Southern Italy & Sicily featuring Taormina, Matera and the Amalfi Coast

What's Included

• Welcome Dinner

  Join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner featuring authentic Sicilian cuisine.

• Guided Tour of Monreale Cathedral

  Visit hilltop Monreale and ascend on foot to its 12th-century cathedral for a guided tour of its majestic Byzantine mosaics.

• Farmhouse Lunch in Cefalù

  Experience seaside Cefalù and Sicilian hospitality during a farmhouse lunch.

• Visit to Valley of the Temples

  Step back 25 centuries and delve into ancient Greek history for a visit to the stunning Valley of the Temples.

• Tour of Villa Romana del Casale

  Explore the ancient Villa Romana del Casale with an expert insider for a locally guided tour of its impressive mosaics.

• Winery Tour and Tasting

  Wander through the twisting vines of a local winery before touring the cellar for a tasting.

• Visit to Sassi di Matera

  Explore the Sassi di Matera, an ancient settlement of carved cave dwellings, with a local guide.

• Buffalo Dairy Farm Visit

  Savor freshly made mozzarella cheese during a visit to a buffalo dairy farm.

• Sailing along the Amalfi Coast

  Take in the sights and colors of the Mediterranean Sea as you sail along the initial stretch of the breathtaking Amalfi Coast.

• Guided Tour of Pompeii

  Experience the excavated ruins of Pompeii with a local guide for an in-depth look into this 2,000-year-old Roman town.

• Farewell Dinner in Rome

  Celebrate the end of your journey with a delightful farewell dinner in a local restaurant.

What's Not Included

• Optional Mount Etna Offroad Adventure

  The off-road adventure to Mount Etna is optional and not included in the main tour package.
  
  

• Optional Alberobello Tour

  The tour to Alberobello's whimsical trulli homes is optional and not included in the main tour package.
  
  

• Optional Sicilian Dinner with Musical Accompaniment

  The Sicilian dinner with musical accompaniment is optional and not included in the main tour package.
  
  

• Gratuities for Optional Excursions

  Gratuities for drivers and guides during optional excursions are not included.
  
  

Experiences

Stand in awe before the ancient Greek theatre in Taormina.Experience seaside Cefalù and Sicilian hospitality during a farmhouse lunch.Journey to Positano village, the pearl of the Amalfi Coast.

Options

Giardini Naxos: Mount Etna Offroad Adventure See Sicily’s wilder side on an off-road adventure to Mount Etna. Stare up at the iconic peak as your vehicle climbs along the sides of Europe’s largest active volcano. Spend a half-day exploring this legendary giant, passing by lava formations and basalt rocks before returning to your hotel in Giardini Naxos. Duration approximately 5 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 15 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.

This option must be booked no later than 30 days prior to departure. Please note: you will reach an elevation of approximately 6,500 feet (2,000 meters) above sea level.
Gratuities for your driver and nature-guide are not included in the price of this optional excursion. We recommend tipping $2-3 US Dollars (or equivalent in local currency) per person.

Matera: Alberobello's Fanciful Trulli Journey to Puglia, Italy’s bread-basket region. In the company of an expert local guide, explore fanciful Alberobello, a whimsical, UNESCO-protected city that hosts a collection of cone-shaped trulli homes. Enjoy some free time to meander through a labyrinth of these gnomish houses, sometimes featuring symbols with superstitious connotations before returning to Matera in the early evening. Duration approximately 4 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 10 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.




Giardini Naxos: The Flavors of Sicily Linger over an exquisite four-course meal while traditional Sicilian melodies fill the air. Join us on your free evening for an unforgettable dinner at a popular local restaurant. Your evening begins with a typical Italian antipasto and continues with a variety of local specialties and fine Sicilian wines. Delight in the lively music performed by talented local musicians who are sure to have you clapping and singing along. Sit back and savor the flavors of Sicily during a fun-filled evening with true Italian ambiance and local cuisine. Duration approximately 2.5 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 15 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.


Gratuities are included.

Culinaries

Indulge in a delicious regional dinner inside a winery's agriturismo restaurant.Tour a vineyard and cellar located in the badlands of Basilicata, Matera’s region.Savor freshly made mozzarella cheese during a visit to a buffalo dairy farm.

Must See

Behold the glittering mosaics of Monreale's Cathedral.Journey to the Sassi di Matera, known for its cave dwellings.Experience the excavated ruins of Pompeii at the foothills of Mount Vesuvius.

Choice Highlights

Palermo Palermo is the regional capital of Sicily with nearly a million inhabitants. The history of the city’s many rulers is on full display through the architecture of the monumental palaces, theaters and churches. Arabs, Normans and Spanish have all called the city home and left their mark on the people, their culture and food. The city is full of vibrant markets, lively eateries and bustling piazzas just waiting to be explored.

Monreale Monreale is famous for its Norman Cathedral that is covered with nearly 70,000 square feet of gold-leaf mosaics. The church was built in the 12th century by the Norman King William II. The mosaics depict stories of the Old Testament and the life stories of Saints Peter and Paul. The church is a national monument and highlight of any trip to Sicily.

Cefalù Cefalù is a small seaside resort built along the north shore of Sicily. As one approaches Cefalù they will be struck by the large rock (known as the “Rocco”) that looms over the city. The town started as a small fishing village around an excellent harbor at the base of the Rocco. Later it took on greater importance when the Norman King Roger II, built the first Norman church of Sicily in the 11th century. Today the village has maintained its historic charms and serves as a hub of activity for visiting tourists.

Agrigento Agrigento is a provincial capital on the southern coast of Sicily. The city is famous as a tourist destination because of the Greek archeological park called the Valley of the Temples. The Valley of the Temples is home to seven Greek temples that date back to the Golden Age of Magna Grecia, when Greek city-states dominated Sicily and Southern Italy. The site, known as Akragas in ancient Greek, was added to the UNESCO Heritage list in 1997 because of the ancient Greek temples’ high state of preservation.

Valley of the Temples The Valley of the Temples is a Greek archeological site located on the outskirts of the Sicilian city of Agrigento. The site, known as Akragas in ancient Greek, was added to the UNESCO Heritage list in 1997 because of the Ancient Greek Temples’ high quality state of preservation. The most famous of the temples is the so-called Temple of Concordia which was utilized as a church during the medieval ages. In total the site has seven temples and covers an area of over 3000 acres.

Piazza Armerina

Giardini Naxos Giardini Naxos was the site of the first Greek settlement in the 8th century BC. After experiencing a heyday as a center of citrus production, the economy has transformed and is focused on tourism today. The city’s crescent-shaped port sits below Monte Tauro and the beautiful garden city of Taormina. The surrounding area is home to several large beachfront hotels that overlook the Ionian Sea.

Taormina Set on the top of Monte Tauro is the beautiful garden city of Taormina. The city’s mix of historic monuments trace its history from the time of the Greeks to Romans, to Arabs and beyond. The most impressive monument is the Greco-Roman theatre that overlooks the crescent-shaped port of Giardini Naxos and Mt. Etna in the distance. The town also has many lovely designer shops and a plethora of restaurants offering authentic Sicilian cuisine.

Winery Tour & Tasting

Matera Matera is a community in southern Italy that is home to the unique Sassi of Matera. The Sassi of Matera are a unique urban structure of cave dwellings that are carved out of the local tufa stone ravines. The community of stone dwellings were inhabited by nearly 15,000 people until the 1950s when the Italian government forced everyone to leave for hygienic purposes. Today, the Sassi are being rehabbed into modern homes, hotels and tourist attractions. The site is also home to a number of ancient stone churches.

Sorrento The north side of the Sorrento peninsula is the Sorrento Coast, named after the largest city and tourist center, Sorrento. The Sorrento Coast is home to panoramic views of shear cliffs, small rocky beaches and terraced gardens of olive and lemon trees. The town of Sorrento is a tourist’s delight, complete with excellent shopping, quaint cafes and elegant restaurants.

Positano Ferry past tumbling cliffs and pastel-colored houses on your way to Positano, where you’ll enjoy a free afternoon in this resort town. Perhaps you spend time browsing the posh boutiques, or taking a moment to relax and rest along the beach.

Pompeii The Roman city of Pompeii is located in the southern region of Campania, near Naples. The city was covered by volcanic material in 79 AD and forgotten for centuries. When the city was excavated, archeologists found the city to be intact as it had been prior to the eruption. Today visitors walk on the original streets, complete with chariot ruts. The city was made up of a variety of different buildings including theaters, homes, shops, thermal baths and temples — all of which can be visited today. In addition, every-day objects and precious artifacts have been preserved along with original mosaic and fresco decorations.

Mode of Transport

Travel through Southern Italy and Sicily with ease, utilizing comfortable bus transfers, a short ferry ride, and optional off-road adventures, ensuring a seamless exploration of the region's stunning landscapes and historic sites.

Accommodation

Experience a variety of accommodations throughout your journey, including the NH Palermo, Baia di Ulisse, Una Hotel Naxos Beach Sicilia, MH Matera Hotel, and Radisson Blu GHR, each offering comfort and local charm.