Day 1: Depart the USA on our flight to Palermo, Italy. Day 2: Arrival in Palermo. Depending on arrival time: Check-in at hotel and dinner or half day city tour. Norman Palace is included. Day 3: Half day excursion to Monreale (set on the hill above Palermo). Monreale Cathedral (known for its fantastic mosaics) as well as the cloister. Continue to Agrigento. Visit the "Valley of the temples" (all on foot, but very easy). UNESCO World Heritage Site. Evening sight seeing tour of "Valley of the temples" - spectacular ! (only orientation drive - max 30 min). Overnight in Agrigento.
Day 4: Transfer from Agrigento to Piazza Armerina. Visit the fantastic roman villa "Villa Romana del Casale". Continue to Siracusa. Visit the archaeological zone of Siracuse. Overnight in Siracusa. Day 5: In the morning city sightseeing of Siracusa (actually the old city center on the island Ortygia). This site was newly inscribed to UNESCO's World heritage List!!!- absolutely not to be missed. Unique Cathedral (mix between Greek Temple, Islamic Mosque and Christian Church) is included. Continue to the Baroque little city of Noto. (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Visit of the city center. Rest of afternoon can be enhanced with wine tasting (Sicily wines are booming in Europe) as well as olive oil tasting (visit vineyard, production etc.) Drive to Pozallo for our highspeed catamaran to Malta. Arrive Malta and transfer to hotel Day 6: Full day Malta tour including Valletta (UNESCO site) and Rabat & Mdina. Visit St. Paul's catacombs in Rabat. Continue to the ancient capital Mdina for a visit of the Cathedral (dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul). Mdina is considered to be one of the most beautiful examples of an inhabited medieval citadel in Europe. On the way back to the hotel stop in Mosta for a visit of St. Mary's church. It is said to be the third largest unsupported church dome in Europe - superseded only by St. Peter's in Rome and St Sophia in Istanbul. Overnight in Malta Day 7: Full day excursion to Gozo (ferry from Malta to Gozo). Visit the Azur Window, the Blue Lagoon (incl. boat ride), City of Vitoria and the UNESCO Site of the Megalythic Temples. Return to Malta in the late afternoon. Overnight in Malta Day 8: Visit the Blue Grotto boat. Following a visit to the fishing village of Marsascala and Marsaxlokk. In the afternoon visit the Dingly Cliffs, the gardens in Balzan as well as the Glass factory near Mdina. Overnight in Malta. Day 9: Departure from Malta to US. |