Flavors of Sicily
 
 
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  Flavors of Sicily: A Private Culinary Adventure Personally
  Escorted by Cya Martorana
  September 17 – October 1, 2009


The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily is a unique place filled with art, archeology, history, folklore and breathtaking scenery. Explore Palermo, the island’s capital, tour its magnificent cathedral and Norman Palace. Walk the charming cobblestone streets in Erice, try the local marzipane. Travel to picturesque Cefalù, a seaside town with a wonderful cathedral. Sample the sea salt “farmed” in nearby Trapani and visit the new Museum of Salt! Explore the wonderfully-well-preserved Greek temples at Agrigento and the ancient remains in Syracuse, marvel at the superb mosaics at the Roman villa near Piazza Armerina and superb Byzantine glass mosaics at Monreale. Travel through lovely rolling countryside with colorful agricultural displays in the island’s mountainous center. Wonder at the breathtaking beauty of Mt. Etna and the cerulean blue sea lying far below charming Taormina.

Sicily is a land of great food and wines as well. Surrounded by water, the island is known for its seafood, especially tuna, swordfish and sardines. Fruits and vegetables also abound, and are artfully arranged in some of the open-air markets we visit. Taste some of the finest olive oil in the world and sample the unique cheeses. And don’t miss the wonderful Sicilian desserts such ad cassata and cannole, and the superb lemon granite.. Wash it all down with one of the wines for which the island is known, or with a glass of almond wine or Marsala, also made on the island. Join us in this wine and culinary tour of magical Sicily, personally escorted by Carpaccio Restaurant’s Ciya Martorana. Tour limited to 16 participants only

Itinerary
 Itinerary is provisional and subject to change.




Thursday, Sep 17: Depart the U.S for Italy

Friday, Sep 18: Arrival
Arrive Palermo, capital of Sicily. You will be met by our representative and assisted with your luggage, then transferred to our hotel. The remainder of the day at leisure. (No meals)

Saturday, Sep 19: Palermo & Monreale
A full day of sightseeing in PALERMO — an old city of Arab and Norman monuments, medieval palaces, baroque churches, Art Nouveau-Liberty villas and hotels, a city of art and architecture, lush gardens and lively markets. We visit the city’s historic heart, Quattro Canti (‘four corners’) each adorned with fountains. See La Martorana, decorated with cataniamagnificent mosaics and a beautiful Norman bell tower, and San Cataldo with its red domes. The city’s Duomo (cathedral) was begun in 1185 on the foundations of an earlier Byzantine church that the Arabs had converted into a mosque. The massive Palazzo Reale, or Palazzo dei Normanni, formerly the royal residence, now houses Sicily’s Regional Parliament, and its resplendent Palatine Chapel is Palermo’s crown jewel--a fantasy of gold, intricate wood ceilings, inlaid floors, carved white marble and superb mosaics, dating from 1132. Then explore the lively 1,000-year-old Ballarò Market, a labyrinth of fruits, vegetables and other products. Try two of Palermo’s specialties: cannoli, tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough filled with a sweet, creamy filling (usually ricotta cheese or sweetened Mascarpone) flavored with vanilla, chocolate, pistachio or Marsala wine; and cassata, layered cake, ricotta cheese and candied fruit peel. Lunch at a local restaurant cataniaen route to the suburb of MONREALE to see the stunning Cathedral built by William II around 1174, the last and most majestic of the Norman churches in Sicily, an architectural wonder of the Middle Ages. Adorned with magnificent mosaics covering more area than those in St. Mark’s in Venice, and are so beautiful that it is difficult to tear your eyes away to notice other parts of the church—the Cosmatesque floor, antique cipollino marble columns and Corinthian capitals, the marble altar containing the heart and internal organs of St. Louis, and the Treasury. The 12th C. garden cloister has wonderful fanciful capitals showing scenes from everyday life, the Bible, ancient myths and the virtues. Return to the hotel following the tour, with evening free. Dinner on your own. (B,L)

Sunday, Sep 20: Cefalù
Drive to CEFALÙ, an attractive town with a Byzantine, Arab, and Norman past, and another great Norman cathedral, erected in 1131. Explore the narrow streets of the city, the old fisherman’s cataniaquarter, and visit the magnificent cathedral with its glimmering golden mosaics and lovely cloister, and the Rocca, ancient fortifications sitting high above the city and housing the remains of a 12th century castle. Then visit a factory to see how the famed Sicilian anchovies are processed. At the Relais Santa Anastasia, enjoy a wine-tasting and dinner at this restored 12th C. abbey set on high hills. Return to Palermo for overnight. (B,D)


Monday, Sep 21: Marsala | Trapani–Erice | Segesta
Drive to Sicily’s west coast to the ancient city of MARSALA to visit a winery and learn more about why and how these world-famous fortified wines are produced. Tour the winery and enjoy a tasting before travelling through miles of rosy-red saltpans to the Museum of Salt in a 17th C. salt works. Continue to the charming small cobblestoned medieval town of Erice sitting precipitously on a bluff high above the sea and noted for its marzipan. Explore this beautifully preserved medieval town at the extreme tip of western Sicily. Lunch in Erice, then return to Palermo via SEGESTA set in splendid isolation amid the rolling hills of Western Sicily, known for its splendid Doric temple and theater. Dinner and overnight Palermo. (B,L,D)

Tuesday, Sep 22: Castelvetrano | Agrigento
Leave Palermo for nearby Alcamo for a visit and tasting at the world-famous Rapitalà Winery amidst gentle hills. After a tour of the winery and cataniaa tasting, move on to Castelvetrano for a COOKING CLASS and lunch at an olive oil farm. After lunch, continue south to AGRIGENTO, one of Italy’s chief archaeological wonders, for overnight. Dinner on your own. Tonight, drive through the illuminated Valley of the Temples. (B,L)




Wednesday, Sep 23: Piazza Armerina | Syracuse
Morning guided walking tour of the Valley of the Temples where five superbly-preserved Greek temples still stand. Then drive to PIAZZA ARMERINA, Sicily’s finest Roman site where a luxurious country imperial mansion from the 3rd-4th C. AD reveals an large collection of well-preserved and extensive mosaics depicting scenes of mythology, hunting and domestic life in beautiful detail. Lunch at a local masseria, after which we continue to Caltagirone, famous since Arab times for its brilliantly colored ceramics. Time permitting, we make a brief stop en route to Syracuse for overnight. Dinner on your own. (B,L)

Thursday, Sep 24: Syracuse
Full-day’s sightseeing in SYRACUSE, one of the most important cities of the ancient western world. See the 5th C. BC Temple of Athena and the archaeological zone with its Greek Theatre, Roman cataniaAmphitheatre and Latomia del Paradiso, a former quarry. Lunch on the charming islet of Ortygia (where our hotel is located), where the ruins of the Temple of Apollo, the Duomo (built from some of the columns from and on the foundations of the 7th C. Temple of Athena) and the Fountain of Arethusa. Overnight Syracuse.


Friday, Sep 25: Cooking Class & Noto
Our morning COOKING CLASS features Syracusan specialties from the kitchens of Baron cataniaBeneventano del Bosco. At lunch, enjoy the dishes you helped prepare. Afternoon excursion to nearby NOTO, the most charming of all the 18th century baroque cities of Sicily, and to the River Ciano, with its thick clumps of papyrus. Return to Syracuse for overnight. Dinner tonight in Syracuse. (B,L,D)




Saturday, Sep 26: Syracuse Modica | Chiramonte Gulfi | Syracuse
Drive to MODICA, one of the oldest towns in Sicily, a baroque showcase rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in 1693. Modica sits in a deep valley among limestone cliffs, and is a center for cheeses, chocolates and almonds. Stop at the chocolate factory of the Bonajuto family to learn about the different phases involved in the production of chocolate. The technique used here follows that of the Aztecs, introduced in Sicily during the period of the Spanish domination in the 16th C. We’ll also taste some of the local cheeses before driving on to CHIRAMONTE GULFI, a small inland village famous in Sicily for its food. The town sits on a hill surrounded by lush pine forests. Here, we take lunch in one of Sicily’s best-known restaurants, Majore, specializing in pork dishes. After lunch, return to Syracuse, stopping off en route for a visit an almonds factory. (B,L)

Sunday, Sep 27: Syracuse | Catania | Taormina
Drive to CATANIA to visit its renowned market and for a tour of the city’s highlights. Continue on to TAORMINA, on a bluff above the Ionian Sea, at the foot of Monte Tauro.The town dominates two grand bays below and on the southern side, the top of Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, often capped with snow, offering a breathtaking, dramatic and memorable view over almost 100 miles of Mediterranean Sea. Immersed in luxuriant subtropical vegetation, it was a favorite stop for those on the “Grand Tour” and the preferred summer residence of aristocrats and celebrities from the Rothschilds to Capote and Klimt. Overnight in Taormina. Dinner at the hotel. (B,D)

Monday, Sep 28: Taormina
Morning walking tour of Taormina. Visit the Greek Theatre, walk the Corso Umberto, the town’s main street. Lunch on your own. Afternoon reception at the Barone Platania Estate where “The Godfather” was filmed. Tour the Castello Degli Schiavi (the primary location for outdoor scenes of the film) and meet the fascinating Baron in his home as he recounts stories of the actors and filming here. The baroque villa is unique, built from black lava rock and including a private chapel and vast wine cellars. Dinner in Taormina. (B,D)

Tuesday, Sep 29: Taormina
Morning COOKING CLASS on the slopes of Mt. Etna, enjoying the fruit of your labor at lunch. In the afternoon, travel to nearby CASTELMOLA to taste the unique almond wines made here. Return to Taormina. Dinner on your own. (B,L)

Wednesday, Sep 30: Taormina
Free day in Taormina. Or, Optional excursion to MOUNT ETNA to explore the largest active volcano in Europe (additional cost). Head into the cataniafertile lava flow country, ascending to 6,000 feet by road, admiring the stunning views as you go up. Then take a cable car up to the next level where the landscape appears to be lunar-like. Here the only way to get around is by small but rugged 4x4s which during 90 thrilling minutes will show you the craters and evidence of millennia or eruptions. En route back to Taormina, enjoy lunch at a local winery, with an additional stop for at honey farm for a visit and tasting. Farewell Dinner tonight. (B,D)

Thursday, Oct 01: Departure
Transfer to Catania Airport for flights home, or extend your stay in Italy.

Click HERE to register online


FLAVORS OF SICILY
Tour Costs

Discount Cash/Check Price:
$6,995 per person, based on Double Occupancy
Single Supplement: $1,950

Credit Card Price:
$7,215 per person, based on Double Occupancy
Single Supplement: $2,015


Tour Costs Include
13 Nights’ Acccommodations in Deluxe Hotels
Full Breakfast Daily, 7 Lunches and 6 Dinners
Three “hands-on” cooking classes
Sicilian and Specialty foods tastings
Visits to Local Markets
Tours of to top Sicilian wineries with tastings
Full Sightseeing with English-speaking guides
Transportation in deluxe air-conditioned coach
Reception on the Barone (“Godfather”) Estate
Entrance Fees, Airport-Hotel Transfers
Optional Tour to Mt. Etna (additional cost)
On-Site Escort Throughout

Not Included in Tour Costs
Airfare to/from and within Italy
Tips to Guides and Drivers
Meals not specifically included
Items of a Personal Nature (laundry, insurance, etc.)
Beverages at meals.
Travel Insurance (strongly recommended)


CONDITIONS

TOUR COSTS: Prices based on tariffs in effect at time of printing and on a minimum of 16 passengers travelling together. Prices are subject to change at any time whether due to currency fluctuations, failure to reach minimum passenger level, or other factors beyond the control of Frosch Travel. All airport-hotel transfers (and vice-versa) in Italy are included only for those passengers ticketed by Frosch Travel and arriving/departing on designated group flights. All airline tickets subject to Frosch’s regular ticket-processing fees. Transfers on days other than those specified in the itinerary, or for arrivals into Italy on different carriers and flights will be at additional cost to passengers. Issuance of free tickets or mileage upgrades done by Frosch International Travel are subject to service charge.

REGISTRATION & PAYMENTS: A deposit of $500 per person required at booking. Final payment due by May 1, 2009. Cash discount price applies only if all payments (deposits and final payment) are by check, cash or money order.

CANCELLATION FEES: All cancellations must be in writing, and take effect when received. After deposit, cancellation received between the following dates is subject to following per person penalties: From deposit to April 30, 2009: $500; after May 1, 2009m 100% of tour costs. Trip cancellation insurance, available through Frosch, is available and is highly recommended. No refund will be made on any unused services once the trip begins.

RESPONSIBILITY
FROSCH INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL (FT) or any of its affiliated or subsidiary companies, sales representatives or agents shall not be or become responsible for any loss, injury or damage to person or property or for other services resulting directly or indirectly from acts of God, dangers incident to the air or sea, breakdown in any kind of machinery or equipment, strikes, riots, war, thefts, pilferage, epidemics, quarantines or from whatever cause. Further, FT and its representatives reserve the right to withdraw the tour or part of it and make such alterations in accommodations and to the itinerary as deemed necessary and advisable. The right is also reserved to cancel the tour prior to departure; in such case, full refund of all payments will constitute full settlement of the passenger. FT reserves the right to accept or decline, or to retain any person as a tour member, whether before departure or en route; in such a case, FT will refund equitable amounts of money. Any expenses incurred by delays or events beyond the control of FT will be borne by the passenger. The airlines concerned are not to be held responsible for any act or omission of events during the time the passengers are not on board their plane or conveyance. The passenger contract in use by the airlines when issued shall constitute the sole contract between airline and the purchaser of the tour and/or the passenger. Price of these tours are subject to change at any time without prior notice, whether due to currency fluctuations, increases in land or air tariffs, or any other factors beyond Bet’s control. In the unlikely event of Bet’s default, California customers may be eligible for a refund of up to $15,000 from the California Travel Consumer Restitution Fund. California residents at the time of purchase have the right to make a claim against the Fund for any money paid to FT, that is due because of Bet’s bankruptcy, insolvency, cessation of operations or material failure to provide the transportation or travel services sold. The claim must be filed within 60 days (or in limited circumstances, within 1 year) after you become aware of your loss. For claim form/additional information, write to Travel Consumer Restitution Corp., P.O. Box 8474, Northridge, CA 91327. Non-residents of California are not covered by the California Travel Consumer Restitution Fund and are not eligible to file a claim against the Fund in the event of Bet’s default. Upon cancellation of the transportation services where you, the customer, are not at fault and have not cancelled in violation of the terms and conditions, if any, of the contract for transportation or travel services, all sums paid to Frosch International Travel for services not received by you will be promptly refunded by Frosch International Travel to you unless you otherwise advise.

FROSCH INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
700 Airport Boulevard, Suite 360
Burlingame, CA 94010
Tel: (650) 685-2300 | (800) 234-6432 x3125
Fax (650) 579-0811

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