SICILY & SARDINIA TOUR

SICILY

Sicily is the largest of the Italian Islands, separated from the Continent by the Strait of Messina and surrounded by the Ionian, the Tyrrhenian and the Mediterranean Seas. Nature seems to have endowed all its wonders to this land: mountains, hills and above all the sea, with its incredible colors.

DAY 1: Arrival at Catania Airport. Transfer to the selected hotel. Choose among:

• Verdura Resort: Located in an idyllic valley on the south coast of Sicily, surrounded by orange, lemon and olive groves, Verdura Resort embraces its beautiful surroundings and makes them part of its soul. This luxury resort in Sicily is an elegant, intoxicating marriage of Sicilian heritage and world-class comfort, with the same beguiling views and authentic sense of place in your room or suite.
• I Monasteri Golf Resort: A 5-star hotel in the secluded Siracusa outback, I Monasteri Golf & SPA Resort is housed in a villa that was once a Benedictine monastery. The 102 rooms and suites of the resort are a romantic retreat immersed in the silence of the wonder of this Sicilian oasis, not far from the sea.
• Il Picciolo Resort&Spa: A charming part of Sicily at the foot of Mount Etna, this location is the setting for the exclusive 4-star resort, with 18-hole golf course, SPA, restaurant, guest accommodation, outdoor and indoor pool. A classic style and modern fittings for the 98 rooms, a sophisticated cuisine that also embraces the concept of Fresh, Italian and Simple Food.

DAY 2: After breakfast, play golf at Verdura Golf Club. Leisure time in the afternoon.

Test your swing on one of the stunning golf courses, designed by the acclaimed international firm, Kyle Phillips. Famed for courses like Kingsbarns Golf Links in Scotland, Phillips has crafted an 18-hole championship course and a nine-hole par-3 course from the stunning coastal scenery at Verdura.

DAY 3: After breakfast, transfer to Agrigento. Visit the Valley of the Temples, one of the most outstanding examples of Greater Greece art and architecture, included in the UNESCO heritage Site List since 1997. The Valley includes remains of ten temples, all in Doric style among which the Temple of Concordia is ranked amongst the most notable edifices of the Greek civilization existing today due to its good state of preservation.

DAY 4: After breakfast, play golf at I Monasteri Golf. In the afternoon visit Siracusa, a powerful city in antiquity. Tour the city with an expert private guide and explore highlights such as the Greek theatre, Roman amphitheatre, the ancient cathedral, the cave known as the Ear of Dionysius, the historic centre of the island of Ortygia, charming seaside neighbourhoods and elegant architecture.

I Monasteri Golf is an 18-hole par 71 golf course, whose course stretches across the Mediterranean landscape, in a plantation of 86 hectares of orange and lemon trees.

DAY 5: After breakfast, transfer to Catania: visit of the lively fish market right in the heart of the historical center, close to the main square and the Cathedral dedicated to St Agatha, the Patron Saint of the town where the remains of Opera composer Vincenzo Bellini are buried as he was born in Catania.

DAY 6: After breakfast, play golf at Picciolo Golf Club. In the afternoon discover Taormina. Visit the Roman Villa del Casale built in the first quarter of the 4th century and located about 3 km outside the town of Piazza Armerina, containing the richest, largest and most complex collection of Roman mosaics in the world, it is one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy.

Picciolo Golf Club is the first golf course in Sicily. Set into the Etna’s park, holes are designed inside the residual lava stone of the 1916 eruption.

DAY 7: Drive to the airport. Flight from Catania to Cagliari.

SARDINIA

This island strikes its visitors with natural contrasts, the lights and colors of a region that boasts old traditions and wild and pure nature.

DAY 7: Arrival at Cagliari Airport. Transfer to the selected hotel. Choose between:

• Is Molas Resort: Located in an extraordinary panoramic position, it enjoys a magnificent view of the Sardinian sea, the tower of Nora and the hills of Sulcis, covered by the colours and scents of the Mediterranean scrub. Rooms are arranged on three levels and frame the garden like a theatre, enriched by the typical Sardinian lawn and shrubs.
• Is Arenas Resort: A refined 5-star Resort in a modern and elegant style, notable for its unique location, immersed in the beautiful Is Arenas pine forest, a protected area of particular environmental importance.

DAY 8: After breakfast, play golf at Is Molas Golf Club. Leisure time in the afternoon.

The Is Molas golf course is one of the most famous in Italy and has been the benchmark for this sport in Sardinia for over thirty years. Thanks to the proximity of the sea and the protection of the surrounding hills the locality of Is Molas enjoys a unique microclimate, mild and particularly favourable for golf all year round.

DAY 9: After breakfast, start a boat tour of the Maddalena’s Archipelago. The tour aims to discover the most spectacular beaches, reachable only by sea, and ends with a visit to the historic centre of the major island.

DAY 10: After breakfast, play golf at Is Arenas Golf Club. Leisure time in the afternoon.

Is Arenas is a beautiful golf course draped across a sumptuous landscape, surrounded by tranquillity and untouched nature. Is Arenas exists in complete respect and harmony with the largest forest in Sardinia.

DAY 11: After breakfast, transfer to the Barbagia region for a daily tour discovering the most rural part of Sardinia. A journey to discover the bread of the shepherds: you will visit an artisan bakery to witness the magic of carasau bread cooked in a wood oven. In Mamoiada, the village of mamuthones, you will visit a winery famous for its Cannonau. After a light lunch, you will go to Orgosolo for the famous murals that have made the country famous in the world. Finally, you will visit a dairy that produces excellent sheep’s cheese.

DAY 12: After breakfast, drive to Porto Cervo. Round of golf at Pevero Golf Club. In the afternoon discover Porto Cervo, a little corner of paradise, rich and elegant town in the heart of the Costa Smeralda. Home of elite tourism, a privileged and exclusive destination for entertainment and the international jet-set, which has also become a favourite place for celebrities.

The golf course at Pevero, according to the experts, is said to be among the most beautiful in the world for its impressive and unforgettable panorama. The golf course is surrounded by wind eroded rocks, natural lakes and a Mediterranean bush perfumed with juniper, myrtle and wild strawberry.

DAY 13: Drive back to Cagliari airport. Say “Arrivederci”.