition, articulated on the ground like a spider web.

Accommodation in a luxury estate with a long history, it used to be part of the old ecclesiastical feudal hold dating from the 12th century, it was an old Arab rural home, a sort of hermitage and fortified fortress and in the '700 becomes the residence of a noble Sicilian family still owning it. You have plenty of choice where to dine tonight! We suggest to dine at the excellent restaurant of the resort or in Ragusa Ibla which boasts two Michelin star restaurants, “Don Serafino” (2 stars) and “Duomo” (2 stars).

Forth Day:  Ragusa Ibla, Modica, Scicli ;  Night in Ragusa countryside

Devote the day to the Sicilian Baroque style:  Ragusa Ibla, definitely a jewel of architecture, with its churches and palaces that are among the most beautiful late-Baroque buildings, decorated with burlesque masks and golden stone laces.

Modica: as you walk along the streets you will first of all notice the steps, which are a characteristic of the town. Visit St. George Church, the main of the 100 spectacular churches and baroque monuments. Taste the famous chocolate: the history of modician chocolate dates back in the past, when Modica was related with Spain and consequently with the ancient civilization of Mexico, the Aztec.

Scicli, with its wonderful Palazzo Beneventano, probably the most representive building of the Sicilian Baroque style.

Fifth Day:  Ragusa Ibla → Palermo ;  Night in Palermo

After breakfast drive towards Palermo. Spend the afternoon in Palermo walking in the historical centre: the refined cathedral, the enormous renaissance fountain of piazza Pretoria, Porta Nuova, built in honour of Charles V, the red Arabic bulge domes of the church of San Cataldo, the baroque church of Santa Caterina. In the mishmash of artistic styles you observe while walking you will find it difficult to fall in love with one single style.

Accommodation in a world-class hotel reminiscent of a small castle. Doubtlessly one of the most famous hotels in Sicily. Built in Art Nouveau style and set in fragrant, terraced and jasmine-scented gardens.

Sixth Day: Palermo;  Night in Palermo

Early in the morning you can go to Ballarò the most famous and colorful fruit and fish market of the city. Don’ t miss to taste Sicilian street food at Focacceria San Francesco.
Later, visit the Cappella Palatina. Despite its small size, this chapel on the first floor of the Royal Palace, dating from the mid-12th century, was considered by Guy de Maupassant “the most precious religious jewel ever sprung on a human mind and artists’ hands.”

In the afternoon you could visit the Cathedral of Monreale, a pearl of Arab Norman art, at ten minutes’ drive from Palermo. Bible stories are represented with unique mosaic work on the walls and ceiling of the cathedral while the pillars of the monastery are covered with tiny golden plaques. The cathedral as well as the monastery and the beautiful cloister are a breath taking and leave people to gasp in solemn silence.

We suggest to dine in a restaurant in the historic centre.

Seventh Day: Palermo → Taormina; Night in Taormina

After breakfast leave towards Taormina. On the way to Taormina, you could stop to visit the nice seaside village of Cefalù, to have a pleasant walk.  Accommodation in a classy hotel.  Time at leisure. Your hotel boasts a 2 Michelin star restaurant, consider for dinner.

Eight Dinner: Taormina; Night in Taormina

Today we suggest to visit Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe - 3340 meters (UNESCO Site)

Consider an exclusive half-day excursion by 4 wheel drive vehicle. A knowledgeable guide will take you off-road through Etna's lava fields and following off-road itineraries to reach the "Valle del Bove" Caldera's rim, immense theatre of some major last eruptions. After the visit of the caldera, the guide will drive you up to about 2000 meters, where you will see the effects of the 2002 eruption against the touristic facilities of Piano Provenzana walking across the lava flow. 

Ninth Day: Taormina; Night in Taormina

Today we suggest to go to the Alcantara Gorges at a short distance from Taormina. Deep incisions in volcanic rocks and cliffs, caused by the eruptions of the vulcano, the water choruses over grey stone, now covered by dense vegetation climbing through the numerous crags and crevices in the rock.
People can reach the gorges with a lift, or can descend into the gorge on foot, where the river can be followed for about 150 meters through mysterious shadowy rocky bends along the walls of the rock-face. 

Tenth Day: Leaving

After breakfast, leave towards Catania airport, drop-off your car and departure.

Date & Quote

Map

Booking & Cancellation Policy

HOW TO BOOK
You can initiate a booking by sending an enquiry by e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or telephoning us directly 0039 091 583728, or sending an enquiry online at our website formwww.privatesicily.it  . You will be contacted by a member of our staff within 48 hours (working days). We will send you a proposal and quote for the services required. Once we have receiced your written confirmation we will confirm all the service by issuing and sending via e-mail a pro-forma invoice. Please check this pro-forma invoice carefully as soon as you receive it and contact us immediately if there is any wrong information about you or the services confirmed.
GUARANTEED DEPARTURES
The tours marked as guaranteed departures will depart as scheduled with the minimum number of participants specified in each tour.  We will confirm the tour 30 days before the scheduled day. We try to make every departure work and only cancel when absolutely necessary and we may decide to operate a tour with less than the normal minimum number of people.
If your tour is cancelled because the minimum size group is not met, you will have the option to either transfer to another tour or receive a full refund of the deposit paid. 
PAYMENT
Usually to confirm your booking, we require a deposit of 30% of the total quote, and the balance is required 30 days before departure ; we will specify when different conditions apply in your pro-forma invoice.
CHANGES 
Any changes to your confirmed booking, must be notified us in writing.  Whilst we will endeavour to assist, we cannot guarantee we will be able to meet the requests.  Changes in party size which result in a decrease in the overall cost of the booking will be treated as a partial cancellation and our normal cancellation charges will apply.
CANCELLATIONS
Any cancellation should be made in writing (by e-mail). Following penalties (% of total invoice) will be applied for cancellations made:

Up to 60 days           10%
from 59 to 31 days   30%
from 30 to 21 days   50%
from 20 to 01 days 100%
before arrival date
 
no show                 100%

If different conditions apply, they will be specified in the booking process.