1MILANO LINATE / PIAZZA ARMERINA

Meals included: dinner

Meeting of participants at Milan Linate Airport and meeting with our representative. Upon arrival, meeting with the guide, transfer by coach and continuation to Piazza Armerina. Lunch at a farmhouse.

In the afternoon, guided visit of Piazza Armerina, including the Villa Romana del Casale, a luxurious private residence belonging to a powerful Roman family, renowned worldwide for its 3rd–4th century floor mosaics depicting scenes of daily life. It is considered one of the most outstanding archaeological testimonies of Roman Sicily.

Transfer to the hotel in Agrigento and check-in to the reserved rooms. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay.

2AGRIGENTO

Meals included: breakfast and dinner

Breakfast. Departure for the visit of the famous Valle dei Templi, including the Temple of Concordia, the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Hercules, and the Temple of Castor and Pollux.

Visit also the Garden of the Kolymbetra, an authentic archaeological and agricultural jewel within the Valley of the Temples, brought back to light after decades of neglect. This site of great historical, natural, and landscape importance is located in the heart of the archaeological area and is managed by FAI.

Lunch at a restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit of the historic center of Agrigento, characterized by narrow alleys and charming squares set within an urban structure of Arab origin, although some of its oldest and most representative palaces date back to the Norman period. Visit the Cathedral of San Gerlando and the Church of Santa Maria dei Greci.

At the end of the tour, departure from Agrigento with a short stop to admire from above the Scala dei Turchi, a striking white cliff famous for its unique shape and color, and for its popularity in the novels featuring Commissario Montalbano written by Andrea Camilleri.

Return to the hotel. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay.

3RIVIERA DEI CICLOPI / CATANIA

Meals included: breakfast and dinner

Breakfast. In the morning, visit of the Riviera dei Ciclopi, passing through:

– Aci Castello, dominated by its picturesque 11th-century Norman Castle, entirely built in lava stone;

– Aci Trezza, famous for I Malavoglia by Giovanni Verga and for the striking Faraglioni, which legend says were the rocks hurled by Polyphemus at Ulysses;

– Acireale, located between Mount Etna and the sea, renowned for its Baroque architecture and the Baths of Santa Venera. Here you will visit the 18th-century Cathedral and the Church of San Sebastiano.

Continuation to Catania. Lunch at a restaurant.

In the afternoon, guided visit of Catania, an extraordinary showcase of Baroque architecture, whose historic center is crossed by the elegant Via Etnea. The tour includes the exterior of Palazzo Biscari, the Elephant Fountain and the Cathedral, Via Crociferi, the Town Hall, Palazzo dei Chierici, and the exterior of the Benedictine Monastery.

Transfer to the hotel in Acireale. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay.

4NOTO / SIRACUSA

Meals included: breakfast and dinner

Breakfast. Departure for Noto, considered the most beautiful of all, a true “garden of stone” and the highest expression of Baroque urban planning. Rebuilt after the devastating earthquake of 1693, it boasts extraordinary Baroque masterpieces: the Cathedral, Palazzo Ducezio, the Bishop’s Palace, Palazzo Landolina, Palazzo Villadorata, and the Church of San Domenico.

Lunch at a restaurant and continuation to Syracuse, once the most powerful rival of Athens and Rome, which preserves remarkable evidence of its glorious past: the Greek Theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre, the Latomie, and the Ear of Dionysius.

Visit of the island of Ortigia, where you will admire the Temple of Minerva transformed into a Christian Cathedral and the legendary Fountain of Arethusa. Visit to the Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of Tears.

Return to the hotel. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay.

5MESSINA / TINDARI / CATANIA / MILANO LINATE

Meals included: breakfast

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, visit of Messina. Particular attention will be given to the Cathedral and its remarkable Bell Tower, which houses one of the largest and most complex astronomical clocks in the world. At noon, the clock comes to life with mechanical figures depicting scenes from the city’s historical and religious traditions. Visit also the Church of the Annunziata, a jewel of Arab-Norman art. There will be the possibility to visit the Regional Museum, including the room dedicated to works by the great Renaissance master Antonello da Messina.

Continuation to Tindari. Lunch at a typical farmhouse, featuring local specialties from the Nebrodi Park area.

In the afternoon, visit of the Sanctuary of Tindari, dedicated to the ancient cult of the “Black Madonna,” a destination for renowned pilgrims including Pope John Paul II. The Sanctuary stands at the highest point of the town, over 300 meters above sea level, offering breathtaking views over the Marinello Lakes, Milazzo, the Aeolian Islands, and the Peloritani Mountains.

Transfer in due time to Catania Airport and departure for Milan Linate.