SOUTHERN ITALY AND SICILY
Overview
Southern Italy and Sicily by Trafalgar
The sun-kissed south and Sicily are the star attractions on this mesmerising southern Italy trip from Rome to Palermo. Taste local Sicilian wine on the slopes of snow-capped Mount Etna, learn about the ancient Greek heritage of Agrigento and get lost in the medieval cobbled streets of Erice.
Included/Excluded
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Return cruise to the Isle of Capri
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilised.
Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Return cruise to the Isle of Capri
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilised.
Excluded
Day 1: Welcome to Rome
- Ciao Roma, the ‘Eternal City’, is yours to explore on your own before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception this evening.
- Enjoy an orientation drive – a perfect introduction to this beautiful city, the centre of which has been proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its ruins, imposing monuments, statues and fountains.
Arrival Transfer: Depart Leonardo da Vinci airport (FCO) at 09:30, 12:30, 15:00
Welcome Meet your Travel Director at 17:00
Day 2: Explore the Ruins of Pompeii and Sorrento
- From Rome, journey south to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pompeii.
- Your Local Specialist will take you on a walking tour of the excavations buried for centuries under a layer of volcanic ash after Mount Vesuvius erupted.
- See such sites as the Gymnasium, the Temple of Apollo and the impressive Basilica before continuing to your hotel in Sorrento.
Included Experience: Visit Pompeii
Optional Experience: Sorrento Countryside and Farmhouse Meal / Dinner Neapolitan Style
Day 3: Cruise to the Isle of Capri
- Take a ferry to Capri, the isle of sirens according to Greek mythology.
- You’ll ascend to Capri town by funicular railway and see the famous Piazzetta during your guided walking tour with a Local Specialist.
- Spend some free time people-watching at one of the local cafés before returning to the mainland where you can enjoy free time in Sorrento or perhaps choose to visit the famed town of Positano.
- Let the day’s delightful discoveries sink in as you relax at dinner this evening.
Included Experience: Tour Capri Town
Optional Experience: Discover The Isle of Capri / Amalfi Coast and Positano
Day 4: Cross the Strait to Sicily
- Drive south past Salerno and through Calabria, crossing the straits of Messina to Sicily and the beachside resort town of Giardini Naxos below Taormina.
- This evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel.
Day 5: Gardens and More in Taormina
- Your Local Specialist will take you on a walking tour of Taormina on the slopes of Monte Tauro, overlooking the sea.
- Visit the Greek theatre and see the terraced botanical gardens.
- Then, stroll along the elegant Corso Umberto and on to the Piazza IX Aprile for splendid panoramic views across the bay.
- Later, enjoy some free time to shop for souvenirs and handmade ceramics along the Corso, or indulge in a delicious gelato.
Included Experience: Taormina Greek Amphitheatre Visit
Optional Experience: Mt. Etna, Savoca and The Godfather / Dinner in Castelmola / Sicilian Dinner and Entertainment
Day 6: Taormina Riviera Your Way
- Enjoy a full day to do as you please in this beautiful resort town.
- Shop, relax, see the sights of your choice, or consider an Optional Experience.
- Whatever you decide, your Travel Director will be on hand to help you get the most out of your day.
- Tonight, enjoy a Be My Guest experience.
Included Experience: Dine on a Family Owned Lemon Farm Overlooking Mount Etna
Optional Experience: Syracude – The Wonder of Ancient Sicily
Day 7: Journey to Ancient Agrigento
- Enjoy views of Enna on the way to Agrigento, where your Local Specialist will take you to the Valley of the Temples – the finest Greek sanctuary in Sicily.
- See the splendid Temple of Concord and the Temple of Juno overlooking the sea.
Included Experience: Agrigento Valley of the Temples
Day 8: Explore Erice and on to Palermo
- Journey to Erice, a famous hilltop medieval town in western Sicily with its cobbled streets, Norman castles and stunning views of the sea, salt pans and wooded hillsides.
- Perhaps take a walk to the ruins of Venus Castle with its Balio Gardens.
- Continue your day with a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience in Palermo.
- This evening, you could choose to join an Optional Experience to a coastal village where the colourful fishing boats line the harbour.
Included Experience: Explore the Ancient Town of Erice, Uncover Palermo’s Rich History
Optional Experience: Sferracavallo with Dinner
Day 9: Enjoy the Views in Monreale
- Travel to Monreale for views of La Conca d’Oro and explore the magnificent 12th-century Norman Cathedral with your Local Specialist.
- Later, join your fellow travellers to celebrate your journey with dinner at a local restaurant.
Included Experience: Visit Monreale Cathedral
Optional Experience: A Visit to Cefalù / Hidden Palermo and Local Colourful market
Day 10: Journey Home
- Say arrivederci to Sicily and your newfound friends at the end of a memorable holiday.
Departure Transfer: Arrive at the airport at 08:00
- Day 1: Midas Palace Hotel
- Day 2 – Day 3: Johanna Park Hotel Sorrento
- Day 4 – Day 6: Sant Alphio Garden Hotel & Spa Giardini Naxos
- Day 7: Hotel Dioscuri Bay Palace Agrigento
- Day 8 – Day 9: Hotel Garibaldi Palermo
- Explore Pompeii, Capri, Taormina, Agrigento and Palermo
- Visit the excavations at Pompeii, the ruins of the ancient Greek theatre at Taormina, the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento, Erice, Monreale Cathedral
- View the fortress town of Enna and Palermo Cathedral
- Scenic Cruise to the Isle of Capri
