2017 - APT Europe Land Journeys

68 | SMALL GROUP DISCOVERIES SICILIAN TREASURES 7 DAYS – PALERMO TO CATANIA 6 Nights Italy Day 1. Arrive Palermo. Be met on arrival as you transfer from Catania or Palermo airports. Tonight, be welcomed into the private home of a local Sicilian family for a Welcome Dinner. You will be treated to an authentic taste of Italy, which showcases Palermo's finest flavours. Two Night Stay: Palermo, Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa. D Day 2. Palermo. Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Palermo through the heart of this vibrant city. A local expert guide will show you the Arab-style street markets (where you will enjoy lunch), plus the medieval and Baroque churches with fascinating squares and fountains. Other highlights include the Palatine Chapel and the Royal Chapel of the Norman Kings of Sicily, situated on the ground floor at the centre of the Royal Palace. Often referred to as the Palace Church, the sanctuary dedicated to Saint Peter, is reminiscent of a domed basilica, which has three apses, as is usual in Byzantine architecture, with six pointed arches (three on each side of the central nave), resting on recycled classical columns. Alternatively, enjoy a scenic drive to the south of Palermo to reach the town of Corleone, a lovely town that is unfortunately YOUR INCLUDED SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES Be welcomed into the home of a local Sicilian family as you sit down to enjoy a special Welcome Dinner At Ragusa's Eremo della Giubiliana, enjoy a guided tour of this intriguing historic property, followed by a superb wine tasting in their famous cellar before dinner Enjoy your very own Volcanologist at Mount Etna to offer you a truly informative guide to this world-famous natural phenomenon infamous for the social phenomenon known as the Mafia. Here, visit the CIDMA: International Centre of Documentation on Mafia and the Anti-Mafia Movement. You will be met by an in-house guide, who will provide an exceptional insight into this fascinating part of history. Afterwards, continue to Cefalù, a lovely coastal town of Norman origins that is part of the Madonie Natural Park, which is considered one of the loveliest Italian boroughs. The town is characterised by its artistic and cultural charm. Savour lunch in a local seafood restaurant, before enjoying a walk through this fascinating town before returning to Palermo. Tonight, both groups will enjoy the evening at leisure. BL Day 3. Palermo, Erice, Paceco, Agrigento. After breakfast, travel to Erice, one of the finest medieval towns in Sicily, originally founded by the Greeks as part of the colonisation of Sicily in the 8th century BC. Afterwards, continue south to Trapani to see the natural reserve of Paceco. Here, you'll see the unique Salt Works Natural Reserve, which showcases a landscape not often found within Italy. It also plays home to a wide variety of unique fauna. Stop in Marsala, where you will visit one of the local wineries SICILY (ITALY) Cefalù Piazza Armerina Syracuse CATANIA Trapani Marsala Corleone Erice Paceco PALERMO 2 Agrigento Taormina Ragusa 1 1 2 Coach No. of Nights Stay Included Experiences/ Freedom of Choice™ 1 KEY SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE FREEDOM OF CHOICE TM (B) Breakfast (L) Lunch (D) Dinner ITINERARY OVERVIEW DAY DESTINATION 1 Palermo 2 Palermo 3 Erice, Paceco, Agrigento 4 Piazza Armerina, Ragusa 5 Syracuse, Taormina 6 Taormina, Mount Etna 7 Taormina, Catania SMALL GROUP DISCOVERIES

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