Magnificent Sicily Tour
-
Tour highlights (April 21 - May 01, 2024)
One of a kind tour for lovers of Italian food and wine. The tour offers four-course dinners accompanied by wine. Enjoy the world-famous Marsala wines during a winetasting at Cantine Fiorio. Discover the main sights of Palermo and visit the Church of Monreale, located on the slope of Monte Caputo. The church overlooks the fertile valley called "La Conca d'oro", famous for its orange orchards and almond trees. Other highlights include a cooking lesson, tours of Siracusa and Agrigento, plus a stay in beautiful Taormina. Join us on this magnificent adventure!
-
Tour itinerary
Day 1 (Sunday, April 21) - Ottawa / Dorval / Palermo - Day of departure
Depart from Montreal by coach to take your overnight flight to Palermo via a European gateway. Dinner and breakfast will be on board your flight.
-
Day 2 (Monday, April 22) - Palermo
On arrival in Palermo, you will be picked up up at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Palermo.
Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
-
Day 3 (Tuesday, April 23) - Palermo
This morning, after breakfast, enjoy a half day guided tour of Palermo to include the city's main sights: ornate Piazza Bellini, the Cathedral and the Arab-Norman Palatine Chapel in the Royal Palace.
In the afternoon, we will drive up Monreale for a panoramic view of the Conca d'Oro and a visit to the 12th century Norman Cathedral of Monreale famous for its 50,000 square feet of precious Byzantine mosaics.
Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
-
Day 4 (Wednesday, April 24) - Palermo / Marsala
Your tour today will take you to Marsala, Sicily's largest wine-producing center.
Your tour will show you Piazza della Republica, Palazzo Senatorio and the Cathedral (all from outside).
There will also be a wine tasting tour of the famous Marsala wines at Cantine Florio.
The afternoon is at leisure.
-
Day 5 (Thursday, April 25) Palermo / Agrigento / Siracusa
Depart for Agrigento, founded as a Greek colony in the 6th C BC. Visit the remains of the magnificent Doric temples that dominate the ancient town.
After the tour, continue to your hotel in Siracusa.
Dinner will be at your hotel.
-
Day 6 (Friday, April 26) Siracusa
Enjoy a half day guided tour of Siracusa, birthplace of the mathematician Archimedes, and once a powerful Greek port whose fleet was feared throughout the Mediterranean. Your tour with a local guide will show you the 5th-century B.C. sparkling white Greek Theater, the Garden of Paradise, the Ear of Dionysus, the Altar of Hieron II, the Roman Amphitheater, and the Cordmakers' Cave. In the afternoon, enjoy a Sicilian cooking lesson.
Dinner this evening will consist of the items cooked during the cooking lesson.
-
Day 7 (Saturday, April 27) Siracusa / Modica / Ragusa
Today there will be an excursion to Modica, a historic town in southeastern Sicily, and one of the area's UNESCO-listed Baroque towns. Modica is particularly famous for its chocolate, and a great destination for food lovers. Your visit will include a chocolate tasting at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, the oldest chocolate factory in Sicily.
In the afternoon, visit the Hazienda Agricola Castiglione in Ragusa, to learn about the process of making "ricotta" cheese and sample their products.
Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Siracusa.
-
Day 8 (Sunday, April 28) Siracusa / Etna / Taormina
This morning, depart on a tour to Mt. Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. After a tour of the area, enjoy a wine tasting tour of DOC Etna wines at Cantine Nicosia.
Continue to Taormina, where on arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel.
Dinner this evening will be on your own.
-
Day 9 (Monday, April 29) Taormina
Morning guided tour of Taormina. Your tour will include a visit the magnificent Greek Theatre, begun in the 3rd century BC by the Greeks, and subsequently rebuilt by the Romans.
You will also see the ruins of the Odeon, and Palazzo Corvaia, built using stone from a temple that once stood there. The 13th entury Duomo is also an interesting sight.
The afternoon is at leisure.
Dinner this evening will be on your own.
-
Day 10 (Tuesday, April 30) Taormina / Catania
This morning, enjoy a half day tour to Catania, the second largest town in Sicily. Your tour will show you the city's main sights: Bellini Gardens, Piazza del Duomo, Ursino Castle, the Greek Theatre.
Return to Taormina for an afternoon at leisure.
Farewell dinner.
-
Day 11 (Wednesday, May 01) Taormina / Catania / Dorval / Ottawa
Transfer to the airport in Catania, in order to take your flight to Montreal via a European gateway.
On arrival in Montreal, a bus will be waiting to bring you back to Ottawa.
-
Contact Touringhouse
Our Tour Escorts are personable and knowledgeable. Contact us for more information on any of the travel experiences we offer.
Tour costs include:
Cost per person:
| Based on minimum of 15 passengers | $7,689.00 | ||
| Single supplement | $2,389.00 | ||
| Optional all-inclusive insurance with Manulife (covers up to $7,700.00): | |||
| Ages | Insurance Cost | ||
| Up to age 59 | $690.00 | ||
| Age 60 - 64 | $840.00 | ||
| Age 65 - 69 | $970.00 | ||
| Age 70 - 74 | $1,223.00 | ||
| Age 75+ | Passengers 75 and over are requested to check directly regarding their insurance requirements. Insurance can only be sold to Ontario residents. Quebec residents are requested to buy their own insurance. | ||
| Insurance costs are subject to change any time until booked | |||
Coach transportation from Ottawa to Dorval and back
Airfare from Dorval to Palermo and back from Catania via a European gateway
9-night accommodations in superior 4-star hotels as follows:
- 3 nights in Palermo
- 3 nights in Siracusa
- 3 nights in Taormina
Buffet breakfast at the hotels every morning
Six 4-course dinners (including bottled mineral water, 1/2 L of wine and coffee)
Deluxe chartered coach transportation throughout the tour (from the time of arrival in Palermo until departure from Catania)
All guided tours, visits and excursions as per the itinerary:
- Half day tour to Monreale (with a guide)
- Half day tour of Marsala (with a guide)
- Winetasting tour of Cantine Florio (on-site guide)
- Half day tour of Agrigento (with a guide)
- Half day Siracusa (with a guide)
- Half day Mt. Etna (with a guide)
- Half day Taormina (with a guide)
- Half day Catania (with a guide)
Entrance fees to the following places:
- Cathedral of Monreale (Palermo)
- Cable car in Trapani
- Cathedral in Erice
- Valley of the temples (Agrigento)
- Archaeological site (Siracusa)
- Greek Theatre (Taormina)
- Duomo (Catania)
Special activities including:
- 2 wine tasting tours (Marsala wines and Etna DOC wines)
- Chocolate tasting
- Cheese tasting
- 1 cooking lesson
Services of a Touringhouse representative throughout the tour
All service charges and taxes
Tour cost does not include:
Tips to bus drivers and guides
Any other items not specifically mentioned in the inclusions
Cost per person (all-inclusive):
Touringhouse Certifications
ACTA certified
Tico certified
TIDS certified
OBR certified
GST number
Offered by Touringhouse
$5,000,000.00
liability insurance