Sicily and The Aeolian Islands

Meet your Tour Manager at the airport today, ready to begin your fantastic adventure in Sicily. After arriving in Palermo, transfer to the heart of the city and the 4-star Hotel Palazzo Sitano, where we enjoy our first dinner together.

On Day 2 we begin our explorations of historic Palermo, starting with the intriguing 'Quattro Cante', or 4 Songs, a beautiful baroque square with a fountain on each corner, representing the 4 Spanish kings of Sicily. Meandering along the shaded streets, visit the beautiful Palatine Chapel, and Palermo's Cathedral, a wonderful example of Sicily's unique Arab-Norman architecture. We continue to Capo Market, teeming with colourful activity, for the opportunity to sample some of Palermo's best street food, arancino - delightful fried balls of rice, crammed with delicious fillings.

After free time for lunch and to explore the market, continue to Monreale for a guided visit to the magnificent cathedral, famed for its mosaics and multi-coloured marble. This evening we enjoy one of our tour highlights, visiting the Palazzo Conte Federico near our hotel for a drinks reception with one of Palermo's oldest families, and the chance to discover a truly historic home that lies behind a nondescript door in the heart of the city.

• Day 1 - Dinner
• Day 2 - Breakfast

Leaving Palermo behind we board the train on Day 3 for an incredibly scenic journey, hugging the coast overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea as we make our way to the port town of Milazzo. In Milazzo, board the ferry for our journey to the stunning Aeolian Islands, a volcanic archipelago rising from cobalt waters, these 7 UNESCO-protected islands are a piece of paradise just waiting to be explored. We arrive in Lipari, and make the short walk to the 4-star Hotel Tritone, where we spend 2 nights. This evening, enjoy dinner in a local restaurant, operated for over 100 years by the Bernardi family.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We enjoy a morning at leisure in Lipari - perhaps lounge by the pool, or explore the historic port town. This afternoon we continue our Aeolian adventure, as we sail to the island of Panarea, possibly the most elegant of the islands. After time to explore, we continue to Stromboli, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The volcano, which is fringed by a black sand beach and rises 8000 feet from the sea bed, is thought to have been erupting almost continually for at least 2000 years, providing an incredible, natural pyrotechnics show. We land on Stromboli and enjoy dinner in a local restaurant, as well as time to wander through the town. We return to the boat to witness the eruptions by night, the most spectacular time to see the incredible fiery outbursts (weather dependent).

• Breakfast, Dinner

Leave Lipari this morning, sailing back to the mainland port of Milazzo and transferring by coach to Messina. Here, join the train for a journey southward, this time flanked by the Ionian Sea, to Taormina-Giardini station, a beautiful building featured in The Godfather films. Make the short transfer to the stunning clifftop town of Taormina, to the 4-star Hotel Villa Esperia where we spend the next 3 nights. This afternoon, learn more about Taormina's ancient history on a guided walk, including the Greek Theatre, as well as tasting one of the towns most delicious treats, Canolo, a crisp pastry filled with sweet ricotta cheese.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Enjoy a full day at leisure in Taormina. Relax around the hotel pool, drink in the stunning views from the hotel terrace, or perhaps take a stroll through the delightful winding lanes and myriad of shops. You could visit Bam Bar, a local institution, for a 'granita', a refreshing sorbet usually served with brioche bread.

• Breakfast

Mount Etna is one of the most iconic Sicilian sights, and we visit it today on a wonderful full-day excursion. Travel to the Rifugio di Sapienza, located at an altitude of 1920 metres on the slopes of Etna. From here, you can choose to relax and enjoy lunch, take a walk to the nearby Silvestre Craters, or journey further upwards by cable car or 4x4 (payable locally). We continue to nearby Adrano, to join the Circumetnea Railway (Standard Class), viewing this iconic volcano from a wonderful and different angle. The unique soils of Mount Etna mean the slopes are an excellent place to grow grapes for wine, which we discover as we visit the Frank Cornelissen Winery this afternoon. We take a tour of the winery and enjoy a tasting of 5 different wines before transferring back to the hotel for a final dinner together.

• Day 7 - Breakfast, Dinner