ODISSEA ITALIANA TOUR II
17 DAY/ 16 ROME • AMALFI COAST & SICILY
4 STAR HOTELS • SUNDAY DEPARTURES
………………………ROME • NAPLES • POMPEII • SORRENTO • CAPRI •
…………………….PALERMO • ERICE • MARSALA • AGRIGENTO • CATANIA • NAPLES • TAORMINA (GIARDINI NAXOS) •
INCLUSIONS:
- TRANSPORT BY DELUXE MOTOR COACH
- MULTILINGUAL TOUR-ESCORT
- ACCOMMODATION IN 4* STAR HOTEL
- AMERICAN BUFFET BREAKFAST DAILY
- MEALS AS PER ITINERARY
- PANORAMIC VISITS AS PER ITINERARY
- ARRIVAL TRANSFER FCO/CIA AIRPORTS TO HOTEL IN ROME
- 9 DINNERS (DRINKS NOT INCLUDED)
- SERVICE CHARGES AND TAXES INCLUDED
- GROUND TRANSPORTATION BY AIR-CONDITIONED MOTOR COACH
- MONOLINGUAL ESCORTED TOUR (ENGLISH)
- SIGHTSEEING AS INDICATED IN THE ITINERARY
- ENGLISH SPEAKING LOCAL GUIDES
- THE TOUR IS EQUIPPED WITH PROFESSIONAL HEADSET SYSTEM
NOT INCLUDED:
- TIPS, DRINKS, PORTAGE, EXTRAS
- EVERYTHING THAT IS NOT MENTIONED UNDER “INCLUSIONS”
ITINERARY:
DAY 1 – ROME
Benvenuti a roma! After you touch down at the airport, make your own way to your hotel. Check in and enjoy your first night in Italy.
DAY 2 – ROME
After breakfast at your hotel, a coach bus will depart at 7:00am, taking the highway “of the sun”through the regions of Lazio and Campania, where you will see a picturesque view of the abbey of Montecassino. Upon arriving in Naples, you will go on a short panoramic walking tour, seeing si- tes such as the Mergellina neighborhood, castel dell’ovo, Plebiscito square, the Royal palace, Maschio Angioino, and the port. Have lunch in a restaurant en route to Pompeii and then visit the excavations of the famous roman city, destroyed by the eruption of mount Vesuvius in 79 a.D. Leaving Pompeii, you will drive along the Sorrentine coast, arriving in Sorrento for dinner and an overnight in your new hotel.
DAY 3 – ROME/ ASSISI/ SIENA/ FLORENCE
Board a boat for the island of Capri after breakfast. Depending on weather and sea conditions, you will enter the infamous blue grotta in a small rowboat. After, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then roam the island at your own pace. Return to the mainland for dinner and your last overnight in Sorrento.
DAY 4 –
Spend a leisurely morning eating breakfast at your hotel and then exploring Sorrento. That afternoon, depart for Naples harbor, where you will board the Tirrenia/Snav ferry to Palermo. Let the waves rock you to sleep. Please note, dinner and breakfast are not included on the boat.
DAY 5 – PALERMO
Arrive in Palermo and check in to your hotel before spending the day at your own leisure. Come back to your hotel for dinner and your first overnight in Sicily.
DAY 6 – PALERMO
Relax over breakfast, and then head out on a morning excursion to Monreale an ancient royal town famous for its almonds, olive oil and citrus fruits, as well as its fine Norman architecture. Visit the elaborate Cathedral of Monreale or perhaps shop for local produce to take home. Back to Palermo and continue with a walking tour of the city. Wander the streets of the Old Town, hearing tales of Palermo’s 3,000-year history and discovering attractions like Palermo Cathedral. Walk inside the impressive-looking place of worship and marvel at its arches, cupolas and mosaics – amassed from each of the city’s successive rulers. Enjoy free time in the late afternoon and return to your hotel for dinner. Overnight.
DAY 7 – PALERMO/ERICE/MARSALA/AGRIGENTO
Rise early for breakfast and departure to Erice, a medieval village stacked into the side of Monte San Giuliano. Many say that little has changed in the village since the sixth century, and its labyrinth-like twist of lanes make for a pleasant morning amble.Continue to Marsala, a pretty coastal town on the westernmost point of Sicily. Explore at leisure, perhaps shopping for a bottle of local Marsala dessert wine to take home. Return to your coach and travel south, passing Mazara del Vallo – the closest Sicilian city to Africa – before stopping in the town of Agrigento, your final destination of the day. Visit Ancient Greek monuments and ruins at the Valley of Temples(admission included), a UNESCO World Heritage site, and learn about archeological relics like the Classical Temple of Concord the Temple of Hercules, and the Temple of Jupiter, one of the largest Doric-style buildings. Check in to your hotel in the evening. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 8 – AGRIGENTO/NOTO/SIRACUSA/TAORMINA (GIARDINI NAXOS)
Breakfast at the hotel and travel to Noto, a picturesque fishing town that’s popular for its stately Baroque architecture. Visit Cathedral of San Nicolò, a recently renovated structure, and then stretch your legs on a walk around the center. Continue along the south coast to Syracuse, on Sicily’s southeastern tip. Visit Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, Syracuse’s famous archeological zone that’s home to a vast collection of Greek and Roman ruins from all over Sicily. Head inside to see impressive excavations such as the Greek theater, Roman amphitheater and the Ear of Dionysius – an artificial limestone cave. After the visit, cross one of the city’s bridges for a visit to the island of Ortygia, home to a wealth of Baroque churches and medieval palaces. In the late afternoon arrive in Taormina, check in to your hotel and enjoy dinner.
DAY 9 – TAORMINA (GARDINI NAXOS)
Eat breakfast at your hotel and then head off to Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe and one of the highest mountain in Italy. If the weather cooperates, you will have a chance to climb to the summit (1800 m). After, return to Taormina, the beautiful and romantic town located on Mount Tauro. Relax over dinner and then get some well deserved rest.
DAY 10 – TAORMINA (GARDINI NAXOS)/ SAVOCA/ FORZA D’ARGO/ CATANIA
Afater breakfast travel to Savoca and Forza D’Agrò a pretty hillside villages where Francis Ford Coppola filmed some of the immortal scenes of Godfather’s trilogy . A visit for lovers of this movie but also even if you aren’t a fan, this stop is a fascinating way to visit these unspoiled and typical Sicilian hill towns a real insight into the island and the heart of its people. A stop for a lemon granita at Bar Vitelli is a must for any visitor in town. It is still run by the family who owned it at the time of filming and exhibits a collection of photos taken when Francis Ford Coppola shot some scenes of The Godfather II. We also leave you time to explore further and really soak up the atmosphere of this hidden, not-for-tourists Sicilian hilltown. Everything here is just like in the movie. After the visit depart to Catania. Afternoon free time to explore Catania’s UNESCO-listed historical center with his Baroque palaces and Roman ruins. See Piazza Dante and the Fountain of the Elephant, carved from volcanic rock. Dinner at the hotel and overnight.
DAY 11 – CATANIA
Enjoy one final breakfast before the tour comes to an end.
Ask your representative about special discounts on additional nights prior or after your tour and/or inquire about including a departure transfer.
NOTE: 1) Participants must bring with them only 1 piece of luggage (which will be stowed in the bottom compartment of the coach bus, during check-in and check-out from accommodation) Only one carry-on or purse is permitted on board. 2) In Sorrento, when dinner included in the program, we highly recommend to wear long trousers, in order to be admitted to the restaurant hall.
Select Sunday Departure(s)
MONTH (2016)
APRIL 25
MAY 09 23
JUNE 06 20
JULY 04 18
AUGUST 01 15
SEPTEMBER 12 26
OCTOBER 10
SUNDAY DEPARTURES from MAY 17, 2015 to OCTOBER 18, 2015:
*Please call for more info – rates are being updated.
DOUBLE: Based on 2 adults sharing one room (1 Queen/King -OR- 2 Individual Single/Twin Beds as per clients request)
TRIPLE: Based on 3 persons sharing one room (1 Queen with 1 Single Bed OR 3 Individual single beds as per clients request, confirmed at the time of booking)
SINGLE: Based on 1 person sharing the room (1 Single Individual bed OR 1 Double Bed depending on availability)
Hotels used on Tour or Similar
ROME: HOTEL MEDITERRANEO, OXFORD OR MORGANA 4*
SORRENTO: HOTEL GRAN VESUVIUS, CAPODIMONTE 4*
PALERMO: HOTEL MERCURE, 4*
AGRIGENTO: HOTEL DELLA VALLE 4*
TAORMINA: HOTEL VILLA DIODORO 4*
TAORMINA: HOTEL PRINCIPE 4*
Hotels listed are based on availability, and are confirmed at the time of booking.
Terms & Conditions:
Terms and conditions apply as published catalog tour. Click here for full booking details, policies and terms and conditions.