to learn more - Can I Go Too?

ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY
EXCLUSIVELY FOR
KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER
October 4-20, 2015
ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY
EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER
October 4-20, 2015
DAY 1
DEPART LAX
Sunday
04 October, 2015
DEPART LAX: TBA
AIRLINE: TBA
MEALS: In-flight
DAY 2
ARRIVE VENICE
Monday
05 October, 2015
ARRIVE VENICE: TBA
Upon arrival in in Venice, clear customs and
meet your representative in the arrivals hall,
holding a sign with your names on it. Be
escorted to your awaiting water taxi and
privately transfer across the Venetian
Lagoon and through the canals directly to
the private dock at the Londra Palace, your
glorious Venetian home for the next two
nights.
Welcome to Venice ~ One of the most
romantic and iconic cities in the world.
Author Alison Bing writes on why she loves
Venice:
“In Italo Calvino’s novel, Invisible Cities,
Venetian explorer Marco Polo describes the
cities he’s seen to Kublai Khan – only
everywhere he describes is actually Venice.
From the moment you arrive, you’ll
understand why. Venice floods the
imagination with possibility, launching
dreams like ships from its Istrian stone
shores. Gothic palaces, glass-blowing
studios, art biennials, masquerade parties:
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015
VENICE
every seemingly permanent fixture of this
floating landscape is the culmination of a
thousand creative efforts, anchored by a
thousand years of travelers’ tales. Yet the
city’s glories cannot be exaggerated or
repeated enough; Venice makes Marco
Polos of us all.”
After checking-in, the balance of the day
is at your leisure. I would recommend
taking a stroll around your neighborhood
this evening.
MEALS: In-flight
OVERNIGHT: Londra Palace (Deluxe
Lagoon View)
Londra Palace
With its 100 windows overlooking St.
Mark’s Basin, the Londra Palace for over
140 years has been a favorite gathering
place for artists, people of culture, travelers
and tourists who appreciate authentic
places that are not bound by the spirit of
time.
The Londra Palace offers 53 rooms in
Biedermeier style, each one different from
the others, featuring elegant upholstery,
brocades and marble bathrooms. Each room
is unique: views of St. Mark’s Basin and the
Lagoon are on one side, and the rooftops
and bell towers of Venice’s historic center on
the other.
DAY 3
VENICE
Tuesday
06 October, 2015
After breakfast, meet your guide in the
lobby and board your private water taxi for
a 4-hour excursion across the Venetian
Lagoon to the islands of Murano and
Burano.
Murano is the largest of the three major
islands in the northern lagoon and it offers
a sense of what Venice might have been as
a small village. The docks and canals of
Murano bustle with fishermen unloading
the day's catch, its streets are heated by the
furnaces of its many glass factories, an age-
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 MURANO
old tradition of this island and a craft that
has long since spread back into to Venice
itself. Your guide will tell you how
Murano became the center of the glassblowing universe as you visit one of the
typical factories and watch the craftsmen
at work.
Tiny Burano, an island of brightly colored
fishermen's houses and hand-tatted lace
makers, is a photographers dream. The
island (actually a collection of little islets)
exhibits a leisurely pace of life, one tied to
the rhythms of the tides and the coming
and going of fishing boats along its
diminutive canals. Wander the calming
lanes and visit a lace shop to see the “real
deal.” Many of the shops on Venice
BURANO
Island shamelessly sell imported, factorymade lace. Here in Burano you can
examine the authentic hand-tatted
masterpieces.
Returning to Venice Island, bid farewell
to your water taxi driver and depart with
your guide to explore the cuisine of
Venice as you sample some of the best
cicchetti (classic Venetian appetizers)
while discovering hidden gems along
winding back alleys.
Return to your hotel to freshen up and
then meet a local assistant who will escort
you to the dock for a private 35-minute
gondola ride. Venice is best appreciated
from this amorous perspective, gliding
under bridges and through the little
waterways. The majestic architecture
can be seen in all its glory viewing the
front facades that are hidden from
street views.
You gondolier will return you to the
dock where your assistant will be
waiting for you to walk you to the
restaurant (if we make reservations for
you).
I would suggest we make dinner
reservations for you at the Restaurant
Riviera, where the owner’s passion for
seafood is contagious.
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 PALERMO
MEALS: Breakfast, Cicchetti
Londra Palace (Deluxe
Lagoon View)
OVERNIGHT:
DAY 4
VENICE
Wednesday
07 October, 2015
After breakfast, around 9:00AM, meet
your guide in the lobby and depart on a
walking tour to Piazza San Marco and
start your morning with a visit to Palazzo
Ducal (the Doge’s Palace). On your
guided visit you will not only admire
various artworks by the major masters
such as Tintoretto, Paolo Veronese and
G. B. Tiepolo, you will discover
intrigue, mystery, tragedy and
romance.
Your guide will depart at the end of the
tour and the balance of the day is free at
your leisure.
Don’t be fooled by its genteel Gothic
elegance: behind that lacy, pinkcheckered facade, the Doge’s Palace
shows serious muscle and a steely will
to survive. The seat of Venice’s
government for nearly seven centuries,
this powerhouse stood the test of
storms, crashes and conspiracies – only
to be outwitted by Casanova, the
notorious seducer who escaped from
the attic prison. End your visit at the
infamous and aptly named Bridge of
Sighs.
MEALS: Breakfast
OVERNIGHT: Londra Palace (Deluxe
Lagoon View)
DAY 5
VENICE / PALERMO
Thursday
08 October, 2015
This morning is free at your leisure to
enjoy every last moment in Venice. In the
afternoon, check-out of your hotel, meet
your assistant in the lobby and depart
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 A DAY COOKING WITH THE DUCHESS
from your hotel’s boat dock directly to
the airport via private water taxi. Porters
will assist with your luggage to the checkin desk for your early evening flight to
Palermo.
DEPART VENICE: 5:30PM
VUELING AIRLINES
ARRIVE PALERMO: 7:05PM
Upon arrival, collect your luggage and
meet your local representative in the
arrivals hall holding a sign with your
names on it. Privately transfer to your
hotel with the balance of the evening free
at your leisure.
MEALS: Breakfast
Massimo Plaza Hotel
(Superior Room with Balcony
overlooking Teatro Massimo)
OVERNIGHT:
in Palermo. The warm colors of the décor
create a cozy ambience and the staff is ready
to welcome you and make sure you have a
pampered experience.
Massimo Plaza Hotel
Located in the heart of the historical center a
few minutes’ walk from all of the main
monumental attractions. Massimo Plaza is
a boutique hotel hideaway, where each
detail is designed to give comfort and make
your stay enjoyable.
Enter the hotel via a precious stairway,
made of marble "Red Ammonite", with
visable Ammonite fossils typical of buildings
erected at the end of the seventeenth century
DAY 6
PALERMO
Friday
09 October, 2015
After breakfast take a taxi (at your own
expense) to Via Butera 28 for A Day
Cooking with the Duchess. Today is not
simply a private cooking lesson in an
extraordinary location, an 18th century
palazzo by the sea, it is also a fascinating
journey through Sicilian culture and food.
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 MONREALE CATHEDRAL
The Duchess of Palma will take you early in
the morning to a colorful local market to buy
the freshest ingredients of the season, and
share some hidden treasures of Palermo, one
of the most intriguing cities of the
Mediterranean.
After lunch in the elegant dining room, take a
tour of the lush terrace and the beautifully
restored palazzo, the last home of Prince
Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, author of
the world-famous novel The Leopard.
sightseeing tour of Palermo. Southern Italy's
entire historical legacy exists along a
kilometer of Corso Calatafimi - a Punic
cemetery, Roman homes (in Piazza Vittoria),
Norman palaces (the Cuba and Royal
Palace) and Baroque churches. Perhaps no
other street in Europe boasts a heritage so
ancient and so varied. The city’s ancient and
medieval historical district is larger than that
of any other Italian city except Rome and
maybe Naples. Wide boulevards, chaotic
traffic and residents that seem to have a
healthy suspicion of outsiders, Palermo is a
delightful urban melting pot. Visit the
interiors of the gigantic 12th century Duomo
(cathedral) and the Norman Palace.
Your local guide will meet you after your
cooking class and take you on a panoramic
After your full day of adventures, return to
your hotel with the evening at your leisure.
In the spacious and welcoming kitchen of the
palazzo, you'll be able to create a whole
Sicilian menu under the Duchess' guidance.
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch
OVERNIGHT: Massimo Plaza Hotel
(Superior Room with Balcony
overlooking Teatro Massimo)
DAY 7
PALERMO
Saturday
10 October, 2015
Meet your guide at 9:00AM in the lobby
and depart to visit the spectacular
cathedral and abbey in Monreale.
Overlooking Palermo, the town of
Monreale, from the Latin "Mons Regalis"
(literally Royal Mountain), straddles a
slope of Mount Caputo and overlooks the
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 SEGESTA
"Conca d'Oro," as the valley beyond
Palermo is known. No visit of Palermo is
truly complete without a visit to
Monreale’s cathedral and abbey which
aresolid reminders that the beauty of a
particularly splendid church transcends
that of any single work of art, however
noble.
multicultural is at all negative, the effect of
the Monreale Cathedral will convert you to
another way of thinking.
The cathedral and its cloister represent the
largest concentration of Norman, Arab and
Byzantine art in one place. True, Palermo's
cathedral is larger, but Monreale's exists in
something far closer to its original twelfthcentury state. This wondrous place is much
more than "just another church." If your
impression of the overused word
Room with Balcony overlooking Teatro
Massimo)
Around 1:00PM depart back to your hotel
with the balance of the day free on your own.
MEALS: Breakfast
OVERNIGHT: Massimo Plaza Hotel (Superior
DAY 8
PALERMO / SEGESTA
/ ERICE / PALERMO
Sunday
11 October, 2015
Today depart at 9:00AM and depart with
your English speaking driver for an outing
to Segesta and Erice..
Segesta emerged as one of the most
important Siceliot (Sicilian-Greek) cities of
antiquity. The Segestans themselves were a
formidable force both economically and
militarily. The hilltop site of the ancient city
was inhabited into the Middle Ages, and
boasts the crumbling ruins of a Norman
castle, a small church and a mosque, along
with a classical amphitheater. It looks as if it
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 ERICE
were built yesterday. Segesta's ancient
Greek temple can make a valid claim to
being the best preserved in the world, and
its amphitheater boasts a hilltop position
on Mount Barbaro second to none.
After examining the ruins at Segesta,
travel into the city of Trapani to take the
10-minute cable car ride up to Erice for a
short break for lunch on your own.
After your lunch break, it is time for
exploring. At nearly 2,500 feet above sea
level Erice boasts marvelous views. On a
cloudless day, the Egadi Islands off the
coast of Trapani are vividly visible, rising
from the sea like giant, motionless whales
while to the west the panorama takes in
vast swathes of eastern Sicily, the
Tyrrhenian Sea and the coastline towards
San Vito Lo Capo, Monte Cofano and
the Gulf of Castellammare. Originally an
Elymian city (the Elymians were around
before the Greeks ever set foot in Sicily)
Erice, or Eryx as it was first called, was a
town said to have attracted the likes
Hercules and Aeneas.
The Norman Castle, more romantically
referred to as Venus Castle, is the stuff of
fairytales. The castle was built on the site
of a former temple to Venus, or so the
story goes. Squint a little and it’s not too
hard to imagine some knight in shining
armor attempting, valiantly, as knights do,
to save some golden-haired damsel in
distress from a monstrous evil-looking
fire-breathing dragon which has been
set to guard said damsel’s honor for
eternity, or at least until some brave
and lustful knight comes along.
Erice Cathedral, known by many
names: Il Doumo, Chiesa Matrice
(main church) or Santa Maria Assunta,
is definitely a church worth a visit. The
austere facade features an arcade of
pointed arches and is surmounted by a
beautiful Gothic rose window. Precious
works of art, like the marble altarpiece
of the main altar, the work of Giuliano
Mancino, have been preserved. And,
interestingly, the bell tower stands off
alone, separate for the church.
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 VALLEY OF THE TEMPLES AT SUNSET
After visiting two of Erice’s masterpieces of
the ancient world, it is time to stroll the
cobblestone streets and make a visit to Maria
Grammatico’s famous pastry shop,
Pasticceria Grammatico, specializing in
almond sweets. Maria’s story is inspiring and
her creations divine. Your guide will tell you
all about her history on your way to visit her
shop.
After your tasty visit, return to Palermo with
the balance of the evening free at your leisure
and dinner on your own.
MEALS: Breakfast, Pastry Tasting
OVERNIGHT: Massimo Plaza Hotel (Superior
Room with Balcony overlooking Teatro
Massimo)
DAY 9
PALERMO / CORLEONE
/ AGRIGENTO
Monday
12 October, 2015
Today is an early check-out with departure at
8:45AM. Bid farewell to Palermo and depart
with your English speaking driver to start on
your journey across Sicily.
Stop in the town of Corleone to make a visit
to C.I.D.M.A the Anti-Mafia Museum. The
local mafia clan, the Corleonesi, led the Mafia
in the 1980s and 1990s, and were the most
violent and ruthless Mafia clan ever to take
control of the organization. Culture, Progress
and Legality are the objectives that the
C.I.D.M.A. intends to pursue. In the
museum you can have a walk through the
“Room of the folders”, the "Room of the
messages", "Room of pain" and the final
room dedicate to Carlo Alberto Dalla
Chiesa. Your guided tour of the museum
will last around 45-50 minutes.
Take a break for lunch on your own before
continuing to Agrigento where you will
meet your local expert and visit the Valley
of the Temples, a UNESCO World
Heritage site in the ancient city of Akragas.
On your private guided tour with a local
expert, discover the main sights, the
temples of Juno, Concordia and the a
sanctuary of Demeter and Persephone
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 GROTTE
(formerly known as the Temple of Castor
and Pollux). It is interesting to note that
Ancient Akragas covers a huge area, much of
which is still unexcavated today.
After your tor, check-in to the Villa Athena
around 5:30PM this evening with dinner on
your own. Admire the view over the ruins of
the Temple of Concordia from your room
tonight.
MEALS: Breakfast
OVERNIGHT: Villa Athena (Deluxe Room
with View of the Temple Concordia)
PIAZZA ARMERINA
Villa Athena
Villa Athena is a noble residence from the
18th century situated within the
Archaeological Park of the Valley of the
Temples, which UNESCO has declared a
world heritage site. Villa Athena stands only
two hundred meters from the Temple of
Concordia, a true masterpiece of Doric art
dating back to the 5th century B.C. Here can
be found a Sicily which goes back millennia.
The recent completion of restoration work
and the upgrading of the villa has notably
increased the beauty and the exclusiveness of
the hotel. The refined and elegant furnishings
seem to blend with the comfort of the
splendid rooms which overlook the temples
and the park of centuries old olive trees.
DAY 10
AGRIGENTO / GROTTE
/ PIAZZA ARMERINA
Tuesday
13 October, 2015
Eat breakfast at the hotel and take some time
to wander the gardens before checking-out
departing to Grotte, the village of your
family. We will arrange a meeting with the
owners of the local Zaffuto Tractor and
Farm supply, who carry your family name.
We suggest we try and arrange to meet at a
family house with the oldest family member
who has pictures to show you. Before the
meeting we will have your driver take you to
a local shop to purchase some bread, salami,
cheese, wine and other nibbles to make for a
nice light lunch to bring to your hosts. A gift
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 ”FLUIDITY” ROOM AT SUITE ‘DAUTORE
of wine, or olive oil, or maybe something
special you have brought from your home
town would also be nice gifts to consider
bringing to the family host (or hostess).
Your driver will translate for you as the
family does not speak English, unless there
are some of their children available who
will be learning English in school and be
delighted to try out their skills!
After your visit, when you are ready to
depart, continue on to Piazza Armerina,
about one and one-half hours away.
After checking-in at the Suite d'Autore right
in the heart of town, the balance of your
evening is free at your leisure.
MOSAICS IN VILLA ROMANA DEL CASALE
NOTE: This 3-star hotel is next to a
lovely church and in the best position
with best rating in the town center. The
church bells are completely silent from
11:00PM to 6:00AM daily.
MEALS: Breakfast
OVERNIGHT: Suite d'Autore (Cathedral
View Room)
Suite d'Autore Art Hotel
The places without any space and time,
between reality and fantasy are
characterized by the “Gesumtkunstwork”
concept, where each single part is designed
in a harmonious rapport with everything
around it to create an extraordinary charm.
Not only does Suite d’Autore execute its
natural function as a hotel, playing didactic
and cultural roles, making the most of
extraordinary moments of historical design
and present-day tendencies, but also as an
art gallery promoting young artists and
designers and, as a consequence, real works
of art... Each of the seven rooms is
completely original and unique.
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 CALTAGIRONE
DAY 11
PIAZZA ARMERINA
Wednesday
14 October, 2015
Today meet your driver around 9:30AM
and depart to the Villa Romana del
Casale.
This stunning Roman complex is the
main reason most people visit Piazza
Armerina and it is certainly worth putting
near the top of any Sicilian itinerary. This
UNESCO World Heritage Site contains
the finest and largest collection of Roman
floor mosaics in the World. There are
38,050 square feet of them! The mosaics
are considered unique for their natural,
narrative style, the range of their subject
matter and variety of color.
Built in the early 4th century AD, the
buildings were covered by a mudslide in
the 12th century and though sporadic
attempts were made over the next 700
years to uncover them, it wasn’t until the
1950’s that a concerted excavation effort
began, which even with the vast amount
now on display, is still not completed.
Enjoy a four hour privately guided tour of
this magnificent site. After your visit
return to Piazza Armerina with the
balance of the day free at your leisure.
MEALS: Breakfast
OVERNIGHT: Suite d'Autore (Cathedral
View Room)
DAY 12
PIAZZA ARMERINA
/ CALTAGIRONE / NOTO
Thursday
15 October, 2015
After breakfast this morning, check out and
depart at 9:00AM to the UNESCO World
Heritage and pottery village of Caltagirone.
Upon arrival, meet your local guide and go
exploring to admire the gorgeous majolica
tiles adorning the Saint Francesco Bridge,
the Staircase of Santa Maria Del Monte, and
on balconies and buildings. In the public
gardens (to locals known as The Villa
Communale) an entire balustrade is
embellished with vases decorated with
ominous, diabolic faces, alternating with
green pine cones and majolica light stands. A
vast number of pathways run though the
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 NOTO
GROTTE
garden; its open areas are decorated by
ceramic statues, vases and fountains.
Visit a workshop of a ceramist and
admire the hand painting and glazing
techniques. Take some time to explore
the shops bursting with colors, shapes
and patterns.
At the end of your walking tour, bid your
guide farewell and enjoy a seafood lunch
at Il Locandiere. This “catch of the day”
restaurant closes up the moment they
run out of seafood purchased in the
morning. We will make the reservations
and you can pay directly.
After your visit continue on to the village
of Noto and check-in at the Seven Rooms
Villadorata your home for the next three
nights.
Enjoy your evening at your leisure
exploring the UNESCO World Heritage
Site and one of Sicily's most beautiful
historic centers. The pièce de résistance
is Corso Vittorio Emanuele, an
elegantly manicured walkway flanked by
thrilling baroque palazzi and churches.
Stunning at any time of the day, it is
especially fabulous in the early evening
when the lovely red-gold buildings seem
to glow with a soft inner light.
MEALS: Breakfast
OVERNIGHT: Seven Rooms Villadorata
(Room with Balcony)
Seven Rooms Villadorata
The ambience of the rooms evokes a
distinctive charm, with balconies
overlooking the main road with views of the
Cathedral and the Church of San Carlo, as
well as the Market Lodge and the
magnificent paved courtyard adorned by
two symbolic ancient palm trees.
The owners have taken care of every detail,
and selected the most exclusive Italian and
French linens and furnishings in order to
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 RAGUSA IBLA
make each room not only luxurious and
comfortable, but one of a kind; with the
aim of offering guests a high-caliber service
comparable to the large luxury hotels, while
remaining intimate and welcoming as only
a small family hotel can be.
DAY 13
EXCURSION TO RAGUSA
Friday
16 October, 2015
Around 9:00AM this morning, meet your
driver and depart on a full-day
exploration of the town of Ragusa.
(Today is a day to have your most
comfortable pair of walking shoes on.)
Set amidst the rocky peaks, Ragusa is a
town of two faces. Sitting on the top of
the hill is Ragusa Superiore, a busy
workaday town with sensible gridpattern streets and all the trappings of a
modern provincial capital, while etched
into the hillside further down is Ragusa
Ibla. This sloping area of tangled
alleyways, grey stone houses and
baroque palazzi is effectively Ragusa's
historic center and it's quite magnificent.
Upon arrival your driver will take you to
meet your local guide in Ragusa
Superiore and start off with a visit to
Pasticceria di Pasquale to savor a
morning pastry. This shop is also
renowned for their different arancini
(fried rice balls with a filling inside).
With your guide’s assistance, pick a
selection for lunch later on and few
pastries for dessert.
Like every other town in the region,
Ragusa Ibla collapsed after the 1693
earthquake and a new town, Ragusa
Superiore, was built on a high plateau
above. But the old aristocracy was loath
to leave the tottering palazzi and rebuilt
Ragusa Ibla on exactly the same spot.
Next start your descent down the the
Salita Commendatore, a winding pass
of stairs and narrow archways that leads
down to Ragusa Ibla past the Chiesa di
Santa Maria delle Scale, a 15th-century
church with great views.
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 MODICA
Continue to the grandest building in
Ibla, the cathedral, the Duomo di San
Giorgio, begun in 1738 and designed by
the architect Rosario Gagliardi. Up a
flight of steps and segregated from the
streets by ornate railings, this is the heart
of the old town and contains some of its
best, and most prized artworks. These
include a statue of St. George which is
carried around town in devout
processions.
Ibla's lanes contain many charms, from
elaborately-sculpted balconies to views
over the narrow valleys below town. If
you have time, it's a good place to
explore, with some intriguing corners. A
little tourist train (trenino) departs from
Piazza Duomo and is an entertaining
way of touring the principal streets.
At the end of Ibla's rocky ridge is the
town's public park, the Giardino Ibleo.
The pride of the town, these manicured
and leafy gardens have views over the
surrounding valleys and are the venue of
choice for promenading locals as well as
tourists. Watching three or four
generations meeting up and groups of
teenagers strolling arm-in-arm is a
charming introduction to Sicilian life.
This is also a perfect place to stop and
enjoy your arancini and pastries.
After your “picnic” continue exploring
the lanes and alleys of Ragusa Ibla slowly
weaving your way back up to Ragusa
Superiore. End your afternoon at the
Casa del Formaggio Dipasquale, a shop
that has been selecting and promoting
typical Sicilian cheeses since the 1950’s.
Here participate with your guide in
tasting a selection of typical and
extraordinary cheeses.
In the early evening return to your hotel
in Noto arriving around 6:00PM. The
balance of the evening is free to enjoy at
your leisure.
MEALS: Breakfast, Pastries & Arancini,
Cheese Tasting
OVERNIGHT: Seven Rooms Villadorata
(Room with Balcony)
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 SCICLI
DAY 14
OUTTING TO MODICA
AND SCICLI
Saturday
17 October, 2015
Today meet your driver at 9:00AM and
depart to the baroque village of Modica
with your most comfortable walking
shoes. With its steeply stacked medieval
center and spectacular baroque
cathedral, Modica is one of southern
Sicily's most atmospheric towns.
Upon arrival, meet your local guide and
start with a visit to Chiesa di San
Giorgio, one of Sicily's most
extraordinary baroque churches.
Considered Rosario Gagliardi's great
masterpiece, it stands in isolated
splendor at the top of a majestic 250-step
staircase, its sumptuous three-tiered
facade towering above the medieval
alleyways of the historic center. The
glitzy interior, a sun-lit kaleidoscope of
silvers, golds and egg-shell blues, displays
all the hallmarks of early-18th-century
Sicilian baroque.
Next visit the Chiesa di San Giovanni
Evangelista. Marking the top of Modica
Alta is this grand baroque church,
prefaced by a sweeping staircase. Nearby,
located at the end of Via Pizzo, a viewing
balcony offers great panoramas over the
old town.
Before departing Modica make a visit to
the Cattedrale di San Pietro, an
impressive church atop a rippling
staircase lined with life-sized statues of
the Apostles.
Take a break for lunch on your own at
your guide’s suggestion.
Depart to Scicli (pronounced sheek-ly), a
pleasant country town with a charming
baroque center and a pretty, palmfringed central piazza. Another
UNESCO World Heritage Site, Scicli is
off-the-beaten-track compared with its
more oft visited neighbors, Noto, Ragusa
and Modica.
Take a two-hour walking tour with your
guide. Visit the pedestrianized area of the
Piazza Italia and the Via Penna. Scicli's
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most striking Baroque palace is Palazzo
Beneventano, on Via Duca d'Aosta,
close to Piazza Italia and Via Penna .
This is a grand show-off of a building,
featuring leering faces, monstrous beasts
and other architectural fantasies, partly
eroded away.
known as the Chiarafura Caves. These
were dug out of the hills surrounding
Scicli and were inhabited as recently as
the 1950’s.
If you still have energy, make the climb
to the abandoned Church of San
Matteo, which is perched high on a hill
overlooking the town. While the trek up
may seem daunting it is worth every step
as you will be greeted with the most
amazing view of Scicli from this unique
perspective. Along the way you will pass
by some caves chiseled into the rock,
MEALS: Breakfast,
Arrive back in Noto around 6:30PM
with the evening free at your leisure.
OVERNIGHT: Seven Rooms Villadorata
(Room with Balcony)
DAY 15
NOTO / SIRACUSA
/ CATANIA / TAORMINA
Sunday
18 October, 2015
This morning it is time to check-out and
bid farewell to the palazzo and to Noto.
Depart with your driver to Siracusa,
about 45-minutes away.
Upon arrival, meet your local guide and
discover the archaeological site of
Syracuse (Siracusa), the most important
city of Magna Graecia. It defeated the
mighty Athens in 413 and was home to
many a great Greek, including the
inimitable Archimedes. At the height of
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 MUSEO STORICO DELLO SBARCO IN SICILIA 1943 ARCHIVE PHOTO
its economic, political and military
powers, the city had a population of
300,000 and, according to Cicero, was
“the greatest Greek city and the most
beautiful of them all”.
The archaeological site, situated in the
northwest of the town, is home to a
staggering number of well-preserved
Greek (and Roman) remains. The main
attraction is undoubtedly the Greek
theatre that dates back at least until the
5th Century BC.
Just over the ridge from the theatre are
the old stone quarries (latomie). While
today there is a delightful, fragrant lemon
orchard, they used to serve a different,
more sinister purpose: 7,000 Athenian
prisoners of war were kept here after the
Sicilian Expedition in 413. Of most
interest is the famous Ear of Dionysius,
a slender pointed arch cut into the rock
face that develops inwards. The name
was given by Caravaggio during his visit
in 1608 and legend would tell that it was
used by Dionysius the Tyrant as a prison
for his bitterest enemies. The excellent
Cathedral-like acoustics meant that he
could hear their conversations from
outside.
This afternoon enjoy lunch at a local
delicatessen like, Caseificio Borderi, or
similar. Specializing in the freshest local
produce and products, their sandwiches
(panini) are some of the best in all of
Italy.
After lunch depart to Catania to make a
stop and short visit to the Museo
Storico dello Sbarco in Sicilia 1943
(Historical Museum of the Landing in
Sicily in 1943).
On 10th July 1943 American, British and
Commonwealth troops came ashore in
eastern Sicily near Gela and Scoglitti and
the coasts of Pachino and Portopalo di
Capo Passero respectively. The Allies
occupied western Sicily easily but met
with Italo-German resistance in the east.
The museum retraces the stages of the
Anglo-American occupation of Sicily
during World War II. These stories of
men, ideas and military equipment have
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 VILLA DUCALE PANORAMA OVER THE GULF OF NAXOS
been recreated on the thread of memory
by men. In founding the museum,
Antonino Montalto and Andrea Blefari
wanted to create something lasting,
which will preserve the recollections of
the elderly and pass them on to future
generations who, perhaps, will not know
the horrors of war but who should be
aware of the value of freedom and the
price that men have to pay to win and
preserve it.
After your visit to the museum, continue
on to Taormina.
Spectacularly perched on the side of a
mountain, Taormina is Sicily's most
popular summer destination, a chic
resort town beloved of holidaying high-
rollers and visiting celebrities. And while
it is unashamedly touristy and has a main
street lined with high-end designer
shops, the town remains an achingly
beautiful spot with gorgeous medieval
churches, a stunning Greek theatre and
sweeping views over the Gulf of Naxos
and Mt Etna.
Taormina enjoyed great prosperity
under the Greek ruler Gelon II and later
under the Romans, but fell into quiet
obscurity after being conquered by the
Normans in 1087. Its modern
reincarnation as a tourist destination
dates to the 18th century, when it was
discovered by northern Europeans on
their “Grand Tour”. Goethe was an early
fan, as was DH Lawrence, who lived here
between 1920 and 1923, and over the
years it has seduced a whole army of
writers, artists, aristocrats and royals.
Upon arrival around 6:30PM, check-in to
the Hotel Villa Ducale, your home for the next
two nights. Your driver will be available to
take you into Taromina and drop you off for
dinner on your own. You can take a taxi (at
your own expense) back to the hotel when
you are finished, or see if the hotel’s shuttle
can pick you up.
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch
OVERNIGHT: Villa Ducale (Jr. Suite)
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ALL AROUND VENICE & SICILY | EXCLUSIVELY FOR KIM ZWERNER & MARY JANE WEBER | October 4-20, 2015 TAORMINA
Villa Ducale
Hotel Villa Ducale in Taormina is an
authentic Sicilian villa which has been
transformed by Italian designers into a
luxury boutique hotel where the internal
spaces have maintained their original
fascination but without giving up on
modern comforts, such as free WiFi
throughout.
The heart and soul of Villa Ducale is our
spectacular panoramic terrace from where
guests can enjoy a stunning view over the
Bay of Giardini Naxos towards Mount
Etna, as well as the picturesque roofs of the
old city of Taormina. It is widely regarded
as one of the most beautiful panoramas in
all of Italy and something you won’t easily
forget after your stay.
A small Jacuzzi pool is situated in a lovely
corner of the hotel with its own terrace and
view of the Straits of Messina. All guests can
use the pool throughout the day. You will
find sun loungers to take in the Sicilian sun
as well as shade of Mediterranean flora.
DAY 16
TAORMINA
Monday
19 October, 2015
This morning at 9:00AM meet your
driver and depart into the town of
Taormina where you will meet your
guide and depart on a four-hour walking
tour.
Visit the ancient Greek Theater,
Taormina’s premier attraction. A perfect
horseshoe-shaped theatre, suspended
between sea and sky, with Mt Etna
looming on the southern horizon. Built
in the 3rd century BC, it's the most
dramatically situated Greek theatre in
the world and the second largest in Sicily
(after Syracuse).
After exploring the theater take a stroll
through the streets and visit Laboratorio
Pasticceria Roberto, the famous bakery
of heavenly cannoli and other delicious
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sweets. We will arrange a visit behind the
counter to meet the owner and learn
about the crispy shells and the dreamy,
creamy fillings that make these cannoli
so special. Try your hand at filling your
own cannoli after a lesson and
demonstration from the master.
in the late afternoon and then back into
Taormina for dinner on your own.
DEPART CATANIA: TBD
FLIGHT: TBD
ARRIVE TBD: TBD
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch
CHANGE PLANES
Since you just had dessert, it is now time
for a casual lunch from Da Cristina, a
family run “fast food” establishment
serving a variety of pizzas, arancini, pasta
and salads. If the weather is nice, take
your food to-go and enjoy it on a nearby
bench while watching the passersby.
After lunch enjoy the balance of the day
free at your leisure. You can arrange for
your driver to return to you to the hotel
TAORMINA / CATANIA
/ USA
OVERNIGHT: Villa Ducale (Jr. Suite)
DAY 17
Tuesday
20 October, 2015
This morning depart to the airport in
Catania to start your journey back to the
USA. Bid your driver a fond farewell and
start planning your next return to see all
of the wonders that Sicily and Italy have
to offer. Arrivederci for now!
DEPART TBD: TBD
FLIGHT: TBD
ARRIVE LAX: TBD
Welcome Home!
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