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Oct 15 –
Nov 1, 2008
18 days - $3877*+
air
This price reflects current exchange at time of posting, 5-1-08
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Our trips to Sicily have been
truly enjoyable and we expect 2008 to be even
better...although hard to improve an already
great tour! Again, we are working with a very
organized and well informed agency in Palermo
and we always like to add as many personal
“extras” as we can find.
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Here's the plan:
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OCT 15 |
Leave States for Sicily |
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OCT 16 |
Arrival in Naples -
group transfer to hotel. Light dinner
and overnight.
NAPLES - D |
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OCT 17 |
Morning guided tour of Naples including
the National Archaeological Museum filled with treasures from the two
ancient cities Pompeii and Herculaneum. Afternoon to enjoy museums,
shop and enjoy this bustling city. We can
arrange a visit with a guide to Pompeii in
the afternoon if you are interested.
NAPLES - B |
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OCT 18 |
Leave for
Ercolano and meet with local guide for
visit to Herculaneum, with well preserved
Roman shops and houses – even original timber
structures. If weather permits, interesting
drive up on Vesuvius to 1,000 mt. with
view below and craters and ski area at top.
You’ll enjoy our dinner tonight. NAPLES B - D
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OCT 19 |
Leaving
Naples with stop in Sorrento
to visit the old town, perhaps
find a local craftsman cutting
some of their intricate wood
pieces (maybe buy a music box),
lunch, then drive along the
Amalfi Coast with stop in
Amalfi – chance to visit the
paper musuem. Drive south to our
hotel. PAESTUM B - D |
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OCT 20 |
Morning visit with local guide
to discover Paestum site, one of
Italy’s most important archaeological sites
(and museum), initially an ancient
Greek settlement with wonderfully preserved
temples. Drive south with beautiful
and unspoiled coastline, olive groves, lemon
and orange trees, mountains and maybe even
snow on the ground. Overnight stop to break
the journey near Cozensa.
COZENSA B - D |
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> Note: if you need a shorter tour, you can fly
into Catania and join us in Taormina |
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OCT 21 |
Continue
south towards Sicily, ferry across the
Straits of Messina and continue on to Taormina
in its peaceful location on a rocky plateau
overlooking the sea with Mt. Etna as its
backdrop. Our view hotel is in a great location.
Dinner in a typical farmhouse with live
Sicilian music.
TAORMINA B - D |
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OCT 22 |
Full day guided visit of
Taormina, then on to Mt. Etna
where we will go with our coach to the “Silvester
Craters” area, where the last lava flows can
be seen. All of this calls for a
“canteen” visit with wine tasting and
buffet lunch in their farmhouse.
Dinner choices will find you very spoiled –
many choices and such a wonderful place for
your evening walk! Just think, three days in
this favorite city! TAORMINA B - L |
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OCT 23 |
This “magic” city was so popular
with our groups we’ve added another day for you
to check out the small picturesque village of
Castelmola, take cable car down to beach of
Mazzaro, just explore.
TAORMINA B |
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OCT 24 |
We head south for a stop at the
Baroque town of Catania - a busy seaport
town destroyed several times by eruptions of Mt.
Etna, now a fine city with wide streets and
noble Baroque architecture. You’ll enjoy their
open market. Two nights here, sitting at the
head of a beautiful bay with picturesque
shorefront. SYRACUSE B
- D |
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OCT 25 |
Full day guided visit
of Syracuse including Archaeological
Park with its Greek theater and other
impressive sites. Syracuse was once center of
papyrus production and visited by the Apostle
Paul and philosopher Plato. Enjoy some of their
superb antipasti and delicious fresh fish this
evening. Lots of good bars, cafes and
restaurants. You’ll like this city and our hotel
located on central and historical Ortigia
Island! SYRACUSE B - |
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OCT 26 |
Heading inland,
we stop at Pizza
Armerina, a little town of
narrow medieval streets with
Renaissance and Baroque town
houses. For those who
still haven’t had enough
history, our main goal is a
guided visit of the Roman
Villa with especially fine
mosaics that have survived.
We’ll plan to visit a Ricotta
cheese processing place, to
taste this special cheese
and also see how it is
produced.
AGRIGENTO B - D |
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OCT 27 |
Guided visit
of extraordinary Valley of
the Temples, one of the most
impressive complexes outside of
Greece dating from 400 B.C. -
even more impressive than Athens
and Delphi. With our
excellent guide and enough time
to absorb the monumental
collection of temples, you will
be impressed. A stop at
the huge and captivating
archaeological site of
Selinunte. Much to see in
this area including Marasala
with tasting at
canteen famous for its thick
sweet wine.
MARSALA B – D |
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OCT 28 |
Trapani
known for salt production with
its huge mounds of salt and
Dutch-style windmills….the
museum will get us educated. Up
to the top of a medieval hill
with delightful streets to
wander and fantastic views! Tasting of typical Sicilian
desserts in a pastry shop –
love that Marzapan! And you will love…ERICE
B - D |
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OCT 29 |
On our way to Palermo, we pass
Segesta and although the only thing that
remains are the ruins from 5 BC, our local
guide makes them come alive! Not to be
missed is the Doric temple, a perfectly
preserved monument from Antiquity. Our final
city, Palermo, lays in a natural amphitheater
(the Golden Shell) and is a mixed city of both
Asian and European cultures. Our pleasant
hotel is centrally located.
PALERMO B - D |
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OCT 30 |
Full day guided visit of
Palermo – ornate palaces, churches, medieval
quarters with ancient buildings and a local
market. Afternoon will find us in Monreale.
One of the great sights of Norman Sicily with
the dazzling interior of its magnificent
cathedral and 50,000 sq. feet of Byzantine
mosaics. PALERMO B -
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OCT 31 |
Morning free for
packing and last minute details.
Short ride in afternoon to
village of Cefalù, a
pretty fishing town worthy of a
visit with all its ceramics and
narrow, intriguing streets.
Return to seaside Mondello
for a look plus taste of their
fabulous ice cream with final
dinner at a favorite and
excellent restaurant.
PALERMO B - D |
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NOV 1 |
Group departure
from Palermo Airport and if you like, stay on a
few more days. We can make some additional
touring suggestions. Possibility of a side trip
before or after the tour to Malta for a few days
OR for those whose flights go through Rome, a
visit there…OR? |
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We
plan on having some more “surprises” for you
too……easy to do in Sicily!
Tour too
long for your vacation dates?
Talk to Patty about fewer
days…and consider a few days in Rome on your return.
Included:
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All accommodations,
3-4 Star
quality, two to a room, limited
single supplement
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All breakfasts - B
on the itinerary, 1 lunch - L, 11
dinners - D
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Airport group pick-up/
return
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Escorted by Patty Price
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Porterage for one bag when
available
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Basic insurance package with
optional add-on available
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Coach transportation, same
driver throughout and including his basic tip
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Guided tours/visits in
bold on the itinerary:
● Naples
●
Herculaneum
● Vesuvius
● Paestum
● Taormina
● Etna
● Syracuse
● Roman
Villa
● Valley of the
Temples
● Selinunte
● Segesta
● Palermo
● Monreale
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Maps and daily hand-outs
enroute
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Pre-trip group pot-luck
dinner get-together, post-tour pot-luck
in Seattle area
Note:
few, if any, additional options necessary –
tour is all inclusive.
NOT INCLUDED:
● Airfare
●
Cost of passport
● Single supplement
● Excess baggage charges
● Laundry, liquor, soft
drinks, drinks on coach ● Additional trip cancellation
insurance “at cost” ● Extra "thank you" tips to
guides, driver, escort ● Independent transfers
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DEPOSIT: $350 to hold your place
Balance due: August 9, 2008
We would recommend you start with us in
Naples. However, if you have less time, it is
possible to work out a plan for you to join us
in Sicily. Our dependable planning people in
Sicily are giving us many extra suggestions and
we will be working to add more “serendipitous”
events to this already all encompassing tour.
Please note we reserve the right to change the
tour if circumstances dictate it or if it is
better for your enjoyment.
We will have knowledgeable local guides,
stay in comfortable, well located 3-4 star hotels, visit all the
“must see” places and also wander through the small, untouristed
places. Plus good food – wine, olive oil and pastry tastings –
and whatever we can add to the overwhelming historical locations
to be visited, to make this a memorable experience.
If you love Italy, here is another love
affair.
If you haven’t been to Italy
before, here is good place to start!
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