Deal

Your tour commences this evening in the eternal city of Rome. Join your group tonight for a welcome drink before dinner at a local restaurant. This is an ideal chance to meet, and get to know, your Tour Manager and fellow travellers.

Driving across the spine of Italy – the Apennine Mountains – you’ll continue deep into the Puglia region to the remarkable city of Alberobello where we stay three nights. This is one of the most unusual towns you will ever see. The whole city centre is a mass of whitewashed ‘bee hive’ type houses called ‘Trulli’ which date back hundreds of years. Puglia is known as Italy’s bread basket and is also justifiably famous for its olive oils, wine and local produce. Dinner tonight is included in a local restaurant.

This morning you’ll be joined by a local guide who will take you on a walking tour of this remarkable ‘bee hive’ town. In the afternoon enjoy a relaxing tasting of local wines. The rest of your afternoon and evening are at leisure.

Driving down into the Salentine Peninsula – the ‘heel of Italy’ – spend the morning exploring the city of Lecce on a walking tour with your local guide. Dating back to the early Greek empire, the city boasts numerous baroque monuments and also has a Roman amphitheatre on the central square. Later you’ll visit ‘La Città Bianca’ (the ‘white city’) of Ostuni. Perched on a hill, with views down over the coast, enjoy time at leisure amongst the winding streets and white washed alleys.

Passing hamlets and typical Pugliese ‘masserie’ (fortified large estate-farms), you’ll reach the port of Monopoli. Later continue to the nearby coastal town of Polignano a Mare. Built directly on the cliffs over the sea, Polignano is famous for its gelato and ice cream parlours and makes a perfect lunch stop. Crossing to the ‘ankle’ of Italy you’ll reach the extraordinary city of Matera – reputed to be the oldest inhabited settlement in Italy, the town encompasses rock churches and numerous Sassi (including the cave complex hotel you’ll be staying in) with the more ‘modern’ baroque town on top of the hill. You’ll also visit the Crypt of the Original Sin, located inside one of the many natural caves, adorned with thousand-year-old Biblical frescoes and nicknamed ‘The Sistine Chapel of Rupestrian Art. Your next two nights will be memorable! This evening you’ll dine al fresco style on the terrace of the cave hotel.

This morning you’ll be joined by a local guide who will show you around this extraordinary town from the ancient rock hewn churches to the baroque city above. You have included entrance to La Casa Grotta – a typically furnished cave dwelling, to gain an insight in to how families lived in their ‘Sassi’ houses. Your afternoon and evening are free to relax and explore.

Driving across Calabria and down the toe of Italy you’ll reach the Mediterranean, where you’ll catch the ferry across the Straits of Messina to Sicily. Following the coast you’ll arrive at the stunning town of Taormina where you’ll stay the next four wonderful nights.

A totally free day to relax and explore the boutiques, handicraft shops and restaurants which make Taormina so famous. Make sure you visit the Greek Amphitheatre with its striking views and also wander through Villa Comunale, one of the most beautiful little gardens in all of Sicily.

Driving past Catania we reach the city of Syracuse, where we are joined by a local guide. First stop will be at the temples and massive amphitheatre in the 2500 year old Greek and Roman ruins. We will also visit the overgrown quarries and test the amazing acoustics in the famous ‘Ear of Dionysus’ cavern. Later we cross onto Ortigia Island, the heart of ancient Syracuse, to wander through the delightful backstreets to the breathtaking architecture of the main square, Piazza del Duomo. Enjoy time to find a quiet café or trattoria for a leisurely lunch.

Today you’ll drive up the slopes of Mount Etna to Sapienza Refuge, lying at the south of the crater at an elevation of 1910 metres. Here you’ll board a cable car up to a restaurant and museum at 2,500 metres where you meet your local guide who will drive you in a large 4WD bus up to the (usually snow covered) viewing crater area at 2,920 metres. You will now be standing on the highest active volcano in Europe with views across to the steaming caldera on one side and the Sicilian coastline far below. All around you will see craters, caldera and petrified lava flow. Following this magnificent experience you’ll descend to the village of Forza d’Agro, just north of Taormina. This area was the setting for some scenes from the film ‘The Godfather’, and is the perfect location for another leisurely, typically ‘Italian style’ lunch. The rest of the day and evening is free back in beautiful Taormina.

Cutting through the heart of Sicily you’ll reach Piazza Armerina where a local guide will take you through the opulent Villa Romana del Casale. UNESCO Heritage Listed and one of the great sites of Sicily, this massive 1700 year old Villa was covered by a mud slide in the 12th century which beautifully preserved its breathtaking mosaics. Later you’ll arrive in Agrigento on the south coast, where you’ll stay two nights.

This morning you’ll be joined by a local guide who will take you through the famous UNESCO Heritage Listed Valley of the Temples. Originally the ancient city of Akragas, and built out of sandstone tufa, the golden amber hue of the giant complex of ruins and temples blend perfectly with the natural
surroundings. This afternoon you’ll drive east to the farm of Mandranova, to enjoy an olive oil tasting and light lunch.

First stop this morning will be in the fishing port of Sciacca. Encircled by 16th century walls, the fascinating old town is where Arab, Norman and Greek cultures co-existed. You’ll then follow the coast to the beach at Porto Palo where you’ll enjoy a delicious seafood lunch at Vittorio’s restaurant (specially mentioned in the acclaimed BBC2 series ‘Sicily Unpacked’). Later continue to your hotel inland from Marsala where you’ll stay the next three nights.

This morning you’ll visit the Temple ruins at Segesta and later visit the city of Erice. Standing on top of Mount Erice, 750 metres above sea level and overlooking the port of Trapani, the views out to San Vito Lo Capo and the Aegadian Islands are fantastic. Here you will still find the remains of the ancient Phoenician fortifications and in the old city there are still two castles. Pepoli Castle which dates from Saracen times and the Venus Castle built by the Normans. Time to relax and wander through the quaint old alleys and cobblestoned streets of the old town, and find a trattoria in a peaceful courtyard to enjoy lunch. This evening before dinner you’ll enjoy a wine tasting.

After enjoying free time for your morning coffee at the authentic fishing port of Castellammare del Golfo, you’ll board a boat to enjoy a scenic cruise along the Zingaro Marine Nature Reserve, past Scopello and the Faraglioni’ rocks.
Returning to Castellamarre del Golfo you will have ‘my time’ for lunch. Arriving back at Baglio Oneto your afternoon is at leisure.

On arrival in Palermo you’ll be joined by a local guide for a panoramic tour to explore the palaces and squares of this most Sicilian of cities! Entrance is included to visit the Palatine Chapel, in the Palace of the Normans, which is adorned in extraordinary 12th century mosaics. You will also have time to shop, or sit and enjoy a leisurely lunch. Tonight you’ll enjoy a ‘farewell to Sicily’ dinner in a local trattoria, a short stroll from your hotel.