Tonnara, Sicily

Guided Walking Tour in Sicily, 2009 (14 days/13 nights)
$4,980 AUD per person
15 May to 28 May 2009

The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily is squeezed between Europe and Africa, between Christendom and Islam. Its history and culture is rich with the legacy of the civilisations that have taken root in its fertile soils since the dawn of time: the Siculi and the Phoenicians, the Greeks and Romans, the Moors and the Normans, the Spanish and the French.

As the Sicilian writer Leonardo Sciascia said, there is not one but many different Sicilys: the Baroque splendours and crowded markets of Palermo; the magnificent solitude of the island's Greek temples; the timelessness of forgotten villages scattered through the green interior; the glamour and bustle of Taormina; the dreamy mirage of the Aeolian islands and the power and majesty of Mt Etna. The challenge in organising a walking tour to Sicily lies in what to leave out rather than what to include.

We believe the itinerary for the 2009 walking tour in Sicily has achieved a balance between exploring the island's extraordinary heritage and travelling at a pace that will allow you to relax and enjoy what we see and do, even leaving you a bit of time to do some exploring yourself. Going in May means that we'll be able to enjoy the island's idyllic spring weather as well as avoid the crowds of the busier seasons.

The tour will be lead by Simon Tancred.

	Tour Dates:	Friday 15 May to Thursday 28 May, 2009
	Tour Size:	7 to 14 people
	Tour Cost:	$4,980 AUD per person (two people sharing a double room) (single supplement for a double room for single use $ 350 AUD) (approximately $4,780 USD – subject to daily exchange rates**)
	Tour inclusions:	13 nights accommodation (see the itinerary for details) in 4-star boutique hotels All breakfast, and all lunches and dinners listed in the itinerary All land and sea transfers during the tours All taxes and service charges at the hotels and restaurants All paid admissions during the tour 7 guided walks Services of a full-time professional tour guide

Man and donkey, Sicily	Gangi view
Sperlinga	Stromboli puffing smoke
Markets in Palermo, Sicily	Greek Temple, Sicily
The way up	Lipari port
Aeolian islands	At the top
Donkey	Old smokey

Sicily Walking Tour Itinerary

Day		Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is pressed between mountains and the sea, a striking setting for what must be one of the most exotic cities in Europe. Its architecture and culture reflect the extraordinarily rich fabric of its past. Our accommodation for the first two nights is in an elegant 4-star boutique hotel in the lively commercial centre of Palermo, opposite the city's arte nouveau opera house. After pre-dinner drinks in the hotel, we'll have a light dinner in a neighboring restaurant. (Dinner)
Day		Early morning walking tour of the centre of Palermo before exploring the winding lanes of Palmero’s celebrated markets, finishing with lunch in a traditional osteria. In the afternoon we finish our tour with a visit to the famous Norman Palace and its spectacular mosaics (3 hrs). The evening is free. (Lunch)
Day		From the bustle and intensity of Sicily's largest city, we drive into the mountainous interior to the green tranquility of the island's second largest national park. On the way we will visit the dazzling medieval cathedral of Monreale, perched high above Palermo and have lunch in the lovely seaside resort of Cefalu. Our base for the next four nights will be in a charming residence (well-known for its marvelous cooking) set in a beautifully restored ex-Benedictine monastery, which tucked in a green valley beneath a hilltop town. Dinner will be at the "monastery". (Lunch/dinner).
Day		The first walk of the tour (3.5 hrs) takes you through rolling green hills covered with wildflowers and dotted with ancient castles, up to a tiny hilltop village, dominated by an awesome medieval castle, where we'll have a picnic lunch before visiting the castle. In the afternoon we'll drive back to our accommodation, stopping to visit the little neighboring town on the way. (Lunch/dinner)
Day		An early start to visit Piazza Armerina, the extraordinary villa at Casale, the most important relic of the Roman era in Sicily, unique for both its size and the richness of the polychrome floor mosaics. On the way back we will visit Enna, a very pleasant town known as the ‘belvedere of Sicily' for its spectacular views. It has a very rich history and in ancient times it was known as the ‘navel of Sicily', lying as it does in the very centre of the island. After a light lunch in Enna, we return to the monastery late afternoon. (Lunch/dinner)
Day		Today we go into the heart of the neighbouring Madonie National Park for a beautiful high mountain walk (3.5 hrs) starting at a small fortified town, perched on the edge of the park, that was the original seat of the area's feudal lords, and finishing in probably the most interesting and best preserved of the little towns of the island's interior. After a light lunch, we'll explore this beautifully sited town, before returning to the monastery. (Lunch/dinner)
Day		After breakfast, we drive through the Nebrodie Mountains to the coast, where we take a hydrofoil one hour north to the Aeolian Islands, to the island of Lipari, where we'll stay for the next four nights in the best hotel of the islands, a 4-star hotel above the picturesque old port. Later in the afternoon you'll be taken on a walking tour of this fascinating town, including a visit to the Archaeological Museum, in a palazzo on the ancient citadel, considered one of the finest in Europe. Dinner will bein the hotel's excellent restaurant, eating outdoors overlooking the town's old port. (Dinner)
Day		This morning we go for a walk, starting at the furthest tip of the Lipari, where, with views over neighbouring islands, we take an ancient path that dips down to follow cliffs along the coast before climbing up to thermal springs scattered with Roman and Greek ruins, then continue on along a paved stretch of Roman road to lunch (3.5 hours). Afterwards, the willing can continue the walk down to Lipari town (1 hour), while the others can take the bus back. The afternoon and evening is free - dinner is available at the hotel. (Lunch/Dinner)
Day		This morning you will be taken by private boat to explore the smallest and most picturesque island of the archipelago. We go for a walk (2 hrs) to visit a spectacularly positioned pre-historic site before returning to the port for lunch. After lunch we get back on the boat and continue our exploration of the island, having a swim in the blue Mediterranean Sea before returning to Lipari. The evening is free. (Lunch/Dinner)
Day		Today we will again take the private boat for a visit another neighbouring island, a short boat ride from Lipari, for the one hour climb up to the smoking crater of one the Mediterranean's most famous seismic phenomena, and believed by the ancients to be the gates to hell (although you may choose to skip this and spend the morning soaking in the islands bubbling hot mud pools). On the way back there'll be a chance for another swim before returning to Lipari where the afternoon is free. In the evening we have dinner at an elegant restaurant on the waterfront, which specialises in seafood and local cuisine. (Dinner)
Day		In the morning, we take the hydrofoil back to the mainland and drive around the north-eastern tip of Sicily to the marvelous town of Taormina. Probably Sicily's most picturesque and elegant town, Taormina is perched high above the sea, with views westward to Mount Etna. On arriving at our lovely hotel on the edge of the old town, a beautifully located hotel with cascading gardens and a swimming pool, you will be free to unpack and relax. The afternoon is free. In the evening we will meet again to visit Taormina's famous Greek theatre, which dates from the 3rd century BC, before having dinner at one of Taormina's finest restaurants. (Dinner)
Day		Today is a free day, the chance to relax enjoy the romance of Taormina. We'd recommend the morning by the hotel's pool or down by the sea, which will leave you plenty of time for shopping and exploring the town in the afternoon. Our drivers will also be available for hire day trips (eg to nearby Siracuse). In the evening, you will have the option of driving up to a sleepy small village high above Taormina to have a pizza in the piazza, watching the sun set over Mount Etna.
Day		As the finale of our tour, we visit Mount Etna, probably Sicily's most prominent landmark and one of the world's most active volcanoes. Taking a beautiful walk through forests of oak, beech and birch trees, crossing countryside modeled by centuries of lava flows with the peak of snow-capped Mount Etna looming above. After a picnic lunch, we head back to Taormina, where the afternoon is free. Our farewell dinner will be in a charming trattoria outside the town walls (with probably the finest cooking in Taormina). (Lunch/Dinner)
Day		After breakfast, leaving at 8.00am, you will be taken to Catania, arriving at 9.00 which has an international airport and rail connections to the mainland and to the rest of Europe. If required, we can also organise transfers back to Palermo.

For more information on this tour or to make a booking, please get in touch with us.