From West to East, towards the light: all the cities of Sicily face east, seeking orientation, as do all men    

Program

1st day:    Segesta – Erice – Saline di Trapani

Arrival at the destination airport (Trapani/Palermo).

Segesta, ancient Elymian city, visit to the archaeological park with the majestic Doric Temple, the Agora and the Amphitheatre, a place where the word was an educational and civic training element for the people. We continue with a walk in Erice through the characteristic streets of the medieval village. Finally, Trapani where we will visit the Nubia salt pans and the Salt Museum located inside an ancient restored windmill.

2nd day:  Monreale – Palermo

Monreale visit to the majestic Cathedral: the centrality of Christ Pantocrator “He who contains everything”. In 130 panels of very valuable mosaics, we will see scenes from the Old and New Testaments depicted; thanks to the Norman kings, after 200 years of Arab domination, the Sicilian people emerged from the oblivion that had erased their Christian faith. We continue to Palermo, a route through the historic center to admire the most beautiful monuments: the Cathedral, a place even dearer to the city because it houses the remains of the Blessed Father Pino Puglisi, a martyr killed by the mafia; the Ballarò market, the 4 Canti, the fountain in Piazza Pretoria, Piazza Bellini, the majestic Teatro Massimo.

3rd day:  Cretto di Burri – Agrigento

Old Gibellina with the Grande Cretto, one of the largest environmental works of art in Europe, created by the artist Alberto Burri who, moved by the devastation of the 1968 earthquake, proposed covering the rubble of the destroyed town, maintaining the structure urban, with an immense flow of white concrete; in this place, art is not an end in itself but becomes an instrument of memory. Continue to Agrigento: “…the most beautiful city of mortals”, this is how Pindar defined it. The Doric temples of the Valley of the Temples, imposing and elegant, made of sandstone tuff.                                              

4th day:  Piazza Armerina – Catania

In the heart of Sicily, the Villa Romana del Casale is an extraordinary example of Roman architecture from the 4th century BC.In 3,500 m2 you can admire thermal environments and extraordinary mosaics, created by North African workers, with scenes of life from the Roman era. We continue to Catania for a walk in the historic center where we will admire the Cathedral dedicated to Sant'Agata and the Piazza Duomo where one of the historical symbols of Catania is located, the "elephant fountain".

5th day:  Etna – Taormina

Excursion to Etna: according to mythology, the mighty volcano derives its name from a nymph. We will reach the Sartorius Craters on the north-east side, at an altitude of 1800 m. with an easy trekking route, among centuries-old woods, eccentric craters and singular lava formations.Continue to Taormina: “un lembo di paradiso tra terra e mare”… (Goethe). Una passeggiata indimenticabile nel centro storico tra panorami unici e monumenti eccezionali come il Teatro Antico e l’Odeon.

6th day:  Syracuse

We will begin the visit to the ancient island of Ortigia, which constitutes the original nucleus of the city, dominated by the Cathedral built on the still visible remains of the Greek temple dedicated to Athena. We will admire the legendary Fonte Aretusa and the Temple of Apollo. We continue with a visit to the archaeological park of Neapolis, or the "new city". The heart of Syracuse beats here, between the Greek Amphitheatre, the Roman Theatre, the Altar of Hieron, the ear of Dionysius, the Latomia del Paradiso. 

Transfer to Catania airport