Day 1: ROME

Benvenuti a Rome! After you touch down at the airport, make your own way to your hotel. Check in and enjoy your first night in Italy.

Day 2: ROME / NAPLES / POMPEII / SORRENTO (B/L/D)

After breakfast , pick up at your hotel at 7:00 am approximately. Departure by coach heading south crossing the regions of Lazio and Campania. Arrival in Naples and short panoramic tour seeing sites such as the Mergellina, Castel dell’Ovo, Santa Lucia, then heading to Pompeii for your Guided tour. Lunch before entering in Pompeii and then visit the ruins of the famous Romen city destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Leaving Pompeii, you will drive along the Sorrentine Coast, arriving in Sorrento for dinner (dress code: jacket for men) and an overnight in your new hotel.

Day 3: SORRENTO / CAPRI / SORRENTO (B/L/D)

After breakfast, get ready for an exciting excursion to the island of Capri: one of the most exclusive summer destinations of the Mediterranean! Depending on weather and sea conditions, you will admire the dreamy Blue Grotto on a small rowboat. Afterward, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then roam the island at your own pace. Once back on the mainland, return to the hotel for dinner and your last overnight in Sorrento.

Day 4: SORRENTO / PALERMO (OVERNIGHT ON FERRY BOAT) (B)

Breakfast at your hotel, then spend a leisurely morning exploring Sorrento. In the afternoon, you will reach the Port of Naples, where you will board on the Tirrenia/Snav Ferry to Palermo. Let the waves rock you to sleep. Dinner and breakfast are not included on the Ferry.

Day 5: PALERMO (D)

Arrive in Palermo and make your own way to your hotel. That night, have dinner in the hotel and rest up for the adventure that lies ahead.

Day 6: PALERMO (B/D)

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, and then head out on a morning excursion to Monreale, recently included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, an ancient royal town famous for its almonds, olive oil and citrus fruits, as well as for its fine Norman architecture. Visit the elaborate Cathedral of Monreale and then enjoy some shopping of local delicatessen and souvenirs. Back to Palermo and continue with a walking tour of the city. Wander the streets of the Old Town, hearing tales of Palermo’s 3,000-year history and discovering attractions like Palermo Cathedral. Walk inside the impressive-looking place of worship and marvel at its arches, cupolas and mosaics – with an incredible mix of influences coming from several dominations on the island. Enjoy free time in the late afternoon and return to your hotel for dinner. Overnight.

Day 7: PALERMO / ERICE / MARSALA / AGRIGENTO (B/D)

Early breakfast and departure to Erice, a medieval village stacked into the side of Monte San Giuliano. Many say that little has changed in the village since the sixth century, and its labyrinth-like twist of lanes is perfect for a cool and pleasant morning amble.Continue to Marsala, a pretty coastal town on the westernmost point of Sicily. Explore at leisure, perhaps shopping for a bottle of local Marsala dessert wine to take home. Return to your coach and travel south, passing Mazara del Vallo – the closest Sicilian city to Africa – before stopping in the town of Agrigento, your final destination of the day. Visit Ancient Greek monuments and ruins at the Valley of Temples (entrance included) - a UNESCO World Heritage site - and learn about archeological relics like the Classical Temple of Concord the Temple of Hercules; the Temple of Jupiter, one of the largest Doric-style buildings. Check in to your hotel in the evening. Dinner and overnight.

Day 8: AGRIGENTO / NOTO / SIRACUSA / TAORMINA (GIARDINI NAXOS) (B/D)

Breakfast at the hotel and travel to Noto, a picturesque fishing town popular for its stately Baroque architecture. Visit Cathedral of San Nicolò, recently restored after a earthquake, and then have a nice walk in the town’s center. Continue along the south coast to Syracuse, on Sicily’s southeastern tip. Visit “Parco Archeologico della Neapolis”, Syracuse’s famous archeological area, home to a vast collection of Greek and Romen ruins from all over Sicily. Head inside to see impressive landmarks such as the Greek Theater, the Romen Amphitheater and the Ear of Dionysius – an artificial limestone cave. After the visit, cross one of the city’s bridges for a visit to the island of Ortygia – the most ancient part of Syracuse - home to a wealth of Baroque churches and medieval palaces. In the late afternoon arrive in Taormina, check in to your hotel and enjoy dinner.

Day 9: TAORMINA (GIARDINI NAXOS) (B/D)

Breakfast at your hotel and then head off to Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe and the highest mountain in Italy. Learn about volcanic activity and marvel at the old lava fields and black magma rock that comprises Etna’s landscape. If weather permits, you have a chance to climb to the summit (1800 m). After, return to Taormina, the beautiful and Romentic town located on Mount Tauro. Return to Taormina in the afternoon and spend the rest of your day at leisure. Dinner and overnight.

Day 10: TAORMINA (GIARDINI NAXOS) / SAVOCA / FORZA D’AGRÒ / CATANIA (B/D)

After breakfast travel to Savoca and Forza D’Agrò, two pretty hillside villages where Francis Ford Coppola filmed some of the immortal scenes of Godfather’s trilogy . A visit for cinema lovers but, even if you aren’t a fan, this stop is a fascinating way to visit these unspoiled and typical Sicilian villages with a real insight into the island and the heart of its people. A stop for a “Granita” at Bar Vitelli is a “must” for any visitor in town. It is still run by the family who owned it at the time of the movie shooting and you can see a photo-collection taken while Francis Ford Coppola was filming some scenes of The Godfather II. We also leave you some free time to explore more and really soak up in the atmosphere of this hidden, not-for-tourists Sicilian hilltown. After the visit, departure for Catania. In the afternoon, free time to explore Catania’s UNESCO-listed historical center with his Baroque palaces and Romen ruins. See Piazza Dante and the Fountain of the Elephant, carved from volcanic rock. Dinner at the hotel and overnight.

Day 11: CATANIA (B)

Enjoy one final breakfast before the tour comes to an end.