Embark on a food and wine adventure in Sicily, rich with history like the Valley of the Temples. Discover Doric-style Greek temples and more, while enjoying wineries, culinary experiences, and independent exploration. Experience the best of Southern Italy from the Midwest.

Limited to 24 guests for this tour.

Reserve online or complete the Sicily 2024 Brochure and mail to:

PO Box 751 Bellevue NE 68005

Day 1 - 20th May, Monday - Flight to Sicily

Depart your home city on an overnight flight to one of the most magical and storied places on Earth, Sicily! Full of amazing history, beauty, and delicious food, you are in for the trip of a lifetime! 

Day 2 - 21st May, Tuesday - Arrival and dinner in a local market “Vucciria”

Landing to Palermo, meet your guide, transfer by private bus to the hotel and check in! Palermo is the biggest town in Sicily with about 1.5 million inhabitants and it is also the political and cultural centre of the Island.

The city is also famous for its local market of vegetables and fish, very chaotic and very similar to the souk of north Africa. Transfer in the heart of Palermo for a dinner in the local market “Vucciria” to feel its old city vibes. It will be a typical local menu. At the end of the dinner, transfer back to the hotel. Overnight Palermo. (D)

Day 3 - 22nd May, Wednesday - Monreale & Palermo full day city tour

Depart by private bus to the Monreale for a visit to the wonderful Cathedral with its Byzantine mosaics and the adjoining Cloister recognized as the masterpiece of medieval art.

At the end of the visit, transfer to Palermo to continue the tour, visiting the exterior of the most important buildings located along the main street (Palazzo dei Normanni, Cathedral, Martorana Church, Fontana delle Vergogne). 

Lunch will be organized as a street food tasting in

another famous local market. After lunch, there will be a fun 3-wheel motorbike tour through the narrow streets of the Ara Quarter. At the end of the tour, transfer to the most authentic and beautiful aristocratic palace of the city to

experience the atmosphere of the past and the

splendour of Palermo. It is one of the oldest buildings in Palermo! Enjoy an aperitif during the visit. Overnight in Palermo. (B, D)

Day 4 - 23rd May, Thursday - Trapani cooking class – salt road – Mazara del vallo

Check out and depart by private bus to Trapani to Nuara Accademy in Trapani country side for

an unusual cooking class. The cooking class will be held in a farm located a short distance from Trapani. Welcome with aperitif and afterwards you will learn how to prepare handmade “busiati” (a typical pasta from Trapani area) and the typical Trapani pesto.

After the lesson, you will taste the food.

It’s not just a restaurant, the experience is a

“sensorial one”. The tasting will be standing in a

very informal atmosphere. Arrival to the hotel in the evening. Overnight in Mazara del Vallo (B, L)

Day 5 - 24th May, Friday - Mazara del Vallo – wine tasting - Agrigento

Check out and depart by private bus to Mazara del Vallo : it is a pretty town overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and is less than 200 km from the Tunisian coast of North Africa.

The old town centre, once enclosed within the Norman walls, includes numerous monumental churches, some dating back to the 11th century. It has the typical features of the Islamic urban planning districts typical of the medinas, called Casbah (also Kasbah), of which the narrow streets are a kind of trademark. The busy harbour welcomes fishing boats of all sizes and boasts a large fish market. Enjoy a short visit to the city centre and a look to the marine area. Afterwards the excursion continues towards a nice winery for a wonderful wine tasting-lunch in the country-side.

The Winery is an intimate and small winery which

has become an important Regional wine producer

“Tenuta Gorghi Tondi” in the last years. It is in a panoramic area overlooking the wide vineyard and the sea. Lunch will be organized with typical Sicilian dishes combined with their own wines. After lunch, transfer to Agrigento. Arrival to the hotel late in the afternoon. Overnight in Agrigento. (B, L)

Day 6 - 25th May, Saturday - Agrigento - Piazza Armerina – Taormina

Check out and depart by private bus to the Temple valley of Agrigento. Valleys, hills, monuments and temples, old and ancient, almost all dating back to the time when all of the civilization's finest resided in the Mediterranean.

If you arrive in Agrigento for the first time you'll remain forever captivated by the magic of the Valley of the Temples, exceptional historical record of Ancient Greece. The Valley of the Temples of Agrigento is still today the most sublime evidence of the Greek civilization in Sicily! 

Enjoy a picnic lunch at the Kolymbetra park, an agricultural jewel returned to light after decades of abandonment. Under the Mediterranean sun you will enjoy a typical Sicilian lunch served to you outdoors, complete with local fruit, cheese and wine. This is sure one of the highlights of your trip. The excursion continues towards Piazzav Armerina for visit the Villa Romana del Casale. It is a large and elaborate Roman villa located about 3 km from the town of Piazza Armerina. Excavations have revealed one of the richest, largest, and varied collections of Roman mosaics in the world, for which the site has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The villa and artwork contained within date to the early 4th century AD.

The mosaic is 3,500 sq metres of flooring and is unique in its excellent state of preservation due to the landslide and floods that covered the ruins. At the end of the visit, transfer to Taormina. Arrival to the hotel late in the afternoon. Overnight in Taormina area. (B, L)

Day 7 - 26th May, Sunday - 

Today is a day to explore on your own! You could  embark on a Caicco! An unforgettable tour to admire the incredible landscape of the Riposto - Taormina’s shoreline, the crystal sea, and the suggestive beauty of the caves eroded into the rocky coast. During sailing, you will have soft drinks, and local fresh fruit on board. Lunch on board will be served with several cold dishes, wine and water. End the tour in the fantastic bay of Giardini – Naxos with the spectacular view of Mount Etna. 

You could also partake in a fishing boat tour in Taormina! Partake in the old world process of catching local marine life! If you prefer something not on the water, consider a hike in the Alcantara Gorges! This spectacular tour will take your breath away with stunning views and ancient history.  Lunch is also included in the tour! Otherwise, there is so much to do in Taormina, wander the tiny streets for trying divine local eats, enjoy a day on the beach, sipping cocktails, or explore some of the many archeological sites in the area! Overnight in Taormina area. (B)

Day 8 - 27th May, Monday - Taormina city tour + pizza lesson

Depart by private bus to Taormina for a city tour. It has long been Sicily's most famous resort.

Taormina has an intricacy of winding mediaeval streets and narrow alleys, each with its own secrets, great restaurants, cafés and ice cream bars. Taormina is beautiful by day but in the evening its atmosphere is simply enchanting, whether you stroll the illuminated streets or indulge in the view of the coast. Within its eternal stone walls, old Taormina has fascinating archaeological monuments and mediaeval homes. The most famous is the view overlooking the 

Greek - Roman amphitheatre, one of Sicily's largest, with Mount Etna and the sea as backdrop. Late in the morning, arrival at the Pizzeria for the Pizza workshop. The “Pizzaiolo” will explain in advance how to make a pizza and afterwards the participants will find the base for pizza ready. Everybody will have the chance to do their own pizza, and of course eat it too. (B, L)

Day 9 - 28th May, Tuesday – Taormina – Etna - Taormina (free day or optional hike & winery)

Depart by private bus, driving along highway and then mountain roads through the villages of Etna, crops of vineyards, olive trees, fruit trees and, from 1000 m. onwards, chestnut and pine forests! You will reach an altitude of 1900 m. (Rifugio sapienza), where the road ends at a large parking lot. Here you can have a look at the Crateri Silvestri and an amazing extension by private cable car that leads to an altitude of 2500 m.  A mountain guide will take you to reach altitude of 2900 m. From the top, you can admire the panorama overlooking half Sicily coast and the slopes of the main craters. About 40 minutes walking with

multilingual explanation by mountain guide.

It's highly recommended that you wear closed shoes, long pants and jacket. Return to 1900 m and transfer in the private winery “Barone Villagrande” to taste the Etna wine and visit one of the most ancient wineries on Mount Etna. Menu of the day with selection of 5 wines paired with dishes prepared with fresh ingredients. Transfer to Taormina after wine tasting. Arrival to the hotel and free time. Overnight in Taormina area. (B)

Day 10 - 29th May, Wednesday - in the footsteps of the Godfather

Depart by private bus for a very unusual tour in the steps of the Godfather. We will step into Michael Corleone’s story travelling through the beautiful scenery chosen by Francis Ford Coppola to shoot the movie. First passing by Forza D’agrò, a picturesque town located 420 meters above sea level, very typical with narrow medieval streets. This village was a set for some shooting of the Godfather movie. Here stop to visit the church where Michael was married with a nice Sicilian girl Apollonia.

The tour continues to Savoca, a village of exceptional artistic beauty and landscape. It is in a rocky and mountainous area. Here is the bar where Michael Corleone asks Apollonia's hand in marriage to her father. Lunch will be arranged in a local trattoria with dishes of Sicilian tradition. Transfer back to the hotel and relax.

In the evening, transfer to Taormina for a “mafia themed” dinner with folk music. Overnight in Taormina area. (B, L, D)

**This tour requires considerable walking and uneven terrain.  Please consider this when booking your tour.

Pricing -
14 Days - 23 Meals

Double Occupancy (Land & Inter Island Flights)  $4250pp

Single Occupancy (Land & Inter Island Flights)    $5000pp
(taxes included in these prices)

Airfare
Excite Book Airfare – Excite will book your flight at the market rate. Please call 402-293-9282 to book flights. *Inter island flights included in tour price.

You may also book your own flight – Please plan to have your flights scheduled on the dates above. If you choose to book your own flights at different times, you will be responsible for booking your own transfer from the airport. Please provide a copy of your flight schedule to Excite. *inter island flights included in tour price.

Deposit            $750pp
Deposit Due Date Feb 1st, 2024.
Final Payment due March 15th, 2024.

*Price includes luggage handling, guide service, admission listed in itinerary, private transfer, meals, hotels and activities listed in itinerary.

**Itinerary subject to slight variation due to weather, and availability.  Specific visits or dates my change but will be substituted for similar valued excursion.

Trip insurance available and encouraged through Travelex. Please use location number 27-0165 for our group. www.travelexinsurance.com/quote/ 

Refunds: Deposits are non-refundable after 90 days prior to departure .  Full refunds may be available with trip insurance.  Once final payment is made, refunds without insurance coverage will be on a case by case basis, based on what Excite can receive refunds for.

For questions please email - jj@excitemytravel.com

Reserve online or complete the Sicily 2024 Brochure and mail to:

PO Box 751 Bellevue NE 68005

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