9 days
Invitation to a Sicilian Palace

Day 1: Catania

Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by your driver/guide. You will then proceed to Catania, the second biggest town in Sicily, a true lively town with a Baroque-style charm, known as the the "Black-City" from the dark color of the façades of the building made by the black lava stone. Your visit will include stops at some of its most important monuments and to its colorful fish-market. At the end of your walking visit you will stop for the night at your hotel.

5-Star Hotel: Palazzo Biscari – 18th Century Palace

(or similar star rating hotel)

Day 2: Siracusa

Morning departure to Siracusa, one of the most powerful cities of Sicily during the Greek Age. You will visit some impressive archaeological sites, including the Greek Theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre, the Ear of Dionysus and the Latomie.

Lunch will be on your own.

In the afternoon you will walk through the historical center on the Ortigia Island to admire the Cathedral, the Arethusa Fountain and the ancient streets. You will be given time for shopping. 

Overnight at hotel.

5-Star Hotel: Palazzo Beneventano

(Or similar star rating hotel)

Day 3: Ragusa

Breakfast at the hotel, then a transfer to Eremo della Giubiliana, a hermitage in the province of Ragusa, for the first cooking class. The ancient hermitage is a construction with a long and fascinating history; a place where one can uncover physical traces of the great Sicilian history, a treasure as carefully guarded by proprietors as the culinary traditions of local noble families. There, attend a cooking class and prepare several dishes in the style of Patrizia cuisine.

Lunch will be at the Hermitage, comprised of dishes prepared during the lesson. Afterwards, head toward Ragusa and stop in its old historic center, Ibla, a place of extremely ancient origin and home to an incomparable array of typical Sicilian architectures and ambiances. Come back to the hermitage for the night.

5-Star Hotel: The old convent, Eremo della Giubiliana

(Or similar star rating hotel)

Day 4: Piazza Armerina and Agrigento

Guided tour this morning of the Villa Romana del Casale, built during the imperial age and famous for its collection of precious Roman mosaics, which constitute some of the best conserved in the entire Mediterranean basin. Lunch will be on your own.

After lunch, a relaxing drive shows the olive cultivation and fruit fields on the way to Agrigento. On arrival, you will visit the beautiful Valley of the Temples, one of the most representative sites of Greek civilization in the Mediterranean area. Included are, the Temple of Hercules, the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Castor and Pollux and the wonderful Temple of Concord.

4-Star Hotel: Domus Aurea

(Or similar star rating hotel)

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