Best of Italy and Sicily

Visit Europe

Day 1

Welcome to Palermo

The multicultural capital of Palermo is the launchpad for your journey across Sicily and Italy.

You’ll have some free time before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travellers for dinner and orientation of the city’s attractions, so why not head straight out to explore its fascinating streets on your own?

Day 2

Enjoy the Views in Monreale

Join your Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour, which includes the Teatro Massimo and the old 'La Cala' harbour.

Later, travel to Monreale on the slopes of Monte Caputo, overlooking the almond, olive and orange groves of La Conca d'Oro. Here you’ll visit the 12th-century Norman Cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

Day 3

Journey to Ancient Agrigento

Take it easy this morning or explore further on the Optional Experience taking in different views of the city.

Later, journey onwards to Agrigento to tour the impressive Greek Valley of the Temples, dating back to the 6th century BC, with a Local Specialist. This evening, dinner is served at your hotel.

Day 4

Onwards to Scenic Taormina

Travel through the vineyards of the southern hills towards the seaside resort of Taormina, your home for the next two nights.

Enjoy spectacular vistas and a taste of la dolce vita in this hillside town, with some free time on arrival.

Day 5

Taormina Your Way Connect with Locals

Spend the day relaxing at your chic Sicilian resort.

Dive into the warm Mediterranean waters, shop for exquisite hand-painted ceramics on Corso Umberto or indulge in a mulberry granita. Consider joining an Optional Experience to Savoca, the village made famous by ‘The Godfather', and Europe's most active volcano - Mount Etna. This evening, join a Be My Guest experience hosted at a beautiful family owned Sicilian lemon farm overlooking Mount Etna.

Day 6

Travel to Sorrento

Today we cross the Strait of Messina to mainland Italy by ferry, driving north through rustic Calabria and past Salerno to our hotel in Sorrento where we’ll spend the next two nights.

Tonight perhaps consider an Optional Experience to explore the famous culinary culture of Southern Italy.

Day 7

Visit the Isle of Capri

Cruise to the Isle of Capri where you’ll enjoy a guided walking tour of Capri town with a Local Specialist.

Window-shop along Via Camerelle and watch the beautiful people in the Piazzetta before returning to Sorrento. This afternoon perhaps consider a drive along the famed Amalfi Coast to Positano, a true Mediterranean gem. You will have the evening at leisure to indulge in a little limoncello in one of Sorrento's many cafés.

Day 8

Explore Pompeii’s Ruins and Rome

This morning, visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed ruins of Pompeii where a Local Specialist will take you on a walking tour.

For centuries this city was lost to the world, but its rediscovery in the 18th century revealed a time capsule of well-preserved ruins, providing insights into the day-to-day life of a Roman city centuries ago. Later, admire the dramatic coastline as you drive north from Pompeii to the 'Eternal City' of Rome. This evening, Roman flavours and ancient ruins take centre stage as you dine at Ristorante Pancrazio, built over the ruins of the first-century BC Theatre of Pompey. Indulge in a selection of signature Roman dishes handed down over four generations since 1922.

Day 9

Explore Ancient Rome and the Vatican City

Rome was once the capital of the world and is a city with an irrepressible spirit.

Join your Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour. Cross the Tiber river and in Ancient Rome see the Circus Maximus and enjoy a visit to the mighty Colosseum. Throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain on an optional experience discovering piazzas and fountains of Rome with a Local Specialist this afternoon. Spend the rest of the day exploring the city your way.

Day 10

Off to Historic Assisi and Pisa

Today, drive north to the mystical medieval hilltop town of Assisi, most famous for being the birthplace of St.

Francis. Join a Local Specialist  for a tour of the Basilica of St. Francis to view its magnificent frescoes and carvings. Later, venture to Pisa to visit the Square of Miracles and view the Leaning Tower that bears this city's name.

Day 11

Enjoy Colourful Cinque Terre and Florence

A short drive north takes us to La Spezia, known as the 'Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea'.

Join a Local Specialist to visit Cinque Terre, a series of centuries-old seaside villages clinging impossibly to rugged cliffs that plunge into the Ligurian Sea. Continue later to Florence, once a vibrant republic under the rule of the dynamic Medici family, whose love for art and antiquities created one of the world's most cultural cities.

Day 12

Experience Renaissance Florence

The magnificent marble Duomo, Santa Croce Basilica, Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria feature on your walking tour with a Local Specialist through Florence's historic streets.

Explore at your own pace this afternoon, enjoy a shopping spree, a cappuccino in a local café or perhaps delve further into the art of the Renaissance on an Optional Experience to the Accademia and see Michelangelo’s ‘David’. Tonight perhaps consider dinner in the famed Tuscan Hills.

Day 13

Journey to Venice

Journey north through Emilia-Romagna to Venice, the 'Queen of the Adriatic'.

Embrace the Italian lifestyle in your free time, perhaps take a passegiata (stroll), sip a cocktail or embark on an Optional Experience to the island of Burano with dinner included.

Day 14

Cruise the Canals of Venice Make Travel Matter

Embark on an orientation cruise by private launch to the gateway of Venice, St.

Mark's Square, which Napoleon once called the 'drawing room of Europe'. See the Doge's Palace, St. Mark's Basilica and the Bridge of Sighs, where prisoners would have one last look at their beloved city before facing imprisonment. Next, witness the centuries-old craft of glassblowing. Your unforgettable MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience helps keep alive this delicate tradition for which Venice is justifiably famous, and you’ll watch in awe as masters of their craft shape molten glass into the exquisite pieces that adorn homes all over the world. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore more of the sights or consider an Optional Experience, navigating the city's elegant canals aboard a traditional gondola. Tonight, join your fellow travellers for dinner and toast to shared memories that will linger long after the evening ends.

Day 15

Farewell Venice

For now, it's a fond ciao Venezia as you say goodbye to new friends and prepare to depart for your journey home.

Dining Summary

6 Dinner (D)

14 Breakfast (B)

Be My Guest

Acireale: Daniela and her family will welcome you with the words 'Be My Guest' and treat you as a cherished family member. She will tell you about her life on the farm and interesting information about the house and the lemon and orange groves. Later, after a welcome drink, she will serve her home-cooked cuisine surrounded by the warmth of Sicilian hospitality.

Iconic Experience

Palermo: Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for an introductory orientation of Palermo's highlights. 

Palermo: Discover the Sicilian capital with your Local Specialist. See Pretoria Square and the 16th-century fountain. View the composite architectural styles of the Palermo Cathedral and visit the Cathedral of Monreale.

Agrigento: A Local Specialist will lead you through the magnificent remains of the Greek colony in the Valley in the Temples. See the massive Temple of Concord and clifftop Temple of Juno.

Capri: Join a Local Specialist on a walk through elegant Capri to gain insight into the island's local culture and historic landmarks.

Pompeii: Walk with a Local Specialist through the cobbled streets of this ill-fated town, frozen in time since the 1st century.

Rome: Experience Rome through the eyes of a local, as a passionate Roman guides you past the city's most iconic sites.

Rome: Discover ancient treasures of Rome with a Local Specialist. See Circus Maximus and visit the mighty Colosseum, which bears witness to the limitless courage of the gladiators.

Assisi: With a Local Specialist, find out why the Basilica of St. Francis is considered to be one of the crowning artisitic achievements of 13th-century Europe.

Pisa: During an orientation, your Travel Director will show you the baptistery, cathedral and the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Cinque Terre: Led by your Local Specialist, visit this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site, tucked away on the mountainous Italian Riviera coastline. Admire the charming fishing villages and perhaps snap some memorable pictures.

Florence: Join a Local Specialist to view the Multi-coloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, adorned by Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise. Visit the political heart of the city, Signoria Square.

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

Venice: Discover the ancient skill of Venetian glassblowing and play a part in preserving this traditional craft. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. 

Must-see Highlights

Explore Palermo, Agrigento, Pompeii, Capri, Rome, Assisi, Cinque Terre and Florence

Discover Taormina, Sorrento and Venice

Visit the Norman Cathedral at Monreale, the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, the Isle of Capri, the excavations at Pompeii, the Colosseum in Rome and a glassblowing factory in Venice

View Palermo Cathedral, St Peter's Basilica and the ancient sites of Rome, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Santa Croce Basilica and the Duomo in Florence and the Byzantine St. Mark's Basilica in Venice

Scenic Cruise to the Isle of Capri and by private launch to St. Mark's Square in Venice

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