JEWELS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SICILY AND THE AEOLIAN ISLANDS WITH OPTIONAL 5-DAY MALTA EXTENSION OCTOBER 8 – 24, 2021 TOUR LEADER: DR KATHLEEN OLIVE SICILY & THE Overview AEOLIAN ISLANDS Sicily’s history and culture is a unique meld of Mediterranean civilizations, encompassing ancient Phoenician, Greek and Roman periods, as well as Tour dates: October 8 – 24, 2021 more recent Byzantine, Arab, Norman and Spanish inhabitation. The setting for this long and distinctive history is unmatched – the towering Tour leader: Dr Kathleen Olive volcano of Mount Etna which dominates the east coast, rich rolling hillsides in the interior and rugged limestone cliffs along the coast. Tour Price: $9,890 pp, twin share (land only) The nearby Aeolian – or ‘windy’ – Islands, celebrated in the writing of Single Supplement: $2,520 for sole use of Homer, retain much of the character of the ancient Mediterranean. They double room are an ideal travel destination for those interested in the broad span of Mediterranean history and culture and inspired by majestic scenery. Booking deposit: $1,000 per person This 17-day journey has been carefully designed to showcase the main Recommended airline: Emirates attractions of the islands – Greek temples, Norman/Byzantine mosaics and Arab architecture – but also to take you to some of the lesser-known Maximum places: 20 but equally impressive towns and natural features of the islands, such as the Baroque architecture of the island’s south east and the volcanic island Itinerary: Siracusa (4 nights), Agrigento (2 of Stromboli. nights), Palermo (4 nights), Lipari (3 nights), The itinerary progresses in a broadly historical sequence, commencing Taormina (3 nights) with the major Greek sites of Siracusa, Agrigento and Selinunte, before moving on to the predominantly Arab and Norman world of Palermo and Date published: May 14, 2020 the north coast. Three days are then spent in the Aeolian Islands, exploring Lipari, and taking a cruise to Panarea and Stromboli. Lipari remains off the path of mass tourism, and maintains much of its traditional Mediterranean atmosphere. The journey concludes with three nights in Taormina, a celebrated European holiday spot for two centuries. The journey has all the characteristics of an Academy Travel tour – mostly three and four-night stays in small, friendly hotels which have been personally inspected by our staff, background talks before site visits and a maximum group size of just 20. There are plenty of options for extending your travel, with extra stays in Rome at the beginning or end of the tour. You may also like to take the optional pre-tour Malta Extension (see further details at the end of this itinerary). Your tour leader Dr Kathleen Olive is a literary and cultural historian with close to 15 years’ experience leading tours to Italy, Spain, France, Turkey, Japan and the United States. She has a strong personal interest in the visual arts, interior design, fashion history and Enquiries contemporary fiction. and bookings Kathleen holds a BA with first class Honours and a PhD, both from the Department of Italian Studies at the University of For further information and to Sydney. For a number of years she worked as a lecturer at the secure a place on this tour University of Sydney and the University of Technology, Sydney, please contact Hannah teaching Italian language, literature and history. Kathleen continues to Kleboe at Academy Travel on teach, as a national lecturer for the Australian Decorative and Fine Arts 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 Society (ADFAS), and in adult education courses in Sydney. (outside Sydney) or email [email protected] Tour Highlights SICILIAN BAROQUE Sicilian Baroque is the distinctive form of Baroque architecture which evolved in Sicily, in the 17th and 18th centuries, when it was part of the Spanish Empire. The style is recognizable not only by its typical Baroque curves and flourishes, but also by its grinning masks and putti and a particular flamboyance that has given Sicily a unique architectural identity. VILLA ROMANA DEL CASALE The exceptionally well-preserved Imperial Roman Villa was a hunting lodge of the emperor Maximian (3rd–4th century AD). It is the site of the richest, largest and most complex collection of Roman mosaics in the world, covering more than 12,000 square feet. The most famous mosaic is the floor depicting 10 girls wearing the ancient equivalent of bikinis, going through what looks like a fairly rigorous set of training exercises. VALLEY OF THE TEMPLES, AGRIGENTO Sicily's most enthralling archaeological site encompasses the ruined ancient city of Akragas, highlighted by the stunningly well-preserved Temple of Concordia, one of several ridge-top temples that once served as beacons for homecoming sailors. These ruins offer one of the most outstanding examples of Greater Greek art and architecture. The UNESCO site, is the largest archaeological site in the world with 1,300 hectares. GLITTERING MONREALE Monreale's splendid cathedral and abbey are lavishly decorated with colourful mosaics depicting events from the Old and New Testaments. After the Norman conquest of Sicily, the new princes showcased their ambitions through monumental building projects. The result was a glorious fusion of Eastern and Western influences, widely regarded as the finest example of Norman architecture in Sicily. TAORMINA AND MOUNT ETNA Taormina is widely considered Sicily’s most stunning town, perched high between the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna, Europe's largest volcano and the best-know symbol of Sicily. The first time you see Mount Etna, whether she's trailing clouds of smoke or emitting fiery streaks of lava, is certain to be memorable. We take an exhilarating day trip to see the volcano up close travelling by jeep and a short hike. Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the letters B, L and D. Tour start & finish time The tour starts on Friday October 8 at 3.30pm, at Rome Fiumicino airport to take the 5.00pm Alitalia flight, as a group, to Catania. The tour ends on Sunday October 24 at 6.30pm when we land in Rome Fiumicino airport, following our group flight from Catania. Above: an aerial view of historic Ortigia island Friday October 8 Arrive Siracusa Below: the Greek theatre in Syracuse; and the view over Ragusa Ibla Meet your tour leader at Rome Fiumicino airport to commence the tour. There is a group flight to Catania, then transfer by coach to our hotel in Siracusa. Passengers coming from the Malta pre-tour extension arrive in Catania a short while later. This evening meet for a light dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Siracusa (D) Saturday October 9 Ancient Siracusa After a talk in the hotel we visit the main archaeological site of the town. Highlights of our visit include the famed theatre of Siracusa, the altar of Hieron II, and the ancient quarries where thousands of Greek prisoners were held during the Peloponnesian War. In the later afternoon we’ll visit the Museo Aretuseo dei Pupi, housing a collection of traditional Sicilian puppets, followed by a performance of traditional puppetry at the adjoining theatre. This evening we have our welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Siracusa (B, D) Sunday october 10 Paolo Orsi Archaeological museum This morning we make our way to the excellent Paolo Orsi Regional Archaeological Museum. Extensively renovated in recent years, the Paolo Orsi is one of the most important archaeological museums in southern Italy. Its artefacts, found throughout Sicily, survey the Greek, Roman, and early Christian epochs. In the afternoon we’ll visit the Byzantine-era Jewish baths which are over 1,500 years old. Overnight Siracusa (B) Monday October 11 Sicilian baroque in noto and ragusa Today we take a round trip of the south-east tip of Sicily, visiting the towns of Noto and Ragusa. These towns are famed for their exuberant ‘Sicilian Baroque’ architecture, created after a devastating earthquake of 1693 destroyed the earlier towns. Overnight Siracusa (B) Tuesday October 12 the villa romana We depart Siracusa this morning, heading westward through the geographic centre of Sicily. Today’s highlight is the Villa Romana del Casale at Piazza Armerina, featuring a series of intact floor mosaics from the 4th century AD, created by North African artisans. After lunch we continue to Agrigento, located on the south coast of Sicily, arriving in the late afternoon. Dinner tonight is at a local restaurant. Overnight Agrigento (B, D) Wednesday October 13 Agrigento temples AND museum Agrigento – ancient ‘Akragas’ — was founded in the 6th century BC and enjoyed a reputation as one of the wealthiest colonies of the Greek world. The extensive and well-preserved sacred area is testament to these riches, comprising four major temples in excellent preservation as well as a number of smaller structures. Today we tour the temple site with a local guide and visit the nearby archaeological museum. The afternoon is free to relax. Tonight, we have dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Agrigento (B, D) Thursday October 14 Romanticism at selinunte Our first stop is to see the over life-size Dancing Satyr of Mazara del Vallo, a Greek bronze statue that was found by a Sicilian fisherman in 1998, in the waters of the Mediterranean. We continue to Selinunte (ancient Selinus), the last of the important Greek cities on our itinerary. At its peak, Selinus had a population of 25,000 but it was comprehensively sacked and its ruins inspired generations of Romantic poets and artists, such as Goethe. Dinner tonight is in a local restaurant. Overnight Palermo (B, D) Above: stunning Late Antique mosaics in Villa Romana, Piazza Armerina; and the ‘Valley of the Temples’ in Agrigento boasts well Friday October 15 preserved and spectacularly situated Greek ruins Below: The mosaics in Roger II’s Palatine Chapel are among the Palermo most beautiful Byzantine art Palermo is a colourful city, with the atmosphere of North Africa or perhaps Asia rather than of Europe.