Your Itinerary - Malta & Southern Italy April 23rd - May 14th, 2016 Featured Attractions: Optional premium tours in Malta, guided touring in Sicily, Calabria, Puglia and Bari. Fantastic hotel stays in Italy and so much more to enjoy. DAY 1: Saturday, April 23rd Arrival in Malta on own and check into your accommodations DAY 2: Sunday, April 24th OPTIONAL: Southern Malta Tour Today we begin our touring with a visit to the Southern parts of Malta where we discover the iconic Maltese fishing boats in abundance. In Marsaxlokk we find the weekly fish market coupled with local delicacies and souvenirs. Take some time to enjoy this before gathering for a superb fish lunch at one of the local restaurants. After lunch we will head to the villages of Paola and Tarxien to discover a civilization that lived between 5000 and 6000 years ago. Here we discover the above ground Tarxien Temples and the below ground Hypogeum. Our last stop of the day at the Dingli Cliffs - the highest are found in all of the Maltese Islands. Cost for 15 Minimum Paying Passengers is $128 USD and includes transportation, local guide, premium lunch, admission to temple sites and gratuities. DAY 3: Monday, April 25th OPTIONAL: Mdina, The Silent City with Ta' Qali Craft Village, Mosta & Palazzo Parisio Your local guide will help you navigate the beautiful fortified village of Mdina - built up by the Arabs and fortified by the Normans during their respective times in Malta. Lunch suggestions include the panoramic Fontanella Tea Garden or the sumptuous Xara Palace Trattoria. Following lunch, we ll travel to the Ta Qali Craft Village for some shopping with a specific stop at Valletta Glass to see some fine works of art being made right before your eyes. Shortly before World War II, the area was used to build a military aerodrome and a station for the Royal Air Force. Many of the former military huts and buildings have been converted into workshops where Maltese Craftsmen produce their handiwork. We ll make a quaint stop at San Anton Gardens in Attard which is next to the Presidential Palace. Establish by the 54st Grand Master of the Knights of St. John, it serves as a beautiful retreat animals and humans alike.
The city of Mosta is our next stop and it is here where you will discover the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady and its significant connection with World War II. It is here that a German bomb dropped through the rotunda unexploded as parishioners prayed. Based on the Pantheon in Rome, the rotunda or dome is the 3 rd largest in Europe and the 9 th largest in the world. To cap off your day, we journey to Naxxar to Palazzo Parisio and Gardens, an 18th century palace, a treasure trove of delightful artifacts and a beloved family home. Located in the heart of picturesque Naxxar, this stately home is a place of wonder that begs to be explored. After some touring, bask in a High Tea experience before venturing back to the hotels. Cost for 15 Minimum Paying Passengers is $77 USD and includes transportation, guide, gratuities, admission to Palazzo Parisio and High Tea experience. DAY 4: Tuesday, April 26th OPTIONAL: Guided Tour of Valletta - The Capital City Your Guided tour of Valletta (the Capital City) to commence with the movie - The Malta Experience. Stroll down Republic and Merchant Streets to see the old Auberges of the Knights, grand former palaces, the mother church of the Knights of St. John (Knights of Malta) and the gorgeous Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens - offering a magnificent view of the Grand Harbor. Lunch would be on own and I would coordinate to have a licensed guide (the law) tour you around. Cost for 15 Minimum Paying Passengers is $69 USD and includes transportation, local guide, admission to St. John's Co-Cathedral, The Malta Experience Film and all gratuities. DAY 5: Wednesday, April 27th OPTIONAL Village Life and the Majestic Three Cities Your morning begins with an immersion into village life with a stop in Qormi to visit a traditional bakery followed by a taste of a traditional Maltese ftira. Every Mediterranean country has its unique shape and form of bread. They also have their own fillings. The Maltese opt for vegetarian or fish fillings and the bread is a disc-shaped semi flat bread that has a glorious texture. The restaurant that we will be dining in has brought back many of the traditional flavours of Malta right under one roof. The early afternoon will have you visiting the Three Cities. These towns extending towards Valletta and dividing the Grand Harbour into deep inlets, are known historically with different names but those most commonly used today are Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua. The Three Cities were the centre for the Knights of Malta s naval operations and it continued to be an important hive of activity as the base of the British fleet in the Mediterranean. You will discover sites such as the Inquisitor's Palace, significant military forts, and the iconic watchtower. Our last experience on this day is a surprise and has something to do with the Grand Harbour. Cost for 15 Minimum Paying Passengers is $125 USD and includes transportation, local guide, Village Tour and experience in Qormi, Lunch experience in Valletta, touring in the Three Cities, Admission to the Inquisitor's Palace, Grand Harbour experience and all gratuities DAY 6: Thursday, April 28th OPTIONAL: Tour of the Island of Gozo On this day, you will discover Gozo s splendour. Our first stop will be in Marsalforn to see where the production of sea salt has a long tradition and are still in use today. You then travel to a local farm to learn of Gozitan dairy production. You ll have a hands-on opportunity in the collection of goat milk; you only live once! After our farm visit
you will venture to the capital of Gozo for a leisurely walk through the village streets as we witness local people in their daily jobs en route to the Citadel. The Cidadel or Citadella is an area known to have been first fortified during the Bronze Age and later developed by the Phoenicians and continues development until, by Roman times, it had become a complex Acropolis. Up until the 18 th Century, it was the only fortified refuge against attack for the inhabitants of the island. From here, you will experience a Gozitan cheese-making demonstration. The most popular cheese on all of Malta is called Gbejna and the very best comes from Gozo. Enjoy a traditional Gozitan platter lunch at a local restaurant. Like the Italians, Maltese enjoy a good game of bocce or lawn bowling. Join in on some fun at a local bocci club perhaps even have an opportunity to challenge a Gozitan. Lastly there will be a visit to the Ggantija Temples - standing tall and bold as the oldest free standing temple in the world - older than the pyramids by 1000 years. Cost for 15 Minimum Paying Passengers is $196 USD and includes transportation, ferry to Gozo, local guides, experiences, lunch and all gratuities experiences. DAY 7: Friday, April 29th OPTIONAL: Half Day Tour - Northern Malta Head North to St. Paul s Bay, Buggiba, Mgarr and Mellieha. Mgarr is one of the few remaining rural villages in Malta what still has a pronounced agricultural community. The typical rural landscape with terraced fields hosts a variety of interesting features that make this locality unique. The rural village of Mellieha is located in the Northwest part of Malta. Its name is likely to have been derived from the Greek word Melleca meaning honey. Remains of the prehistory, a red painted Tower and the sheltered church courtyard will give a historic dimension to the tour combined with breath taking views overlying the rocky shore. Lunch can be arranged on own in Mellieha. The cost for 15 Minimum Paying Passengers is $25 USD and includes transportation, local guide and gratuities. DAY 8: Saturday, April 30th Depart Malta for Sicily - Ragusa, Noto and Taormina Depart your accommodations for your early morning catamaran ferry to Sicily. Upon arrival at the port of Pozzallo, we will visit the picturesque southwestern Sicilian towns of Ragusa and Notto, part of a larger UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nestled on a hilltop, Ragusa is actually fairly large- 75,000 inhabitants!- and features two distinct halves separated by a deep gorge and connected by four bridges, including one from the 18th century. Noto features beautiful architecture, most notably at the Noto Cathedral. Afterwards, transfer to our centrally located first-class hotel in Taormina. Our first afternoon in Sicily will be for rest and relaxation prior to a Welcome Drink and orientation meeting after dinner. Overnight. (D) Accommodations: The 4 Star Ariston Hotel, Taormina http://www.hotel-ariston.org/ DAY 9: Sunday, May 1st Touring in Taormina A local expert will conduct a half-day sightseeing tour of Taormina, including visits to all of the major attractions and a complete orientation of the city. The unquestioned highlight of the tour will be a visit to the Greek and Roman Theater, situated on the slope of Monte Tauro. From here, we will experience a breathtaking view of the Sicilian landscape, especially Mt. Etna in the distance. Return to the hotel for lunch, and the rest of the day is at leisure. Dinner and overnight are at the hotel. (B, L, D)
DAY 10: Monday, May 2nd Catania and Mount Etna This morning, we will enjoy a half-day tour of beautiful Catania, including the Chapel of St. Agatha in the Cathedral and the Open Air Market. At noontime, we will partake of a typical vintner s lunch including a wine tasting. This afternoon s excursion will take us halfway up Mt. Etna, the largest volcano in all of Europe. This active volcano affords a fascinating sightseeing tour. The topography and flora will change dramatically as we ascend the mountain for a spectacular view of Taormina and surrounding Sicily. Return to Taormina for dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at our hotel. (B, L, D). DAY 11: Tuesday, May 3rd Siracusa We are off on a full day excursion to Siracusa, a spectacular city along the southeastern coast that has the largest concentration of Greek ruins outside of Greece! At one time, Siracusa was the biggest, wealthiest city in all of Europe. In the Archaeological Zone, we will see the ancient amphitheater and colosseum, which date back to the 5 th century BC. Enjoy a pizza lunch in Siracusa. We will also see the colorful harbor and the Church of the Weeping Madonna. Return to Taormina for dinner at a local restaurant. (B, L, D) DAY 12: Wednesday, May 4th Tinardi and Milazzo Today we'll leave Taormina for a full-day excursion to Tindari and Milazzo. During today s tour, we will stop in the ancient city of Tindari for visit to the Sanctuary of the Black Madonna, and travel along the coast to Milazzo where we will enjoy a guided tour and visit a local ceramics factory to learn first-hand about the Italian art of making exquisite ceramics. Return to our hotel in Taormina for dinner. (B, L, D) DAY 13: Thursday, May 5th Messina We will drive north along the spectacular east coast of Sicily to Messina for a city tour. We will experience a visit to the Duomo to see its fabulous mosaics. The Duomo is also famous for its clock tower, with moving statues that activate with a playing of Ave Maria at noontime each day. Enjoy a view across to Calabria on the Italian mainland. In the afternoon we will tour Savoca and Forza d Agro to see the locations used in the filming of The Godfather movies including the wedding church and Bar Vitelli. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, L, D) DAY 14: Friday, May 6th Taormina to Siderno After breakfast and hotel check-out, we ll transfer to the ferry in Messina to cross the Straits of Messina into Calabria. Once on the mainland, we will head north to our next hotel base in seaside Siderno. Dinner and overnight in Siderno. (B,D) Accommodations: The 4 Star Hotel President, Siderno http://www.grandhotelpresident.com/ DAY 15: Saturday, May 7th Locri and Gerace Following breakfast at the hotel we will board our motor coach and head out on a full day of sightseeing which will begin at the Archaeological Park in the ancient Greek City of Locri Epizephiri. Part of our guided tour will be of the excavations of the Marasà Temple. Around noon today, a local family will host a typical Calbrese lunch for us to enjoy. Later this afternoon, we will tour the medieval hilltop town of Gerace including the Romanesque-Norman Cathedral and the Church of St. Francis, with its beautiful inlaid marble altar. We will also have some leisure time to
stroll the narrow streets of this old world town. Later this evening we will return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D) DAY 16: Sunday, May 8th Reggio Calabria, Scilla and Chianalea Today we will drive to the center of Reggio Calabria for a guided followed by a visit to the Palazzo Campanella, which is the current home to the famous "Bronzes of Riace" - two bronze statues that date from the 5th century BC. Then we will continue to Scilla, stop at impressive Medieval Castle, which dominates the Straits of Messina. Stop for lunch in Scilla and in the afternoon we will visit "Chianalea" the colorful fisherman's district. We will return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D) DAY 17: Monday, May 9th Stilo and Bergamotto Start the day off with a morning excursion to the town of Stilo, one of Italy's most interesting Byzantine center. Our visit includes a tour of the Byzantine-era temple, La Cattolica di Stilo, dating from the 10th century AD. Lunch and wine tasting will be enjoyed at Cantine Lavorata. In the afternoon, we ll continue to Roccella Jonica and we will visit a plantation of Bergamotto and we will enjoy a tasting. Return to the hotel to prepare for our special Calabrese dinner with traditional folklore entertainment, including that colourful Southern Italian icon - the "Dance of the Tarantella". (B,L,D) DAY 18: Tuesday, May 10th Tropea and Martina Franca, Puglia Following breakfast, we'll check out of our rooms and then board our motor coach, en route to Martina Franca and the province of Puglia. We will make our first stop in this quaint seaside town of Tropea for a guided tour of the city s center and the Duomo as well as an included lunch. Afterwards we will continue our drive to Martina Franca where we will check in at our hotel for the remainder of the trip. Dinner and overnight. (B,L,D) Accommodations: The Four Star San Michele Hotel in Martina Franca http://www.parkhotelsanmichele.it/en DAY 19: Wednesday, May 11th Castellana Grotto & Caverns and Alberobello This morning we'll take an excursion to the Castellana Grotto and Caverns, a fantastic underground world carved out of limestone with strikingly transparent stalactites and stalagmites. Lunch will be enjoyed at Masseria PRIORE. In the afternoon, we are off to the UNESCO World Heritage Organization site of Alberobello to see the famous "Trulli of Alberobello"- curious cone-shaped houses that take us back to a simpler time of country life long ago. Enjoy dinner at our hotel. (B,L,D) DAY 20: Thursday, May 12th Lecce and Otranto After breakfast this morning join our included full-day excursion to Lecce and Otranto which includes a walking tour with a local guide. Lecce is a magnificent town known for its rich baroque architecture and the Roman ruins of the grand Amphitheatre, which dates back to 200AD. The town is often referred to as the Florence of the south, so why not take a seat in one of Lecce s beautiful piazzas and watch the world go by. We will continue to Cantine Menhir for a lunch and wine tasting. In the afternoon we will visit Otranto where you ll hear tales of Crusaders, pilgrims and traders as this was once a thriving port and the last of the Byzantine towns to fall to the Normans. Explore the cathedral and climb the turrets of the 15th century castle. Later this afternoon, arrive back to our hotel, for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)
DAY 21: Friday, May 13th Matera After breakfast we will drive to Matera - one of southern Italy's most unusual towns. We will met our local guide and walk until we reach Piazzetta Pascoli which provides a breathtaking view over the Sasso Caveoso and highland plateau of the Murgia and Palazzo Lanfranchi. The tour continues through the heart of the ancient dwellings and nobile homes in the Sassi towards the church of Saint Peter Caveoso. Enjoy a visit to a typical cave-dwelling, partly carved out of the rock and partly built, and furnished as it used to be during the peasant civilization. We will then continue on to Masseria Torre Spagnola for a wine tasting lunch. (B,L,D) DAY 22: Saturday, May 14th Martina Franca to Bari Airport - Rome - Home This morning after breakfast, we'll check out of our hotel and head to the Bari Airport for our flight to Rome and then onto the US. (B) Tour Inclusions Optional Tours in Malta at a cost as outlined in the itinerary 6 Night Stay at the Ariston Hotel in Taormina 4 Night Stay at the Hotel President in Siderno 4 Night Stay at the San Michele Hotel in Martina Franca 14 Breakfasts, 11 Lunches, 14 Dinners Airport transfer to the Bari Airport Tour Manager for the Southern Italy tour Local guides in different regions in Southern Italy Entrance fees to attractions as noted in the itinerary 1/4 liter wine and 1/2 liter mineral water with meals in Italy Tour Exclusions International Airfare Meals not indicated in the itinerary Entrance fees for attractions not included in the itinerary Gratuity for the driver and guide on days in Southern Italy Ferry from Malta to Sicily. The cost is projected at 67 Euros. Rates and schedule forthcoming. The bookings will be handled by MAXIMA Tours. We will require photo copies of passports. Tour Cost SINGLE - $3548 USD *Rate for payment by check. A 2% charge will be added for credit card payments DOUBLE - $2949 USD A deposit of $750 USD is to be made at time of booking with MAXIMA Tours Final payment to be made by February 1st, 2016