TOUR N. 2

Siracusa and Noto
Duration: Full day
Type: City

Siracusa: on the island of Ortigia, lying along the charming coast with the gentle slopes of the Iblei mountains that form an amphitheater covered with olive groves, fruit orchards and vineyards, the millenary Siracusa, shining in the purity of its sky, the beauty of its sea, wrapped in a climate of perpetual sweetness, witnesses even today its own destiny of immortal city. Here we will visit the island of Ortigia, the cathedral, the Maniace Castle, the Museum of Archimedes, the Greek theater, the museum Paolo Orsi, the Shrine of Our Lady of Tears.


Noto:  the European Capital of Baroque, Noto is a must for anyone who comes to visit this part of Sicily. Especially the cathedral, recently restored after the 1990 earthquake, dominates, from a staircase in three shelves, the wide Town Hall Square and faces the harmonious Ducezio Palace.

Here you can enjoy the beauty of the baroque church of San Francesco, the Cathedral, the Town Hall, enjoying the typical Sicilian sweets (cannoli, cassata, impanatiglia).


On request Tourist Guide and lunch in a local restaurant.

TOUR N. 3

Marzamemi, Vendicari, Noto
Duration: Full Day
Type: Sea / Nature / City

Marzamemi: The village was born around the landing, which later became a fishing port, and developed thanks to the latter activity, still widely practiced, even acquiring a tuna, among the most important ones in Sicily.
 


Vendicari: Vendicari was established in 1984. It is now one of the most representative wetlands in Europe and its importance, from a naturalistic point of view, is recognized internationally.

Hundreds are the species of birds that choose it every year as a stop on the journey to their breeding grounds.
After a short walk, you can observe (bird watching), especially in autumn and spring months, accessing the shacks that are home to dozens of amateur enthusiasts and, armed with binoculars, spotting scopes, tripods and digital cameras, trying to capture in the perfect pose some of hundreds of noisy birds that enliven the marshes.
 
Before reaching Noto, we will visit the Villa Romana del Tellaro, a rich country residence of the late Roman imperial age.

Noto:  the European Capital of Baroque, Noto is a must for anyone who comes to visit this part of Sicily.
Here you can enjoy the beauty of the baroque church of San Francesco, the Cathedral, the Town Hall, enjoying the typical Sicilian sweets (cannoli, cassata, impanatiglia).

TOUR N. 4

Savoca, Forza D'Agrò, Taormina
Duration: Full day
Type: City

Savoca: a perched village on a rocky hill. A city ​​of art and "land with seven edges", from 2008 is included among the most beautiful villages in Italy. It has a predominantly agricultural economy but it is voting to cultural tourism.
It preserves, in its territory, the ancient ruins of medieval, Renaissance and Baroque origins. It is also famous because it has a crypt in which you can find the embalmed corpses of some chiefs in the country dating back to the XVIII and XIX centuries, and for being chosen as the set for numerous films of great success, as “The Godfather” of Francis Ford Coppola in 1972 and “The stolen life” in 2007. Savoca is part of the tourist area of ​​Valle d'Agro.

Forza D’Agrò: Like a balcony on the Ionian Sea, from its lookout you can admire the coast from Messina to Siracusa, Taormina and Castelmola, the bay of Giardini Naxos and the imposing Mount Etna.
In 1971, the historic center of Forza d'Agro (together with that of the neighboring Savoca) was chosen by Francis Ford Coppola as the setting for several scenes present in all the films of the Corleone family saga, as “The Godfather”.

Taormina: is the finest tourist center of Europe. Lying on Mount Tauro in an elevated position, it is home to one of the most famous and wonderful views the human eye is allowed to see. There are numerous events that every year, especially in summer, take place in Taormina. Exceptional setting of concerts (classical and popular music), plays, operas, great evenings of entertainment often shot by many broadcasters (the ceremony for the delivery of the Silver Ribbons, Festivalbar, the Kore, just to name a few of them) and the ancient Theater of Taormina.

On request Tourist Guide and lunch in a trattoria.

TOUR N. 5

Kamarina and Scicli
Duration: Full Day
Type: History / City

Kamarina: it was an important colony of Siracusa, founded and built by the Syracusans at the mouth of the river Ippari in the Province of Ragusa. Today there are only ruins and some important archaeological finds, mainly on Cammarana hill in the territory of Ragusa.

Scicli: The characteristic shape of the territory, with the presence of quarries and caves, has favored the emergence of numerous rock dwellings. In addition to the prehistoric Grotta Maggiore, we also remember the late Byzantine settlement of the seventh century A.D. site in Castellaccio, and the Byzantine (VIII century A.D.) and medieval (X-XI century A.D.) rocky settlement in Chiafura, visible to this day.

On request Tourist Guide and lunch in a restaurant near Scicli.

TOUR N. 6

Ragusa Ibla and Castello di Donnafugata
Duration: Full Day
Type: City

Ragusa Ibla: today district of the city of Ragusa, it is the fulcrum from which the city of Ragusa has developed. It is located in the eastern part of the city, on a hill that goes from 385 to 440 m above s.l.
At the beginning of a long staircase, you will find the baroque church of St. Souls in Purgatory. Instead, the Cathedral of St. George was built between 1744 and 1745, according to the plans of the famous architect Rosario Gagliardi.
The district contains over fifty churches and numerous palaces in the Baroque style. In the eastern part, you can find the Ibleo Garden and also the excavations of the ancient city, called Hybla.

Castello di Donnafugata: There are several hypotheses about the origin of the name "Donnafugata". Usually it is brought back to a legendary episode, which is the flight of Queen Blanche of Navarre, widow of the king Martin I of Aragon and regent of the kingdom of Sicily who was imprisoned in the castle of Count Bernardo Cabrera, who aspired to her hand, and above all to the title of king. In fact, the construction of the castle was after the legend. According to others, the name is the free interpretation and transcription of the Arabic term “Ayn as Jafat” (Source of Health), which in Sicilian dialect becomes “Ronnafuata”, hence the current name.

On request Tourist Guide and lunch in a restaurant near the castle.

TOUR N. 7

Cava d'Ispica, Parco Forza and Ispica
Duration: Full Day
Type: Nature / Town

Cava Ispica is a river valley that for 13km affects the Hyblean plateau, between the towns of Modica and Pozzallo. The valley, surrounded by the typical Mediterranean vegetation, preserves prehistoric burial sites, Christian catacombs, rocky oratories, monastery hermitages and residential units of various types. In the terminal area of the valley in the territory of Ispica, near the city, there are many testimonies that prove the presence of man from prehistoric times until the earthquake of 1693. After visiting the water mill, still now working, you access to the quarry and follow it for approximately 5 km. On the way you stop in a farmhouse, taste local products and, continuing the way, you reach Contrada Catanese.

Ispica: An early Christian catacomb in San Marco and a necropolis in the district of San Giovanni attest that the area was inhabited in the late Roman era. According to the tradition, Sant’Ilarione di Gaza, hermit, would stay in the region, in a cave of Cava Ispica between the third and fourth century, attending the church of Santa Maria della Cava. The antiquity of the church is underlined in the written present in a shield painted on the porch: “Antiquam terra fieret ego sum…” (“Before the earth - the country – was, I am…”). The city took the name of Hyspicaefundus in Roman times, later it changed to Spaccaforno until 1934.

Option of dining in a restaurant.
Tourist guide on request

TOUR N. 8

Cavagrande del Cassibile
Duration: Full day
Type: Nature

Cava Grande del Cassibile  is a natural canyon that runs from the Hyblean plateau to the coastal plain. The Cava has the structure of a valley that goes to open up on very steep slopes. It is among the most extended to plow the Iblei. It has several burial caves that make up the necropolis of Cassibile dating back to a historical period that goes from eleventh to ninth century B.C.
In the Cava you can visit two rock towns.
The northern is reachable after having arrived until the river Cassibile and following a trail left by shepherds. And it is interesting for the various scales.

Lunch bag