You will check into the hotel and we will have a welcome dinner in the evening

Walking around Palermo offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in a thousand-year history that ells of riches and poverty, of struggles, of loves, betrayals, and conquests. The countless cultures that have followed one another have contributed to creating the undisputed charm of this cosmopolitan capital determining the habits and customs of its inhabitants and even its language. We will visit: Teatro Massimo facade, Quattro Canti, Piazza Pretoria, Piazza Bellini, Santa Caterina cloister, Martorana, Casa Professa, Cathedral, Capo Market Light lunch is included on this day.

For centuries, travelers who landed at the port of Trapani climbed up Monte San Giuliano to reach Ericesanctuary dedicated to Venus, goddess of love. Few visible remains of that famous place of worship remain inside the medieval castle of Venus, which appears majestic at the top of the rock and offers one of the most beautiful landscapes in Sicily. Erice is still today a medieval citadel, with narrow and winding alleys paved in stone, splendid churches and a magnificent garden, all sweetened by Erice's famous almond pastries. The town, suspended in time, remains shrouded in myth and mystery. Lunch is included on this day and travel back to the hotel in Palermo.

This morning we will depart from Palermo and head to Agrigento the most beautiful city of mortals: this is how in the 5th century BC the Greek poet Pindar described Agrigento ... and after 2500 years its charm remains unchanged. Whether it is during a sunny morning, on a windy afternoon, accompanied by a fiery sunset or under the gaze of the stars and the summer moon, the walk to discover the temples will leave you breathless! Stories of men and gods intertwine through the centuries in the shade of olive and almond trees and the vestiges of an ancient and powerful past always continue to tell us something new.

We will leave Agrigento this morning and travel to Ragusa. Ragusa appears like a marginal town in the frenetic, colorful and multifaceted panorama of Sicily. It seems silent, reserved and of little importance, protected and forced into the cava. “Cava”, in Italian, is a place where stone is extracted, quarries, but here they indicate ravines, narrow valleys of white and luminous rock: the Iblean canyons which characterize the landscape of South-Eastern Sicily. Ragusa tells us the story of a disastrous earthquake, which in 1693 destroyed the entire Val di Noto. Its alleys, panoramic terraces, and baroque balconies, are testimony to the resurrection of the city after that terrible event. Visiting Ragusa is an unexpected journey because it is the true heart of the Late Baroque UNESCO Heritage Site of the Val di Noto. And if that wasn't enough, after the walking tour you can also taste the typical cheese and wine in a local cheese shop!

Morning - Everyone knows that Modica is the city of chocolate! But not everyone is aware of the true soul of Modica: capital of the most important County of Sicily and city of a hundred churches. Many definitions and many illustrious characters for a city that is probably the true heart, or rather the capital, of the Iblean territory! The city rests majestically on the sides of the cava, valleys of limestone rock, better known as the canyons of the Iblei which distinguish the landscape of south-eastern Sicily. Corso Umberto, the main street of Modica Bassa, retraces what was once the bed of the river. Walking through it we will discover the various districts of the city and their treasures, not only architectural, but also sensorial. Chocolate is in fact a product of excellence and one cannot miss the chance to discover the secrets of Aztec processing, handed down to the present day. A visit to the most evocative churches of the city is also a must-do (but being Modica the city of a hundred churches, you have to make a choice!).Afternoon - In 2010 the fishermen of Sampieri, a seaside village of Scicli, reported that Roberto Benigni had complimented them because they lived in a corner of paradise. Even before that, Elio Vittorini had written that «Scicli is the most beautiful city we have ever seen. Perhaps it is the most beautiful city in the world. And people are happy in cities that are beautiful``. Scicli is a delightful place, a small treasure chest, still little known. Its historic center preserves some unique treasures in the world and its quarries, the splendid valleys in which the city is set, are an example and testimony to the beauty and simplicity of the rural Iblean society. The town has a particular link with the Arab history of Sicily, tales are told of an incredible battle for the definitive expulsion of the Saracens. Even today Scicli is the scene of a Palio dedicated to the Madonna, during which the Christian army fights against the Muslims to free the city while the visitor can enjoy the show by savoring the famous Teste di Turco, pastry with the shape of a turban and filled with cream. Natural beauty and baroque harmony blend with the stories of the men who made Scicli a pearl among the cava slopes!

We will leave Ragusa in the morning and travel to Siracusa. We will stop in Noto on the way where you will have time to explore on your own.

Syracuse is not only the witness of the Greek period of Sicily, it is the cradle of the history of the entire island. History is written everywhere, on the Latomie, on the steps of the Greek theater and the Roman amphitheaterArchaeological Park of Neapolis, on the columns and altars of the Cathedral of Ortigia, in the pools of the Jewish Miqveh, a must see during your visit to the city. After a walk to the archaeological park of Neapolis, wandering through the historic center of the city is what you need to savor the stories of men and past eras, baroque facades, Greek reminiscences and the thousand colors of the sea that frame it! Essential ingredients to fall in love with this city, perhaps the most elegant on the island, on the extreme corner of Sicily.

In the morning we will depart Siracusa for Taormina. Upon arrival, we will take a half-day tour of Taormina.

In the morning we will tour Mount Etna. Etna is not just a volcano; it is a place on which man's imagination has worked since Western civilization existed. Talking about Etna means talking about mankind, about the evolution of his imagination. Stories of kings, gods, devils, monsters, and nymphs, are set in its caves; for this reason, UNESCO, while declaring it a world heritage site, defined it as an ``iconic`` volcano. But Etna also means easy walks around centenary craters or hiking in the black deserts that only one of the most active volcanoes in the world can offer; it means looking out onto panoramas where the lava flows overlap one another, where once there were green forests and where only a fervent imagination can restore the hell and madness that took place there. Whether with a simple walk or the most difficult of hikes, our ``Muntagna`` will not fail to amaze you. You will also try the outstanding wines produced in the fertile soils of its slopes. We will end our dinner with a goodbye dinner.

This is the end of our trip. You will return to the USA