DAY 1

Arrive at Palermo airport (it is also possible to fly in to Catania airport, reversing the direction of the tour), where you will be welcomed by a Sicilissimo Incoming representative.Bus transfer and time to settle in at your hotel in the Palermo area.Welcome cocktail (depending on what time you arrive at the hotel, the cocktail may also be offered the following day), dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 2

PALERMO - MONREALE - MONTEPELLEGRINO

After breakfast, the morning is dedicated to discovering Palermo.The city tour begins with the "Quattro Canti", the intersection of two roads that separate Palermo into four districts.Visit the church known as the "Martorana" or "Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio"(*), a Greek-Orthodox church with Norman origins built by the admiral Giorgio d'Antiochia in 1143. The interior, which is decorated in a mixture of Byzantine and Baroque styles, contains beautiful mosaics.Visit Palermo Cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The cathedral was constructed on top of an ancient basilica that had been converted into a mosque by the Arabs, and reflects the various architectural styles that were present in Sicily from the 12th to the 19th century.The relics of Saint Rosalia, the patron saint of the city, lie in a chapel inside the church.Moving on to Monreale, visit the cathedral of William II of Sicily, a wonder of medieval art whose interior walls are entirely decorated with mosaics on a gold background in a Byzantine style dating from the 12th and 13th centuries. Includes a visit to the Benedictine cloister.Constructed by William II of Sicily, its two hundred columns are covered with mosaics and sculptures and have magnificent capitals.Lunch.Continue with a visit to the Capuchin Catacombs.Visit the "Capo" (or "Vucciria") market, where even today the colours and sounds bring to mind ancient Arab markets.Travel to Mount Pellegrino, Palermo's "sacred" mountain and home to the sanctuary dedicated to Saint Rosalia, a place of pilgrimage since the 17th century. Here we find the characteristic ex-votos showing the devotion of the faithful who have received graces.Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

(*) as of today, September 2011, the church is not open to visitors due to restoration works.

DAY 3

SEGESTA - ERICE - SELINUNTE

Breakfast at the hotel.Set off for Segesta, an ancient archaeological site near the Gulf of Castellammare, founded on the slopes of Mount Barbaro by the Elymian people between the 12th and 11th centuries BC and subsequently inhabited by other peoples who colonised the island until the Middle Ages.In this now wild location, you can admire the magnificent Doric temple of Segesta, a genuine masterpiece in the Greek style.Continue towards the western tip of Sicily for a stroll around Erice, a medieval town perched on Mount Erice which overlooks the sea, the Aegadian Islands and Trapani.Walk through the narrow and winding streets of this charming old town dominated by the Castello di Venere (outside visit only), built on an ancient Roman temple dedicated to the goddess of love.Visit the Chiesa Matrice (main church).Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant.Continue on to Selinunte, an ancient Greek city that can be considered the birthplace of the Doric style in Sicily, founded in the mid-7th century BC and later destroyed by the Carthaginians in 409 BC.Visit the Acropolis and the temples on the East Hill.You will also have the opportunity to sample the region's famous Marsala wine during Day 3.Settle in at a hotel in the Selinunte or Agrigento area for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 4

AGRIGENTO – PIAZZA ARMERINA

Breakfast at the hotel.Visit the archaeological site of the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, an incredibly beautiful and harmonious architectural complex that lives on to this day thanks to the craftsmanship of the Greeks.Visit the religious quarter of the ancient Greek city of Akragas to admire the remains of the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Concordia (one of the best preserved temples from all antiquity), and the ruins of the Temple of Hercules and the Temple of Castor and Pollux.Lunch.Set off to visit Piazza Armerina and the Villa Romana del Casale (*), which dates back to the late 3rd/early 4th century AD, with 3,500 square metres of Roman mosaics testifying to the greatness of the Roman Empire in Sicily. These are some of the most beautiful floors in all antiquity.Continue towards Syracuse or Catania/Taormina and settle in at your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

(*) as of today, September 2011, the site is only partially open to visitors due to restoration works.

DAY 5

SYRACUSE - NOTO

After breakfast, we set off for Syracuse, an ancient Greek city and hometown of the great Archimedes.Visit the archaeological area of ​​Syracuse (the ancient Greek Neapolis), where you will see: the magnificent Greek theatre dating back to the 5th century BC, the Roman amphitheatre, the Latomie del Paradiso (ancient stone quarries) surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation, and the legendary man-made cave called the "Ear of Dionysus".Continue with a visit to Ortigia, the historic centre of Syracuse. There you can see the remains of the Temple of Apollo, and a beautiful square which houses several Baroque buildings (the old Senate building, the Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco, and the Palazzo Arcivescovile) as well as the city's cathedral, built on an ancient Doric temple dedicated to Athena and boasting a beautiful Baroque facade.During your visit, stroll through the picturesque streets of the old Spanish quarter, full of Baroque palaces, churches, and magnificent wrought iron balconies.Lunch.In the afternoon, we leave for Noto, one of the most beautiful Baroque cities on the island.The ancient city was completely destroyed by a devastating earthquake in 1693, and the new city was completely rebuilt in a Baroque style from the beginning of the 18th century onwards.Stroll around the city to explore its most beautiful churches: the cathedral, the Church of San Francesco, the Church of San Carlo, and the facades of the beautiful palaces which once belonged to the aristocracy, among which the Palazzo Nicolaci is a particular highlight.Return to your hotel in the Catania or Taormina area for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 6

ETNA - TAORMINA

Free morning at the hotel with full board.Optional trip to Mount Etna (to be booked and paid for on-site).Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe.Take the bus up to 1,800 metres and tour the inactive Silvestri craters.You also have the option of climbing up to the Torre del Filosofo (Philosopher's Tower) at approx. 2,900 metres above sea level (additional fee to be paid on-site, currently around €52.50).Lunch.In the afternoon, set off for Taormina, an ancient Greek city on Mount Tauro and today a sophisticated tourist destination known around the world.Free time to visit the Greek-Roman theatre, which offers a superb panorama of the Gulf of Catania all the way to Calabria and Mount Etna.Free time.Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 7

SANTO STEFANO DI CAMASTRA - CASTELBUONO - CEFALÙ

After breakfast, set off for Santo Stefano di Camastra, a village renowned for its handmade pottery.Continue on to Castelbuono, a small town in the heart of the Madonie Mountains which reveals a secret aspect of rural Sicilian life.Take a stroll through the old town and visit the main church and the medieval castle of the Ventimiglia family.During your visit, you will have the chance to sample some local products.Lunch will be in a traditional restaurant with folk music and wine included.In the afternoon, visit Cefalù, a medieval city which is still an active fishing village.Walk along the main street, Corso Ruggero, to the Piazza del Duomo where you can see several interesting buildings such as the Convent of Santa Caterina, now the town hall, and the 18th-century Palazzo Vescovile.In this square you can find the Duomo (Cathedral), one of the most important buildings from the Norman period.Inside, the large apse is entirely covered with a majestic depiction of Christ Pantocrator.Heading down towards Via Vittorio Emanuele, we reach the medieval (Arab-Norman) wash house, carved into the rock.Free time before continuing on to Palermo. Settle in at the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 8

Breakfast at the hotel.Bus transfer to the airport for the return flight.End of our tour.