Tour Leader
Dr Estelle Lazer
- Tour Info
- Itinerary
- Tour Leader
- Hotels
- Inclusions
Overview
Sicily and the Aeolian Islands have a remarkable history and culture that is a blend of Mediterranean civilisations. From the well-preserved remains of Greek and Roman cities and temples, to Norman cathedrals with fine Byzantine mosaics and Arab-influenced cuisine, the island’s unique and varied history is tangible. This 17-day tour has been designed to give the first-time visitor an overview of Sicily’s diverse and fascinating past, its art and traditions, and shows how the extraordinary landscape – volcanoes, rugged coastlines and the jewel-like sea – has shaped the island’s vibrant history and culture.
Highlights
- A scenic private boat trip of the Aeolian Islands, from Lipari to Stromboli and Panarea
- Outstanding archaeological museums in Siracusa, Agrigento and Lipari
- The Sicilian Baroque architecture of Noto and Ragusa that evolved in the 17th and 18th centuries
- The exceptionally well-preserved 4th-century mosaics in the imperial Roman villa at Piazza Armerina
- The UNESCO World Heritage-listed mosaics in the cathedral of Monreale and Palatine Chapel in Palermo, undertaken by Byzantine masters for their Norman rulers
- An excursion to the summit of Mt Etna
Itinerary Overview
Days 1–4: Group flight from Rome. Arrive in Siracusa, tour archaeological sites and the old town. Day trip to Noto and Ragusa.
Days 5–6: Travel to the Greek temples at Agrigento via the Roman villa at Piazza Armerina.
Days 7–10: Explore the capital Palermo, including Monreale, the Norman Palace and Palatine Chapel. Visit the tiny island of Mozia.
Days 11–13: Continue on to Cefalu en route to the Aeolian Islands. Take a private boat trip from Lipari to Stromboli and Panarea.
Days 14–17: From Taormina visit the Greco- Roman theatre and Mount Etna, before taking a group flight to Rome.
Optional pre-tour extension to Malta.
Detailed Itinerary
Start & Finish
The tour begins and ends at Rome Fiumicino airport. Emirates, Qatar and Singapore Airlines all offer suitable connections to Rome for our continuing group flight to and from Catania. Contact us for quotes and bookings.
Detailed Itinerary
Included meals are shown with the letters B, L and D.
Friday March 18: Arrive Siracusa
Meet your tour leader at Rome Fiumicino airport to commence the tour. There is a group flight to Catania, then transfer by coach to our hotel in Siracusa. Passengers coming from the Malta pre-tour extension arrive in Catania a short while later. This evening meet for a light dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Siracusa (D)
Saturday March 19: Ancient Siracusa
After a talk in the hotel we visit the main archaeological site of the town. Highlights of our visit include the famed theatre of Siracusa, the altar of Hieron II, and the ancient quarries (where thousands of Greek prisoners were held during the Peloponnesian War). In the later afternoon we’ll visit the Museo Aretuseo dei Pupi, housing a collection of traditional Sicilian puppets, followed by a performance of traditional puppetry at the adjoining theatre. This evening we have our welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Siracusa (B, D)
Sunday March 20: Paolo Orsi Archaeological Museum
This morning we make our way to the excellent Paolo Orsi Regional Archaeological Museum. Extensively renovated in recent years, the Paolo Orsi is one of the most important archaeological museums in southern Italy. Its artefacts, found throughout Sicily, survey the Greek, Roman, and early Christian epochs. In the afternoon we’ll visit the Byzantine-era Jewish baths which are over 1,500 years old. Overnight Siracusa (B)
Monday March 21: Sicilian Broque in Noto and Ragusa
Today we take a round trip of the south-east tip of Sicily, visiting the towns of Noto and Ragusa. These towns are famed for their exuberant ‘Sicilian Baroque’ architecture, created after a devastating earthquake of 1693 that destroyed the earlier towns. Overnight Siracusa (B)
Tuesday March 22: The Villa Romana
We depart Siracusa this morning, heading westward through the geographic centre of Sicily. Today’s highlight is the Villa Romana del Casale at Piazza Armerina, featuring a series of intact floor mosaics from the 4th century AD, created by North African artisans. After lunch we continue to Agrigento, located on the south coast of Sicily, arriving in the late afternoon. Dinner tonight is in our hotel. Overnight Agrigento (B, D)
Wednesday March 23: Agrigento Temples and Museum
Agrigento – ancient ‘Akragas’ — was founded in the 6th century BC and enjoyed a reputation as one of the wealthiest colonies of the Greek world. The extensive and well-preserved sacred area is testament to these riches, comprising four wonderfully preserved large temples as well as a number of smaller structures. Today we tour the temple site with a local guide and visit the nearby archaeological museum. The afternoon is free to relax. Tonight, we have dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Agrigento (B, D)
Thursday March 24: Romanticism at Selinunte
Our first stop is to see the over life-size Dancing Satyr of Mazara del Vallo, a Greek bronze statue that was found by a Sicilian fisherman in 1998 in the waters of the Mediterranean. We continue to Selinunte (ancient Selinus), the last of the important Greek cities on our itinerary. At its peak, Selinus had a population of 25,000 but it was comprehensively sacked and its ruins inspired generations of Romantic poets and artists, such as Goethe. Dinner tonight is in a local restaurant. Overnight Palermo (B, D)
Friday March 25: Palermo
Palermo is a colourful city, with the atmosphere of North Africa or perhaps Asia rather than of Europe. Its heritage as a meeting point between European civilisation and the Arab and Byzantine worlds is borne out in the splendid medieval buildings of the Norman kingdoms. Today we tour some of the main historic sites of the old city, including the Norman Palace and Palatine Chapel, with its gold mosaics, and the Byzantine-influenced church of La Martorana. After lunch we visit the 12th-century retreat of La Zisa, inspired by Moorish pleasure palaces, and then stroll through some of the markets and characteristic back streets of the old city. Overnight Palermo (B)
Saturday March 26: Glittering Monreale
The cathedral and abbey of Monreale, in the hills overlooking Palermo, were founded by the Norman King William II in the 12th century to demonstrate the power of the Norman Kingdom of Sicily. There are more than 6,000 square metres of mosaics here, using 2,200 kg of real gold. We spend the morning visiting the cathedral and enjoying the surrounding medieval hill town. After returning to Palermo, the afternoon is at leisure. Overnight Palermo (B)
Sunday March 27: Segesta & Mozia
Today we take a ferry to Mozia where, among the salt pans, we explore the ruins of the former Carthaginian settlement. The island also houses a small museum with some unique pieces. We then continue to Segesta, an evocative ruin perched on a hill . The theatre and temple here are truly memorable, and have inspired artists and writers for centuries. In the late afternoon we head back to Palermo. Overnight Palermo (B, L)
Monday March 28: Cefalù and the Aeolian Islands
We depart Palermo this morning, heading along the north coast. We spend the greater part of the day in Cefalù, a fishing town dominated by a splendid Norman cathedral, reputedly built after King Roger II survived a shipwreck near the town. There is also a Greek sanctuary above the town (a steep walk) and an idiosyncratic art gallery with some fine works. These include a wonderful portrait by Antonello da Messina. After lunch we travel to Milazzo where we take a ferry to the island of Lipari, our base on the Aeolian Islands for the next three nights. Dinner is served in our hotel. Overnight Lipari (B, D)
Tuesday March 29: Lipari
This morning a local guide shows us the main archaeological site of Lipari, an island inhabited since at least 5,000 BC. The middle of the day is free to explore the town or relax in our hotel. Later in the afternoon we take a trip around the island by coach, enjoying the landscape and views to the other islands. Overnight Lipari (B)
Wednesday March 30: Boat trip to Panarea and Stromboli
Weather permitting, today we take an afternoon boat excursion to the islands of Panarea and Stromboli, 20km from Lipari, enjoying the natural beauty and unspoilt traditional lifestyle of these islands. A highlight of the excursion is the chance to view the volcano of Stromboli. We have a light dinner on Stromboli before returning to Lipari in the early evening. (Alternative plans, such as a visit to the nearby island of Vulcano, or to Milazzo, will be made if the weather is too rough for the excursion) Overnight Lipari (B, D)
Thursday March 31: Messina
Returning to the mainland, we travel to the city of Messina to visit the fine Norman cathedral and the Regional Museum of Messina, home to masterpieces by Caravaggio and Antonello da Messina. We continue on to Taormina on the west coast of Sicily. After checking into our hotel, we have a welcome drink on the terrace. Overnight Taormina (B)
Friday April 1: Taormina
Sitting above the sea with superb views to Mount Etna, Taormina is a memorable final destination for our journey. We spend this morning visiting the Graeco-Roman theatre and other highlights of the town. This afternoon and evening are at leisure. Overnight Taormina (B)
Saturday April 2: With the Gods on Mount Etna
Today we join our coach for an excursion to the summit of Mount Etna itself. Europe’s largest and most spectacular volcano, Mt Etna is still very active. Assuming conditions are safe we will explore the south side of the volcano, travelling by coach, cable car and finally jeep to a height of 2,900 metres. The landscape and the views are unforgettable. (Please note that the last part of the excursion involves walking over uneven surfaces. It may not be possible for all passengers to undertake this segment.) Returning to Taormina there is time for a stroll around the town before we meet for our farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Taormina (B, D)
Sunday April 3: Departure
Our flight departs mid-afternoon for Rome, arriving in time to meet the late evening departing Emirates flight for Australia. (B)
Dr Estelle Lazer
An archaeologist with an international reputation for her work on the human victims of Pompeii in southern Italy.
Estelle has also worked on archaeological sites in the Middle East, Italy, Cyprus, the UK, Antarctica and Australia.
Estelle is an Honorary Research Associate at the University of Sydney. Her work on the human victims from Pompeii has been published, most notably, in an academic volume, Resurrecting Pompeii. Estelle is currently heading a project to examine the casts of the Pompeian victims for the first time, using digital X-ray and CT scanning technology. Estelle’s research has been included in three documentaries over the past few years: Pompeii: New Secrets Revealed with Mary Beard for the BBC (and the Smithsonian and Arte), Pompeii’s Final Hours: New Evidence (a three-part series for Channel Five in the UK) and a soon to be released documentary for National Geographic.
She has been invited to deliver lectures on her research at a number of international institutions, including the National Museum of Singapore, Oxford University and the British Museum in the UK, Lund University, The Italian Cultural Institute, Stockholm and Stockholm University in Sweden, Trondheim University in Norway and the Getty Villa Museum in the US.
Her other main field of research is historical archaeology in Antarctica and the Sub-Antarctic. Estelle spent four summers working on Mawson’s Huts, and has spent another summer studying evidence of the sealing industry as well as Australia’s first post-war Antarctic base at Heard Island.
Estelle has led tours to Italy and the Mediterranean for Academy Travel since the company’s inception in 2004, and also works extensively with our Academy Schools program for teachers and students. In addition to her obvious archaeological expertise, she particularly enjoys explaining the place of mythology in the landscape – especially in Sicily and southern Italy.
Hotels
Hotels have been selected principally for their central location. All hotels are a comfortable four-star standard.
- Siracusa, Algilá Charme (4 nights)
- Agrigento, Hotel Colleverde Park (2 nights)
- Palermo, Eurostars Central Palace (4 nights)
- Lipari, Hotel Tritone (3 nights)
- Taormina, Hotel Montetauro (3 nights)
Tour Inclusions
What is included in the tour price?
Unless otherwise stated in the itinerary, our tours include the following:
- Any flights mentioned in the itinerary that take place during a tour
- Land travel by private air-conditioned coach. Where appropriate, taxis or public transport are also used for short distance travel on some tours
- All accommodation in hotels or apartments as stated in the itinerary
- Breakfasts, lunches and dinners specifically stated as included in the itinerary
- Drinks at welcome and farewell meals. Other meals may not have drinks included
- Background talks on tour, site notes and online resources
- Services of tour leader throughout tour
- All entrance fees to sites mentioned in the itinerary
- Local guides at some sites
- Tips for drivers, local guides and restaurants for included meals
- Costs involved in obtaining visas for countries visited, where required and when stated as included
Airport Transfers
Tours begin either at the arrival airport or the first hotel, depending on the itinerary. If you have booked your international flights with Academy Travel and arrive before the tour commences, we will provide airport to hotel transfers to the closest main city on your arrival, and to the closest airport at the end of the tour. These may be either individual or group transfers.
What is not included in the tour price?
Our tours do not include the following:
- Return international/domestic air travel unless those flights take place during the tour
- Special taxes and airport levies that can only be paid in cash at the destination. We will advise you of these charges (if any) before you depart
- Travel insurance. We require all participants to have comprehensive travel insurance. A typical policy for one of our tours will cost from $160 upwards, depending on your age, pre-existing medical conditions, the countries you are visiting and the overall length of your trip
- Lunches and dinners not specifically mentioned as included in the itinerary
- Personal expenses such as laundry and phone calls
- Costs associated with any activity mentioned as “optional” in the itinerary, or any suggested free time activity
Tour Details
Fitness Requirement
Grade Two A Grade 2 tour is appropriate for travellers in good health with good mobility, who can comfortably participate in up to 3 hours of physical activity per day on most days.
More Details
Bookings
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For further information or to secure a place on this tour please contact:
(outside Sydney) hannah@academytravel.com.au
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