South of Italy & Sicily
November 20-30, 2008
Download Itinerary
Including: Rome-Naples-Isle of
Capri-Sorrento-Taormina-Syracuse-Agrigento-Selinunte-Palermo
You’re
going to love this trip! We
start in exciting Rome seeing the main sights of this great city
like the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and we’ll
have a welcome dinner to meet your fellow travelers before heading
south for a stay in Sorrento and visiting the beautiful and charming
Isle of Capri.
Then
cross the Strait of Messina to Sicily, an unique island that has
lots of art, archeology, history, culture, folklore, breathtaking
scenery and of course, great food! We’ll stay three nights in
Taormina which includes a visit to Syracuse’s archaeological site
with a local guide. On your way to Agrigento you can admire the
Roman Villa of Casale. In Agrigento guided sightseeing includes the
breathtaking Valley of Temples followed by Selinunte’s Dorian
Temples and Acropolis.
We’ll end
with two nights in Palermo with highlighted visits to the
Arab-Norman Palatine Chapel and the 12th-century Norman Cathedral
with its precious Byzantine mosaics in Monreale. A farewell dinner
concludes our end to this great trip and wonderful fellow travel
companions.
This trip includes a professional European tour
guide, 15 meals, lots of sightseeing and other singles to enjoy this
wonderful area of Italy!
Price Includes
-
9 nights accommodations in 1st
class & superior hotels
-
twin bedded rooms with private
bath or shower
-
Hotel taxes, service charges,
tip for baggage handling on arrival
- Professional
Tour Director
- All
transfers and transportation by motorcoach as per itinerary
-
Total 15 meals
- 9 buffet
breakfasts (BB)
- 6
three-course dinners (D) Including
-
Welcome dinner with wine in Rome
-
Farewell dinner with wine in Palermo
-
Included highlights:
Rome:
Welcome dinner at a local restaurant;
guided sightseeing- visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel,
St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, and the Colosseum and Roman Forum
Naples-Capri-Sorrento: By
jet/hydrofoil
Capri: Guided sightseeing,
visit Villa San Michele in Anacapri
Strait of Messina: Ferry
crossing
Syracuse: Guided visit of the
archaeological site
Piazza Armerina: Visit the
Roman Villa of Casale
Agrigento: Guided walking tour
of the Valley of Temples
Selinunte:
Visit the Dorian
Temples and Acropolis
Palermo:
See the
Cathedral, Palatine Chapel, & Norman Cathedral in Monreale; farewell
dinner
Itinerary
Day 1, Thur. Nov 20
Your flight from your hometown to Rome, Italy
Board your overnight transatlantic flight to
begin your vacation to southern Italy and including Sicily!
Day 2, Fri. Nov 21 Arrival
in Rome, Italy
Depending on your arrival time you’ll have time to
rest or start exploring Rome,
the Eternal City. Just make sure you are ready to meet your Tour
Director and fellow traveling companions at 6 p.m. as you’ll be
leaving our hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine in one of
Rome’s lively restaurants. What a great way to start your vacation!
(D)
Day 3, Sat. Nov 22 Rome
Sightseeing with
our local guide starts with a visit to the Vatican Museums and
Sistine Chapel, world famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings
and The Last Judgement. Then we continue to monumental St.
Peter’s Square and Basilica to view this beautiful cathedral.
Then we
cross the Tiber and visit the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, where
Roman Legions marched in triumph.
You’ll
have leisure time this afternoon to explore on your own or with
friends from the group. Maybe dinner tonight in a local trattoria
and some Italian vino! (BB)
Day 4, Sun Nov 23
Rome–Capri–Sorrento
After breakfast we head south
on the Highway of the Sun to lively and colorful Naples, before we
embark for our included trip to the enchanting Isle of Capri, an
ancient retreat for Roman emperors and renowned ever since that time
for its beauty. Our sightseeing with a local guide includes a visit
to Villa San Michele in Anacapri.
Later we
cross the bay again to the charming resort of Sorrento where we’ll
have time to check out the local shops and discover its lively
center. (BB,D)
Day 5, Mon Nov 24
Sorrento–Taormina
Breakfast and then a scenic
drive to the toe of the Italian boot in Calabria, where we’ll board
a Ferry to cross the Straits of Messina to Sicily, the largest of
the Mediterranean islands.
Tonight
you are in Taormina, a beautiful resort overlooking the sea and
facing Mount Etna. (BB,D)
Day 6, Tue. Nov 25
At Leisure in Taormina
Today we have all day to
explore at your own pace to see the local sights with friends from
the group. Maybe sign up for an optional excursion to Mount Etna in
the morning?
Afterwards shop for hand embroidery and local goods and live it up
in one of Europe’s most popular beach resorts, or simply relax. (BB)
Day 7, Wed. Nov 26
Taormina. Excursion to Syracuse
Today
we take an excursion to Syracuse, birthplace of the mathematician
Archimedes and once a powerful Greek port whose fleet was feared
throughout the Mediterranean Old World. It attracted visitors such
as the philosopher Plato and later the Apostle Paul who converted
its citizens to Christianity.
A local
guide will take you into the Archaeological Site which includes a
visit to the 5th-century B.C. sparkling white Greek Theater that
could seat up to 16,000 people, the Garden of Paradise, the Ear of
Dionysus with its extraordinary acoustics, the Altar of Hieron II,
the Roman Amphitheater, and the Cordmaker’s Cave.
This
evening is at your leisure to enjoy a local restaurant with friends
from the group. (BB,D)
Day 8, Thur. Nov 27
Taormina–Agrigento
Today is a day
devoted to the scenic beauty and ancient Greek treasures of
southwest Sicily. This morning we’ll focus on the 4th-century Roman
Villa of Casale near Piazza Armerina. Its’ colorful and perfectly
preserved mosaics depict mythological themes and hunting scenes.
Enjoy the everchanging landscapes of the interior as you drive to
Agrigento where a local guide will walk with you through the
breathtaking Valley of Temples. Even travelers having visited Athens
and Delphi are awed by the gigantic yet graceful Greek structures
that miraculously survived 24 centuries of tormented history.
Tonight dinner is together as group to enjoy each
other’s company and go over the trip’s adventures so far! (BB,D)
Day 9, Fri. Nov 28
Agrigento–Selinunte–Palermo
This
morning we’ll get to visit the impressive Dorian Temples and
Acropolis in Selinunte. Built on a natural balcony overlooking the
sparkling Mediterranean, these accomplishments of an ancient
civilization may prompt you to think about the quality of human
progress since those days of Greek splendor.
Then we
are on to Palermo for your two-night stay in this vibrant and unique
city unlike any other in the world. Its’ culture has thousands of
years of history that has blended in to make a very historical and
diverse city for exploring and discovering. The streets of old
Palermo are lined with outdoor markets full of history.
Tonight,
dinner is at leisure with friends from the group to enjoy the famous
local cuisine that has medieval influences and where lamb and
swordfish are very popular favorites. (BB)
Day 10, Sat. Nov 29
Palermo
After
breakfast, sightseeing with a local guide includes the ornate Piazza
Bellini, the Cathedral, and the Arab-Norman Palatine Chapel in the
Royal Palace. Then drive up to Monreale for a panoramic view of the
Conca d’Oro and a visit to the 12th century Norman Cathedral, famous
for its 50,000 square feet of precious Byzantine mosaics.
This evening an included farewell dinner celebrates the
success of your Sicilian vacation. (BB,D)
Day 11, Sun. Nov 30 Homebound
Yes, it is time to go home….! Your homebound flight
arrives the same day. (BB) (Note-if your flight is a really early
morning one where you will be leaving the hotel very early-there may
not be a breakfast provided for you.)
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Our Hotels
ROME
Visconti Palace (F),
SORRENTO Grand Hotel Cesare Augusto
(F) or Corallo (F), TAORMINA
Capotaormina (SF) or Corallo (F), AGRIGENTO
Jolly della Valle (F), PALERMO
Jolly Foro Italico (F) (F=First Class; SF=Superior First Class) (Per
our tour operator, as with any group trips, hotels are subject to
change).
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Price |
$1859.00 land
only, per person, based on double occupancy.
$ 349.00 single
supplement –add to above price (very limited availability)
Airfare
is additional. You need to fly into Rome (arriving Nov 21)
and fly out of Palermo (Nov 30).
Airport transfers
are $20 each way
($40 roundtrip) providing you arrive and depart within the
following guidelines; otherwise plan on getting to and from
the airports on your own or at a higher rate with a private
transfer. There may be some waiting times at the airports
depending on your exact flight departure time coordinating
with the transfers. We will need your flight information no
less than 6 weeks prior to the departure date to confirm
transfers.
Arrival Times:
into the Rome airport (FCO) on the day the tour starts, Nov
21; transfers are at 7am, 10am, 1pm, 3pm , 6pm, and 9pm.
Departure Times:
from Palermo airport on Nov 30, between 6am-5pm.
Travel Insurance--
$119.00 +$30
Travel/Trip
Cancellation insurance is highly recommended.
Get Travel Protection Plus for an additional $30. This
additional benefit allows you to cancel your vacation up to
24 hours (or the prior business day, whichever is farther
out) before your scheduled departure for any reason
not covered by the travel
protection plans provisions. With this Protection Plus
policy you will be reimbursed for the cancellation penalties
with travel vouchers to be used within a year with the tour
operator. You must purchase it with your deposit if you want
a waiver for pre-existing conditions and Travel Protection
Plus. Insurance is not refundable. Your air is not covered
under this policy.
Price does not include:
airfare, passports or
visas,
items of a personal nature,
any phone calls, tips and gratuities to driver and guide as
well as local guides, and meals not mentioned in itinerary.
A valid passport
is required for U.S.
travelers and should be valid up to 6 months after the
trip. Non-U.S. citizens must check with their local
consulates.
This is a Special Trip
Offering:
This trip is in
response to a lot of our singles asking us to do a few great
trips open to everyone, not just singles. So this trip is
open to anyone but
we are holding 28 spaces for our singles
and we expect a good group of singles as we have a lot of
singles waiting for the information, however, early sign-ups
are a must for this holiday trip. |
Fine Print
–
South of
Italy & Sicily, Nov 20-30, 2008
Your payment for a
reservation on this trip constitutes consent and acknowledgement of
all the provisions in this Fine Print listed below and in the
Singles Travel Company General Terms and Conditions. Please make
sure you read both of these important pieces of information and call
us with any questions.
Payments:
A non-refundable deposit of $200.00 is due with your reservation
and your insurance is due also if you want to purchase it. Full
and final payments are due 70 days prior to departure date. Credit
cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express) and /or
checks (payable to Travel Advisors) are accepted.
Cancellation Fees and Refunds:
All cancellations must be in
writing. Regardless of when you cancel there will be a service fee
charge from Singles Travel Company of $50 applied to your credit
card. Also insurance is non-refundable.
Cancellation Fees as follows:
From deposit to 91 days prior to
commencement of services Full refund minus insurance & $50 service
fee
90-57 days prior to commencement of
services Loss of deposit and insurance & $50 service fee
56-29 days prior to commencement of
services 50% of total price & insurance & $50 service fee
28-15 days prior to commencement of
services 75% of total price & insurance & $50 service fee
Within 14 days of departure
100% of total price & insurance
& $50 service fee
No refunds on unused portions of the
tour. A fee of $30 per transaction may be charged for any
alteration or revision made to a reservation. Cancellation fees
also apply to additional accommodations reserved prior to and after
the tour booked with the tour operator of the trip. After airline
tickets are issued, airline cancellations are per the airline’s
policy/ and or the tour operator if purchased through the tour
operator. Per our
tour operator, hotels are always subject to change
** Travel
Insurance is highly recommended**
Download full Terms and
Conditions (PDF)
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