sicily in myth
7 nights/8 days: June 14-21, 2024
Detour with taunya & randy
I came to Sicily for the first time in 2002. Despite years of Italian studies, I understood nothing. The language hung on my brain in contortions of Spanish, Italian, and Arabic. The food was a potpourri or flavors from the Spice Road, and the open air markets felt closer to a Moroccan souk than an Italian mercato. I was hooked. This sensuous island blends the best of North African flavors with Greek temples and Italian fashion. Sicily's unique mix has resulted in a place where ancient ruins stand alongside Baroque cathedrals, where olive groves coexist with citrus orchards, and where diverse communities celebrate their shared heritage. There is no other place like it. Join me in unpacking this island that is the key to understanding the Mediterranean. Combine with Aeolian Islands for a two-week Sicilian odyssey!
highlights include
Savor 3 nights in a luxury wine resort enjoying cooking classes, wine tastings, and a private wine and food experience on a pristine beach at sunset
Explore the world’s best preserved Greek temples
Discover four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Ancient Ortygia, Villa Romana del Casale, Valley of the Temples, and Selinunte
Visit the Indiana Jones & the Dial of Destiny film locations including “Archimedes’ Tomb”
Fulfill your White Lotus dreams in Taormina
“To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything.”
The ball to Italy’s auspicious boot, Sicily has been kicked around by every superpower in the Mediterranean—adding to its allure. Coveted by the Greeks, Romans, Phoenicians, Arabs, Normans, and Spanish, Sicily is a mosaic of culture with a rich historic, linguistic, and gastronomic composition. Once known as Greater Greece, Sicily is home to the best preserved ancient structures in the world, from the majestic Valley of the Temples to the mind blowing Roman mosaics, to the awe-inspiring Greek theaters. It is also the setting for some of antiquity’s greatest literature, including the Odyssey. We’ll explore these timeless tales in situ, delighting in archaeological marvels and uncovering the tapestry of cultural treasures that reflect the enduring legacy of Sicily's ancient past.
itinerary
Combine this detour with Aeolian Odyssey for $1,000 off with offer code SICILY2024! ($500 per detour)
Day 1: tIMELESS taormina
Friday, June 14, 2024
Our journey begins in the elegant town of Taormina. We’ll gather around 6 p.m. at our hotel for a welcome reception, followed by a passegiatta (stroll) through the town’s ritzy piazzas to enjoy a dinner of Sicilian specialties.
From Catania’s Fontanarossa Airport, it is a quick, 60-minute bus or taxi ride to reach Taormina.
Hotel: Hotel Villa Diodoro | Activity Level: Moderate | Meals: D
day 2: greek theaters
Saturday, June 15, 2024
Nestled in the clifftops overlooking the Ionian Sea, Taormina captivates with its timeless charm and breathtaking vistas. We’ll spend our morning on a guided tour, wandering cobblestone streets adorned with vibrant bougainvillea, discovering the ancient grandeur of the Greek Theater, and indulging in refreshing granita against the backdrop of smoking Mount Etna. The afternoon is yours to wander the elegant gardens, people watch from posh cafés; hike to the hilltop town of Castelmola; ride a cable car down to Isola Bella; or fulfill your White Lotus fantasy on a scooter ride. We’ll enjoy our first mythical happy hour together from our hotel’s panoramic patio.
Hotel: Hotel Villa Diodoro | Activity Level: Strenuous | Meals: B, HH (Happy Hour)
day 3: roman mosaics
Sunday, June 16, 2024
We bid Taormina farewell and head west by private transport to the Roman hunting lodge of Villa Romana del Casale. This UNESCO World Heritage site boasts the most extensive and beautifully preserved collection of Roman mosaics in the world, offering a vivid glimpse into the opulent lifestyle of the ancient Roman elite. Inspired by this opulence, we’ll indulge in a farm fresh lunch together at a nearby agriturismo before making our way to our countryside wine resort, where we’ll unpack for the next three nights. We’ll enjoy dinner together against the backdrop of undulating vineyards, savoring la bella vita.
Hotel: Planeta La Foresteria | Activity Level: Strenuous | Meals: B, L, D
day 4: seaside selinunte
Monday, June 17, 2024
This morning we travel through time to one of the most important Greek colonies in antiquity: Selinunte. Founded around 650 BCE, this UNESCO World Heritage site is home to extensive and well-preserved ruins that offer us a glimpse into the culture of ancient Greece. After our sojourn through time, we’ll enjoy a wine tasting lunch together at our resort’s vineyards, learning about its repertoire vintages and savoring the flavors of western Sicily through food pairings and olive oil samplings.
Hotel: Planeta La Foresteria | Activity Level: Strenuous | Meals: B, L, D
day 5: the craft of la cucina
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
After a leisurely morning, we’ll gather in the cucina, or kitchen, to try our hands at some authentic Sicilian culinary arts. Sicilian cuisine is a rich and diverse culinary tradition that reflects the island's history of cultural influences, including Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman, Spanish, and Italian. We’ll savor the fruits of our labor over lunch together with ample time this afternoon to rest and digest poolside or beachside depending on your mood. The evening is yours to dine at the resort or at their private beach.
Hotel: Planeta La Foresteria | Activity Level: Light | Meals: B, L
day 6: valley of the temples
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Today we explore ancient Greek Arkagas, or Agrigento, one of the leading cities in the ancient Mediterranean. We devote our morning to the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Valley of the Temples-one of the largest and best-preserved collection of Greek temples in the world. We’ll explore its eight pristine temples with the expertise of a local guide, followed by lunch together overlooking the valley. We end our day on the ancient isle of Ortygia-one of the oldest Greek settlements in Sicily.
Hotel: Hotel Roma | Activity Level: Strenuous | Meals: B
day 7: ortygia
Thursday, June 20, 2024
Today we peel back layers of history on a guided tour of the Neapolis archeological park (film location of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny!). We’ll whisper in the Ear of Dionysius, explore newly opened caverns (in thanks to the filming of the movie), imagine ourselves as ancient Greeks enjoying a theatrical performance in the 2,500 year-old theater, and conclude our morning with a stroll through the open air market and historic center. The afternoon is yours to savor Ortygia’s charming piazzas and yacht-filled promenade. Tonight we’ll gather for a final happy hour and dinner together to reflect on our adventures and plot our next detours.
Hotel: Hotel Roma | Activity Level: Your choice | Meals: B, D
day 8: Assabinirica! (goodbye!)
Friday, June 21, 2024
Our detour ends after breakfast. Catania’s Fontanarossa Airport is a 1-hour shuttle or taxi ride away and we will help organize the transfer. Whether you decide to combine this detour with our Aeolian Odyssey or to continue your journeys elsewhere in Europe, we will say “ni viremu prestu” (see you soon) as we look forward to our next detour together!
$4,295 per person (double occupancy)
Single occupancy not available
$500 deposit
$1,000 discount if combined with Aeolian Odyssey with offer code SICILY2024 ($500 per detour)
FAQs
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Each detour includes the price of all admissions to sights seen as a group; tours by local guides, meals as listed in the trip itinerary; accommodations each night of the detour including breakfasts; all transportation required for group activities from the first hotel to the last hotel of the detour (transportation for optional group activities and independent travel during the detour is not included), travel consultations and advice from our staff, guides, and vendors including suggestions, tips, and directions, and all trip leader, local guide, driver, and hotel tips. Prices do not include airfare to and from the detour, nor ground transportation to/from airports.
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Detour prices do not include international airfare or ground transportation to/from the airport.
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Each detour includes all breakfasts and about half of your lunches and dinners as indicated in the meal guide included in each itinerary: B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner.
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Our groups range from 10-20 participants with 1-2 trip leaders and local guides to connect us to local culture and experiences.
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Yes! Our detours are the perfect way for children (and adults) to learn in action. We welcome and celebrate multi-generational travel. History class was never so fun!
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Each detour begins the evening of Day 1 at our first hotel, where we will meet for a welcome reception. Meeting times vary by detour and are indicated on each itinerary.
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While this varies by detour, we generally plan to meet between 5-6 pm at our hotel on Day 1. If you plan to arrive a day early and want to stay in our trip hotel, please make arrangements with the hotel directly, indicating that you are part of our group.
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Each detour web page has a link to our online registration and payment provider. There you can pay the $500 per person deposit and complete the registration form.
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Deposits are refundable for 30 days from receipt. After 30 days they are nonrefundable.
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Final payment is due 90 days prior to detour commencement but you may pay in full any time prior to this.
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Cancellations are allowed without penalty (excepting deposit) until the final payment deadline. After the final payment deadline 100% of funds paid are nonrefundable.
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The $500 deposit is due upon registration, after which time you will receive a payment link where you can choose to pay the remaining amount, or you can contact us to set up a payment plan.
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Yes, all published prices are per person, based on double occupancy, or when available, single occupancy. Please contact us for triple occupancy pricing.
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During the registration process you will have the opportunity to request single occupancy, if it is offered. Due to the boutique nature of our hotels, we are not always able to offer single accommodations, but are happy to pair you with another single traveler.
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Yes. You must be able to carry your own luggage up at least three flights of stairs and on uneven ground for up to a quarter mile.