MORRIS ARBORETUM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA & SUSAN WORNER TOURS PRESENTS: SPRING GARDENS IN SICILY 20 29 March 2017 Springtime in Sicily the mythic garden of Persephone is abundant with colour and luminosity. We visit private gardens in the east of the island, and add some cultural elements to the programme. Sicily has been invaded by the Greeks, Romans, Normans and Spaniards, and all have influenced its culture and character. The warm spring weather encourages luxuriant growth on terraced hillside gardens and an abundance of wild flowers. Zagara, the orange blossom scent, is all pervading. We stay at the most comfortable, welcoming Hotel Villa Belvedere in the attractive town of Taormina perched high above the sea. Superb views of the bay and Mount Etna. The island of Ortigia is then our base in a beautiful historical part of Siracusa at the well-situated Grand Hotel. The group will have a maximum of twenty participants. We use a comfortable small coach with minimal travelling, except on transferring from Taormina to Ortigia when we break the journey with a garden visit.
ITINERARY DAY ONE MONDAY 20 MARCH Departure from the US DAY TWO TUESDAY 21 MARCH L : D You will be met at Catania airport for the transfer to our hotel Villa Belvedere in Taormina. Guided visit and introduction to the old town of Taormina. Dinner together in a nearby restaurant. DAY THREE WEDNESDAY 22 MARCH A full day in Taormina. Our first visit is to the gardens laid out by Florence Trevelyan at the end of the nineteenth century. We continue to Casa Cuseni, a private garden above the town, created by Robert Kitson, an accomplished painter in the early twentieth century. The terraced gardens have a strong Arts & Crafts influence with exuberant plantings. We can view the fascinating, well-preserved interiors created by Sir Frank Branwyn. Delicious buffet lunch on the garden terrace. Early evening visit to the delightful San Domenico Palace gardens with aperitivo in the cloister garden. Evening at leisure. DAY FOUR THURSDAY 23 MARCH Morning visit to Catania s vibrant market in the Baroque centre of town and to discover the Catania Botanic Gardens. We continue to lunch in a country gourmet restaurant. A fascinating specialist wholesale nursery is nearby. Piante Faro, nestling in the foothills of Etna specialises in Mediterranean plants and we enjoy a guided visit. Evening at leisure. DAY FIVE FRIDAY 24 MARCH Guided visit to the ruins of the Greco Roman Theatre, a remarkable archaeological site above Taormina. Light lunch in the hotel garden. Mount Etna holds a fascination for everyone: we take the southern road through the lava flows, discover the indigenous Mount Etna broom and walk around an old crater. Return via Zafferana Etnea through vines and wild flowers. Dinner together in town. DAY SIX SATURDAY 25 MARCH Leaving Taormina with luggage we head south to a private garden in the foothills of Mount Etna with a series of rooms: different themes laid out on terraces amongst Etna lava. We lunch with the enthusiastic owner who will give a personal tour of her garden which she is currently extending. In the afternoon we arrive in Ortigia at the Grand Hotel. Giovanni, our local guide, will show us the historical centre of Ortigia stopping for an aperitif. Dinner is served in the hotel terrace restaurant with beautiful views over the town and out to sea. DAY SEVEN SUNDAY 26 MARCH We leave to visit the gardens of the Princess Maria Carla Borghese: Il Biviere, at Lentini was created after the nearby lake was drained to combat malaria. A collection of
succulents are intertwined with roses and jasmine; agaves and palms give structure; beyond is an avenue of stone pines evocative of Roman landscapes. We are invited for a buffet lunch in the garden. We visit the estate s organic orange farm to discover the different varieties. The scent of the zagara is heady. Evening at leisure DAY EIGHT - MONDAY 27 MARCH In Siracusa, the Greek theatre and Roman amphitheatre ruins are legendary. Our specialist guide will show both the ruins and the luxuriant orchard gardens in the Latomia, an old limestone quarry. Our late morning visit is to the estate of Villa San Giuliano at Villasmundo. The late fifteenth-century fortified farmhouse garden has a good collection of succulents and a charming giardinetto divided into four distinct areas. The traditional Arabic irrigation channels, saie, are still in use. The head gardener, Rachel Lamb, will accompany us. A delicious buffet lunch is served. The gardens are surrounded by extensive orange groves and we watch and taste their artisanal marmalade and biscuit making. Return to Ortigia to enjoy dinner on our final evening in a local restaurant. DAY NINE TUESDAY 28 MARCH B Optional leisure time in Ortigia before leaving for Catania airport for return flights DAY TEN WEDNESDAY 29 MARCH Arrival back in the US.
PRICE 2495.00 Euros per person sharing (roughly $2,805.00 US) 540.00 Euros for single occupancy of double room (roughly $610.00 US) Price includes: Accommodation in charming hotels with breakfast (B) and meals shown with (L) (lunch) and (D) (dinner), high standard coach travel throughout, all garden visits with owners of head gardeners. Accompanied by Susan Worner. Not included: Flights to Italy, personal items (laundry, telephone calls, drinks, wine), tips. Donation to the Morris Arboretum: The donation amount is $250.00 per person payable to Morris Arboretum. Mail check to: Jessica Lynch, Morris Arboretum, 100 E. Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118 Hotels Villa Belvedere in Taormina http://www.villabelvedere.it Grand Hotel in Ortigia, Siracusa http://www.grandhotelortigia.it NOTES A donation to the Morris Arboretum of $250 per person is required. Please pay Morris Arboretum directly. All participants must have travel/medical insurance with details added to the booking form. Please take note that on the coach one piece of hold luggage of no more than 25kgs (roughly 55 lbs) in weight is permitted, plus 2 pieces of hand luggage. Study notes and maps to be handed out on arrival. Dietary Requirements: a limited amount of special requests can be accommodated but only with prior notification. We reserve the right to substitute a garden visit if, due to unforeseen circumstances, an owner is unable to open their garden. We will notify you when the tour is confirmed with at least the minimum numbers in order for you to book your flights. FINAL DATE FOR SIGNING UP IS: September 30, 2016
HOW TO BOOK Please complete the booking form, sign and send to: SW Tours Limited, PO Box 26, Boroughbridge, YORK YO51 9YU. Great Britain To send by email: scan and send as email attachment to info@susanwornertours.com To send by fax: (office hours only) +44 1423 324080 Deposit and donation payments to complete along with booking form: 1. A donation of $250 per person to be made directly to the Morris Arboretum is required. Please mail check to Jessica Lynch, Morris Arboretum, 100 E. Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118 2. A deposit of 600 euros (roughly $675 US) per person to be made directly to SW Tours Limited is required along with booking form. Please send details of your credit card to be debited or this amount can be sent direct to our bank. N.B.: The final payment is due 12 weeks before the commencement of the trip. It is a requirement of our booking conditions that you have travel/medical insurance. Our bank details are: Account: SW Tours Limited Account no: IBAN FR76 3000 3013 91000270 0077 195 BIC SOCGENFRPP Bank Societe Generale, La Santa Maria, 27 Porte de France, 06500 MENTON, France Please ensure all charges are deducted at source. If you wish to pay by credit card, we charge 4% commission.