The Magic of Sicily

We depart from London on our short flight* to Palermo Airport
before transferring to our hotel in Palermo. We enjoy a guided tour
of Palermo on Day 2 which introduces us to the
main sights of the area.

During our discovery to Sicily's capital, we discover both the
medieval quarter and the 'new' city, which dates back to the 17th
century. With a long history of invasion, Palermo features a number
of different architectural styles vying for attention, each
revealing a little of the city's past by its age and design.

Following lunch in a local restaurant, our excursion continues
to nearby Monreale. This hilltop town has a charming centre of
winding lanes and alleys, with fine views out to sea.

However, its main attraction is undoubtedly its unrivalled
cathedral, which legend says was inspired by a vision of the Virgin
Mary - a point of interest on our tour. The finest craftsmen were
assembled to create this masterpiece - a fusion of Byzantine,
Norman, and even Arabic styles.

The interior is incredibly lavish, its lofty columns encrusted
with glittering golden mosaics depicting Biblical scenes. We enjoy
time to admire the gleaming artworks and the cloisters before
returning to Palermo.

*Please note: you will need to take your luggage to Palermo
with you on your flight, as opposed to it travelling via our
luggage transfer service.

Please Note: Your hotel may differ depending on departure
date. For departures PTJ2001,
PTJ2003 and PTJ2004 you will stay
at the Hotel Diamond in Giardini Naxos. 

For departure PTJ2002, you will stay at
the UNAhotel Naxos Beach in Giardini
Naxos

We travel to Agrigento today, situated close to Sicily's
southern shores. Once known as Akragas under Greek rule, the town
is famous for its outstanding Valley of the Temples - an incredible
complex of Greek Doric structures built in the 5th century BC.

On arrival, we enjoy a guided tour of the valley, which enjoys
UNESCO World Heritage status, and its array of striking remains.
Some of the temples are in remarkable condition, and during our
tour we see the Temple of the Concord, which is the best preserved
Doric temple in Sicily, and one of the best examples of Doric
architecture generally. The temple dates back to the 4th century
BC, which adds to its impressive stature. Over its many years, it
has served both as a pagan and a renovated Christian space, with
walls installed between the columns in the 6th century to create a
more typical church structure. In the late 18th century these were
removed, restoring the temple to its original layout, and allowing
visitors to appreciate the architecture as intended during its
ancient inception.

Following a tour, you have time to explore this archaeological
site at your own pace. Perhaps explore the exhibits at the
Agrigento Archaeological Museum, for which entrance is
included.

Established in the 1960s, the museum today contains almost 6,000
artefacts relating to the Valley of the Temples and the surrounding
area. Ranging from prehistoric relics to remnants of the
Greco-Roman period, the collection includes samples of ancient
pottery and sculpture, statues from the Temple of Zeus, and coins
from Agrigento's long-forgotten history. Dinner this evening is in
a local restaurant.

Leaving Palermo behind, today we take the wonderfully scenic
journey by rail to Messina. The route hugs Sicily's northern coast,
weaving in and out of coves and around promontories overlooking the
sparkling Mediterranean, as it passes through the towns and
villages by the shoreline.

After checking in to our hotel, we travel by coach to Taormina
and enjoy a guided tour of the city's many highlights including of
course the Teatro Greco. This grand theatre was built during Roman
times in a Greek style, and is immaculately preserved. From the top
of the auditorium,there are views of Mount Etna in one direction,
and the peaks of Calabria in another. We also take in the narrow
alleyways around the gateway to the oldest part of Taormina's
historic heart.

Today we visit Mount Etna, Europe's largest and most active
volcano. With its striking lava fields reaching out almost to the
sea, Etna is one of Sicily's most compelling sights. We ascend the
mountain, passing through the increasingly rugged rock formations
and lava plains that line the higher slopes. We arrive at the
Silvestri Craters, where the ash has created a depression in the
mountain's flank making an awe-inspiring sight. From here, you are
free to take in the view, or perhaps take the cable car or a jeep
to the top (payable locally), where the summit's active crater is
clearly visible - often casting out smoke, accompanied by lumps of
tiny red and grey lava, an incredible phenomenon to behold.

We enjoy lunch in a local winery, with an included tasting.
Later, we take the Circumetnea train (Standard Class) around the
mountain's base, taking in the delightful surrounding villages as
well as the breathtaking landscape. This narrow-gauge railway was
opened in 1898, and offers spectacular views of Mount Etna, one of
the world's most active volcanoes, and a prominent feature in much
of Greek mythology, as it was thought to be where Vulcan, the god
of fire, kept his smithy. This is one of the best ways to view the
volcano, providing excellent panoramas and a comfortable seat from
which to watch them roll by. It is advisable to keep a camera on
hand to capture the moment.

Today is entirely free for you to relax in the hotel and enjoy
the coastal views. Giardini Naxos has a laid-back feel, with many
bars and restaurants lining the beach - perfect for a free day of
simply unwinding and enjoying the atmosphere. Alternatively, you
could revisit Taormina, and explore the many attractions of this
lovely, ancient town.

This morning we visit the enchanting city of Syracuse, which in
antiquity was the supreme power in Europe. As a result, this
prestigious port city boasts a broad diversity of monuments
spanning several different eras.

Here, we enjoy a guided tour of the Neapolis Park - which was
once the 'New Town', but is now an important archaeological park
with many of the city's centuries-old public buildings. Considered
one of Sicily's greatest archaeological sites, the park includes a
number of ancient sites, including a Greek amphitheatre dating back
to 500 BC, that once staged performances for up to 16,000 guests,
and an ancient limestone quarry from which the building materials
for Syracuse were extracted. The 'Latomia del Paradiso' is somewhat
of a puzzle, its deep caves home to catacombs, magnolia trees, and,
once, some 7,000 people who made it through the war between
Syracuse and Athens in 413 BC, only to be imprisoned here.

Later, we continue to Ortigia, a tiny island connected to
Syracuse by a bridge, to visit its superb cathedral. Built from a
former Pagan temple, it is reputedly Europe's oldest Christian
church. We also see the majestic Fountain of Arethusa, on Ortigia's
seafront. This freshwater spring has been celebrated by poets from
Virgil to Milton and is fascinating to see. We then return to
Taormina after a memorable day, to enjoy a farewell dinner together
in our hotel this evening.

Today we transfer to Palermo, for our flight* back to the UK. On
arrival, your tour concludes. 

*Please note: you will need to take your luggage back to the
UK with you on your flights, as opposed to it travelling via our
luggage transfer service.

Please note that while every departure of this tour features the
same excursions, they may not necessarily be in the order listed
above.