Enchanting Tour of Sicily

1st day: ATHENS – CATANIA (sightseeing tour)

Gathering at Eleftherios Venizelos airport and flight to Catania. Arrival and panoramic sightseeing tour of the city of Catania, the second largest city in Sicily after Palermo, on the eastern coast of the island in the Ionian Sea. In the historic center of the city, we will see the Piazza del Duomo or the Elephant Fountain, a sculpture made of black lava from Etna, the Cathedral of Saint Agatha, the patron saint of the city, and the 13th-century Castello Ursino, which houses the Civico museum. Transfer and check-in at our hotel. Overnight stay.

2nd day: CATANIA - SYRACUSE – ORTYGIA (guided tour)

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Syracuse. Guided tour of the archaeological park of Neapolis, where we will see the Altar of Hiero, the "Ear of Dionysus" in the Paradise Quarry, the ancient theater, the Nymphaeum and the Roman amphitheater. This is followed by a visit to the historic center of the city, located on the island of Ortygia, where we will admire the Temple of Apollo, the Archimedes Square with the Fountain of Artemis, the Cathedral - conversion of the ancient Temple of Athena into a Christian church -, the Basilica of Santa Lucia with Caravaggio's masterpiece "The Burial of Santa Lucia", and we will end up at the Fountain of Arethusa with papyri in the water. Free time. Return to our hotel late in the afternoon. Overnight stay.

3rd day: CATANIA – TAORMINA – CEFALU – PALERMO

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for the beautiful and cosmopolitan citadel Taormina (Tauromenion), with a view of the Ionian Sea and a place of artists, bohemians and writers, a place of inspiration and reverie and an ancient colony of the Naxians. Passing through the Porta Messina, we will see the Palazzo Corvaja, which was the seat of the first Sicilian Parliament (1410), the ancient Greek theatre, with a panoramic view of the sea and Mount Etna, and through the Corso Umberto, we will arrive at the central square Piazza Novembre with the church of Saint Augustine and the Clock Tower. Departure for the beautiful and picturesque Cefalù, with the picturesque Piazza Duomo, the Cathedral (12th-15th century) and the Byzantine mosaics. Late in the afternoon arrival in the capital and administrative seat of the autonomous region of Sicily: Palermo, at the foot of Mount Pellegrino. Transfer and check-in at the hotel. Time at your disposal for a first acquaintance with the city. Overnight stay.

4th day: PALERMO (City guided tour) – MONREALE

Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Departure for the hill of Monreale, where the impressive Cathedral (6,000 sq.m.) dominates with its magnificent Byzantine mosaics. Return to Palermo. Our sightseeing tour will start from the Royal Palace - the seat of the Norman kings of Sicily and today the Parliament of it, and will continue with the Cathedral, the Piazza Pretoria with the "Fountain of Shame" and the Senate Palace, the church of Martorana with its famous Byzantine mosaics, the Teatro Massimo and the square with the Politeama Garibaldi. Return at noon to the hotel and afternoon free. Overnight stay.

5th day: PALERMO – ERICE – AGRIGENTO (guided tour)

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Erice, a fascinating medieval castle town perched on the top of Mount San Giuliano at an altitude of 750 meters. We will have the opportunity to see the Castle of Venus built by the Normans and dedicated to the Goddess, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, we will walk through the cobblestone alleys with stone buildings that resemble a labyrinth and the Cyclopean walls that surround the city. Departure for Agrigento, one of the richest and most prominent Greek colonies of Magna Graecia. Upon arrival, we will start our guided tour at the impressive archaeological site of the "Valley of the Temples", we will see the Temple of Juno and continue with the well-preserved Temple of Concordia, of Hercules, of Olympian Zeus, of the Dioscuri and of Hephaestus. Transfer and check-in at our hotel. Dinner. Overnight stay.

Day 6 – Athens – Catania – Athens

Breakfast buffet at the hotel. Departure for a visit to Etna, the largest and highest active volcano in Europe (3,350 m). Free time until late in the afternoon when we will be transferred to Catania airport for our flight back to Athens.

Details of flights

Flights from Aegean:

A3 672 Athens – Catania 18.30 – 19.15
A3 673 Catania – Athens 19.10 – 21.40