(Pick up from Catania port)
To arrive in Sicily and only enjoy Taormina would be a crime, whilst beautiful, the real Sicily is on your doorstep waiting to be discovered. We have chosen three places, outside of Taormina, to introduce Sicily to you. With Catania we have the second largest city in Sicily by Population. Here you can enjoy a very special lively city which offers a taste of the antique and modern, order and chaos, excellent shopping and Art, History and Culture, Fountains and Squares. We will visit the Cathedral square, Piazza del Duomo, at the end of busy Via Etnea (named after the volcano), and most of the town's tourist attractions are close by. We also have the chance to visit the
famous open fish market and stroll the main street with its wonderful shopping. Catania is also famous for its Roman ruins and we will also have the chance to see the few surviving structures of the Roman Amphitheatre, part of which can be seen in Piazza Stesicoro, and which date to the second century AD. We move out of the city to the seaside towns of Aci Castello and Aci Trezza, two pretty coast line Sicilian villages. Aci Castello boasts a rich production of citrus fruits, olives, grapes, almonds, cereals and amazing restaurants. Aci Trezza is a small but charming fishing village, with its small harbor full of fishing boats and typical fishing trattories. Both of them have a backdrop the famous "Faraglioni" created by lava rock by an ancient sub-marine eruption.
We then move onto the charming city of Acireale. We will visit the Duomo square with its wonderful Baroque palaces and churches, in particular, the Duomo itself and the church of St. Peter & St. Paul and San Sebastian. We stroll the main street, arriving at the Public gardens with its beautiful view over the volcanic "Timpa" and the ionic sea. |