Palermo & Sicilian Baroque

Breakfast in the hotel. This day you are free to relax and explore the city on your own Palermo.
Suggested itinerary Today you will visit Palermo-You begin with the Teatro Massimo, the third biggest opera theatre in Europe. Then you
enter the popular market “Il Capo”, that looks like an African souk; at the end of the visit of the market you will taste in a bar the typical Sicilian
“Arancina”, a speciality of the local street food. You will continue the visit in the old part of the city with the Cathedral, the Royal Palace and
the Palatine Chapel. Proceed to Monreale, famous because of its Cathedral with polychrome mosaics on a golden background, representing
scenes of the Old and the New Testament.You will end the visit with the cloiste. In the afternoon enjoy one of the most beautiful beaches in
Italy, so close to the centre of Palermo. You will reach Mondello beach in 30 minutes from the centre of the city. Mondello was (and still
nowadays is) a fisher village, that at the beginning of the XX century was chosen by the rich families of Palermo as seat for their summer
holidays. For this reason you will admire there a lot of villas built in liberty style, and another interesting liberty building, the “Stabilimento
Balneare” (the bathouse), erected on stilts on the water, that hosts also one of the best restaurants in Palermo. Mondello beach is half-circular
shaped, between two promontories (Monte Pellegrino and Capo Gallo) and the colour of the sea will astonish you. Depending on the weather
and on the sea conditions you could also have the opportunity to swim (from May to the end of October). A stroll along the sea-promenade
(with the palm trees) is a “must”. In the main square you will have the opportunity to taste on your own the specialities of the Sicilian street food or an ice-cream. Back to Palermo city center. Overnight.

Breakfast in the hotel. This day you are free to relax and explore the city on your own or you can visit Marsala Stagnone, Erice and Segesta.
Suggested itinerary: Drive to Marsala, famous because of the salt works and the production of wine. Stop in The Riserva dello Stagnone a
magical place, with a striking natural landscape of rare beauty for its white salt pans with windmills. Continue driving to to Erice, the medieval
town on the summit of Monte San Giuliano. Here you can admire the Norman Castle (exterior) and the Cathedral. In the meantime we suggest
you to have a stop at a bakery to taste the typical almond pastry of Erice. Drive to Segesta, one of the most beautiful archeological sites of
Sicily, where you should visit the Doric temple whose majestic appearance and dominating position bestows great nobility to the landscape.
Return to Palermo. Overnight in Palermo.

Breakfast at hotel. Today you will drive to Ragusa/Siracusa making a stop in Agrigento to discover the wonderful and well-known Valley of the
temples where you can admire the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Concordia (one of the best preserved Doric temples in the whole Greek
world), the Temple of Hercules and the Temple of Castor and Pollux. You will arrive in Ragusa in the afternoon and you can immediately
admire the historic center of Ragusa "Ibla", characterized by the numerous churches and palaces in Baroque style, as well as by the
characteristic domes that dominate the city. Ragusa has become part of the Unesco list, with 18 sites declared World Heritage Sites. Hotel
accommodation in hotel area. Overnight in Ragusa/Siracusa.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we suggest yo to spend your day to visit the baroque cities of Modica and Noto.
Suggested itinerary: Today it will be possible to discover the less known part of Sicily, dominated by the sumptuous and majestic Baroque style
of the buildings, characterized by the numerous UNESCO sites and also known for the television series of "Il Commissario Montalbano". Start
your visit from the historic center of the city of Ragusa, "Ibla", characterized by the numerous baroque churches and palaces, as well as by the
characteristic domes that dominate the city. Ragusa has become part of the Unesco list, with 18 sites declared World Heritage Sites. Continue
to Modica, a UNESCO World Heritage city especially known for its chocolate as well as for its wonderful buildings. We advise you to wander
through the alleys, always moving upwards, once you reach the highest part of the hill you can admire a wonderful panorama of the city.
Continue your tour by going to Noto, included by UNESCO in the list of World Heritage Sites in 2002. Cross the famous Arco, stroll in the center
admiring the wonderful aristocratic palaces with the famous decorated balconies, the sumptuous churches full of decorations, the cathedral
with its staircase and the city theater, all built in Baroque style. Return to the hotel in Ragusa/Siracusa for overnight.

Breakfast in the hotel. Today you are free to relax and explore the surroundings or have a swim on the beach or visit Etna and Taormina.
Suggested itinerary: Drive to the Mt. Etna, the highest peak of Sicily and the most active volcano in Europe. The territory surrounding the
volcano constitutes the “Park of Etna”, one of the largest protected areas in Italy: You will be astonished about the great variety of vegetation
and landscapes that we will meet along the way before arriving at the “Silvestri Craters” (about 1.900 mt). From here on you will have the
option to continue the excursion by jeep and cableway. Drive to Taormina. As you walk and discover the amazing town of Taormina, you will
see beautiful old buildings, including the 15th-century Palazzo Corvaja and an ancient Greek Roman theatre the 2nd largest classical theatre in
Sicily. Discover the medieval area of the town with its narrow strest and old shops. Drive back to the hotel in Ragusa/Siracusa. Overnight.

Breakfast in the hotel. Check out at 10:00. Drive to the airport, release of the car and end of our services. Grazie e arrivederci!