7 nights from £949pp 

Departing 19 June and 9 October 2012

FULLY ESCORTED

You'll love this tour if you like: 

• Charming seaside towns - Castellammare is a delight 
• Spectacular coastal scenery and national park
• Ancient Greek monuments 
• Superb seafood and rustic cuisine 
• Historic towns and cities  

This superb tour, based in the typical Sicilian seaside town of Castellammare del Golfo, offers a wonderful combination of gastronomic delights, cultural diversity and fabulous coastal scenery. One of the main highlights of the tour is a superb seafood lunch at Da Vittorio’s on the south coast, featured as one of Rick Stein’s food heroes and whose “vongole” he described as the best he’d ever tasted.

Elsewhere we indulge in winetasting and a traditional Sicilan lunch in an old Moorish farmhouse in the countryside. Culturally and scenically the region is rich too – we will visit the stunning hill town of Erice, dating back 800 years and boasting an amazing array of medieval architecture along its steep, narrow, cobbled streets. We will also visit the superb Greek temples at Segesta and Selinunte, the pretty coastal village of Scopello and its neighbouring Zingaro National Park, and the island’s historic capital, Palermo.

Itinerary

INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

• Return scheduled flights with Easyjet from Gatwick to Palermo including all applicable taxes
• 7 nights’ accommodation on bed and breakfast basis at the 3-star Al Madarig Hotel, Castellammare based on shared occupancy of  twin/double room
• Transfers by coach from Palermo airport to hotel in Castellammare
• Full touring itinerary including two lunches as detailed
• Tour manager throughout

NOT INCLUDED

• Holiday insurance
• Single room supplement
• Porterage and gratuities
• Personal items such as drinks, meals, laundry, telephone calls

Places of Interest

Castellammare del Golfo
The base for this tour is the typically Sicilian seaside town of Castellammare del Golfo, which was the Greek port for Segesta and Erice. Ideally situated for exploring the region, the town offers wonderful views of the bay and has a picturesque medieval quarter and Aragonese castle.

Scopello & Zingaro Nature Reserve
The spectacular nature reserve of Zingaro covers nearly 4,000 acres sloping down towards the sea with wonderful sea views. It is a haven for birds espically for raptors such as Bonelli's eagles, peregrine falcons and kites. The gateway to the reserve is the pretty 18th century farming village of Scopello that built up around a fort. The day is complemented with a leisurely late lunch at Baglio Fontana farmhouse in the beautiful Sicilian countryside.

Erice & Segesta
The splendid town of Erice is perched on the top of Monte San Giuliano. Laid out on a triangular plan, it has preserved its medieval character with fine city walls, stone houses with decorated doorways, tiny squares and a host of splendid churches, most notably the Chiesa Matrice. There is also a Norman castle, several defensive towers, lovely main street Corso Vittorio Emanuele and two interesting museums. Segesta was founded in ancient times by exciles from Troy and is home to two important ancient Greek monuments, its 5th century BC temple is well-preserved with 36 Doric columns and semi-circular theatre carved out of the Monte Barbaro.

Egadi Islands
An optional day to the beautiful and remote Egadi Islands of Levanzo and Favignana off the coast of Trapari (reached by ferry/hydrofoil in under an hour). Your tour manager will advise about cost which varies according to the number of participants. 

San Vito lo Capo
Today's very relaxed tour takes you to the western end of the Zingaro Reserve and the very Italian seaside town of San Vito lo Capo, where plenty of time is allowed for a leisurely lunch (not included) at one of the many restaurants overlooking the bay. 

Palermo
The exotic city of Palermo, Sicily's capital, offers a wealth of sights with architecture ranging from Arabic to Norman, Baroque and Art Nouveau. Highlights include the Norman Palace, Palatina Chapel, Cathedral, dating from 1184, San Domenico Church, Islamic San Giovanni degli Ermeti dating from 1132, Baroque Oratorio del Rosario di Santa Cita, several interesting museums, lively streets and piazza and much more. 

Selinunte & Vittorio's seafood lunch
The ancient Greek ruins of the temples at Selinunte, overlooking the sea, are one of the most striking archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. Ongoing excavation has revealed eight temples, an acropolis and a fortitication system, thought to date from the city's heyday in the 6th centruy BC. In contrast, the history of the day's itinerary is balanced with one of the highlights of the tour - a wonderful seafood lunch at Vittorio's, one of Rick Stein's "food heroes".

 

Departure Date	Duration	Status	Per Person	Single Supplement	Board Basis
19-Jun-2012	7	Available	£949	£154	Bed and Breakfast
09-Oct-2012	7	Available	£949	£154	Bed and Breakfast