Sicily and The Aeolian Islands

We meet at London Gatwick, where we board our flight to Sicily. Arriving in Catania, we transfer to the city of Palermo and check into our hotel for the next two nights. Sicily's capital is a treasure trove of rich history, art and culture, as well as fantastic food. Sicily itself is known for its connections to the arts, thanks largely to its stunning landscapes and incredible historic heritage.

• Dinner

We explore historic Palermo, seeing the 'Quattro Cante', or Four Songs, a Baroque square with a fountain on each corner, as well as the Palatine Chapel and Palermo's Cathedral. We continue to Capo Market to sample some of Palermo's best street food, arancino - fried rice balls crammed with tasty fillings. After time for lunch, we continue to Monreale to visit the cathedral, with its mosaics and multi-coloured marble. This evening, we visit the Palazzo Conte Federico for a drinks reception with one of Palermo's oldest families, discovering a historic home that lies behind a nondescript door in the heart of the city.

• Breakfast

Leaving Palermo by train, we travel along the coast, a scenic journey that takes us along the cliffs overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Arriving in the port town of Milazzo, we board a ferry to the stunning Aeolian Islands. A volcanic archipelago rising from cobalt waters, these seven UNESCO-protected islands are a piece of paradise just waiting to be explored. We arrive in Lipari and make the short walk to our hotel, where we spend two nights. This evening, we enjoy dinner in a local restaurant, owned for over 100 years by the Bernardi family.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After a free morning in Lipari, we sail to Panarea, possibly the most elegant of the Aeolian Islands. After some time to explore, we continue to Stromboli, one of the world's most active volcanoes. The volcano is fringed by a black sand beach and 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.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We sail back to the mainland port of Milazzo and transfer to Messina. Here, we join the train for a journey southward to Taormina-Giardini station, an Art-Deco building featured in The Godfather films. We transfer to our seaside base in Taormina Bay, linked to the Old Town by cable car, where we spend three nights. This afternoon, we learn about Taormina's rich ancient history on a guided walk. We see the fascinating Greek Theatre and pause to taste one of the town's most delicious treats, Canolo, a crisp pastry filled with sweet ricotta cheese.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Enjoy a day to explore Taormina. You could enjoy a relaxed day at the hotel, perhaps lounging around the hotel pool or drinking in the stunning views from the hotel terrace. If you'd like to stretch your legs, you could take a stroll through the delightful winding lanes and myriad of shops in Taormina. A great option is to pay a visit Bam Bar, a local institution, for a 'granita', a refreshing sorbet usually served with brioche bread.

• Breakfast

We visit Mount Etna, one of Sicily's iconic sights. Arriving at the highest point accessible by road, you have free time, during which you might like to walk to the Silvestre Craters or journey further by cable car or 4x4. We continue to Adrano to join the Circumetnea Railway, viewing the volcano from a 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 the different wines.

• Day 7 - Breakfast, Dinner

Bidding farewell to Sicily, we transfer to the airport for our flight to London.

• Breakfast