March 6 – 27, 2027 Itinerary
Day 1 (March 6) – Depart from Canada
This afternoon you will depart Ottawa with your Travac Tours Director to Montreal airport. Travac office staff will be happy to give you more flight details.
Day 2 (March 7) – Arrival in Palermo
Expect to land into Palermo in the early afternoon and then be transferred to your hotel. Your Travac Tours Director will assist with hotel check-in, then you will be on your own for dinner.
Hotel: NH Collection Palermo Palazzo Sitano (or similar)
Day 3 (March 8) – Palermo
This morning, we will depart for the tour of Palermo and Monreale. This city is at the edge of Europe and the centre of the ancient world. Your tour of Palermo will cover a lot of ground illuminating some of the city’s fabulous UNESCO sites and its history throughout the ages. Palermo is famous for its eateries. You will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the cuisine while falling in love with the setting. Our tour of Palermo will also include a visit to Monreale, famous for its Cathedral and incredible panoramic views of Palermo.
Hotel: NH Collection Palermo Palazzo Sitano (or similar)
Day 4 (March 9) – Palermo
Today is a free day for you to explore the wonderful city of Palermo. Your Travac Tours Director will have ideas for things you can do today.
Hotel: NH Collection Palermo Palazzo Sitano (or similar)
Day 5 (March 10) – Depart Palermo for Agrigento
This morning, we will depart Palermo towards Agrigento. On route, you will explore the beautiful Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, famous for its golden stone Doric temples left by the Greeks. Learn about the myths of Hercules, Juno, Castor and Pollux. Relive the glories of the people who founded Sicily, colonizing its cities from the 8th century BC. The temples were constructed some 300 years later and remain the largest collection of early Greek architecture outside of Greece. The Temple of Concord and Temple of Zeus, believed to have been the 3rd largest temple the Greeks ever built. Once you arrive in Agrigento, your Travac Tours Director will assist with hotel check-in. Once you are settled, you will then join the group for an included dinner.
Hotel: Hotel Kore Agrigento (or similar)
Day 6 (March 11) – Depart Agrigento for Catania
After breakfast, we will be leaving Agrigento travelling to Catania. Our route will take us through Villa Romana del Casale. This Roman villa is famous for its ancient mosaics, considered to be among the best in the world. After completing the tour, your tour director will assist you with checking into your hotel where you will be for the next 3 nights. Once you arrive in Catania, you will enjoy a city tour and some free time for lunch. Catania has its own magnetic pull and youthful energy. The city itself is over 2700 years old and is full of UNESCO listed sites. Today our tour will provide you with ample time to explore the historic sites of this city.
Hotel: Hotel NH Catania Centro (or similar)
Day 7 (March 12) – Taormina
This morning, we will depart on our journey to visit the town of Taormina where on the way you will have views of Mt. Etna from your window. This town is spectacularly perched on the side of a mountain and is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in Sicily. Founded in the 4th century BC, Taormina enjoyed great prosperity first under the Greeks and then the Romans. Their presence is still felt throughout the town, which adds to its charm.
Hotel: Hotel NH Catania Centro (or similar)
Day 8 (March 13) – Catania
Today is a free day. Your Travac Tours Director will have ideas for things you can do today.
Hotel: Hotel NH Catania Centro (or similar)
Day 9 (March 14) – Syracuse then depart Sicily for Malta
After breakfast we will make our way to Syracuse. More than any other city in Sicily, Syracuse captures the timeless beauty of this land. Today ancient Greek ruins rise out of lush citrus orchards. The city itself dates to 734 BC and at one point it was the most important city in the ancient world. Syracuse is filled with medieval piazzas and small cafes.
After our time in Syracuse, we head to the port of Pozzallo for our ferry to Malta.
Upon arrival in Malta, you will be transferred to your hotel in St Paul’s Bay. Your Travac Tours Director will assist you with check-in at the hotel and advise you of the meeting time for your information session on optional tours. Breakfast daily is included with your hotel stay.
Hotel: AX Odycy Hotel (or similar)
Days 10-21 (March 15-26) – St. Paul’s Bay, Malta
Malta is a very diverse country where their history is still evident today and dates back as far as the Neolithic period. Many temples are scattered around the island and “Ggantija” is said to be one of the oldest surviving, free-standing monuments in the world, predating Stonehenge by around 1,000 years! With their strategic position in the Med, the Maltese islands have played a crucial role historically and have set the scenes for the wars between Rome and Carthage, the Second World War, the Cold War, and the period of the Crusades which left the biggest impression. When the Knights Hospitaller of St John were driven out of Rhodes and handed Malta by Charles V, they bequeathed palaces, forts, cathedrals, an abundance of art and, of course, the Maltese Cross. Malta is also a very exciting destination where you can enjoy boat rentals and plenty of beach activities. For the movie buffs, “The Da Vinci Code” and “Troy” along with many other movies were filmed here. It was also the location for the series “Game of Thrones”. Although your time is free to discover Malta on your own, your Travac Tours Director will assist you with booking optional tours and activities throughout your stay.
Hotel: AX Odycy Hotel (or similar)
Day 22 (March 27) – Return to Canada
This morning, your Travac Tours Director will assist with hotel check-out, and you will be transferred from the hotel to the airport via private coach for your flights to Montreal. Upon arrival in Montreal, you will be transferred back to Ottawa.
**Itinerary and hotels are subject to change**
