Day 1 – Tuesday: PALERMO (hotel in Palermo)
Arrival by own means at the hotel in the charming city of Palermo (private transfer available on request). In the late afternoon meeting with our guide for a short briefing, free dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 - Wednesday: MONREALE - PALERMO (hotel in Palermo)
After breakfast at the hotel, the morning is dedicated to the discovery of Monreale where we will visit the imposing Arab-Norman Cathedral defined as the eighth wonder of the world and the splendid Cloister, an admirable masterpiece of art, sculpture and semi-precious stone inlay! Continuation to Palermo. The city lies at the foot of Monte Pellegrino on a promontory described by Goethe as the most beautiful he had ever seen. In Palermo, more than elsewhere in Sicily, the historical eras revealed by the different architectural styles overlap. Its millennial history has given it an artistic and architectural heritage that ranges from the remains of the Punic walls to Art Nouveau villas, noble palaces and seventeenth-century squares, to Baroque churches and neoclassical theatres. Residence of emirs and kings, Palermo preserves monuments of the Arab-Norman period including the beautiful Cathedral, the Church of the Martorana, among the most fascinating Byzantine churches of the Middle Ages in Italy and the Palatine Chapel, the highest example from a historical point of view -artistic, of the coexistence between apparently irreconcilable cultures, religions and ways of thinking, since they were involved in the wise management of power by Ruggiero II, Byzantine, Muslim and Latin workers. Along the way there is a stop for a typical lunch with local products. Afterwards you will be able to admire the splendid Teatro Massimo and the controversial Fountain of Piazza Pretoria, decorated with sixteenth-century sculptures and located on the edge of the ancient Kalsa district. Free dinner and accommodation in hotel.
Day 3 – Thursday: CEFALU' - CATANIA (hotel in Catania)
After breakfast departure in the direction of Cefalù, a charming seaside village with a medieval appearance overlooking the Mediterranean and embellished by the Norman Cathedral. Walk along the streets of the center and the possibility, for those who wish, to visit the famous Mandralisca Museum. Stop for lunch at a renowned restaurant. The tour will continue to Catania where we will dedicate ourselves to visiting the historic center of the city and its Baroque, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. There are countless hidden treasures in this fascinating city whose late Baroque architecture is made unique by the use of lava stone. We will cross the spectacular Piazza del Duomo with the splendid Cathedral and the lava stone elephant (symbol of the city) and continue up to Piazza Università. Walking through the streets of the center we will visit the beautiful Via dei Crociferi, the Baroque heart of the city where the Monastery of S. Benedetto is located, made famous by Verga's novel "Storia di una Capinera". Stop in a bar in the historic center to taste the typical granita with brioche. Accommodation in hotel, free dinner and accommodation.
Day 4 - Friday: ETNA – TAORMINA (hotel in Catania)
After breakfast at the hotel, we will make a quick visit to the historic "pescheria" (ancient fish market) before setting off to discover Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe (3,350 m) and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 'Humanity. The Etna Park with its 59,000 hectares is unique for its extremely varied and rich flora and the protected species that inhabit it. Today vineyards, olive groves, pistachio groves, hazelnut groves and orchards surround the volcano, testifying to a widespread agricultural vocation in the area and characterized by the presence of local varieties. The first glimpses of interesting landscapes can be seen arriving at Rifugio Sapienza.
From there we will reach the Silvestri Craters, volcanic cones dating back to 1888 that are now inactive, surrounded by more recent lava flows. The panorama that can be enjoyed through the multitude of craters is a truly unique spectacle! During the morning we will have the opportunity to taste the local artisan honey and various typical products of the area. Stop for lunch at a delightful restaurant. Continuation to Taormina, famous for its natural landscape, marine beauties, its historical monuments and its unforgettable panorama of the sea with a privileged view of Etna! Visit of the fascinating Greco-Roman theater from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the gulf of Naxos. Free time to stroll along the delightful medieval alleys of the center and go shopping taking advantage of the innumerable shops offering the best handicraft products of the whole island (lace, ceramics, coral jewels and splendid lava stone works, perfumes, sweets and much more ...). The day will end with an overview of the splendid Cyclops Riviera. Return to the hotel in Catania. Free dinner and accommodation.
Day 5 – Saturday : CATANIA – BARI (hotel in Bari)
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport and direct flight or with a stopover to Bari. Transfer, dinner and accommodation at the hotel. Depending on the flight schedule, free time to independently discover the beauty of Catania and its historic center declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site or the splendid city of Bari.
Day 6 – Sunday: MATERA - BARI (hotel in Bari)
After breakfast, transfer to Matera and meeting with the local guide to start the visit of the city, famous for its "Sassi", the ancient part of Matera where buildings alternate with caves and labyrinths carved into the rock. With a fascinating and complex history, a fusion of different landscapes and cultures, the city is also famous for being the film set of great masterpieces, including "The Passion of the Christ", written and directed by Mel Gibson. Free lunch and in the afternoon departure for Bari, the capital of Puglia, which has always been an important link with the East. Several studies have testified that the peninsula where Bari Vecchia stands today has been inhabited since prehistoric times, thanks to its geographical position and the possibility of finding food and water. In the characteristic and lively historic center of Bari we can admire the wonderful Basilica of San Nicola with its eighteenth-century crypt, the suggestive Cathedral of San Sabino with its imposing rose window, the Norman Swabian castle, an imposing medieval fortress dating back to 1131 but, later to its destruction in 1156, recovered for use by Frederick II, and the Murattian village or new village, a typical nineteenth-century city characterized by wide avenues, worked balconies and elegant decorations in wrought iron. In the evening return to the hotel, dinner and accommodation.
Day 7 - Monday: POLIGNANO A MARE - ALBEROBELLO - OSTUNI (hotel in Lecce)
After breakfast, departure for Polignano a Mare, capital of ice cream and birthplace of the famous Italian singer Domenico Modugno, to whom a statue has been dedicated. Walk in the historic center among narrow streets and small shops and transfer to Alberobello, the symbolic city of central Puglia. Accompanied by the local guide we will discover the only historic center in the world made up entirely of trulli, ancient circular buildings with roofs in the shape of an overturned funnel, a Unesco heritage site and we will also visit the Trullo Sovrano, declared a national monument in 1923. Located in the northern part of Alberobello , represents the only trullo to have a raised floor, reachable from the inside through a masonry staircase. We will then continue to Ostuni where you can spend some free time in the pretty historic center of the "white city", with its exceptional landscape and architectural heritage. In the evening transfer to the hotel in Lecce, dinner and overnight.
Day 8 - Tuesday: LECCE - GALLIPOLI (hotel in Lecce)
After breakfast and meeting with the guide, the morning will be dedicated to visiting Lecce, the city symbol of the Apulian Baroque with its historic center, which contains the major architectural beauties of the city, in a mixture of styles and eras: the Church of Santa Croce, the marvelous Piazza Sant'Oronzo, the beating heart of the city with the Roman amphitheater, the Cathedral with its particular bell tower. Along the way we can stop in one of the papier-mâché shops, the pride of local craftsmanship, and enjoy a wine aperitif in the square. After free lunch, in the afternoon, we will continue with the excursion to Gallipoli, the ancient Kalèpolis, also known as the "beautiful city", which stands on an island connected to the mainland by a characteristic sixteenth-century brick bridge. We will visit the historic center with the majestic Cathedral of Sant'Agata, the Church of Purità and an ancient underground oil mill from 1600 AD. housed in the basement of Palazzo Granafei. In the evening return to the hotel in Lecce, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 9 - Wednesday: LECCE
Our tour of Sicily, Matera and Puglia comes to an end. After breakfast at the hotel our services are over.