New Year's In Sicily

DAY 1  Monday  December 30, Ortigia
Benvenuti in Sicilia!!!   You’ll arrive Friday, Dec. 30 in Catania, and be met by your illustrious and enthusiastic guides. We’ll hit the ground running heading to the small romantic isle of Ortigia. After checking-in to our quaint BnB, we’ll meet up with Valeria, our favorite guide, for a walking tour of Ortigia to see where Archimedes used his heat ray against the Roman navy, and the temple of Apollo..Then dinner with a host of friends and some music in the main piazza of the city.

DAY 2  Tuesday December 31,Ortigia
We’re taking to the high seas, mateys. The Ionian Sea to be precise and you’re welcome to come aboard.  We’re going to tour the east coast of Sicily and head into some beautiful caves. You’ll get a rare glimpse of some of the most stunning waters in the world. And you’ll be able to  see Mt. Etna in the distance. After lunch in the lively market of Ortigia,( I recommend the octopus filet) We’ll come back and get ready for our New Year’s Eve party at a wonderful Sicilian restaurant and then head to the main piazza to party with the inhabitants of Ortigia and see how they celebrate Sicilian style.

DAY 3  Wednesday January 1 Taormina
Remember how beautiful Mt Etna looked as a backdrop from Ortigia?   Now we’ll get to see it up close and personal. If the road is accessible we’ll go to the top. We’ll lunch at what looks like an Alpine ski village on the active volcano before heading to the small romantic isle of Ortigia. Then we’ll head to the most elegant city in Sicily, Taormina. 

DAY 4  Thursday  January 2 Taormina
After breakfast at our favorite cafe in the world, The Bam Bar, we’ll meander to the famous Greco-Roman amphitheater of Taormina, originally built in the 3rd century B.C.E.  The architecture, the history, and the view of Mt Etna in the background are just remarkable. Bring an instrument or your voice and discover some of the world’s best acoustics. We’ll take some time after lunch to get lost among the stunning streets and shops for the most unique shopping in Sicily or climb the hill to Castelmola. We’ll meet up later for dinner and some music. 

DAY 5 Friday January 3 Cefalu’
From Taormina we head to Cefalu’ with stops at Labyrinth of Arianna for lunch.
After settling in we’ll have a walking tour in this charming seaside town.  Then we’re putting you to work, esteemed guests. While Carl and Paolo sing for their supper, you’ll be learning how to prepare some of Sicily’s greatest specialties from a local chef. We will then get to feast on your efforts.  Buon appetito!!!

DAY 6 Saturday January 4 Palermo
We know you’ll be back because this was not enough time here but now we head to the majestic Cathedral of Monreale and the eerie Capuchin Catacombs as we approach Palermo, the bustling Capital of Sicily. We’ll stay with our dear friends Sergio, Maja, and Giada in their stunning BnB. and take in a 200 year old Marionette puppet show before dinner.

DAY 7 Sunday January 5 Palermo
Today we’ll discover the fascinating architecture and history of Palermo’s Cathedral and spend the remainder of the day relaxing and wandering with Paolo and Carl in downtown Palermo. You can rest assured that cannoli and gelato will be involved. 

DAY 8 Monday January 6 Agrigento
We say “arrivederci” to Palermo and head to the town of Mussomeli. There we will explore a Norman castle from the 1300’s (so new the warranty is still good.) Then after lunch  we’ll go visit something even older. From the 5th century B.C.E. The Valley of the Temples, which lay just outside Agrigento. It will be an experience you will never forget. If you’re feeling daring we can even ride little electric scooters to aid us on this RenAdventure. 

DAY 9 Tuesday January 7 Catania
We hope you’ve gotten a good night’s sleep cause today is a busy day. There’s lots to see and lots of places to go.  We’ll begin after breakfast going to Villa Romana, a 2000 year old hunting lodge with the most ornate and curious mosaics you’ve probably ever seen.Then after lunch in Enna we’ll head to Catania for our last evening. We’ll visit the natural caves of Grotta Amenana in the middle of the city and then a superb final dinner awaits you. If you’re good, Carl will explain why Catania is one of the most special places in the world. 

  DAY 10 Wednesday January 8  depart
Arrivederci tutti! We’re saying a fond farewell to our new favorite place in the world. We hope that your hearts, minds and bellies are filled from your journey here. We’ll make sure that you get to your plane, train, or ferry on time and hope that will return here again and/or join us on another RenAdventure in the not too distant future. It has been an honor to be with all. Ciao for now and Buon Viaggio.

Included:

• Welcoming and full assistance during the tour by our bilingual tour leaders.
• 9 nights accommodation in double occupancy room, with breakfast and local taxes.
• All meals included.
• Visits, including licensed-guide(s) and entry to the monuments.
• The activities listed in the daily programme.

Not Included:

• Airfare.
• Tips and personal expenses.
• Personal insurances (cancellation, luggage, early departure, etc).
• Optional activities not listed in the week programme, which you can book through our tour leader.
• Everything else which is not clearly specified in the “Included” list.

“All our accommodations were top-notch and we traveled in comfort on a private chauffeured mini-bus.”

 – Damaris Wilcox

“My husband and I enjoyed Italy tremendously and would never have been able to plan such a visit so well on our own.”

 – Jeanne Lynch

“Would I go on another tour with RenAdventures? Absolutely—the sooner the better!”

 – Cherie Ferro

“I’d go again every year if I could, and do plan on another trip with them!“

 – Diana Ballew