Madrelingua Italiana

Tour Leader Gianluca Butticè, Italian Language (L2/LS) Teacher and Founder at Madrelingua Italiana, Inc., will deliver everyday after breakfast a 30 minute language session, aiming to provide an overview of the day ahead and to introduce / familiarize the participants to the main points and key-terms encountered in each activity and / or excursion.
Madrelingua Italiana has meticulously designed this Language and Culture Tour of Sicily to show to its participants, antique-traditions & cultural aspects of the most southern and sunny region of Italy, which could never be truly discovered without the commitment of native professionals.

1st day: Palermo

Arrival at Palermo Airport, transfer to Hotel. Overnight.

2nd day: Food Market & Palermo & Monreale Tour

Breakfast in hotel. Pick up by your private driver and transfer to Capo’s Market. We will start right away exploring the Sicilian culture and cuisin. The itinerary starts with a visit in the Capo Market, the oldest market in Palermo, where we’ll see and taste the famous street food: panelle, arancine, crocchette and pani ca meusa. You will admire the little and colored shacks that characterize the richness of fruits, fishes and meat and the sellers, screaming, to gain your attention. After that you’ll visit Palermo, which extends along the beautiful Tyrrhenian bay. Founded by the Phoenicians on 7th and 8th century BCE, it was conquered by the Arabs in 831 AD, and then started a great period of prosperity. The wide boulevards of the city, the historical center and the building in baroque’s architectural style will enchant you. We will visit the main attractions of the city like the Norman section, I Quattro Canti (the four corners in the city), baroque square of Cathedral. Departure to Monreale in the afternoon, visiting the imposing Arab-Norman Cathedral with its masterpieces of art, (famous for the rich Byzantine mosaics magnificently decorating its inside) its beautiful cloister, sculptures and inlay. Typical Sicilian dinner at the restaurant and Overnight in Palermo.

3rd day: Segesta & Erice

Breakfast and departure to Segesta for a guided tour of the Temple and the Theater. Segesta is one of the most beautiful places in Sicily, located on Mount Barbaro. The latter was founded by the Elimi and extends to a height of about 400 meters above the sea level (ASL). The fame of Segesta is undoubtedly linked, above all, to the famous Doric Temple. In its vicinity, in the direction of the Gulf of Castellammare or Mazara, is found a semicircular shaped theater which dates back to the Roman conquest (3rd Century AD), located on the highest peak of Mount Barbaro. Afterwards, visit to Erice, the wonderfully preserved mediaeval hill town located at about 1000 meters above sea level at the extreme north-west corner of Sicily. Erice offers the most breathtaking views of both the city of Trapani and the archipelago of the Egadi Islands. Actually on a clear day you can see the North African coast. You will visit the Norman Castle and the Duomo walking through the cobblestoned streets, breathing fresh air and the amazing bakery smell passing by the many pastry shops. A special stop at the Maria Grammatico’s famous pastry shop to see the variety of sweets she lovingly creates. Overnight in Palermo.

4th day: Mozia, Cantina Florio, Sambuca Di Sicilia

After breakfast at the hotel, departure to Marsala where we will visit the little island of Mozia. Then, we’ll visit the Florio winery, a warm place, rich in mineral soil, sea breezes kissed, and where Marsala wine was produced for almost two centuries. Soon after, we will visit the Donnafugata winery. The Rallo family, owners of Donnafugata winery, has been in the wine business for over a century. Their winery is known for its exceptional range of wines made from an indigenous variety of grapes such as Inzolia, Catarratto, Zibbibo and Nero d'Avola, including international varieties such as Viognier. Wine tasting and lunch in the cellar. After lunch, we will continue to Sambuca di Sicilia, a typical Sicilian village which was officially recognized in 2016 by the National Rai Tv channel, as being the most beautiful Borgo of Italy. It has also been referred to as "THE VILLAGE OF VILLAGES". In this wonderful destination we’ll be walking and enjoying its beautiful historic center; the Carmine church built in 1530 (although you'll notice it demonstrates a strong fourteenth-century style!). In order to get there, we’ll have to climb atop of a picturesque uphill road between two majestic palm trees. Once the visit of Sambuca di Sicilia’s village is completed, we will head to Agrigento arriving there in the evening. Accommodation in hotel and dinner.

5th day: Agrigento / Borgo di Sant’Angelo Muxaro / Valle dei Templi

After breakfast we will travel to reach the hinterland of Agrigento. In its wonderful province, on the hillside close to the center of the Platani River, it was born a little village called Sant’Angelo Muxaro (old Kamikos, famous for Dedalo and Minosse mitos). Our professional tour guide will take us to a bakery to enjoy biscuits and home made cookies; then, we will visit a shepherd’s house to taste soft pecorino and ricotta cheese, still warm. This walking itinerary really takes us far from the classic tourist routes. Here you will meet the local guide, an expert of this village who will show us the historical center of the city and will support us during our visit of the archeological museum and the old bakery (where you can enjoy southern typical food: sfincione, sicilian pizza with pecorino, olive oil, anchovies, onion and oregano). We will also enjoy a family-style lunch in a court. After lunch we will go to Agrigento. Here, a professional guide will lead us in the Valley of the Temples: The Unesco World Heritage site, which has recently (March 2017) been recognized, by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, as the winner of the best project for the protection and enhancement of the Italian landscape. From a wide expanse of almond trees (already in flowers in February), stands the rest of the old Akragas, (Agrigento city) defined from Pindaro “the most beautiful city of mortals”. To your amazement, here you’ll be admiring multiple temples: Giunone, Concordia, Ercole and Zeus. In the evening dinner and accommodation in Hotel. Overnight in Agrigento.

6th day: Cooking Class – Farm Cultural Park /Piazza Armerina / Siracusa

Breakfast at hotel and transfer to Favara. This experience has guests spending a morning at the Farm Cultural Park of Favara (a city in the province of Agrigento). The British travel blog “Purple Travel” has ranked Favara and its Farm Cultural Park at the 6th place in the world – preceded by Florence, Paris, Bilbao, the Greek Islands and New York – as a touristic destination for lovers of contemporary art.

Program:
• GoSicily welcome drink, fresh homemade lemonade served with typical Sicilian snacks
• Cooking course lasting about three hours, using fresh, local organic produce; guests will receive instructional hands-on lessons in the preparation of three traditional Sicilian dishes
• Tour of the art gallery and courtyards (the gardens, current exhibits, museum shop, etc.)

GoSicily lunch consisting of the dishes prepared during the course, served in the museum’s “black space” or “nzemmula” with locally made wine and seasonal fruit. Around 1pm and 2pm, we will transfer to Piazza Armerina, a worldwide known destination for the Mosaics of the Villa Romana del Casale and another important UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then we will continue to Catania. Accommodation in hotel; dinner and overnight in area Siracusa.

7th Day: Siracusa & Noto

Breakfast in Hotel and departure to Siracusa. Here, we will visit the Archeological Park of the Neapolis (Greek Theatre, Roman Amphitheater, Latomie and Dionisio’s Ear). We will also visit the historical center of Ortigia, famous for its Square and for its amazing Baroque Cathedral, which used to be a Greek Temple in Doric Style. Following, along the little streets of the city center, it will be possible to admire the famous Aretusa fountain, located in front of the “Big Port”. We will have lunch at a famous “Salumeria” located in Ortigia, where we’ll be tasting typical Sicilian products (cold cuts, cheeses and caponata). In the afternoon, we will depart to the close city of Noto, the Baroque Capital of Sicily and a UNESCO Heritage Site, for a guided tour. Along its main axis, we will admire imposing landmarks such as palaces, churches and convents, which characterize the historical center of this amazing city. Some of those landmarks are: The Cathedral, Nicolaci Palace, Villadorata and Ducezio Palace. Return in hotel in Siracusa. Dinner and accommodation.

8th Day: Modica & Ragusa

After breakfast at the hotel, meeting with the professional guide to visit the town of Modica. This is another impressive baroque city that we find in the fiction of the “Commissario Montalbano”. Among the places to visit, you will recognize the steps leading to the medical examiner's house; the journalist’s house; the Polara Palace featured in the episode titled “The dog of terracotta”, the Cathedral of St. Giorgio where a chase takes place in the episode "Gita a Tindari"; and then again the mutual aid societies, the Church of St. Pietro, the palace of the studies where the premises of the Prosecutor and the room of the prosecutor are located. You will visit, again, the Church of St. Pietro and the Cathedral of St.Giorgio. Experiencing the view of their walls and interiors make worth spending the energy required for climing the long stairways that lead to these wonderful churches. After this excursion, we will go to the other town, Ragusa. In its “Vigata Square”, is a must to admire the Mather Church in the fiction: St. Giorgio Chatedral. We will then continue to the Conversation Club, featured in the episode "The smell of the night" and where Montalbano goes to see Doctor Pasquano at that time playing cards. Continuing on Via XXV Aprile, at some point you’ll see Piazza Pola, in front of the Church of St. Giuseppe which, in recent episodes of the fiction, represents the location of the police station in Vigata. It will be Impossible not to notice, the number of photographers capturing this location. Overnight in area Catania.

9th Day: Etna Tour e visit Winery / Taormina

Breakfast in Hotel and transfer to Etna Mountain, the biggest active volcano in Europe. It is one of the main attractions in Sicily. Mount Etna is famous not only for its volcanic phenomena, but also for the breathtaking views of its paths, and the variety of flora and fauna found there. During the climb, in maximum security, we will admire the main points of the past eruptions. Through this excursion, it is possible to discover the traditional smells and flavors that characterize the attractive slopes of Mount Etna. At the end of the Etna tour, we will visit a local winery. Thanks to the temperature and to the special volcanic soils present in this very specific area, particular types of grapes can thrive. And from these grapes, Sicilians are proud to produce unique kinds of local wines. In fact, at some maximum heights, the temperatures have great variations among the day and night, thus permitting a peculiar maturation of phenol, which plays an essential role in terms of red grapes’ color and flavor conveyance. This also plays a significant role for the aroma of the white wines. In the afternoon, we will leave to Taormina where we will meet the professional guide for our city tour. The Sicilians founded this historic town in 1300 BCE. Later the Greeks and the Romans settled there. Here we’ll visit the Greek-Roman Amphitheater, Taormina's Cathedral, the Piccolo Teatro Odeon, the Corvaia Palace and we can even take a walk on the main street inside Taormina: “Corso Umberto”. The guided tour will last about 2-3 hours. Accommodation in hotel. Dinner and overnight.

10th Day:

After breakfast, free morning before departure from the hotel to the Catania Airport.

Price is guaranteed with a minimum basis of 10 participants

LAND-ONLY PRICE PER PERSON IN DOUBLE ROOM: (min. 10 ppl.) $2,499.00

SUPPLEMENT SINGLE ROOM: $335.00

$500,00 INDIVIDUAL DEPOSIT DUE AT THE TIME OF BOOKING.
$500 PAYMENT DUE BY MAY 30TH, 2018.
FINAL PAYMENT DUE BY AUGUST 3rd, 2018.

CANCELLATION PENALTIES:

Cancellation requests must be received via regular mail (emails may be accepted). The following charges will apply, from the date we receive your written cancellation notice:

• The $500.00 INDIVIDUAL DEPOSIT due at the time of booking is entirely non-refundable
• 60 to 41 days before departure you will lose 50% of the tour price, or your initial deposit + $500.00 payment you made by 5/30th, which ever is greater
• 40 to 20 days before departure you will lose 70% of the tour price
• 19 to 7 days before departure you will lose 80% of the tour price
• 6 days or fewer before departure you will lose 100% of the tour price

The price INCLUDES:

Private air-conditioned GT-Bus; Hotel 4*; 9 half board; 4 soft lunch; 2 lunches; Drinks (1/2 water and 1/4 wine for person).

Guided tours: Palermo 2 hours; Monreale 2h; Erice 2 hours; Segesta 2 hours; Sambuca di S. 2 hours; Valle dei Templi 2 hours; Piazza Armerina 2 hours; Taormina 2 hours; Siracusa 2 hours; Noto 2 hours; Modica 2 hours; Ragusa 2 hours.

Excursions:

• Mozia island including boat ticket
• Sant’Angelo Muxaro village
• Etna Volcano
• Visit Winery Florio
• Winery at Mount Etna
• Cooking class Farm Cultural Park

The price DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• Entrance fees to monuments / museums.
• Tourist tax (if provided).
• Tips and extras, and anything not specifically mentioned in "The price includes”.

Airport Transfer from and to international airports available upon request.

TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE is not mandatory. However, it is wise and we highly recommend that you purchase an insurance plan. We suggest the use of reputable insurance companies such as CSI and Generali. You may start your inquiry through the link below: https://www.tripinsurance.com

Description Excursions:

Florio winery tour and light lunch

The guided tour of the historic Florio Cellars begins with the gigantic vats, eight unique examples built in the late 1800’s and still used for ageing Marsala, which greets visitors at the Cellars’ entrance. Once past the huge vats, we enter the Garibaldi Room, a spacious area from where visitors catch a first glimpse of the fascinating barrel cellars. Here visitors can admire historical facts pertaining to the weapons given by Giuseppe Garibaldi to Vincenzo Florio, to thank him for his loyalty in 1862. We’ll then continue through the Florio and Ingham-Woodhouse Rooms to the barrel cellars. Each of these fascinating cellars is 165 metres long with no less than 104 arches, under which 1,400 kegs and around 600 barrels and vats of varying capacity are aligned. Passing through the historic rooms, we reach the actual Cellar, an evocative, magical place where about 5,500,000 litres of Marsala are preserved in the silent, tranquil stillness. After a fascinating tour of approximately twenty minute through the barrel cellars, where the ancient tufa stone floor has been restored, we come to the Donna Franca Tasting Room. This room is the result of a new way of conceiving the Cellar spaces, where tasting is transformed from a moment of pleasure into a fascinating experience involving all the senses and stimulating them with colors, sounds and scents. In this innovative space, carved out of one of the tufa stone aisles, visitors are welcomed by background music and an evocative play of lights, and led through the tasting by a virtual guide which accompanies them in the discovery of unexpected impressions, flavors and scents. The tour of the cellars concludes in the Florio Enoteca, a state of the art wine shop, unique in Italy, that contains the entire range of Duca di Salaparuta, Corvo and Florio wines, as well as a selection of some of Sicily’s best handicrafts products and local delicacies.

Cooking Class - Farm Cultural PARK
CULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Contemporary Art Museum

This experience has guests spending a morning or afternoon at the Farm Cultural Park of Favara (a town in the province of Agrigento). The British travel blog, Purple Travel has placed Favara and Farm Cultural Park at sixth in the world as a tourist destination for lovers of contemporary art, preceded by Florence, Paris, Bilbao, the Greek Islands and New York.

Day details:
Duration 3 to 4 Hours

• Gosicily welcome drink, fresh homemade lemonade served with typical Sicilian snacks;
• Cooking course lasting about three hours, using fresh, local organic produce; guests will receive instructional hands-on lessons in the preparation of three traditional Sicilian dishes;
• Tour of the art gallery and courtyards (the gardens, current exhibits, museum shop, etc.);
• GoSicily lunch (or dinner) consisting of the dishes prepared during the course, served in the museum’s “black space” or “n’zemmula” with locally made wine and seasonal fruit.

PROGRAM EXCURSION ETNA & WINE

The excursion includes a journey in a particular naturalistic interest in the Etna Park. Our environmental guides, will enrich our walks and you’ll be amazed by discovering countless natural aspects of an evocative and volcanological land.
At the end of the visit, a tasting of typical Sicilian products, accompanied by wine…

• 08:30 Gathering and departure from the accommodation;
• 10:00 am Arrival at the Etna Park; (craters Silvestri) brief introduction about the main features of the Etna Park and the morphological characteristics of the territory;
• 10:15 Ascent to Mount Etna and a visit of the craters;
• 13:00 Gathering and departure at Cantina Etna
• 13:30 Wine tasting and buffet at structures we affiliated with Sicilian typical products in Km 0
• 15:30 Departure to Taormina

Please remember to inform us, at the time of booking, about any special requests and/or restrictions you may have. This can pertain to your dietary needs and health status. We will make our best effort to accommodate your requests. It is your responsibility to check the validity of your passport for international travel. Madrelingua Italiana, Inc. will not be responsible for any aspect related to the validity of your passport.

WE ACCEPT RESERVATIONS ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO SECURE YOUR SPOT BY SENDING YOUR $500 DEPOSIT ASAP.

Book your reservation TODAY with a $500.00 Deposit:

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• VIA CHECK - send $500 deposit payable to Madrelingua Italiana, Inc. P.O. Box 409458, Chicago, Illinois 60640

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