Discover Southeastern Sicily through history and culture immersed in emotions that evoke other times. Walking among the Sicilian Baroque cities means immersing yourself in a world of majestic churches, sumptuous palaces, and harmonious squares. A journey to the heart of Baroque is a fascinating experience among art, history, and timeless beauty.
8 days / 7 nights from Catania to Catania
Sicilian baroque of Val di Noto UNESCO World Heritage
Catania and Acireale
Siracusa and Island of Ortigia
Modica and Ragusa
Excursion on Etna and Taormina
Wine and sicilian food tasting
Arrival at Catania airport. Transfer and free time.
Breakfast, departure for the tour of Catania: the Cathedral and its Duomo square, the baroque Crociferi street, the Collegiate Church, the area of the Convent of the Benedictines and the typical Fish Market (the Pescheria). The excursion continues with the visit to the villages on the Ionian coast of Catania where you will enjoy the wonderful view of the Faraglioni in Acitrezza. They are famous basaltic crags which, according to legend, Polyphemus, who had been blinded, launched against Ulysses during his flight. We will go on to Acireale, the cradle of baroque: the Churches of Saint Sebastian, Saints Peter and Paul and the Cathedral are the pride of this Ionian town.
Breakfast, departure to Siracusa, the largest and most beautiful Greek colony in Sicily. You will visit the archeological park of Neapolis, the island of Ortigia with its famous Arethusa Fountain and the impressive Ear of Dionysius (with its acoustics that produces extraordinary effects). You can enjoy the wonderful view of Ortigia with a boat trip around the island (optional). In the afternoon you will go to Noto, declared UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its enormous artistic heritage and cradle of the Baroque in Sicily.
Breakfast, departure for the sightseeing of the old fisherman village of Marzamemi, During the road where you visit the Roman Villa of Tellaro. The Villa of Tellaro is famous and similar to the Villa at Piazza Armerina. The villa was owned by a Roman emperor and today is a museum which displays beautiful mosaics and ceramics. The village of Marzamemi was built near the shore and later became an important fishing port in Sicily for tuna fishing. Marzamemi dates back to the time of the domination of the Arabs in Sicily. After the morning sightseeing, we will go to an Sicilian farm house/winery for a wine tasting and enjoy a tipicaly Sicilian food
Breakfast, walking tour of Scicli, were you can admire the typical sicilian Barocco, the churches of St. Matthew and St. Bartholomew, unique in their style. The visit to continues to Modica, also called "the town of laces" because its refined decorated buildings and its baroque churches. Striking the Church of San Giorgio, with a steep flight of 250 steps and a beautiful facade, as well as the Cathedral of St. Peter, the Capuchin Monastery and Mercedari Palace. Worth a visit the "Dolcerie", famous for the typical chocolate of Modica. In the afternoon transfer to Ragusa, a town of eighteenth-century mark with many magnificent buildings: the Cathedral of St. John, Cosentini and Bertini Palaces, the Portal of St. George, important examples of Baroque architecture.
Breakfast, in the morning departure for the visit of the Palazzolo Acreide is a charming little jewel of baroque architecture which strangely is outside the usual tourist routes. This quiet town also boasts one of the most interesting (and less publicized) sites of ancient ruins. The original medieval city is abandoned after the earthquake of 1693 and the new Palazzolo was built in the shadow of the ancient Greek colony and Akrai. In the afternoon transfer to Caltagirone, famous for the production of artistic ceramics and filled with baroque buildings. The old center, rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake, is connected to the lower part of the city by a suggestive 'staircase' of 142 steps decorated with colored majolica tiles.
Breakfast, departure for the excursion to Mount Etna, the highest volcano in Europe, a real giant that dominates and "protects" Eastern Sicily. Climbing to an altitude of 2,000 m. above sea level, along roads crossing ancient eruptions of lava, you will enjoy the breathtaking view of the Ionian coast of Sicily. You can climb to the summit craters to a height of 3,000 m. above sea level by means of a cableway and a Jeep (optional excursion). In the afternoon transfer to Taormina to take a walk along its charming little streets. This wonderful town was founded in the fourth century B.C. by the Siculi on Tauro mount. It then became a prosperous Greek town which eventually fell under the rule of Rome. The most famous monument is the theatre, which dates back to III century B.C. It is an archaeological heritage of inestimable value and it is a place of incomparable and suggestive scenic beauty.
Breakfast, free time until transfer to Catania airport
