We are pleased to introduce our Sicily wine tour for 2020! We are offering several options to travel around this incredible island, bursting at the seams with culture & history. You will explore these towns with a local Italian guide who knows the ins & outs and off-the-beaten path places to stop. Travel like an Italian, with Italians! We take pride in ensuring each hotel is hand-picked by our staff, highlighting only the best of the best, unique and authentic places for our guests to stay.
Green Italy Tours focuses on full immersion into the best of Italy. We specialize in award-winning restaurants and local cuisine, the best wineries with organic wines and accommodation at only hotels that meet our high standards. Our team personally vets each location to ensure it meets our expectations. We are a diverse team here at Green Italy and with that comes a good balance of luxury, quaint & friendly, family run, authentic and comfortable. From hotels on the seato charming country estates, we can accommodate any request based on our clients needs.
CUSTOM SICILY WINE TOUR: 7 days / 6 nights
Starting from Catania - Group size: 6-14 people
2 NIGHTS IN SIRACUSA
DAY #1: ARRIVAL IN SICILY
We will welcome you at the Catania airport and head straight to the beautiful Gambino Winery to do our first tasting of the trip. There we will enjoy a tour of the grounds with breathtaking views, a tasting and lunch on the side of Mount Etna. After the tasting, we will take you to your accommodation in Siracusa (Ortygia) to get settled. Siracusa was the most important Greek city from the 5th to 3rd centuries, and according to Cicero, also the most beautiful. You will have time to get situated after your travels and we will reconnect for dinner in the evening.
DAY #2: EXPLORING SIRACUSA
After breakfast at your hotel, we’ll begin the day with a visit to Mikveh - Jewish ritual bath, the most archaic that has ever been found in all of Europe. Next, we’ll head for a visit the extradorinaiy Duomo, begun in 1728. After lunch, we’ll do a walking tour of the old town where we’ll see some of the highlights: Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco, Santa Lucia all Badia, Fonte Aretuse among others. The afternoon can be spent on a local beach or we can plan a private boat excursion to visit the coastal beaches. If you prefer, you can have free time in the afternoon to wander on your own. We can reconnect for dinner, if you wish, in the old town at a local trattoria.
ACCOMODATION OPTIONS IN SIRACUSA:
- Platinum Plus: For our Platinum Plus Package, we offer guests an exquisite stay at Henry’s House Hotel. Featuring authentic antique furniture and artwork by local Sicilian artists, this hotel is the utmost in luxury. Panoramic views on stunning terraces.
- Platinum: For our Platinum Package, we offer guests a stay at Algila Ortigia. Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel stands on the ancient “Mastra Rua”, a street that from the 14th century was where the most important noblemen of the city had their residences. The refined historic building that houses the hotel is the result of the fusion of two buildings and a recent restoration has preserved the original structure, creating an intriguing distribution of the rooms that is fascinating.
- Gold: For our Gold Package, we offer guests a stay Alla Giudecca. This ancient building maintains its original personality with stone floors and museum exhibits on every wall, in every corner and every high vaulted and echoing corridor.
- Silver: For our Silver Package, we offer guests this 3-star bed & breakfast Maison Ortigia. In the heart of Ortigia, behind the Duomo Square next to the Teatro Massimo di Siracusa, Maison Ortigia B & B and Apartment is a completely refurbished and finely furnished dwelling.
3 NIGHTS IN MODICA, RAGUSA, & NOTO
DAY #3, #4, AND #5: ENJOYING WINE IN MODICA, RAGUSA, & NOTO
Our next three days will be spent in the beautiful towns of Modica, Ragusa and Noto. We choose to explore these three towns together because they are very close to each other and individually offer something special. Noto and Ragusa are wonderful jewels of Sicilian baroque architecture, rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693. Giuseppe Lanza, Duke of Camastra, employed the best architects of the day. The result, initiated just a week after the earthquake struck, is a late Baroque fantasy played out in fragile, honey-colored stone. Burnished a dusty gold in the fading light and flanked by huge palm trees, this initial introduction to Noto is a surprise, more north African than Mediterranean and yet somehow so Sicilian, enigmatic and unruly.
Noto's cathedral rises impressively above Corso Vittorio Emmanuele and is approached by awide and graceful flight of steps. The dome collapsed in 1996, but is now back in place, and the whole building has been restored after years of grime and neglect. Simply wander the length of the Corso, as long and graceful as an arrow, diving down side streets here and there, and not missing Via Nicolaci, at the top of which is the beautiful elliptical façade of the Chiesa di Monte-
virgine. Along one side of Via Nicolaci stands the Palazzo Villadorata, with many playfully buttressed balconies and sculptures of horses, griffons, nymphs and cherubs; its poignant Empire style interior, with frescoed walls and ceilings, has been miraculously preserved.
At the bottom of the street stands the church of San Carlo, whose bell tower offers fine views. Opposite the cathedral, the town hall has an exuberant trompe l'oeil ceiling in its "Hall of Mirrors". After such a memorable walk, we will leave time for gelato at Caffè Sicilia, opened in 1892, fourth-generation owner Corrado Assenza creates radical cakes such as saffron with sour orange rind and ices flavoured with black olive or basil. We will travel from Noto to the small town of Agira where we will visit the Synagogue site and the magnificent stone portal of the Aron Kodesh made of the local stone stored in the local church. The Aron belongs to the local ex-synagogue that existed before the expulsion of the Jews from Sicily in 1510. The portal, unique example of Jewish architecture, will give us an in-
sight into the life of a small Jewish community in the heart of mediaeval Sicily.
Noto was built from scratch in the 18th century to replace the old town, Noto Antica, which was destroyed by an earthquake. The town is completely done in the Baroque style, using local white tufa which has turned a honey color in the sun. It’s an incredible town to explore on foot and get lost in the secret alleyways. We’ll start our day with a walking tour of the town, visiting the twin-towered Duomo and other notable buildings that scatter the city.
We’ll spend the afternoon at Planeta winery in Noto, where we can enjoy a wine tasting and a picnic lunch in the tranquil countryside of one of Sicily’s most beautiful regions. Planeta Winery’s Noto location highlights its wines thriving from the soft hills, the white limestone soil, the breezes from two seas that create the ultimate conditions to make the vines grow successfully. Their Nero d’Avola and Moscato grow together with almonds, carobs & olives - creating a blend of the best of the Mediterranean.
During our stay in the Ragusa area, we will visit the beautiful farm & winery of Baglio Occhipinti. There we will enjoy their gorgeous scenery while tasting local wines. If you’re interested, we can take an optional cooking course in the afternoon after a morning tasting.
ACCOMODATION OPTIONS IN MODICA, RAGUSA & NOTO:
- Platinum Plus: For our Platinum Plus Package, we offer guests a stay at the Gagliardi Boutique Hotel in Noto. Gagliardi is a Boutique Hotel from where the heart of Noto can be lived from a unique and privileged perspective. The Terrace embraces the historic centre of this baroque city with one gaze, transmitting a feeling of timeless beauty.
- Platinum: For our Platinum Package, we offer a stay at Ragusa Reis Antica Badia, in the center of the old town Ragusa. A magnificent hotel turned from a XVIII century palace, this 5-star hotel is sure to offer an unforgettable experience for our guests.
- Gold: For our Gold Option, we offer guests a stay at either Modica’s Casa Talia or Ragusa’s Locanda Don Serafino. Casa Talia is a relaxing, low key hotel that is hidden in the mix of nature while still having beautiful Modica just at its fingertips. Complete with a secret garden that overlooks the town, this beautiful hotel will not disappoint. Ragusa’s Locanda Don Serafino is a beautiful boutique hotel in the heart of Ragusa. Complete with a wine cellar and restaurant, this luxury stone hotel is an experience in and of itself.
- Silver: For our Silver Option, we offer guests a stay at the Dedalo Hotel in Noto. Dedalo is a quaint B&B in the center of Noto, near the main cathedral.
1 NIGHT IN MAZARA DEL VALLO
DAY #6: HEADING WEST TO EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF SICILY
Today we’ll make our way to the west coast, heading towards Mazara del Vallo. This incredible town on the sea is a fisherman’s hub and captures the essence of Sicily: food, culture, history and sea. After lunch in town, we’ll head up to the Marsala for a wine tasting at the beautiful Cantine Fina. We’ll do a walking tour of the town, visit the Archeological Museum and tour the Wine Museum before heading back for our final dinner in Mazara. We’ll go to a local restaurant where they serve fresh & local seafood with a beautiful wine selection.
ACCOMODATION OPTIONS FOR MAZARA DEL VALLO:
- Platinum + Platinum Plus: For our Platinum Plus Package, we offer guests a stay at the Giardino di Constanza, an exclusive and luxury resort near the sea. We offer a normal room for Platinum guests and can upgrade to a luxury suite for Platinum Plus guests.
- Gold: For our Gold Option, we offer guests a stay at Mahara, a gorgeous hotel rebuiltfrom an 18th century winery. A short walk from town and near the sea.
- Silver: For our Silver Option, we offer guests a stay at the Melia Resort .
FINAL DAY IN SICILY
DAY #7: TRANSPORT DAY TO PALERMO FOR YOUR FLIGHT BACK TO THE MAINLAND
Depending on your flight time, we can explore parts of the city that you may have missed, Or if you’d prefer, we can arrange a beach day close to Marsala on our way up the coast spending your final day relaxing by the sea. We will make sure to get you to the airport in plenty of time to make your flight.
PRICING FOR 2020
CUSTOM SICILY WINE TOUR - 7 DAYS / 6 NIGHTS
INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE:
- All breakfast, lunches, & 2 dinners for your tour
- All specified wine tastings
- All travel fare included for travel within this itinerary
- Travel outside of this itinerary is not included
PLEASE NOTE:
- The entire group must choose the same options for day outings. We cannot split the options for individuals within the group.
- Individuals within the group may choose different accommodation packages. For example, one couple can choose the Gold Package Option and another couple the Silver Package option.
- All excursions mentioned in the itinerary are included in our above pricing. If you’d prefer to have a few hours or 1/2 a day to yourself, to enjoy the facility’s pool, get a massage or wander on your own, we can certainly accommodate your wants.
PAYMENT:
- 20% deposit is due upon booking (non-refundable). The balance to be paid 30 days prior to tour date. For reservations made within 30 days of tour, full payment is due upon booking.
- We accept bank transfers as well as online payment via credit card.