Day 1 - Catania

You will be picked up at Catania Airport and then we will settle into our hotel right in the heart of Catania. In the evening, there is a tour of the old town.  Catania preserves many great examples of baroque architecture, for this reason it was inserted into the UNESCO World Heritage list of Val di Noto in 2002. The Catania’s baroque particularity is found in the use of the black lava stone, sourced from Etna, Europe‘s largest active volcano. Catania also hosts several ancient hidden treasures, such as the ruins of the Roman amphitheatre from 300 B.C., an open-air archaeological excavation. 

[Overnight in Catania]

Day 2 - Messina & Taormina

In the morning we visit the Interdisciplinary Regional Museum of Messina, the biggest museum in Southern Italy. 7,855 pieces (of which 750 are exposed) are housed within its 4,160 square metres. It is the custodian of many works by famous artists such as Caravaggio (‘The Adoration of the Shepherds’ and ‘Resurrection of Lazarus’ - two of Caravaggio’s last paintings), Antonello da Messina, and Domenico Gagini. The pieces, which range from paintings to architectural remains, are displayed in chronological order, allowing visitors to really appreciate and delve into each century’s artistic characteristics. In the evening we visit the ancient Greek Theatre of Taormina, built in the 3rd Century BC, today it is one of the most recogniseable and spectacular examples of Ancient Greek Theatres. [Overnight in Catania]

Day 3 - Syracuse

On Day 3 we visit Ortigia, a small island just off the coast of the city of Syracuse, where it is possible to see everything from Medieval-Norman buildings and Baroque masterpieces, to Roman and Greek ruins. We will have the opportunity to see the amazing painting “The Burial of Saint Lucy” by Caravaggio, which hangs in the Duomo di Santa Lucia. We will also visit the Regional Gallery of Palazzo Bellomo with its rich collection of works. Antonello da Messina’s painting is one of the most famous and interesting: it represents the perfect balance of Flemish painting components, clever use of geometrical perspective and the huge dimensions typical of the classical Italian Renaissance style. [Overnight in Syracuse]

Day 4 - Modica, Ibla, Scicli

On day 4 we visit the picturesque baroque towns of Modica, Ragusa Ibla and Scicli, all UNESCO World Heritage sites. In 1693 a catastrophic earthquake desecrated many towns in the south-east of Sicily, including these three. In the years following the earthquake, the towns were rebuilt in a style which is today recognised as 'Sicilian Baroque'. What makes Sicilian Baroque unique is the theatrical, dramatic features which are meant to intrigue the viewer and give the sense of being on the stage of a theatre. Over the past decade, these beautiful towns have become well-known due to the popularity of the TV series “Inspector Montalbano”, based on Andrea Camilleri’s novels.

[Overnight in Modica]

Day 5 - Villa Romana and The Valley of the Temples

In the morning we visit Villa Romana del Casale, where excavations unearthed one of the richest, largest and most varied collections of Roman mosaics in the world, for which the site has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The villa and its mosaics date back to the early 4th century AD. The mosaic and opus sectile floors cover some 3,500 square metres and are quite unique in their excellent state of preservation due to the landslide and floods that had covered the ruin. In the afternoon, we head towards Agrigento, after we have settled in at the hotel, we will take a night-time tour of The Valley of the Temples, one of the greatest examples of ancient Greek art and architecture in the World. The Valley includes remains of seven temples in Doric style and is another UNESCO World Heritage site.

[Overnight in Agrigento]

Day 6 - Polizzi Generosa

We leave Agrigento and head towards Polizzi Generosa, a lovely village set 917 metres above sea level in the Madonie Natural Park. We will be staying at The Sicilian House, a beautiful and historic noble home fully restored by a Sicilian-Australian family. In Polizzi Generosa’s Chiesa Madre, glimpsed through an ornate set of iron gates, there is a precious triptych with beautiful Flemish detail, attributed to the 15^th century Flemish master Rogier van der Weyden, an absolute must-see when touring Sicily. The town also has a lovely Archaeological Museum, filled with Hellenistic burial treasures. This significant local museum also shows us something of Polizzi Generosa’s history of pottery and terracotta, which still continues to this day. Third generation ceramist Giovanni D'Angelo continues this tradition as a labour of love - we will visit his workshop just outside the village.  [Overnight in Polizzi Generosa]

Day 7 - Cefalù

The drive itself, through the Madonie Natural Park and towards the coastal town of Cefalù, will bring some spectacular panoramic views. The Madonie Mountains are known as the Alps of Sicily (they peak at almost 2,000 metres) and, being an unspoilt area with some of the greatest examples of biodiversity in the world, they are now protected. We will spend the day visiting Cefalù, with its Norman cathedral; a 12th-century fortress-like structure with elaborate Byzantine mosaics and soaring twin towers, included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing. Only a few steps from the cathedral is the Mandralisca Museum. This small, privately owned museum showcases a collection amassed by parliamentarian, archaeologist and natural-history buff, Baron Mandralisca (1809–64). The museum showcases Antonello da Messina's splendid Ritratto di un uomo ignoto (Portrait of an Unknown Man; 1465), considered one of the most distinctive portraits of the Italian Renaissance. Acquired by the Baron after he discovered it being used as a makeshift cupboard door in Lipari, da Messina's painting depicts a man with an enigmatic smirk, almost as captivating and thought provoking as the Mona Lisa's – albeit without the attendant hype. [Overnight in Polizzi Generosa]

Day 8 - Monreale

In the morning we visit the Cathedral of Monreale, one of the most delightful examples of Arab-Norman architecture. With its cycle of mosaics on golden ground and its extraordinary cloister, the cathedral can proudly claim a place in the highest ranks of Europe's art history. Since 2015 it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing.

After a guided tour of the cathedral, we settle into our hotel in Palermo, a city rich in history, culture, art, music and food, founded in 734 BC by the Phoenicians. Through its history Palermo has been dominated for over a thousand years by Carthage, the Greeks and the Roman Republic and Empire. From 831 to 1072 the city was under Arab rule, after which there was the Norman domination. The Spanish and the French have also ruled Palermo in its more recent history, until it became part of Italy. All of these dominations are very evident in Palermo’s amazing architecture, art, culture, cuisine and people. [Overnight in Palermo]

Day 9 - Palermo

Our last day of the Grand Tour of Sicily will be fully dedicated to Palermo. We will visit: 

·      Palazzo Abatellis, home to the Galleria Regionale della Sicilia. The museum's most famous work is the Virgin Annunciate by Antonello da Messina (15th century), considered a masterpiece of High Renaissance paintings. The museum also contains the amazing fresco “The Triumph of Death” created around +393271232948 by an unknown artist and considered a masterpiece of the time. 

·      The Oratorio di San Lorenzo, where Giacomo Serpotta (between +393271232948 created a sumptuous stucco decoration. The oratory is particularly famous because of the masterpiece Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence by Caravaggio. This prestigious painting was stolen on October 18, 1969 and has never been recovered. In 2015 a hi-tech replica of the altarpiece was placed inside the oratory.

·      The unique Cappuccini Catacombs. These catacombs contain around 1,252 mummies which line the walls. The tombs were accessible to families of the dead so that on certain days they, both living and deceased family members, could join their hands in prayer. [Overnight in Palermo]

Day 10 - Goodbye Sicily

Our Grand Tour of Sicily comes to an end. An immersive cultural experience which will have taken us to some of the most amazing art, architecture and archaeological sites in the world. With the backdrop of the beautiful Sicilian landscape, from seascapes to mountain peaks - the delicious food and the warmth of the Sicilian people framing our trip to perfection. You can leave the island either from the airports in Palermo or Catania, both have direct flights to all major Italian and European cities. Thank you for touring Sicily with us and see you for the next cultural adventure!