Christmas in Sicily

We meet at the airport and board our flight to Palermo in Italy. On arrival, we transfer to our hotel, where we stay for the next 4 nights. On Day 2 we discover Palermo on a guided tour. The capital of Sicily, Palermo is a fascinating place to explore and we see both its old medieval quarter and the newer district. Palatine Chapel is included in Palermo. Then in the afternoon continue to Monreale to visit the town and its magnificent cathedral.

• Day 1 - Dinner
• Day 2: Breakfast

Today we enjoy a visit to Agrigento. This area is famous for the Valley of the Temples, a collection of magnificent Doric temples built in the 5th century. We enjoy a guided tour here and also take some time to visit the Archaeological Museum.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After a free start to the day we make our way to Trattoria del Sale in the town of Paceco for a wonderful lunch in rustic surroundings, before continuing to Custonaci, famed for its 'living Nativity scene', a popular Italian custom where residents or actors take on the roles of traditional figures found in the Nativity story. Known as 'presepi viventi', these special pageants are often on display for several days over the Christmas period, sometimes featuring allusions to local customs in the props or scenery. Custonaci's presepi viventi, housed in a large cavern, is considered one of the best in Sicily, with over 160 costumed participants creating an immersive Nativity - the perfect way to celebrate Christmas. After time to explore this fascinating scene, we return to our hotel for a delicious Christmas Day dinner.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We head to beautiful Taormina by rail, enjoying the Sicilian sights on our journey. On arrival we check into our hotel, the 4-Star Hotel Villa Diodoro, in the heart of Taormina. On Day 6 we have a guided tour of the city before the rest of your day is free. We transfer to Rifugio di Sapienza, the highest accessible point on Mount Etna, on Day 7 and enjoy free time here. For lunch, we visit a local winery, enjoying a 3-course meal. Later we travel on the Circumetnea Train, which makes its way around the base of Mount Etna, to Randazzo before return to our hotel for our final evening.

• Day 5 - Breakfast
• Day 6 - Breakfast
• Day 7 - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we bid a fond farewell to Sicily as we board our flight at Catania airport to London Gatwick.

• Breakfast