Pre-Departure Itinerary. Holiday in Taormina. Visit Sicily in the Spring 8 DAYS: Sunday, April 28 Sunday, May 5, 2019

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1 Pre-Departure Itinerary Holiday in Taormina Visit Sicily in the Spring 8 DAYS: Sunday, April 28 Sunday, May 5, 2019 AN ANCIENT TOWN PERCHED HIGH ABOVE BLUE SEAS and decorated with blazing red bougainvillea framing white-washed buildings, Taormina is Sicily s jewel and ranked #4 of best spring destinations by Condé Nast Traveller. We ll spend seven nights at the Continental Hotel, located in the heart of Old Town just steps from Corso Umberto the main pedestrian street and get acquainted on a half-day walking tour. A highlight of our week will be a hands-on cooking class with Chef Massimo Tomarchio that begins with a guided visit to the local market! Enjoy an excursion to Catania, a port city nestled in the foothills of grumbling, old Mount Etna, for a visit to its bustling street market, followed by a winery visit and lunch at an estate on the slopes of the volcano!...and Siracusa, to visit the spectacular archaeological site and beautiful Ortigia Island. Our relaxing week winds down with a free day to explore on our own. Includes Round-trip regularly scheduled Alitalia Airlines flights from Boston to Catania, via Rome (land only pricing available if you prefer to make your own air arrangements) Six nights three-star accommodations: Hotel Continental, Taormina Welcome cocktail Nine meals: six breakfasts, three dinners with wine at local restaurants One hands-on cooking lesson followed by lunch Wine tasting and lunch Escorted round-trip, private airport/hotel transfers Services of a professional local guide during excursions Rates $2,799 per person double occupancy Includes round-trip airfare, fuel surcharge and all air taxes and fees. Single supplement is $375. We have a limited number of single supplements available at just $250. Call to reserve. Triple accommodations may be available upon request. Fuel surcharge, air taxes and fees subject to change. Passport required. Per person deposit is $300. Accommodations Hotel Continental Via Dionisio I, 2/A Taormina Located in the heart of Taormina, the hotel boasts a terrace with breathtaking panoramic views across the beautiful Bay of Naxos and Mount Etna. The Continental Hotel opened its doors in 1964 in the heart of Taormina, just a few steps away from the main pedestrian street, Corso Umberto, and the Piazza del Duomo. From the sun-drenched terrace, you can enjoy panoramic views across the Bay of Naxos, Mount Etna and Castelmola, enchanting scenery unique in Sicily. The hotel offers a first class personal service, as is the custom of the Di Pasquale family who have been present in Taormina for two generations. The Continental Hotel is located in a prime location in the heart of Taormina s historic centre. Only a few steps away, guests will find Taormina s main attractions as well as shops, restaurants, bars and cafés. Features: Taormina half-day guided walking tour. Market visit and hands-on cooking class, followed by lunch. Excursion to Catania and visit to Barone di Villagrande winery estate for tasting and lunch. Excursion to Siracusa archaeological park and Ortigia Island.

2 Hotel Continental

3 Taormina DAILY ITINERARY Sunday, April 28: Overnight Flight Depart Boston on an early evening Alitalia Airlines flight to Rome. Dinner will be served on board. Relax and enjoy the in-flight entertainment. Monday, April 29: Arrive Rome connecting flight to Catania transfer to Taormina Continental breakfast will be served before landing in Rome. Clear immigration and passport control and proceed to the connecting/domestic flight to Catania. Upon arrival in Catania retrieve our luggage and clear customs and meet our local representative who will assist with the transfer to the Hotel Continental in Taormina. Check in and receive room assignments. The rest of the day is at leisure to get acquainted with the hotel and surroundings. Enjoy a welcome dinner this evening to meet our fellow travelers. (D) Included dinners (with wine) in Taormina will be at the Villa Zuccaro, near the hotel.

4 Tuesday, April 30: Taormina walking tour After breakfast set off on a guided half-day walking tour of Taormina, one of the most popular tourist capitals of the Mediterranean. We ll see the historic medieval center, the Greco-Roman theatre, superlative scenery, Baroque architecture, quaint streets and romantic gardens. The afternoon is at leisure and the front desk can assist if you are interested in optional excursions. Dinner will be on your own this evening. (B) The Pearl of the Mediterranean What do Richard Wagner, Oscar Wilde, Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Alexandre Dumas, Johannes Brahms, Gustav Klimt, D.H. Lawrence, Ingmar Bergman, Francis Ford Coppola, Truman Capote, John Steinbeck, Marlene Dietrich, Federico Fellini, Guy de Maupassant, Elisabeth Taylor, Sharon Stone, Woody Allen and Gregory Peck have in common? That s simple - they have all spent their holidays in Taormina. Taormina is perched on a rock 200 metres above the sea and has been the most popular tourist destination in Sicily ever since it became an integral part of the Grand Tour of European aristocrats and artists some two hundred years ago. One of the world s greatest views, winding streets, alleyways and staircases strewn with bars, cafés, restaurants, art galleries, designer, shoe, ceramics, antiques and souvenir shops, small squares around corners, beautifully restored medieval buildings and the ancient amphitheatre make for a perfect holiday spot. Wednesday, May 1: Excursion to Siracusa Today we ll set out on an full-day excursion to Siracusa, the oldest city in Sicily (founded in 734 BC) and the home of Archimedes. Our tour begins with the archaeological park and we ll see the famous Roman amphitheatre, the quarries where slaves carved stone for the city and a limestone cave called the Ear of Dionysius. Later we ll visit the historic part of the city called Ortigia Isand where well walk the labyrinth of alleys that lead to one of the most magnificent piazzas in Sicily. Here we ll visit the Duomo, an extraordinary example of Greek architecture and a painting by Caravaggio. Enjoy dinner with wine this evening at Villa Zuccaro. (B, D)

5 Once one of ancient Greece s most important cities, today Syracuse (Siracusa in Italian) is a lively town of about 125,000 on Sicily s southeast coast. The city overflows with amazing remnants from its long history. Romans, Vandals and Normans are but a few of those who ruled here after the Greeks. In Siracusa s harbor, Ortygia Island (also called Città Vecchia or Old City) is the site of many of the main attractions, including the seventh-century cathedral and the Fountain of Arethusa. Ortigia - Siracusa's island heart The best way to see the island of Ortygia is just to wander. It s difficult to get lost (it measures just 1km by 500 metres), but packed with over 2,500 years of history. Architectural styles vary widely, encompassing Greek and Roman remains, Mediaeval Norman buildings and a great deal of (relatively) understated Baroque. Restaurants, trattorias and bars abound and it is especially nice to sit out on the western side in the late afternoon, warmed by the sun and with a view over the lagoon. The Piazza del Duomo. This delightful pedestrian square is home to the wonderful Cathedral built on the site of an ancient Temple of Athena as can clearly be seen from the original Doric columns that were incorporated into the building s main structure. Also on this square is the beautifully symmetrical Baroque Palazzo Beneventano and the church of Santa Lucia, the town s patron saint. Turning left at the entrance to the island will take you immediately to the colourful daily morning street market, which sells a fantastic array of fruit, vegetables, fish and meat. At the end of the market is a must-see for food lovers: a delicatessen of rare quality, called I Sapori dei Gusti Smarriti (literally the flavours of lost tastes). Here you can find cheeses, hams and cured meats of the very best quality, many of which, especially those produced in Sicily, you will find nowhere else. There is also an excellent assortment of wines, condiments, sun-dried tomatoes and other Sicilian delicacies made by the shop s owners in their laboratory. Ortigia

6 Siracusa Thursday May 2: Market visit and cooking class Today will be a highlight of our week! After breakfast we ll walk to the local market with our guide before we meet with Chef Massimo Tomarchio for a hands-on cooking lesson followed by lunch with wine. (B,L) Taormina Market Chef Massimo Tomarchio Sicily.. land of colors, traditions, fragrances but especially flavors... My name is Massimo Tomarchio and since I was 10 years are particularly attracted by the typical Sicilian food. When I m was a child, I was always curious to know what my mother or my grandmother cooking for lunch. and I m spent a lot of time with them during the preparation of their dishes. On my fondest memories, will stay those passed in the kitchen

7 with my grandmother a very good Cook!! Together we prepared several meals typical of the Sicilian tradition, as for example, pasta, macaroni, meatballs with sauce, caponata and much much more The typical Sicilian cuisine stands out not only by the variety of products offered from the land...distinguishes it self... also, from the passion and the love that born to stand behind the stoves when they cooking for their loved ones. These two women are for me the main source of inspiration for what I do today with love. Chef Massimo Friday, May 3: Excursion to Catania After breakfast we ll depart for Catania. We ll begin with a walk through the spectacular outdoor food market, established in the 1500s and not normally frequented by tourists. Later we ll visit the Duomo, home of the archbishop, the main square and Via Crociferi, the street of the cloistered nuns. In the afternoon we ll head to the wine estate of Barone di Villagrande, located on the slopes of Mount Etna and founded in the 1800s. Here we ll enjoy a visit of the vineyards and the historic wine cellars followed by a light lunch with wines of the estate. (B,L)

8 Lonely Planet: Catania is grand and atmospheric. Catania has energy to sell and a beautiful, Unesco-listed historic centre. Grandiose black-and-white palazzi tower over baroque piazzas and the city has one of the most vibrant fish markets on the island, together with hundreds of bars, clubs and eateries that cater to the city's fun-loving (largely student) population. All the while, Mt Etna broods on the horizon, its powerful presence adding a thrilling edge and a beautiful backdrop to Sicily's second-largest city. Wine Farm Barone di Villagrande 1727 The Barone di Villagrande estate sits on Etna s slopes at an altitude of 700 metres above sea level. The vineyards, dominated by the estate, slope down towards the sea into a natural amphitheatre. These lands, which have always belonged to the family, give birth to wines that, since 1727, have been perpetually placed on local and international markets. For more than 10 years now, the company has taken up a project on the island of Salina - the production of the passito wine (made from sun-dried grapes) Malvasia delle Lipari.

9 Saturday, May 4: Day at leisure in Taormina Today is a full day on our own to continue your exploration of Taormina or browse the local shops. This evening we ll enjoy a farewell dinner with wine at Villa Zuccaro. (B,D) Sunday, May 5: Return to Boston Enjoy breakfast and depart the hotel for the transfer back to Naples airport and our return flight to Boston, via Rome. (B)

10 Proof of Citizenship is required for all trips outside the United States. U.S. citizens require a valid passport to travel; with at least 6 months' validity. All non-us citizens should check with the appropriate foreign consulate for additional entry requirements. Passports are the responsibility of each traveler. PLEASE NOTE: This pre-departure itinerary is designed to give you an idea of how this itinerary is structured. We reserve the right to make any changes to your final itinerary if deemed necessary, at any time prior to departure. PLEASE NOTE: This is not your final itinerary. You will receive final documents (itinerary, tickets (if applicable), etc.) approximately 2 3 weeks prior to departure. Although we try our best to ensure that information is accurate at the time of publication, we are not responsible for any error, omission, misprint or liability that results from the use (or misuse) of this information.