SICILY in DEPTH October 1–12, 2020
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SICILY IN DEPTH October 1–12, 2020 12 days from $4,174 total price from New York ($3,695 air and land inclusive plus $479 airline taxes and fees) An Exclusive Small Group Tour for Alumni and Friends of MIT Dear MIT Alumni and Friends, Join fellow MIT travelers on a 12-day journey to the island of Sicily. Experience Sicily’s diverse landscapes and cultural treasures, while staying in unique, centrally-located hotels. Begin in Palermo, where you enjoy a walking tour that includes the Palermo Cathedral and the Palatine Chapel, as well as vibrant markets selling Sicilian specialties. Next, explore the medieval walled town of Erice and enjoy stunning panoramic views of the valley below. Continuing on to Trapani, visit the famous salt pans and tour the museum here. A quick stop in Monreale allows you a visit to the city’s cathedral, before reaching Agrigento. Visit the Valley of the Temples and the Temple of Concordia, then continue on to Syracuse. A highlight here is the Archaeological Park of Neapolis, a UNESCO site that comprises a range of ancient monuments. Then take an excursion to Mount Etna, Europe’s largest volcano. Finally, travel to Taormina, where you see the 3rd-century BCE Greek theater, the 13th-century Duomo, and the grand Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. Space on this tour is limited to 24 participants, so register today. If you have questions, or wish to make a reservation, call the MIT Alumni Travel Program at 800-992-6749 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. You may also contact the tour operator, Odysseys Unlimited, Inc., at 888-370-6765. Sincerely, Melissa Chapman Gresh Visit our website at alum.mit.edu/travel for Director, MIT Alumni Travel Program details and updates on all our programs. MIT RESERVATION FORM: SICILY IN DEPTH Enclosed is my/our deposit of $______($500 per person) for ____ person(s) on Sicily in Depth departing the U.S. October 1, 2020. I/We understand the final payment is due at least 95 days prior to departure. Deposit and final payment may be made by American Express, Discover, MasterCard, VISA, or by personal check. Please make checks payable to Odysseys Unlimited, Inc., and send, with completed reservation form, to: MIT Alumni Travel Program, 600 Memorial Drive, 2nd Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139, or call the MIT Alumni Travel Program at 800-992-6749. Or contact the tour operator, Odysseys Unlimited, Inc., at 888-370-6765. Full Passport Name ________________________________________ Date of Birth ______________ Gender _______ Badge Name ______________________________________________ MIT Affiliation ____________________________ Full Passport Name ________________________________________ Date of Birth ______________ Gender _______ Badge Name ______________________________________________ MIT Affiliation ____________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________________________________________ City __________________________________________ State __________________ ZIP _________________________ Home Phone (______) ___________________________ Cell Phone (______)___________________________________ E-mail(s) ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Please book my/our air from ____________________ I/We request an air upgrade to ________________________ I will share a room with _____________________________________ I request a single room (limited availability) q Please Note: The undersigned has read the schedule of activities for Sicily in Depth, October 1–12, 2020, and agrees that their signature below represents their acceptance of the General Terms and Conditions. Signature(s) _________________________________________________________________ Date _________________ Method of Payment q Check q American Express q Discover q MasterCard q VISA Account # __________________________________________ Security Code _________ Exp. Date _______________ Name of Cardholder ________________________________________________________________________________ Signature __________________________________________________________________________________________ Final invoicing will be sent by the tour operator, Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. The balance of the program price must be paid to Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. Final payment is due by June 28, 2020, and is payable by check or credit card. Limited to 24 MIT travelers SICILY IN DEPTH 12 days from $4,174 total price from New York ($3,695 air and land inclusive plus $479 airline taxes and fees) rossroads of the Mediterranean … the “toe” in Italy’s boot … “God’s Kitchen” C … Sicily is all this, and much more, as you will see on this small group journey around this Italian island. It’s lively cities and ancient ruins, temples of man – and of nature, hospitable people and delectable cuisine … a feast for all the senses. Day 1, October 1: Depart U.S. for Palermo, Italy Tyrrhenian Sea Day 2, October 2: Arrive Palermo Arrive today in Palermo, capital of Italy’s autonomous region of Palermo Sicily. This evening you gather at the hotel for a Taormina briefing on the journey ahead, followed by a welcome dinner. SICILY D Catania Agrigento Day 3, October 3: Palermo On this morning’s Ionian Sea Syracuse walking tour, discover 2,700-year-old Palermo’s twin claims to fame: impressive architecture and Destination world-class street food. Highlights include Palermo Motorcoach Cathedral and Palatine Chapel, both part of Arab- Entry/Departure Mediterranean Sea Norman Palermo, a UNESCO site comprising nine civil and religious structures dating to Norman rule Avg. High (°F) Oct Nov in Sicily (c. 12th century). Then discover the Baroque Palermo 72 66 Syracuse 75 67 city center and pass by Massimo Vittorio Emanuele Taormina 72 68 Theater, one of Europe’s largest opera houses. Along the way you pass through vibrant markets selling arancini, cannoli, and other Sicilian specialties – which, of course, you stop to sample. Following this tour, you enjoy lunch at a local restaurant then return to the hotel in the city center. The remainder of the day is free for independent exploration. With dinner on your own tonight, perhaps a culinary adventure is Small Group Tour Highlights in order. Thanks to Sicily’s strategic Mediterranean location that lured many invaders, Sicilian food Palermo’s Arab-Norman UNESCO sites • Street food incorporates Italian, Arabic, and African influences experience in Palermo • Stunning Monreale Cathedral into a singular, and delicious, cuisine. B,L (UNESCO site) • Medieval walled town of Erice • Trapani Nature Reserve and salt pans • Agrigento’s Valley of the Day 4, October 4: Palermo/Erice/Trapani A full Temples (UNESCO site) • Outstanding mosaics at Villa day of touring takes you first to the medieval walled Romana del Casale (UNESCO site) • Archaeological Park town of Erice. Perched atop a mountain nearly 2,500 of Neapolis in Syracuse (UNESCO site) • Wine tasting • Sicilian cooking class • Taormina touring • Mount feet above sea level, Erice offers panoramic views of Etna excursion • Farmhouse lunch • Distinctive, well- the valley below, the port town of Trapani, and the located small group hotels Tyrrhenian Sea beyond. Then continue to Trapani, where you visit the region’s famed salt pans. Though Day Itinerary Hotel Rating the area is a designated Nature Reserve, Sicilians still harvest salt here using centuries-old methods; 1 Depart U.S. for Palermo indeed, the oldest of the area’s 60 working windmills Artemisia Palace Sup. First 2-4 Palermo Hotel Class dates to the island’s Arabic regime. Tour the museum here then enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before Hotel Baia di 5-6 Agrigento First Class Ulisse returning to Palermo. B,L Hotel Borgo 7-9 Syracuse First Class Pantano Day 5, October 5: Palermo/Monreale/Agrigento Hotel NH Collection En route to Agrigento today, stop in nearby Monreale. 10 -11 Taormina Deluxe Taormina Sitting on the slopes of Monte Caputo, Monreale looks 12 Depart Catania for U.S. over La Conca d’Oro, or “the Golden Shell,” a richly Ratings are based on the Hotel & Travel Index, the travel fertile valley studded with groves of orange, olive, industry standard reference. and almond trees. Here visit the city’s celebrated Cover photo: Taormina’s 3rd-century Greek theatre overlooks Mount Etna, which you visit on October 10. See the Temple of Concordia on October 6 while exploring the Valley of the Temples. cathedral, another gem of Arab-Norman Palermo and mosaics in the Roman world. Thanks to having been one of the finest examples of Norman architecture buried by landslides, the villa, its vivid frescoes, and still in existence. The imposing main façade and the more than 3,200 square feet of mosaics survived ornate outer cloister serve to prepare you for the the millennia in remarkably good shape. Following cathedral’s breathtaking main sanctuary, where every the tour, continue on to Syracuse, arriving late this inch of wall and ceiling space is covered with pains- afternoon. Once the largest city in the ancient world, takingly detailed mosaics. Crafted by artisans from Syracuse today is an alluring spot known for its superb Constantinople (now Istanbul), the dazzling mosaics archaeological sites and the relaxed seaside ambience contain some 4,850 pounds of pure gold. Next visit a of its Baroque old town. B,L,D nearby family-owned winery and enjoy a wine tasting and lunch. The journey then continues; late this Day 8, October 8: Syracuse Today discover what afternoon reach Agrigento and your hotel, where you this city is best known for: the Archaeological Park dine tonight.