Palermo to Palermo (Superior Tourist Class)

8 days & 7 Night Tour

Departures - June 10, July 1, August 26,
September 9, 16, & 23, October 14, 2005

DAY 1 / FRIDAY : PALERMO
Transfer on your own to your hotel. Dinner and overnight. 

DAY 2 /SATURDAY: PALERMO – MADONIES (COLLESANO, CASTELBUONO)  After breakfast, departure to Madonie natural Park to discover a real botanic paradise.Visit some of the main medieval centres: Collesano, Isnello, Castelbuono. In Collesano, you will visit the church of Santa Maria La Vecchia . Isnello,dominated by the ancient bizantin castle and by the medieval Cathedral. Proceeding to Castelbuono, famous centre in Madonie mountains,well-known thanks to the production of the “manna”( sweetened substance crushed out from the ash tree ) .Lunch at a farm-house.In the afternoon you will visit the Church Matrice Vecchia dated XIV century which preserves the statue of Madonna Delle Grazie by Antonello Gagini. Walking through the typical alleys of the village, you will stop at Fiasconaro pastry-shop where you can buy the typical cakes of Castelbuono (Testa di Moro with chocolate and pastries based on manna). Proceeding to Santa Anastasia Abbey built on XII century , to visit the wine-cellar. Return back to the hotel. Dinner and overnight.  

DAY 3 / SUNDAY: PALERMO-MARSALA-MAZARA DEL VALLO-AGRIGENTE  After breakfast, panoramic tour of Palermo. Visit of Monreale with its exquisite Cathedral. Proceeding to Marsala. Lunch at one of the many wine-cellars of the area. Visit to the salt marsh of Marsala and to a wind-mill, built following the Dutch techniques. Proceeding to Mazara del Vallo, the most important fish port in Sicily: you will visit the Kazba, the Cathedral, the Church of San Nicolò Regale and the well-known museum of Satiro Danzante (bronze statue found in the open sea). Visit to a fish factory. Proceeding to Agrigento. Arrival at the hotel .Dinner and overnight.  

DAY 4 /MONDAY: AGRIGENTE- SPERLINGA-PIAZZA ARMERINA
After breakfast, visit the world-wide famous Valley of the Temples .Proceeding to Sperlinga and lunch at a local restaurant where you can taste the typical dishes of the inland culinary tradition. Visit the Sperlinga Castle, the only survivor to the Sicilian Vespers riots of 1282. Proceeding to Piazza Armerina and visit the Roman Villa del Casale, with its 3,500 square meters of mosaics. Arrival at the hotel. Dinner and overnight.  

DAY  5 /TUESDAY: PIAZZA ARMERINA-RAGUSE-MODICA-SYRACUSE
After breakfast, departure to discover the Sicilian Baroc style. First stop at Ragusa Visit of the historical centre palaces where you can admire their balconies decorated with the typical faces of the baroc style.  Proceeding to Modica rich in Churches and Palaces. Stop at the Chocolate factory of Bonajuto’s family where you will assist to the different phases of the production of chocolate following the techniques of Aztecs, introduced in Sicily after the Spanish domination. Lunch at a local restaurant. Proceed to Donnafugata and visit of the Castle. Continue to Syracuse. Dinner at a restaurant of the historical centre (Ortigia). Overnight at the hotel. 

DAY  6 /WEDNESDAY : SYRACUSE - TAORMINE
After breakfast visit the archaeological park of Syracuse ( the Latomias, the legendary Dyonisius’s Ear, the Roman amphitheatre , the Greek theatre). Proceeding to Taormina, lunch at a local restaurant located in the centre. In the afternoon visit the Greek-Roman Theatre and free time. .Arrival at the hotel. Dinner and overnight  

DAY 7 /THURSDAY : TAORMINE – ETNA –BRONTE-NEBRODI-PALERMO
After breakfast, departure to the Mount  Etna, the highest and the most active volcano in Europe, climbing to 1.800 meters. Possibility of an optional excursion by cable-car to aprox 3.000 meters (optional and to be paid on the spot). Proceeding to Paternò, little centre at the lower slopes of the Volcano and lunch at the farm-house Gianferrante. After lunch, proceed to Bronte, well-known centre famous for the production of pistachio. You will travel through the Nebrodi mountain with its wonderful landscape and you will arrive to Capo D’Orlando, on Thirrenian coast.  Proceed to Palermo: Dinner and overnight at the hotel.  

DAY 8 /FRIDAY: PALERMO
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the Airport on your own. End of our services. 

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Air Fare Savings

Entrance Fee Total: $55.00 (approximately) 
    
Included: 7 nights at 3 & 4 star small charming hotels, 21 meals, all ground & sea transportation as stated in itinerary, services of a tour leader, local guides and taxes. 
   
Not Included:  Airfare, airport transfers, entrance fees to all excursions, telephone, passport fees, visas (if necessary), items of a personal nature, meals and beverages not specified, travel insurance, optional excursions, single supplement charges.

Spoken Languages: English

HOTELS:

PALERMO
TORRE ARTALE - 3 star (OR SIMILAR)
Contrada Sant’Onofrio, 1
90019 Trabia
Tel: 091 8125528  Fax: 091 8100777

AGRIGENTO
VILLA SIKANIA  - 3 star (OR SIMILAR)
SS 115 KM 169,300
92010 Siculiana
Tel: 0922 817818  Fax: 0922 815751

PIAZZA ARMERINA
PARK HOTEL PARADISO - 4 star (OR SIMILAR)
Contrada Ramalda
94015 Piazza Armerina
Tel: 0935 680841  Fax: 0935 683391

SIRACUSA
RELAX - 3 star (OR SIMILAR )
Viale Epipoli, 159
96100 Syracuse
Tel: 0931 740122  Fax: 0931 740933

PEDARA(ETNA)
BONACCORSI - 4 star (OR SIMILAR)
Via Pirandello, 2
95030 Pedara
Tel: 095 7928529  Fax: 095 7928536

copyright (Pilgrim Tours) 2001