Experience Sicily with Chef Melissa Muller Thursday, May 19, 2016 Tuesday, May 31, 2016 (13 days/12 nights)

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1 Experience Sicily with Chef Melissa Muller Thursday, May 19, 2016 Tuesday, May 31, 2016 (13 days/12 nights) During Experience Sicily with Chef Melissa Muller we ll experience Sicily through the eyes of Eolo Seasonal Sicilian Kitchen s proprietor and author of the forthcoming book The Cooking of Sicily. Melissa spent her childhood summers on the Island of the Sun, and it s her dream to share its essence with you! Experience Sicily with Chef Melissa Muller is a spectacular opportunity to experience the unknown Sicily the out-of-the-way spots and locales and to meet the people who call Sicily home, with hosts who know it from the heart and have a great passion for sharing it with our guests you! In addition to savoring succulent meals at top restaurants, touring the vines and tasting the wines at a vineyard in the heart of Sicily that dates back to the 15th century, delighting in a hands-on cooking class, reveling in the drama of the ancient Taratatà Feast at Casteltermini, and having our breath taken away by ancient Greek theater in Siracusa, we ll tour outstanding UNESCO World Heritage sites and discover the hidden alleyways of Sicily s ancient cities and picturesque villages. Our accommodations will be at family-owned country inns (agriturismi) and characteristic hotels so we can experience Sicily s charming hospitality. Palermo > Palermo Private Professional, Local Guide/Driver Limited to 12 Guests Price: $5,675 per person, double occupancy *, ** (Price includes all transportation and all but 3 meals. Price does not include airfare or travel insurance.) * If you pay in-full within five days of contacting us about this tour, you will receive a $300 discount per person. Let s talk! Call us today at ** Single Occupancy Supplement is an additional $ (Let us know if you d like to be paired up with someone to pay the Double Occupancy cost. We ll do our best to match you with a roommate.) *** Save $100 if you pay by personal check.

2 Experience Sicily with Melissa Muller Thursday, May 19, 2016 Tuesday, May 31, 2016 (13 days/12 nights) This itinerary is subject to change. Day 1/ Thursday, May 19 Transfer from Palermo airport to our 4-star inn in Scopello Settle in, enjoy the beautiful property and charming village Welcome meeting, review of our tour together Dinner as group featuring traditional Sicilian cuisine on the premises of our inn Meal Included for Today: Dinner Accommodations: Scopello, 4-star, family-run inn

3 Day 2/Friday, May 20 Learn about the annual Festa di San Giuseppe (Saint Joseph s Day) with a visit to Salemi, a town known for its extraordinary ritual bread and Feast altars Melissa will host a Trapanese busiate pasta making demonstration with local signore Tour the salt flats of Marsala with their magnificent windmills Taste the region s famous Marsala wine like you never have before Dinner at an rustic trattoria featuring local cuisine Accommodations: Scopello, 4-star, family-run inn Day 3/Saturday, May 21 Check-out of Scopello inn Enjoy Palermo s world-renowned street food in the historic city center s ancient, open-air markets Tour Palermo s unique Arab-Norman sites Dinner as a group in Palermo Accommodations: Palermo, 4-star hotel Day 4/Sunday, May 22 Tour the UNESCO recognized Arab-Norman Cathedral of Monreale Feel the wind in your hair during a boat excursion from the leisure port of Palermo. We'll explore the north coast's fishing villages, all while Melissa gives each guest an overview of Sicilian wines with a tasting paired with cheeses, breads, meats, and more. Dinner as a group at a trattoria popular among true Palermitani Accommodations: Palermo, 4-star hotel

4 Day 5/Monday, May 23 Check-out of Palermo hotel Visit the enchanting medieval town of Cefalù with its remarkable UNESCO recognized cathedral Time on your own for lunch, shopping, and wandering the town s storied alleyways Dinner as group at one of Sicily s most outstanding chef-run restaurants in Taormina Meals Included for Today: Breakfast and Dinner Accommodations: Taormina, 4-star hotel Day 6/Tuesday, May 24 Environmentally charged visit to Etna, Europe s largest, most active volcano with expert, local guides Enjoy local specialties and wine for lunch For the evening, you ll have time on own to explore the elegant, cliff-top town of Taormina Dinner at your leisure Meals Included for Today: Breakfast and Lunch Accommodations: Taormina, 4-star hotel Day 7/Wednesday, May 25 Tour Ortigia s Mercato Antico with local guide Lunch as group in the middle of the market Afternoon free to explore the baroque, UNESCO Heritage Site community with its many art galleries and boutiques (Optional visit to archeological museum, Museo Orsi) In the evening we ll take-in ancient Greek theater (in Italian) at Siracusa s Teatro Greco Antico amphitheater in the middle of Siracusa s archeological park Dinner at renowned, chef-inspired restaurant Accommodations: Ortigia, Siracusa, 4-star hotel

5 Day 8/Thursday, May 26 Early departure for Piazza Armerina Tour the UNESCO Villa Romana del Casale, a treasure of Roman mosaic scenes including the Bikini Girls Lunch as group at an outstanding, chef-inspired restaurant Check-in to our family-run country inn Day 9/Friday, May 27 Led by Melissa, we ll have a very special, farm-to-table, hands-on experience at a breathtaking estate in the heart of Sicily Melissa and our hosts will make ricotta for us so we can learn the cheese making process. Sicily s native wheat will carpet the hinterland, and we ll go into the 15 th -century baglio s fields and garden to pick the produce for our meal that we ll cook and eat together. We ll tour the vineyard with its owner and taste the winery s different varietals paired perfectly with our meal. Day 10/Saturday, May 28 Tour Valley of the Temples UNESCO World Heritage Site After lunch at a local trattoria, you ll have the afternoon free to enjoy the property of our agriturismo Dinner as a group

6 Day 11/Sunday, May 29 Experience the storied Sagra della Tataratà in Casteltermini, an annual event that features dancing swordsmen, lords and ladies, and townspeople that feverously celebrate their annual feast that has roots in Arab-dominated Sicily and the Norman conquest Day 12/Monday, May 30 Check-out of our inn Visit with artisans in Bagheria Slow evening with time to prepare for departure Final dinner as a group Accommodations: Santa Flavia, 4-star agriturimo (farmhouse/inn) Day 13/Tuesday, May 31 Transfer to Palermo airport Arrivederci Sicily! Meals Included for Today: Breakfast (If time allows) Contact Allison Scola today to reserve your place on this exclusive tour! Experience Sicily Boutique, Small-group Tours & Creative Travel Planning Blog Articles Events Allison Scola Owner/Curator AllisonScola@yahoo.com ExperienceSicily.com

7 Experience Sicily Important Notes to Consider The tour officially begins at check-in on Thursday, May 19 at our family-run inn. The boutique nature of this itinerary means that it is subject to change as we get closer to departure. In most cases, changes will enhance your experience, as it is our mission to provide you with the most memorable experience in Sicily that we are able. The trip price is for double occupancy and does not include airfare. There is a single supplement of $975. If you wish to share a room with someone, we will try to match you with another single on the trip. Fly into and out of Palermo airport. Flights from the U.S. will depart the night before (on May 18) and arrive the morning or afternoon of May 19. Our first group event will be in the evening of May 19. Please plan accordingly. The dates of this tour coordinate with direct flights on Meridiana airlines from New York JFK to Palermo. Details about our accommodations will be released once you have paid in full. All information will be ed to you approximately 30 days before departure. Tour price includes costs for all excursions, entertainment and ticket prices, tour transportation, and all but 3 meals (consult day to day description for details). Price does not include airfare, travel insurance, or personal purchases and gifts. Coverage of ground transportation to and from airport and accommodations in Sicily will be determined once an inventory of guests arrivals and departures is assessed. The cost of this tour does not include travel insurance; however, it is highly recommended that you purchase a comprehensive plan to cover the costs of your airfare, tour, loss of luggage, and medical expenses. Gratuities are included, however, at the conclusion of the tour, if you are pleased with the hospitality and service of our local driver/guide, additional recognition at your discretion is appreciated. Sicily is a large region that requires a lot of driving. It is also very mountainous and, as a result, has many winding roads. We have designed the itinerary to break up the driving as much as possible, but on some days, long drives will be necessary. If you suffer from motion sickness, please bring motion-sickness medication with you. You must be in good physical health to enjoy this tour. Although we will not be engaging in physically rigorous excursions, there is a significant amount of walking on various surfaces and types of terrain as well as standing for extended periods of time, especially at archeological sites. Please inform us in advance regarding any dietary restrictions, food allergies, and other personal concerns.