DAY 1

Arrive at Palermo airport (it is also possible to fly in to Catania airport, reversing the direction of the tour), where you will be welcomed by a Sicilissimo Incoming representative.Bus transfer and time to settle in at your hotel in the Palermo area.Welcome cocktail (depending on what time you arrive at the hotel, the cocktail may also be offered the following day), dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 2

PALERMO – MONREALE – CEFALÙ

After breakfast, the day is dedicated to visiting Palermo (Sicily's capital) and Monreale.Visit Monreale Cathedral - the cathedral of William II of Sicily - whose walls are totally covered with beautiful Byzantine-style mosaics depicting scenes from the Bible and the Gospel.Travel to Palermo and explore the old town.Visit the church known as the "Martorana" or "Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio"(*), a Greek-Orthodox church with Norman origins built by the admiral Giorgio d'Antiochia in 1143. The interior, which is decorated in a mixture of Byzantine and Baroque styles, contains beautiful mosaics.Visit Palermo Cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The cathedral was constructed on top of an ancient basilica that had been converted into a mosque by the Arabs, and reflects the various architectural styles that were present in Sicily from the 12th to the 19th century.The relics of Saint Rosalia, the patron saint of the city, lie in a chapel inside the church.Visit the "Capo" (or "Vucciria") market, where even today the colours and sounds bring to mind ancient Arab markets. Admire the outside of the Teatro Massimo.Return to the hotel for lunch.In the afternoon, visit Cefalù, a medieval city which is still an active fishing village.Walk along the main street, Corso Ruggero, to the Piazza del Duomo where you can see several interesting buildings such as the Convent of Santa Caterina, now the town hall, and the 18th-century Palazzo Vescovile.In this square you can find the Duomo (Cathedral), one of the most important buildings from the Norman period.Inside, the large apse is entirely covered with a majestic depiction of Christ Pantocrator.Heading down towards Via Vittorio Emanuele, we reach the medieval (Arab-Norman) wash house, carved into the rock.Continue towards ​​Capo d'Orlando or Milazzo.Dinner and overnight stay.

(*) as of today, September 2011, the church is closed for restoration works.

DAY 3

LIPARI – PANAREA – STROMBOLI

After breakfast, set off for the port and board for the crossing to Lipari.Settle in at the hotel for lunch.In the afternoon, take a public ferry to the island of Panarea.The first stop will be the marvellous Calajunco Bay.Afterwards, stop at the port of San Pietro in Panarea (around 50 minutes).Board the boat to sail between the islands of:Lisca Bianca, Bottaro, Basiluzzo, and Spinazzola.Continue towards Stromboli, sailing along the coast of Ginostra, a small fishing village with around 45 inhabitants, then on towards the Sciara del Fuoco and Strombolicchio before finally arriving at the port of Scari (Stromboli) to visit the small village.Return to Sciara del Fuoco to admire Stromboli as it erupts. Return to Lipari at around 10:00 pm.Dinner on board with macaroni or grilled seafood, with a quarter litre of local wine and half a litre of mineral water included.Return to the hotel for an overnight stay.

DAY 4

VULCANO – LIPARI

After breakfast, take a public ferry to Vulcano.The first stop will be at the Faraglioni rock stacks and the Grotta degli Angeli.This will be followed by a stop at the Grotta del Cavallo and the Piscina di Venere (Cave of the Horse and Pool of Venus).Continue towards Gelso (a small fishing village) and the small port of Vulcano (Porto di Levante), with a visit to the village and the possibility of bathing in the famous healing mud baths (entrance fee payable on-site).Return to Lipari for lunch at the hotel.In the afternoon, visit the island itself. It was once the trading hub for obsidian, and it remains the world's major pumice producer to this day.Return to the hotel for an overnight stay.

DAY 5

ETNA – TAORMINA

After breakfast, set off for the port of Lipari and board for the crossing to Milazzo.Continue with a visit to Mount Etna, Europe's highest active volcano.Take the bus up to 1,800 metres and tour the inactive Silvestri craters.Depending on the arrival time and the weather conditions, it may be possible to climb up to 2,800 metres to the Torre del Filosofo (fee of around €52.50 payable on-site).Lunch followed by a visit to Taormina, an ancient Greek city on Mount Tauro and today a sophisticated tourist destination known around the world.Free time to visit the Greek-Roman theatre, which offers a superb panorama of the gulf all the way to Calabria and Mount Etna.Return to your hotel in the ​​Catania/Syracuse area for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 6

SYRACUSE - NOTO

After breakfast, we set off for Syracuse, an ancient Greek city and hometown of the great Archimedes.Visit the archaeological area of ​​Syracuse (the ancient Greek Neapolis), where you will see: the magnificent Greek theatre dating back to the 5th century BC, the Roman amphitheatre, the Latomie del Paradiso (ancient stone quarries) surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation, and the legendary man-made cave called the "Ear of Dionysus".Continue with a visit to Ortigia, the historic centre of Syracuse. There you can see the remains of the Temple of Apollo, and a beautiful square which houses several Baroque buildings (the old Senate building, the Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco, and the Palazzo Arcivescovile) as well as the city's cathedral, built on an ancient Doric temple dedicated to Athena and boasting a beautiful Baroque facade.During your visit, stroll through the picturesque streets of the old Spanish quarter, full of Baroque palaces, churches, and magnificent wrought iron balconies.Lunch.In the afternoon, we leave for Noto, one of the most beautiful Baroque cities on the island.The ancient city was completely destroyed by a devastating earthquake in 1693, and the new city was completely rebuilt in a Baroque style from the beginning of the 18th century onwards.Stroll around the city to explore its most beautiful churches: the cathedral, the Church of San Francesco, the Church of San Carlo, and the facades of the beautiful palaces which once belonged to the aristocracy, among which the Palazzo Nicolaci is a particular highlight.Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 7

AGRIGENTO

Breakfast at the hotel.Visit the archaeological site of the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, an incredibly beautiful and harmonious architectural complex that lives on to this day thanks to the craftsmanship of the Greeks.Visit the religious quarter of the ancient Greek city of Akragas to admire the remains of the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Concordia (one of the best preserved temples from all antiquity), and the ruins of the Temple of Hercules and the Temple of Castor and Pollux.Lunch and free time at the beach.Continue on to the province of Palermo, and settle in at the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 8

Breakfast at the hotel.Bus transfer to the airport.End of our tour.