Sicily & Calabria Tour 9 days

Europe
Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegowina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Faroer
Finland
France
Germany
Great Britain
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kosovo
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malta
Moldavia
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine

Created: 27.02.2014

Monday, October 20 ??? Day 1 ??? DEPART USA ???  Depart Oklahoma City. Tuesday, October 21 - DAY 2 ??? PALERMO/CEFALU - Arrive in Palermo, we meet our tour manager board our motor coach. Our journey starts with a celebration of our first Mass at the shrine of Santa Rosalia, the protector of Palermo. The Sanctuary is located 430m above sea level, climbing to the top on steps that were cut out ofDay 1 ??? DEPART USA??? Today we depart JFK  to connect with our overnight flight to Sicily (via Rome) aboard a wide-bodied jet. We are served complimentary beverages, in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft.  Day 2 - CATANIA/MODICA - This morning arrives in Catania we will meet our tour manager and transfer to our hotel.  This afternoon we will take a walking tour or Modica to familiarize ourselves with this marvellous town. Dinner and overnight at hotel. Day 3 ??? RAGUSA/SCICLE -Today we tour  Ragusa.. some free time to explore on our own and on to  Scicle  the town where the series ??? Commissario Montalbano??? is filmed. Return to Modica for dinner and overnight.  Day 4 ??? CATANIA/NOTO - This morning we drive to Catania and begin our  walking tour of marvellous town, which was built in 729 BC with the name ???Katane,??? meaning ???grater??? in Sicilian. After the Byzantine domination there was the Arabic and then the Norman supremacy, bringing many changes and innovations to the town, the building of the Cathedral, and the many monasteries. Our walking tour will include some of  Catania???s most significant monuments: the Elephant Fountain, the Cathedral (XI century), and the beautiful baroque city centre.  Some free time to explore on our own. This afternoon we visit Noto. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.  Day 5 ??? MESSINA/REGGIO/ VIBO VALENTIA - This morning we bid farewell to Sicily, but before we board our boat to reach the main land we will make a brief stop in Messina.  We then continue to board our boat and cross the famous ???Stretto di Messina??? to reach Reggio Calabria. A brief visit to the Museum, to view ???Bronzi di Riace??? two well preserved statues of warriors retrieved from the sea, by fishermen in the early 70???s.  Our next stop Vibo Valentia. Check in at hotel and remainder of day at our leisure. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.      Day 6 ??? GERACE/LOCRI???s EXCAVATIONS - Morning departure for Gerace for a visit of this lovely town. Some time to explore on our own.  This afternoon we continue for Locri. Visit one of the most important Greek colonies in Italy including the museum near the excavations. On our way back to Vibo Valentia we make a quick  stop in Gioiosa Marina known for its  special ice cream. Dinner and  overnight at our hotel. Day 7 ??? VIBO VALENTIA & CASTLE - Morning bus tour of Vibo Valentia before arriving  at the Castle. Afternoon is yours for shopping or personal adventure. Return to the hotel for dinner & overnight. Day 8 ??? TROPEA/PIZZO CALABRO/CAPO VATICANO - Morning departure for Tropea, a very ancient town, said to have been founded by the Phoenicians who used its port for supplies. Stop at the Cathedral, built on top of an older church dating 1000 years ago. View the balconies overlooking the sea and the church of Saint Mary of the Island an old Basilean Convent. Visit some coral works, before continuing toward Capo Vaticano and its cliffs overlooking the sea. Continue toward Pizzo Calabro, view this famous Castle from the outside, where Joaquin Murat was executed, by his brother-in law Napoleon, King of Naples. Stroll into the old borough and marina, if you wish, for a special truffle ice cream. Return the hotel, for dinner & overnight.  Day 9 ??? LAMEZIA TERME/ NEW YORK -  Morning departure for Lamezia Terme airport, for return flight to the USA .  ???Monte Pellegrino???.  This afternoon We continue towards Cefalu.  We visit this little jewel of a town, with its Cathedral rising above the coastal town of Cefalu, overlooking the Mediterranean.  The Cathedral formed by magnificent Byzantine mosaics, the oldest in Sicily.  Lunch on our own, with some time for exploring. Afterwards we board our motor coach and drive to our hotel in Palermo. Check- in and the rest of day is at leisure. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at our hotel.   Wednesday, October 22 - DAY3 ??? MONREALE/PALERMO ??? This morning we explore Monreale, visiting its famous Cathedral built by the Normans over an ancient mosque. Here we will admire the Romanesque bronze doors, of which there are only a few remaining in Europe. The   main entrance doors were sculpted and signed in 1185 by (Bonanno Pisano); they depict 42 reliefs of biblical scenes. Mass at Cathedral.  Our journey continues with a visit to the Palatine Chapel, the royal chapel of the Norman kings of Sicily.  We conclude our day with a walking tour of our host city.  Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at our hotel.      Thursday, October 23 - DAY 4 ??? ERICE/MARSALA- This morning after Mass at Catacombs Cappuccini. we drive to Erice this 13th century city on top of a mountain about 750m above sea level. We will admire its medieval Norman Castle and breathtaking views overlooking the city of Trapani. Our day would not be complete without a visit to Marsala to marvel at its Salt Pans.  Here we will enjoy a light lunch inside of a wind mill.  Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at our hotel.   Friday, October 24 - DAY 5- PALERMO/AGRIGENTO-   . This morning we make our way to Agrigento. We visit the Valley of the Temple upon arrival. This splendid archaeological park consists of eight temples. It is one of the most outstanding examples of greater Greek  art and architecture. The area was included in the UNESCO Heritage Site list in 1997. Time for lunch on our own. Dinner and overnight at our Hotel Baglio della Luna in Agrigento. Saturday, October 25 - DAY 6   AGRIGENTO/PIAZZA ARMERINA/GIARDINI NAXOS - This morning transfer to Giardini  Naxos with a visit to  Piazza Armerina.  Our first stop ???Villa Romana Del Casale??? a Roman villa built in the first quarter of the 4th century is one of the most luxurious of its kind.  With its noteworthy richness and quality, the mosaics decorate almost every room; they are the finest mosaics in situ anywhere in the Roman world. Time for lunch on our own. We than board our motor coach and head for our wonderful luxurious beach front property!!! Our residence for the next four nights???. Hilton hotel in Giardini Naxos. After check in, Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Sunday, October 26 - DAY7 ??? TAORMINA/MT ETNA - This morning we will celebrate Mass at the Cathedral in Taormina known in the ancient times as Tauromenion. This is a spot of infinite loveliness, the land of ???Dolce far Niente??? ??? ???Sweet to do nothing??? The town lies in an elevated position of amazing, almost unique beauty, affording magnificent views of the sea and clear sky with miles of a curving coastline and picturesque mountain scenery, while the majestic pyramid of Mt. Etna on the other side constitutes a scene of indescribable beauty. Our visit to the most impressive monument of the city: the Greco-Roman Theatre, with the finest location of any theatre in the world. Concerts have been held here by Andrea Bocelli, Pavorotti , Sting and many more???some time to explore this magnificent town. We enjoy a lunch at ???Murgo??? .Our next stop Mt. Etna, one of Europe's most famous active volcanoes. The most violent eruption to take place in the XX century in 1910,  formed twenty-three additional craters. In 1928, a lava flow destroyed the village of Mascali.  Our visit of the area at 2.000 meters (6.000 ft) above sea level, is where we find the Crateri Silvestri. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Monday, October 27 - DAY 8- SIRACUSA ??? This morning our first stop will be to celebrate Mass at the Shrine of the Madonna of Tears. Completed only in 1994, the Shrine of Our Lady of Tears in Syracuse is a work of contemporary architecture began in 1966.  Our visit of Siracusa   includes: the Archaeological Park with the Greek Theatre , where during the season the ancient Greek tragedies are performed; the Ara of Ierone; the Roman Anfiteatro, where the gladiator competitions occurred; the Latomie of the Paradise, ancient hollow stones known for their different shapes, the most famous being the ???Orecchio of Dionisio???. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Tuesday, October 28 - Simon & Jude - DAY 9- CATANIA- This morning we visit Catania. We start with a walking tour of this wonderful town.  Catania was built in 729 BC with the name ???Katane??? which means ???grater??? in Sicilian.  After the Byzantine domination there was the Arabic and then the Norman supremacy, which brought many changes and innovations to the town, the building of the Cathedral, and the many monasteries. We visit Catania???s most significant monuments: the Elephant Fountain, the Cathedral (XI century), and the beautiful baroque city centre. (Catania Mass Cathedral).  Free time to explore on our own.  This afternoon we return to our hotel, rest of day at leisure to take in the beauty of this magnificent island. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Wednesday, October 29 - DAY 10 ??? ARRIVEDERCI SICILIA We continue our journey in Rome. We board our motor coach for a drive to Rome center. We enjoy a walking tour of Rome to include the Pantheon, Spanish steps, Trevi Fountain and the Piazza Navona.  We will have time for lunch then return to our motor coach and we are off to hotel for check in. Mass at Hotel Cesi Chapel. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at our hotel. Thursday, October 30 - Day 11 ???ROME - This morning, we tour St. Peter???s Basilica. This afternoon, we visit the Holy Stairs and Basilica of St. John Lateran. We continue to St. Paul Outside the Walls. The huge, imposing Basilica, second only to St. Peter???s and one of the largest churches in the Christian world, contains an unusual gallery of papal portraits: 265 tablets portraying the popes of the past. We conclude our day at one of the Catacombs, burial place of early Christians, where we celebrate Mass, and view the 2nd and 3rd century fresco paintings. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at our hotel. Friday, October 31 - Day 12 ROME ??? We begin with Mass at St Mary Vittorio Church... we continue with a stroll through the Villa Borghese Gardens followed by a visit to the Coliseum. Rest of day on our own to explore this beautiful Eternal City. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at our hotel.   Saturday, November 1 - DAY 13 ??? ARRIVEDERCI ROMA - Today we depart for the airport for our trip back home with lifetime memories.