MEDITERRANEAN ESCAPE – 12 Days/11 Nights

Itinerary

Rome – Naples – Pompeii – Sorrento – Capri – Palermo – Monreale – (Erice) -Selinunte – Agrigento – Piazza Armerina – Catania -Siracusa – Etna – Taormina (Region of Taormina) – Messina – Cefalù – Palermo

Day 1 Thursday: Rome
Arrive in Rome on your own. Day at leisure. Check in at hotel, overnight.

Day 2 Friday: Rome – Naples – Pompeii – Sorrento
Breakfast at hotel. Leaving Rome, the coach takes the "Sun Route" motorway, driving through the regions of Lazio and Campania, with views of the Abbey of Montecassino. On arrival in Naples there will be a short city tour: Mergellina, Castel dell'Ovo Plebiscito Square, the Royal Palace, the Maschio Angioino and the port. Lunch in a restaurant on our way to Pompeii and then a visit to the excavations of this famous Roman city, destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Leave Pompeii and drive along the Sorrentine coast, arriving in Sorrento. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 3 Saturday: Sorrento – Capri – Sorrento
After breakfast we board the boat for the Island of Capri, where, weather and sea conditions permitting, we will visit the Blue Grotta in small rowing boats. Lunch in a restaurant and free time for personal activities. Return to Sorrento. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel.

Day 4 Sunday: Sorrento – Palermo
Breakfast at the hotel and morning at leisure. In the afternoon depart for Naples harbour to board the Tirrenia ferry to Palermo. Overnight on boat.

Day 5 Monday: Palermo
Arrival in Palermo. Transfer to the hotel (independent arrival). Dinner and overnight.

Day 6 Tuesday: Palermo – Monreale – (Erice) – Palermo
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning departure to Monreale and visit the Cathedral as well as the Cloister. Visit keeps on with Palermo including: Palatine Chapel, Palermo’s Cathedral as well as a panoramic tour. Lunch at hotel. Afternoon on your own or participate in an optional (payable locally) excursion to Erice, small medieval village situated in the Trapani province as well as the salt mills. Back to Palermo. Dinner and accomodation.

Day 7 Wednesday: Palermo – Selinunte Farmhouse Lunch – Agrigento
Breakfast and departure to Selinunte: explore the archaeological area. After the visit, we will have a special lunch in a local farmhouse (famous for its olive oil production). We will have some food and wine tasting. After lunch, departure to Agrigento and visit the Valley of the Temples, known for its well preserved Greek Temples. Dinner and accommodation at hotel.

Day 8 Thursday: Agrigento – Piazza Armerina – Catania – Siracusa
Breakfast at hotel. Depart for Piazza Armerina and visit the splendid Roman Villa del Casale, situated in the heart of Sicily. Travel on to Catania. Lunch at a local restaurant and panoramic visit of the city, famous for its Baroque style. We will reach Syracusa. Dinner and accomodation at hotel.

Day 9 Friday: Siracusa – Special dinner in a local restaurant
Breakfast and then visit Siracusa founded between 734-733 BC. The island of Ortigia in the town centre is where the major testimonies of its glorious past are: The Minerva Temple, now a catholic church, the legendary Arethusa Fountain, Apollo Temple, the Greek Theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre near the Latomie and the Ear of Dionysus. Return to the hotel, lunch. Free afternoon. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 10 Saturday: Siracusa – Etna – Farmhouse lunch – Taormina area
Breakfast at the hotel and depart for Mt Etna: the highest active volcano in Europe (3345 mt).The bus will take you to the “Rifugio Sapienza” 1800 m. where you will visit the extinguished Craters of Mounts Silvestri. Wonderful variety of fauna, flora and moony landscapes along the way. We will proceed to a farmhouse where we will taste the most special Sicilian dishes. Continue to Taormina: pretty and romantic town on Mount Tauro (204 mt). Spare time to visit the famous Greek Theatre with the splendid view of the Mount Etna and the Ionian sea or to do shopping and to stroll through the picturesque lanes of the city centre. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 11 Sunday : Taormina area – Messina – Cefalù – Palermo
Breakfast at the hotel and depart for Messina – sightseeing tour of the city and its famous Cathedral. Continue to a farmhouse or restaurant for a lunch of typical island produce. We will proceed to Cefalù: splendid fishermen's village and seaside resort. Visit to the huge Norman Cathedral, founded in 1131 by Roger II and the Medieval wash-house. Time at leisure to stroll through the narrow lanes of the historic centre full of shops and restaurants. Transfer to Palermo, dinner and overnight in the hotel.

Day 12 Monday: Palermo
Breakfast at the hotel. End of the tour.

Tour Details

The tour includes
* Transportation by Deluxe motorcoach
* Multilingual Tour-Escort
* Accommodation in 4 star or 3 star Hotels
* Meals as per itinerary
* Panoramic visits as per itinerary

The tour does not include
* Drinks, entrance fees to monuments or museums, porterage, tips, extras
* Anything not specified in the ''the tour includes''

Our Hotels
Hotels may be substituted with similar category
Rome: Diana OR Prime Hotel St Johns OR Oxford OR Beverly Hills OR Milton
Sorrento: Ambasciatori OR Veusvio
Palermo: Grande Albergo Sole
Agrigento: Collaverde
Siracusa: Jolly
Taormina Area: Ariston

Price per person
4 star or 3 star superior hotel – Single: $3725 Double: $2824 Triple: $2732

Departure Dates: 2008
January 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st. February 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
March 6th. Not available high season.