Join us in the beautiful region of Sicily  for a truly unique experience!

DAY 1 – Friday, October 25

Your Lilipans assistant for the trip, Lisa, will welcome you in Acitrezza-Catania, at your hotel, the four star Grand Hotel dei Faraglioni.

An aperitif will be served on the hotel’s sea-view terrace (weather permitting). You will meet again with Lisa, with the sommelier Roscioli and of course, with the other participants of the tour.

DAY 2 – Saturday, October 26

Let’s get off to a great start with a hike on Europe’s largest active volcano, Mount Etna, affectionately called  “A’ Muntagna”, “The Mountain”, by the Sicilians.

Your local guide, Tita and your private driver will meet you at the hotel and after a-one hour drive, we’ll reach the north side of this stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Piano Provenzana , exploring craters and lava tunnels.  The walk is easy. However, we recommend wearing comfortable hiking shoes, layered clothing, and, for those who want, trekking poles.

After a quick “arancini”snack, our day continues at the Val Cerasa Winery, where the owner Alice  and her husband, will welcome us for a visit of their vineyard and a wine tasting with delicious local products for lunch.

Return to hotel by our private minibus and after a late afternoon rest, we walk to a lovely local restaurant for dinner.

Day 3 – Sunday, October 27

This morning is dedicated to discovering the renowned Taormina!

A morning stroll in one of the most beautiful town in Sicily, with your 100% Sicilian guide, Tita. Taormina rests on top of the Mount Tauro, it’s a natural platform overlooking the sea, a position that have earned this city, the nickname of Pearl of the Ionian Sea.

You’ll have little free time to take a “cannolo” or doing some shopping, then our next stop is at the Winery Malopasso, ran by Floriana and Pasquale. You will stroll in their lovely property and have a tasting of their wines, along with Sicilian delicacies.

Return to hotel by our private minibus and dinner at leisure.

Day 4 – Monday, October 28

This day we are going to transfer to south-east Sicily, Ragusa, stopping first in the splendid ancient Greek city of Siracusa.

After checking out, your private driver with minibus will first stop by the Archaeological Park of Neapolis, for a guided walking tour of the park led by our historic guide Carmine.

We continue to Ortigia, a-one square kilometer large island, which used to be the oldest nucleus of Syracuse and that is now connected to the rest of the city by two bridges.

A quick stop at the small local market to taste some delicious street food, and then we continue  to Ragusa Ibla.

We’ll settle in the lovely 4 star A.D.1768 hotel and walk to the  very close patrician Palazzo Arezzo di Trifiletti. The baron’s son, Mr. Domenico Arezzo di Trifiletti, will lead the visit in his family’s palace. At the end, an aperitif accompanied by Ragusano cheese DOP and Dried Sausage of the Nebrodi, will be served.

We’ll have dinner at a local Tavern in the fascinating historic center of Ragusa Ibla.

Day 5 – Tuesday, October 29

  We will start this day visiting an authentic 18^th century water mill that is still in operation and a its small museum, Cavallo d’Ispica.

Afterwards, we’ll keep exploring the excellent wines of this land, with a visit to the Tenuta La Favola, near Noto, where the agronomist Sebastian will welcome you with a tour of the vineyards and the cellars, telling the story of the family who runs the estate from several generations. After a wine tasting and light lunch, you continue to the beautiful city of Noto, which shares its name with the Noto Valley, another extraordinary UNESCO site. Noto was almost entirely destroyed by a devastating earthquake in 1693, and entirely rebuilt in a true jewel of the Sicilian Baroque.

 Our historic guide Francesca, born and raised in this valley, will show you the beauty of Noto city center, famous for being one of the capital of the Sicilian Baroque.

Day 6 – Wednesday, October 30

Wine, wine and more wine today, in the area of Vittoria!

But first, early morning we’ll visit the organic Occhipinti Latticini di Fattoria  farming company. It was officially born in the 90s but the art and craft of preparing ricotta, provola, Ragusano DOP, that you are going to taste here, is as old as Sicily itself and it’s been handed down from generation to generation to all members of Giuseppe Occhipinti . Tradition harmoniously mixed with innovation, freshness and daily care, are all ingredients of this fascinating place.

Afterwards, we first visit Arianna Occhipinti’s wine estate. Don’t get me wrong!!!  Arianna and Giuseppe are not related, but in these parts, everyone is called Occhipinti!!

You will taste Arianna’s delicious wine along with “pane & olio”(bread and olive oil), produced in her farm.

We’ll have then a lunch break at the “Baglio Occhipinti” nearby, and we continue our afternoon by visiting the wine producer COS, famous for having bravely recovered the ancient use of only amphoras for some of their wines, since 2007.

 Then we’ll head back to Ragusa, where Francesca will lead us in a lovely “moonlight stroll in the beautiful historic center of Ragusa Ibla, ending the visit at the workshop Cinabro, an incredible story of Art, Passion and Tenacity, thanks to which, Mr Biagio and his two collaborators have been preserving the fascinating and almost disappeared art of “Carretti Siciliani”, Sicilian Carts. And finally, dinner at a fabulous local Osteria!!

Day 7 – Thursday, October 31

This is our last day in Ragusa and after having checked out, we go to Modica for a fantastic immersion in the story of the renowned “Modica’s chocolate”, at the Bonajuto Dolceria  Your guide Francesca will join us for a walking tour of Modica, then, and after a quick snack, we start to Catania by our private minibus.

 We’ll check in at the five star Palazzo San Giorgio Hotel, located in the very city center of Catania, and take some time to settle. Mid afternoon, we will walk to the close noble palace, Palazzo Biscari, where one of the owners will welcome us to discover the story of this aristocratic property

Day 8 – Friday, November 12

This day is entirely dedicated to Catania. Tita will meet us again at the hotel and she’ll show us the main sites, along with the hidden and less known gems of this very special city, including the multicolored fish market.

Tita will drop us off at Prestipino, one of the best place for grabbing a bite to eat in the historic center of  Catania.

And last but not least, we are going to end the day, meeting the Napoli family and listening their incredible and touching story: the story of the Opera dei Pupi, one of the most representative identity brands of the Sicilian culture, that was included by UNESCO as one of the intangible Heritage of Humanity, in 2001.

The rest of the afternoon you will enjoy some time for strolling on your own or doing some shopping.

We’ll be meeting at the hotel to have our “goodbye dinner” in a great restaurant of Catania.

Day 9 – Saturday, November 2

After checking out, your Lilipans assistant will help you in your departure procedures. Lilipans travel services end here.

**If you would like us to arrange a transfer from Hotel Palazzo San Giorgio to Catania Fontanarossa Airport, please, let us know at the moment of your confirmation and we’ll happy to assist you.

***Small changes to the itinerary are possible, beyond our control.

***Lilipans Tour is not liable in any way for any activities that the client decides to undertake independently during their stay, which are not expressly indicated in the proposed itinerary.