{"id":1230,"date":"2022-09-28T17:09:25","date_gmt":"2022-09-28T17:09:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/destinationitalybycocos.com\/?page_id=1230"},"modified":"2025-04-22T02:36:56","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T02:36:56","slug":"old-world-sicily-malta","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/destinationitalybycocos.com\/old-world-sicily-malta\/","title":{"rendered":"Old World Sicily & Malta"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Discover the ancient and modern with Coco’s small group tour of Sicily and Malta. With our tours you really enjoy the beauty, cuisine, and history – without the crowds you\u2019d find on a big bus or in the high season. Sicily is always one of my most popular tours and is a great Italian experience. This one island has everything that mainland Italy offers and this time we’ve added the hidden gem Malta for you to spend a leisurely three days to cap off a truly great tour. You will be enchanted by their diverse architecture, unique culture, and delicious dishes left by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, French, Germans, Spanish, Italians, and even the British had on these gorgeous islands.<\/span>
Between the sparkling coast to mountains, flamboyant capitals to the ultra-chic you can expect stunning archaeological treasures, ancient and modern works of art, and a warm welcome at every turn as we visit these wonderful islands.<\/span> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Stay<\/strong><\/span>
15 Days <\/strong><\/span>14 Nights<\/strong><\/span>
Culinary Icon <\/strong><\/span>Meals<\/strong><\/span>
22 Meals<\/strong><\/span>
13 Breakfasts<\/strong><\/span>
2 Lunches, <\/strong><\/span>7 Dinners<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Double $5,499 pp\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Single $6,299 pp<\/span><\/p>

Triple $5,449 pp\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

*Included in Price:\u00a0 Round Trip Air from Nashville or most U.S. cities\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Day 1 Overnight Flight – Palermo Hotel Porta Felice<\/b><\/span>
You\u2019re on your way to Sicily \u2013 an island paradise nestled amongst the deep blue waves of the Mediterranean. Look past the Italy you think you know and see how this coastal farmland balances ancient traditions and modern comforts. After we get to our hotel and freshen up, I will take you for a walk and point out the hidden treasures of Palermo that our group will soon visit. You will love Palermo, it’s a charming city for a walking tour, with its mix of high culture, street drama, and time-worn elegance, it’s my favorite city to visit and I always look forward to going. I know you will fall in love with it too.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Day 2 Palermo<\/span><\/strong>
Today we meet with our first local guide in the capital of Sicily. Palermo is a pulsating city with a lot of sights, sounds, tastes and aroma for all of your senses to take in on a street food journey. Arancini (Fried Rice balls),fresh juices, Sfincione, Pezzi de Rosticceria, Pane con le milza, great desserts and of course, cannoli. Most of the Italian desserts Americans love are Sicilian creations. Tonight we join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner featuring the local cuisine.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Day 3 Palermo – Monreale Breakfast & Lunch Hotel Porta Felice<\/span><\/strong>
Palermo is well known for their street foods where you will see and taste the layers of influences and we are guided through the cities lively open air markets. The excursion will get you acquaint with Palermo\u2019s many lovely squares \u2013 the Quattro Canti, Piazza Pretoria and Piazza Bellini and discover an exotic mix of Moorish, Norman and Spanish Baroque architecture along the way. We see the Palace of the Normans, La Martorana church, and the cathedral that houses the Imperial Crown of Constance of Aragon. Next we venture to the nearby town of Monreale and visit a 12th-century cathedral with its dazzling interior of multicolored marbles, paintings, mosaics and cloisters. Now it\u2019s your choice! Explore the cathedral\u2019s cloisters, taking in their serene atmosphere of the monastic complex -OR- ascend the southern tower to the panoramic terraces for a bird\u2019s-eye view over Palermo. The remainder of the day is yours and I will help you get to what interests you: dinner reservations, shopping, people watching at a caf\u00e9, leisurely walks or you can simply take some time to relax.e<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Day 4 Palermo – Impact Moment – Trapani Breakfast & Dinner I Mulini Resort<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Many are interested in the story of the mafia and every travelor asks me about it. Instead of ignoring it as a blemish on Italian culture we’ve added this walking tour focusing on the history of the Sicilian Mafia and the anti-Mafia fight. We meet our local guide who is part of a civic movement resisting the MafiaAddiopizzo “Goodbye Pizzo”. A grassroots movement established in Sicily to build a community of businesses and consumers who refuse to pay “pizzo”\u2014 Mafia extortion money. We get to see a fascinating side of Palermo most other tours don\u2019t focus on. <\/span>
As the day draws to a close we settle into Trapani for two nights and watch the sunset fade against the crashing waves and whirling windmills.<\/span><\/p>

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Day 5 Trapani – Isle of Mozia – Marsala – Optional Excursion Breakfast & Lunch I Mulini Resort<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Next we visit the tiny island of Mozia, not only is it a small natural paradise but was once a great trading port for the Phoenician, Greek and Roman civilization has with some of the most remarkable archiological remains from 1.000 B.C. On the way, we sail next to a submerged Roman road, once traversed on foot. We meet our local guide, visiting the ruins of its ancient port, and a museum featuring impressive Greek statuary. Next we continue to Marsala, heading down into a wine cellar for a sampling paired with a tasting of locally produced foods. The remainder of the day is yours to explore. Perhaps you will join an optional tour to Erice to visit Maria Grammatico\u2019s famous bakery for a pastry-making class.<\/span>
When Americans think of Italian pastrys it’s actually the Sicilian culinary tradition that we love in the U.S. Today you will be conducted in a traditional patisserie kitchen to enjoy a Sicilian Pastry class under the guidance of Mrs Maria, who learned about the secrets of ancient pastry art from nuns in the convent of Erice when she was just a child.<\/span>
You will learn how to prepare almond pastries and typical dessert such as Martorana cake and enjoy the desserts prepared by your own hands.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Day 6 Trapani – Agrigento – Valley of the Temples Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Baia Di Ulisse<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

In 1968, an earthquake destroyed the humble village of Gibellina now rebuilt as the largest open-air museum of contemporary art. You will marvel as we walk through the “new” village with an extraordinary collection of works by great artists. Not just sculptures and bold architectures but the reconstruction punctuates the landscape and is truly amazing. Next we<\/span>
head to an award-winning olive grove and learn about the traditional oil making process. We sample their unique olive oil that compliments the lunch of local delicacies before departing for another adventure at the Valley of the Temples. Now we make our way to Argentino to one of the main attractions of Sicily and meet our local expert. You will be astonished at the up-close view of the temples of Juno, Concordia, Hercules and Jupiter.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Day 7 Agrigento – Piazza Armerina – Taormina Breakfast & Dinner Hotel Villa Diodoro<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Today we head into the picturous countryside to Piazza Armerina, home of the ancient Villa Romana del Casale (UNESCO), and explore the site with an expert guided tour of its impressive mosaics. In the afternoon we journey along the Ionian Coast to Taormina, a seaside hub of ancient Greek theaters and hilly walkways where we settle into your new home for the next three nights. You will love the proximity of our hotel to all things Taormina. Besides the natural wonderment of Taorimina shopping and quaint restaurants await us. Tonight you will enjoy a Sicilian dinner and entertainment, where we booked local musicians to delight us tonight.<\/span> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Day 8 Taormina Breakfast Hotel Villa Diodoro<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

After breakfast we meet our local guide and discover Taormina, leading us to the city\u2019s Duomo, public gardens, and then we walk in the footsteps of ancient attendees to the well-preserved Greek theater. Have your cameras ready for an exceptional view of the adjacent ocean. Now that you have a lay of the land you are ready to explore on your own. Ask me about local shopping and restaurants then enjoy a bite to eat and peruse the local boutiques for handcrafted souvenirs.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Day 9 Taormina – Mount Etna Breakfast Hotel Villa Diodoro<\/span><\/strong>
Heres a unique opportunity to enjoy one of the numerous exciting experiences created for you an experience to Mount Etna on off road vehicles. We travel the slopes of majestic Mount Etna, the highest volcano in Europe and one of the most active of the world. Together we discover the amazing landscapes passing by lava formations and basalt rocks and caves. <\/span>
The evening is ours to enjoy in Taromina.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Day 10\u00a0 Taormina – Ragusa\u00a0 Breakfast & Dinner\u00a0 Poggio Del Sole Hotel<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

You will love our stop in Ragusa an ancient city perched upon a hill recognized for its Baroque architecture. With our local guide we meander over cobblestone streets and winding lanes to admire the highly opulent style of building and wrought iron balconies. We have a free afternoon, ask Me or Mari where to enjoy a nice lunch or you are welcome to join me in a visit to Paulo shop. He is a friend of mine who’s family owns the oldest chocolate shop in Sicily Antica Dolceria Bonajuto where they still make handmade chocolate in the aincient ways. You’ll be\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0happy to know we carry his chocolate at Coco’s Italian. Follow this link for a video I made on their shop:<\/span><\/p>