GRAND TOUR OF SICILY

Palermo-Agrigento-Siracusa-Taormina

Etna-Cefalu-Palermo

8 Days/7 Nights

Departures Guaranteed

Exclusively in French

FLIGHTS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Day 1:  FRIDAY/MONTREAL/PALERMO

Arrival in Palermo, transfer on your own, check-in at hotel downtown.  Supper and accommodation at hotel.

Day 2: SATURDAY/PALERMO/MONREALE

After breakfast at hotel, panoramic motor coach tour of city.  You will visit the impressive Cathedral refurbished many times over the centuries, the Norman Palace, with its Palatine Chapel, jewel of arabo-norman art, in MONREALE, the Dome, uniquely known to the world for its polychrome mosaics and the Cloister of Benedictine Monks.  Return to hotel for lunch, possibility to take an optional excursion to visit Palermo, MONDELLO is an ancient fishing village and today a beach for the Palermitans, the Market and the Capuchin Catacombs.  Return to the hotel for supper and accommodations. 3 meals included.

Day 3:  SUNDAY, PALERMO-SEGESTE-SELINUNTE-AGRIGENTO

Departure for SEGESTE and visit a 5^th century AD Doric Temple in a perfectly preserved state.  Continue on to SELINUNTE.  Visit to the Acropolis and the Eastern Temples.  You will have a fish based lunch at a typical restaurant by the sea.  Departure for AGRIGENTO, the largest Greek city, known for its antiquity, and a guided tour to the famous Valley Temples, etc.  Supper & accommodation at hotel.

Day 4:  MONDAY, AGRIGENTO-SIRACUSA

Morning, departure for Piazza Amerina and visit the Roman Villa of Casale built at the end of the 3^rd and the beginning of the 4^th century.  It is the most remarkable, archeological proof of the existence of Roman Sicily in the Imperial Era, especially for its preserved mosaics.  Lunch on the road.  Brief view of CALTAGIRONE, baroque style city known for its ceramics.    Arrival in SIRACUSA, ancient capital of the Greek culture.  Supper and accommodation at hotel.  3 meals included.

Day 5:  TUESDAY/SIRACUSA-TAORMINA-OR ARCIREALE DURING THE MONTHS OF JULY & AUGUST

After Breakfast, visit of the archeological site (NEAPOLIS), where you will visit the Greek Theatre, Roman Amphitheatre, an ancient Limestone Quarry, the Ear of Dionysus, etc.

Lunch at hotel and departure for CATANIA.  Brief orientation of the city and continue on to TAORMINA.  Supper and accommodation at hotel.

Day 6:  WEDNESDAY/TAORMINA- ETNA-TAORMINA OR ARCIREAL DURING THE MONTHS OF JULY & AUGUST

After breakfast at hotel, excursion to MOUNT ETNA, the highest, active volcano in Europe.  Excursion by motor coach up to 1800 meters, possibility of optional ascent up to 3000 meters, reservations locally.  Lunch in a typical restaurant.  Afternoon, departure for TAORMINA, one of the smallest, picturesque and refined cities in Italy.  Visit to a Roman-Greek Theatre.  After visit, you are free to shop and return to hotel for supper.  Accommodation at hotel.  3 meals included.

   Day 7:  THURSDAY/TAORMINA-NATURE PARK-CEFALU-PALERMO

After breakfast, departure for PALERMO taking an unusual mountain route that leads to the NATURE PARK OF NEBRODI.    Lunch at a typical restaurant in the middle of the MIRAGLIA FOREST.  Continue on to CEFALU.  A visit of this old city, known by its entire splendor in the era of the Normans.  At the end of visit, return to PALERMO.  Supper and accommodations at hotel.  3 meals included.

Day 8:  FRIDAY/PALERMO

Breakfast at hotel.  Transfer to airport not included.  End of services.

DEPARTURES EVERY FRIDAY FROM 02 APRIL TO 22 OCTOBER 2004

Tours in 3* hotels

Palermo:      Hotel Ponte

Agrigento:   Hotel Tre Torri

*Siracusa:    Hotel Park

*Taormina:  Hotel Villa Linda

Acireale:      Hotel Orizzonte

Or similar

*EXCEPT JULY & AUGUST

PRICES PER PERSON IN CANADIAN $

Double occupancy                    $829.00

Single occupancy                      $1099.00

Triple occupancy                      $829.00

Tours in 4* Hotels

Palermo:      Hotel San Paolo

Agrigento:   Hotel Kaos

*Syracusa:   Hotel Palace

*Taormina:  Hotel Caesar Palace

Or Similar

*EXCEPT JULY & AUGUST

PRICES PER PERSON IN CANADIAN $

Double occupancy                    $999.00

Single occupancy                      $1299.00

Triple occupancy                      $999.00

Package includes:

-Accommodations according to category chosen or similar

-Services as per itinerary, 3 meals per day

-Deluxe motor coach or minibus (air conditioned, reclining seats, etc.) if the number of passengers is inferior to 16 people

-Exclusively French speaking guide

-Local guides

Not included in Package:

-Entrance fees to Monuments

-Drinks

-Gratuities, personal expenses and all not specified in tour