Land Of Volcanoes - Family Holiday

Day 1
Those on the group flights will be met on arrival into Catania Airport and transferred to the start hotel. The rest of the group, those not on the group flights, are to make their own way to the start hotel in Catania to join the tour.

Day 2
After breakfast you head up towards the famous volcano of Mt. Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. In an almost constant state of activity, the volcano presents a dramatic view over the island of Sicily. Today you can make your way up the side of the volcano, walking over some of the site of a recent eruption in 2002. If you would prefer, you have the option to take a four wheel drive route to the summit. There are many places to stop along the way up where you can admire the view. In the afternoon you visit the Volcano and Lava Museum, dedicated to volcanism and all the previous eruptions that have taken place here. This is a fascinating insight into the life of a volcano and what happens when it erupts.

Day 3
This morning you head for Taormina. The journey is taken by train along the coastline, so you can not only enjoy the spectacular scenery, but also see local Sicilian life going on as the train rattles along. Formed in 358 BC, Taormina has been the site of a settlement since Greek times. With its great view overlooking the sea, the town was a great asset for many years which you can see with the Greek theatre and Roman ruins at the edge of the town. The ruined sites here have been visited by many over the years, and present a great insight into Roman history.

Day 4
Today is left free for you to enjoy the beach along part of Sicily's beautiful coastline. There is plenty of time for you to relax and soak up the sun, splash in the sea or tuck into one of the fine gelati that Sicily is well known for. Another option for today is to visit the rugged rocks and cliffs of the Alcantara Gorge. The gorge was formed from the split in a mountain, and now a river runs through the gorge, water dropping through numerous crags and crevices and over deep grey stone. Walk in the gorge, or paddle in the icy waters of the Alcantara river. (Additional cost).

Day 5
Today you spend the day in the town of Siracusa. Once the most important settlement on Sicily, Siracusa is rich in history and architecture, with monuments ranging back through the centuries. First founded by the Greeks, evidence of their existence here is abundant, from the huge Greek theatre to the many temples including the famous Temple of Apollo. Following the Greeks, came the Romans, who added to the city's sites with a series of catacombs, second in size only to those in Rome. Other incredible Roman sites here include the Roman theatre, hewn out of the rock.
You will also visit the island of Ortigia, connected to the rest of Siracusa by a small bridge, which includes the Duomo and the Fonte Aretusa, a freshwater spring shrouded in myths and legends.
You spend the next two nights in Siracusa, so there is time for you to wander the streets of this beautiful town in the evening.

Day 6
Next stop is the Cava d'Ispica. Packed with abandoned Neolithic tombs and troglodyte dwellings, this thirteen kilometre long gorge is full of history. Among the sights here are the Larderia, a paleo-Christian catacomb filled with burial chambers which follows the contours of a rock wall. Along the gorge is the Baravitalla, where you can see the Grotta della Signora sheltering a sacred spring, and the Grotta del Santi, depicting fragments of frescoes along the rock walls.
This is an impressive insight to the history of Sicily, and a fascinating way to spend today.

Day 7
This morning you head off to the beach at the Vendicari Reserve. Here you can spot over two hundred species of bird among a mixture of lagoons, sand dunes, rocky coastlines and sandy beaches. These birds include flamingos, a bird that is not commonly seen in Europe, but is endemic to this area of Sicily. In the afternoon head over to Noto, a jewel of Sicilian Baroque architecture, and a great place to wander the streets or merely stop for a drink and watch the world go by. Tonight is your last night in Sicily, so you might want to sit down for one last meal of the delicious Sicilian food on offer here.

Day 8
The tour ends in your hotel on the last day for land only clients. Those on the group flights will be transferred to Catania Airport for your flight home.