The Jewel That Is Jordan
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JONATHON E LYONS Presents The Jewel That Is Sicily TH TH Friday 10 to 19 of October 2014 THE JEWEL THAT IS EUROPE II The Jewel That Is Sicily THE JEWEL of Sicily will commence in Palermo at the Hotel Villa Igiea situated overlooking the port of Palermo it is approximately 25 minutes from Palermo Airport. We shall remain at this hotel for one night your cars shall await your arrival. The following morning we shall commence our first drive and proceed to Sciacca. We shall begin to see the wonderful landscapes and experience driving through this Historic Island finishing the day at the splendid Verdura Golf resort hotel for four nights. After experiencing the first day and the regional culture we shall drive loop days and discover other parts of Sicily from the resort. You will have the opportunity to see the magnificent countryside travelling through all the major regions of Sicily view and experience the many different cultures and without any doubt stay in the best five star hotels as well experience the best regional culinary delights this country has to offer. Visit a private home as well as the best restaurants in the regions as well enjoy the fine wines of Sicily many of which are now winning international awards! There will be many unique and exceptional visits to special venues along the routes we have chosen including many extraordinary special venues where special permissions to enter have been sought, as well we will have with us, to control traffic, the Polizia Stradale. We will also have a staff of 4 mechanics and 4 translators, also a courtesy car with us throughout the entire route. The roadbook will be prepared by the same company as the Targa Florio rally. The event will end in a fabulous location in the beautiful town of Taormina for the final Black Tie Gala dinner. The chairman of The Jewel Events has driven through the entire inspection of all venues for this event and is satisfied that all participants will be overwhelmed by the quality that this tour will offer and in fact I am astonished discovering for myself just how much Sicily has to offer from so many different aspects; history, wonderful wine and food, a lovely kind and warm people and exceptional regional diversity. If you would like to join us on this fantastic adventure, please contact us speedily. We only have 25 places available for this event. With warmest good wishes from us all at the Jewel Events FRIDAY 10TH OCTOBER - ARRIVAL DAY PALERMO – VILLA IGIEA CHECK IN FROM 3PM WELCOME COCKTAIL PARTY FOLLOWED BY A SPECIAL PRIVATE DINNER AT THE VILLA IGIEA HOTEL. THE GRAND HOTEL VILLA IGIEA HAS BEEN A LANDMARK FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, SINCE IT WAS DESIGN BY THE FAMED ARCHITECT ERNESTO BASILE, AT THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY FOR THE FLORIO FAMILY. THE HOTEL IS A MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF ART NOUVEAU ON THE PALERMO COAST, THE HISTORICAL CAPITAL OF SUN-SOAKED SICILY. FEATURING FRAGRANT TERRACED GARDENS, PANORAMIC VIEWS OF THE SPARKLING BAY OF PALERMO AND MOUNT PELLEGRINO AND A ACONVENIENT LOCATION, ONLY 3KM FROM THE COMMERCIAL CENTRE OF THE CITY. SATURDAY 11TH OCTOBER PALERMO TO SCIACCA – ROCCO FORTE VERDURA GOLF & SPA A DRIVE THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR HILLS OF SICILY WILL TAKE US TO THE HISTORIC TOWN OF MONREALE. THE CATHEDRAL OF MONREALE IS ONE OF THE GREATEST EXTANT EXAMPLES OF NORMAN ARCHITECTURE IN THE WORLD. BUILDING BEGAN IN 1174 BY WILLIAM II, AND IN 1182 THE CHURCH, DEDICATED TO THE ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY, WAS, BY POPE LUCIUS III, ELEVATED TO THE RANK OF A METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL. THE CHURCH IS A NATIONAL MONUMENT OF ITALY AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRACTIONS OF SICILY. BEFORE HEADING TO THE WONDERFUL VERDURA RESORT, WE SHALL VISIT AND EXPLORE THE ANCIENT GREEK TEMPLE OF SEGESTA. IT WAS BUILT SOMETIME IN THE LATE 5TH CENTURY BC AND HAS SIX BY FOURTEEN COLUMNS ON A BASE MEASURING 21 BY 56 METERS, ON A PLATFORM THREE STEPS HIGH. SEVERAL THINGS SUGGEST THAT THE TEMPLE WAS NEVER ACTUALLY FINISHED. SUNDAY 12TH OCTOBER LOOP DRIVE – ROCCO FORTE VERDURA GOLF & SPA TODAY, WE WILL DRIVE TOWARDS THE WESTERNMOST PART OF SICILY TO THE FAMOUS TOWN OF MARSALA, INTERNATIONALLY FAMOUS FOR ONE THING: WINE. ITS INHABITANTS, HOWEVER, WHILE BEING EXTREMELY PROUD OF THEIR AMBER NECTAR, ARE EQUALLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THEIR TOWN’S LONG, ILLUSTRIOUS HISTORY. THE HISTORIC CENTRE OF MARSALA IS AN ELEGANT TOWN FULL OF STATELY BAROQUE BUILDINGS AND BOOKSHOPS WITHIN A PERFECT SQUARE OF WALLS. THE PRESENT-DAY NAME, DERIVING FROM THE ARABIC “MARSA ALLAH”, MEANING “PORT OF GOD”, GIVES US AN IDEA OF JUST HOW STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT THE TOWN ONCE WAS. BEFORE THE ARABS, HOWEVER, WERE THE ROMANS, AND BEFORE THE ROMANS, THE CARTHAGINIANS. IT WAS THESE LATTER, UNDER HIMILCO, WHO BUILT THE HUGE PORT AND UNASSAILABLE STRONGHOLD OF LILIBEO IN 396BC AS A REPLACEMENT FOR MOTYA (OR MOZIA), WHICH HAD BEEN DESTROYED THE YEAR BEFORE BY DIONYSUS I OF SIRACUSA. MONDAY 13TH OCTOBER LOOP DRIVE – ROCCO FORTE VERDURA GOLF & SPA WE DEPARTE FROM THE HOTEL AND HEAD FOR THE HILLS OF SOUTHERN SICILY FOR A GORGEOUS DAY LOOP. WE SHALL VISIT THE PICTORESQUE PALAZZO ADRIANO. DESPITE BEING A CUTE LITTLE TOWN, FOUNDED IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 15TH CENTURY BY GREEK- ALBANIANS, IT IS MUCH MORE WELL KNOWN FOR BEING THE SET FOR WHERE ‘CINEMA PARADISO’ WAS SHOT. GIUSEPPE TORNATORI'S 1988 MASTERPIECE "NUOVO CINEMA PARADISO" WAS FILMED HERE: THE VILLAGE STANDS IN AS THE SETTING FOR TORNANBUONI'S FICTIONAL GIANCALDO. IT'S WHERE THE SUCCESSFUL FILM-DIRECTOR (PLAYED BY JACQUES PERRIN) RETURNS AFTER A 30-YEAR ABSENCE FOR THE FUNERAL OF HIS CHILDHOOD HERO AND MENTOR, ALFREDO, THE LOCAL PROJECTIONIST, PLAYED BY PHILIPPE NOIRET, WHO INSPIRED HIS EARLY LOVE FOR FILM. TUESDAY 14TH OCTOBER LEISURE DAY – ROCCO FORTE VERDURA GOLF & SPA AFTER SOME EXTREMELLY GOOD, YET INTENSIVE DRIVING, I AM SURE WE ALL WILL BE EAGER FOR A RELAXING DAY BY THE BEACH OR FOR THE GOLF AFFICIONADOS – TWO WORLD CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP COURSES. AROUND LATE AFTERNOON WE SHALL ALL BE TRANSFERRED TO A WONDERFUL WINE TASTING AT ONE OF SICILY’S BEST WINE PRODUCER, PLANETA, FOR A SPECIAL PRIVATE TASTING FOLLOWED BY DINNER. WEDNESDAY 15TH OCTOBER SCIACCA TO AGRIGENTO – VILLA ATHENA A SHORT DISTANCE FROM SCIACCA, NEVERTHELESS A GORGEOUS DRIVE TO OUR NEXT STOP, THE VALLEY OF THE TEMPLES, A UNESCO SITE AND ONE OF SICILY’S MOST FAMOUS HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS, WITHOUT A DOUBT! THIS SPLENDID ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK CONSISTS OF EIGHT TEMPLES (AND VARIOUS OTHER REMAINS) BUILT BETWEEN ABOUT 510 BC AND 430 BC: THE TEMPLE OF HERA, THE TEMPLE OF CONCORDIA, THE TEMPLE OF HERACLES, THE TEMPLE OF OLYMPIAN ZEUS, THE TEMPLE OF CASTOR AND POLLUX, THE TEMPLE OF HEPHAESTOS, THE TEMPLE OF DEMETER, AND THE TEMPLE OF ASCLEPIUS (THE GOD OF MEDICINE). APART FROM THE LATTER, WHICH IS TO BE FOUND ON THE BANKS OF THE AKRAGAS RIVER, ALL ARE SITUATED IN THE SAME AREA ON ROCKY CRESTS SOUTH OF MODERN DAY AGRIGENTO (NOT REALLY IN A VALLEY AT ALL!). OUR HOTEL FOR THE NEXT TWO NIGHTS IS AT A BEAUTIFUL 18TH CENTURY VILLA BUILT LITERALLY OPPOSITE TWO OF THE GREEK TEMPLES. AT THE HOTEL VILLA ATHENA, YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF PROJECTED BACK IN TIME: FROM THE HOTEL GROUNDS, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ADMIRE THE WONDERFUL TEMPLE OF CONCORD, WHICH HAS BEEN PERFECTLY CONSERVED AND IS MERELY A COUPLE OF HUNDRED METRES AWAY. A VERY SPECIAL PRIVATE DINNER AT THE HOTEL, DIRECTLY OVERLOOKING THE TEMPLE OF CONCORD. THURSDAY 16TH OCTOBER LOOP DRIVE – VILLA ATHENA HEADING EAST, WE WILL DRIVE TOWARDS THE SHORES OF LICATA FOR A WONDERFUL EARLY AFTERNOON AT A VERY UNIQUE WINERY, FEUDO PRINCIPI DI BUTERA, IN THE PROVINCE OF CALTANISSETTA. AN EARLYISH DRIVE BACK IN TIME TO EXPLORE THE VALLEY OF THE TEMPLES AND VIEW THE AMAZING SUNSET OVER THE SEA. FRIDAY 17TH OCTOBER AGRIGENTO TO TAORMINA – GRAND HOTEL TIMEO SITUATED DEEP IN THE SICILIAN HINTERLAND, AT 721 METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL, STANDS PIAZZA ARMERINA, ONE OF SICILY’S MOST FREQUENTED TOURIST SPOTS. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT THE TOWN THAT MOST PEOPLE COME TO SEE, BUT THE FAMOUS VILLA ROMANA DEL CASALE (ALSO A UNESCO SITE). BUILT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 4TH CENTURY AD AS A HUNTING LODGE BY A ROMAN PATRICIAN (IT IS NOT KNOWN FOR SURE WHO THE OWNER WAS) THE VILLA IS HOME TO SOME OF THE BEST PRESERVED AND EXTENSIVE EXAMPLES OF ROMAN MOSAICS SPREAD OVER AROUND 3500MT. THESE EXTRAORDINARILY VIVID MOSAICS, PROBABLY PRODUCED BY NORTH AFRICAN ARTISANS, DEAL WITH NUMEROUS SUBJECTS, RANGING FROM HOMERIC ESCAPADES AND MYTHOLOGICAL SCENES TO PORTRAYALS OF DAILY LIFE, INCLUDING THE FAMOUS TABLEAU OF GIRLS EXERCISING IN THEIR “BIKINIS”. A WONDERFUL PRIVATE LUNCH WILL BE AT ONE OF THE MOST EXCLUSIVE AGRITURISMO IN SICILY, BANNATA, HOSTED BY THE CHARMING OWNER NIETTA. THE NAME OF THE BANNATA FARMHOUSE, WHICH IS ALSO THE SAME NAME OF THE AREA THAT IT IS LOCATED IN ENNA, DERIVES FROM ARAB MEANING “LAND KISSED BY THE SUN”. THE STONE FARMHOUSE STYLE OF TYPICAL 19TH CENTURY INLAND SICILIAN ARCHITECTURE IS ALSO ACCOMPANIED BY A PRE-EXISTING STRUCTURE FROM THE 18TH CENTURY IN WHICH LIVED FARM ANIMALS. TODAY WE ARRIVE AT THE GRAND HOTEL TIMEO IN TAORMINA. IDYLLICALLY PERCHED ON A ROCKY PROMONTORY HIGH ABOVE THE SEA, TAORMINA HAS BEEN THE MOST POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION IN SICILY FOR A COUPLE OF HUNDRED YEARS. BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED MEDIAEVAL BUILDINGS, BREATHTAKING VIEWS AROUND EVERY CORNER AND A GIDDY NETWORK OF WINDING STREETS STREWN WITH SHOPS, BARS AND RESTAURANTS. TAORMINA’S PAST IS SICILY’S HISTORY IN A MICROCOSM: GREEKS, ROMANS, BYZANTINES, ARABS, NORMANS, SWABIANS, THE FRENCH AND THE SPANISH ALL CAME, SAW, CONQUERED AND LEFT.