Splendors of Sicily

Palermo, Villa Igiea Hilton:
For more than a century, the Villa Igiea Hilton, one of the most famous buildings in Sicily and in Italy, has stood on a privileged location overlooking the Sea of Palermo. Created by the family Florio, it marks a moment of architectural splendor in the cultural life of the people of Palermo.

The 116 rooms and suites are spacious, each with a direct line telephone, color TV, mini-bar, radio and adjustable air-conditioning. You will have a deluxe sea-view room. The hotel has a beautiful stone vaulted ceiling lounge and bar, where live piano is played until midnight. The restaurant Bella Epofue serves Sicilian and international dishes. Guests have at their disposal a magnificent swimming-pool with sea water, a tennis court, water sports and the Jasmine Garden.
Categories:
Select – Deluxe Rooms
Grand – Senior Suite

Mazara del Vallo, Kempinski Hotel Giardino di Costanza:
City of sun, sea and culture, Mazara del Vallo is one of the main destinations in Western Sicily. In the heart of Sicilian countryside, the resort offers the ideal balance between ancient and modern, simplicity and extravagance.

The Kempinski Hotel Giardino di Costanza recalls the traditional architecture of the area within the natural element of the surrounding olive groves and vineyards. Its extensive park grounds are inspired by Arabian gardens with fountains, gazebos and water features. With the Mediterranean Sea at the back door, there is a constant source of fresh seafood for the splendid restaurant.

Grand Superior Rooms are located on the first floor, and include a terrace and large sitting area, overlooking the lush inner garden with pools and fountains. Junior Suites include an open sky terrace with Jacuzzi, king size bed, large sitting area and overlook the picturesque landscape with olive groves and vineyards.
Categories:
Select – Grand Superior Rooms
Grand – Junior Suites

Siracusa, Grand Hotel Des Etrangers:
The prestigious Grand Hotel Des Etrangers is located in the historical center, in the heart of Ortigia, and faces the sea. The hotel is close to the Spring of Arethusa and only 150 meters from the Cathedral. The hotel has 70 rooms and 10 suites and a panoramic roof garden restaurant with breathtaking view on the coast. Room facilities include air conditioning, cable television, direct dial telephone mini-bar, hair dryer, safe- deposit box and internet connection.
Categories:
Select – Seaview rooms
Grand – Seaview Junior Suites

Taormina, San Domenico Palace Hotel:
The San Domenico, in the citadel’s historic heart, has hosted history’s luminaries amid the entrancing charms of its ancient surroundings. Built on the site of a 15th-century monastery, the San Domenico Palace Hotel still conserves the original structure. It frames a scene of rare beauty, which sweeps from the ancient Greek Theatre to the peak of Mount Etna.

A stay at the San Domenico is an irresistibly pleasurable experience. The warm sunshine, bright colors of Sicily and the fresh fragrances of nature, make your thoughts wander to the history and secret memories that this old monastery preserves.

Grand Hotel Deluxe sea-view rooms have a breathtaking view of the Bay of Taormina. Sea-view Junior Suites offer an open space bedroom with sitting area and a large and comfortable terrace overlooking the stunning Taormina Bay.
Categories:
Select - Grand Hotel Seaview Rooms
Grand – Junior Suites

DAYS 1 - 3, Palermo, Italy
Arrive in Palermo and stroll through your hotel’s fragrant jasmine gardens or enjoy spectacular sunset views of the Mediterranean from your room. Wander Palermo’s streets, admiring the blending of styles that mark its progression from a significant medieval city to a model of Baroque architecture to today’s dynamic and vibrant distillation of old and new. Also visit the 12th-century Cathedral of Monreale and admire its beautiful display of mosaics.

DAYS 4 and 5, Segesta, Sciacca and Selihunte
Explore Segesta, an abandoned ancient city located in the province of Trapani. Continue to the beautiful Phoenician and Hellenistic town of Erice, dedicated to Aphrodite. On Day 5 travel to Selinunte, an abandoned ancient Greek city, with ruins of an acropolis and numerous temples that overlook the Mediterranean Sea. Selinunte's glorious zenith lasted for a period of about two centuries, when it was one of the most progressive Greek cities in Sicily, famous throughout Magna Grecia.

DAY 6, Agrigento and Siracusa Explore the classical city of Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples, erected in the 5th century B.C. as a testimony to the city’s prosperity. View the most complex collection of Roman mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale. Siracusa’s old town, the legendary Greek home of Archimedes, is situated on the island of Ortigia. Magnificent remnants of ancient Siracusa surround us as we take an expert-guided walk, discovering the rich history and tides of conquest that have shaped this city.

DAYS 7 - 10, Siracusa, Taormina and Depart for Home
Ancient Siracusa was a Greek city that flourished from 733 until 211 B.C. when it was conquered by Rome. The highlight of your visit to Siracusa will be the archaeological park, including the ruins of the Teatro Greco, built in the 5th century B.C., where the great dramatist Aeschylus staged plays. Then proceed to Taormina. With its fabulous position high on the rocky plateau opposite dramatic Mount Etna, it is considered one of the world’s most picturesque resort cities. German poet Johann Wolfgang Goethe described this place as “a strip of paradise on the earth” and it was a favorite resort of the 19th-century English aristocracy. On Day 8 take a funicular ride to the top of Mt. Etna, Sicily’s tallest peak and Europe’s tallest active volcano. Later, a walking tour will reveal the fine pa laces that dot the old town center. The highlight of your tour is a visit to the Greek Theater, built just before the Roman occupation of Sicily. On Day 9 drive to Messina to board a ferry and cruise across the Straits of Messina to Reggio di Calabria in mainland Italy. This small town of less than two hundred inhabitants is surrounded by rich groves of olives, vines and citrus trees. In fact, half of the world’s production of Bergamot comes from the region. Your destination is the National Archeological Museum, famed for its mysterious bronze warriors. The two Riace Warriors are notable for their remarkable expressive features, enhanced by the mixed media used in the detail of their eyes; ivory and limestone corneas, vitreous pupils and silver eyelashes. On Day 10 you will be transferred to the airport in Catania for your flight back home or to your next destination.

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
5/30/2012 - 6/8/2012	$7,595
6/13/2012 - 6/22/2012	$7,595
9/13/2012 - 9/22/2012	$7,595
10/10/2012 - 10/19/2012	$7,595
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

See the active volcano site of Mt. Etna

Explore Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples

View the world’s largest collection of mosaic art at the Cathedral of Monreale

Ferry across the Strait of Messina to Reggio Calabria on mainland Italy to admire the mysterious bronze Riace Statues

All tour prices are per person, in US dollars, based on double occupancy.

2011 Single Supplement $1,795

2012 Single Supplement $1,890

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