In the late afternoon, we gather at Sofia airport for a short flight to Catania, where our Sicilian story will begin. Once we arrive, we are met by a transfer that takes us to our hotel in Syracuse, we check in and a delicious dinner awaits to introduce us to the divine Sicilian food and wines.

After breakfast, we can't wait to embark on a tour and explore the ancient city of Syracuse, the birthplace of Archimedes and home to almost three millennia of history! Here a local guide shows us around and introduces us to the city's arc and fascinating history, origins, glorious past, and grandeur. A walking tour of the Old Town and one of the most beautiful squares in Italy welcomes us for a coffee or a drink. Then continue to the island of Ortigia, crossing a bridge that connects it to the mainland. Besides the history at every turn, here we are greeted by a colorful market with aromas of all kinds of spices, hot peppers from Mount Etna, almond pastries, citrus fruits, and plenty of seafood. This bustling place beckons us from all sides with catchy signs hanging from the walls in Sicilian, and we'll definitely buy something because that's the fundamental part of exploring the culture in any country! What could be better than picking up some original spices, or an authentic souvenir, to whip up some new recipes to take home with us as a memory? In the early afternoon, our group headed to the next stop on our journey, the perfect baroque town of Nitto. This is the true jewel of Sicily with amazing baroque buildings as a backdrop for the stunning coastline. A stroll around the city and a good time is a great formula for unforgettable memories, then we head back to Syracuse. Dinner and free time to relax or have a drink in pleasant company stories of the day and fun moments.

Breakfast greets us at the hotel in the morning, which we enjoy in the group's company, pack our bags and set off for Modica. Our guide will introduce us to exploring more history, art, and delight for the senses in the day ahead. Beautiful views and Baroque-style buildings are the subjects of photos and memories we will capture here. Apart from the colorful shutters on the windows, the narrow streets, and the many staircases that encircle the entire city, what we can't miss is the magic of chocolate and one of the highlights of Modica! Its preparation is still today based on an old, authentic recipe brought by the Aztecs in the Middle Ages. It is almost impossible to choose one type because, in addition to the classic models, you will also find chocolates with chili peppers, almonds, cinnamon, lemons, sea salt, and especially a combination hardly any of you would have guessed. We must take something sweet as a souvenir because if we can describe Modica in two words - baroque and chocolate! We get ready for a short drive to the next stop on our journey - Ragusa! Like all the other towns in the region, it was completely destroyed after the earthquake, so the city is divided into two parts - old and new. We will visit Ragusa Ibla - the Old Town, which the aristocrats rebuilt in the past. Today is a magnificence of narrow small streets, gray stone houses, baroque buildings, and beautiful squares among which our guide will show us the cathedral and many other interesting sites. Here, we will focus on the salty! In the center of the city is the most famous cheese shop produced in the region, and we definitely cannot miss this bliss for our senses! After this sweet and salty journey, we head to Agrigento, where our overnight stay is planned. Dinner and lovely wine in the company of the group is a great end to today!

We have breakfast in Agrigento - the valley of ancient Greek temples and the Sicilian Acropolis! We get our luggage ready to check out of the hotel, after which we will have a tour of ancient Agracas, called by the ancient Greek poet Pindar "the most beautiful city of mortals" and the birthplace of Empedocles. With the help of our guide, we will be transported to a world that ancient Greece bequeathed to Sicily and all of Italy! We will tour temples that are in an extremely preserved state despite the centuries that have passed, some still untouched by time! Starting from the Temple of Demetра and an amazing view of the whole archaeological complex, we pass through Junona, Concordia, and Heracles, as well as the tomb of Theron, to reach the most imposing of all the temples, that of Zeus, which is the largest in the whole ancient Greek world. All these impressive buildings in front of the sea, add an extra charm, a mixture of emotions and feelings. Agrigento definitely finds a place in every traveler's soul, and the memories will last forever! Our journey continues to Mazara Del Vallo, an ancient Phoenician city that dates back to the ninth century BC, and whose name means "Rock" in translation. Here we will immerse ourselves in a unique atmosphere and style, a mixture left over from the different stages of the city's rule- Romanesque, Greek, Sicilian Baroque, and Cretan architecture. We won't miss visiting the church of San Vito, bearing the name of the city's patron saint, and learning a little more about the modern history for which it is also famous. The birthplace of Gaetan Rina, chief of the Corleone clan, who played an important role in the hierarchy of Cosa Nostra, about whom you can find various interesting stories. Our adventure for today ends in the coastal town of Cefalu, where we will check in for two nights. Dinner awaits us at the hotel, and those who prefer can stroll through the town's lively nighttime atmosphere that combines history and modernity. Enjoy a nice glass of wine or a Sicilian aperitif in front of the picturesque view of the bay!

We have breakfast at the hotel, and today offer an excursion to Palermo and Monreale with additional fees for some of the sites we will visit, or we can choose to have our own free time in romantic Cefalù. With those of you who choose to visit the capital of Sicily, we set off in the company of a guide who has selected the most noteworthy for our tour. From the first steps we take, Palermo wins the hearts of everyone with its atmosphere and baroque-style architecture. Our walk begins at the Quattro Conti, the intersection that divides the city into four historical zones and four main elements that frame the imposing Piazza Vigliena. A fountain, which represents one of the rivers that crossed the city; an allegory depicting the seasons; a statue of a Spanish king and at the top depicted one of the Patrons of Palermo, standing there each to protect a particular area. Throughout the year at least one of these facades is illuminated by the sun, hence the other name of this crossroads: "Teatro Del Sole". Nearby we pass the "Fountain of Shame", so called because of the nudity of its images and which has become a major landmark. We will visit the Teatro Massimo, the third largest in Europe and a symbol of greatness in the Art Nouveau period, to reach the medieval church of Martorana. At first glance, it will seem ordinary, but entering the interior - takes everyone's breath away! Exceptional interior of golden images, mosaics, and diversity. For the more curious and adventurous, we will offer a tour of the Catacombs of the Capuchins, which has become one of the most magnificent places to visit in the world and recreates a dark spectacle of the customs and traditions of Palermo society in the 17th-19th centuries. After this city sightseeing tour, it's time for a little rest and we can't miss something else the city is extremely popular for - the food! In combination with the San Lorenzo market, together they recreate a journey through the millennia of history, art, flavors, aromas, and atmosphere of the different civilizations that lived here. We'll try some of Palermo's most famous and delicious specialties - potato croquettes, chickpea bread with spleen, typical rustic pizza with anchovies, or simply boiled octopus topped with delicious caponata! In the afternoon we head to Monreale, a small town on the outskirts of Palermo, to visit the cathedral, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Huge admiration for this impressive architectural masterpiece of the Middle Ages, the best example of Norman design in Sicily! Exquisite Byzantine mosaics cover the walls, and on the ceilings, depictions of religious scenes tell the story of the Old and New Testaments! At the end of this very intense day of beautiful scenes, many impressions, and sensations, we head back to the hotel to recap everything we saw with the group, enjoying a delicious dinner and quality Sicilian wine!

Coffee and breakfast, then we straighten up our luggage and leave the hotel. We can't miss Chefalu and a walk through the streets with a feeling of the Middle Ages. Here, as we walk through the skinny spaces between the locals' homes, over our heads, out of the windows, the residents are doing the normal things of their daily lives - talking loudly, passing around cooking products, or just putting clothes on a line to dry. This has become something very characteristic and a highlight for every visitor. The city is nestled under a huge rock known among the Phoenicians as the Cape of Hercules, and since the 12th century, the Duomo square and an imposing cathedral have stood at the foot, visible from far away. Like any coastal port, it is full of legends and stories which our guide will tell us, and then we set off for Messina, the third largest city in Sicily. We quickly venture into the historic area, surrounded by the smell of the sea, until typical horse-drawn carriages pass by, giving the feeling of the majestic Belle Epoque! Within walking distance, we will pass by some of the most significant landmarks not only in Italy but in the whole of Europe: the Cathedral with one of the largest and best-preserved sound organs on the continent; the largest mechanical astronomical clock in the world located in the Duomo square; the 16th century Orion fountain, a true work of art! We will also optionally visit one of Messina's Religious Buildings - the 12th-century Cathedral, destroyed and built twice - after an earthquake and after bombardments Annunziata Dei Catalani - with an enhanced Arabic architectural style or Santa Maria Degli Alemanni, also built in these centuries - once a chapel of the Teutonic Knights. It is a rare example of a church built only in the Gothic style. For art lovers, works by Caravaggio can be seen in the town's regional museum. Not far from the cathedral is the Mandralisca Museum with a collection of coins, Greek and Roman artifacts, and an exceptional painting, Portrait of an Unknown Sailor by Sicily's most distinguished Renaissance painter, Antonello da Messina. After all this beauty and history, it's normal to need a little break, so we choose one of the many restaurants with sea port view and the noise of passers-by, until enjoying a "Mezza con Panna" or granata with coffee, originating from this area. We will be sure to try some of the local food, besides seafood and arancini, the very popular typical local focaccia with salted anchovies, tuma cheese, cherry tomatoes, and escarole combined with authentic salty lemonade or red wine variety Faro Doc - a drink from the Mycenaean era! At the end of today's whirlwind of emotions, we depart for Catania, which will close the circle of the Sicily island tour. We check in for the last two nights at a hotel around Mount Etna volcano, where a delicious dinner and rest await us.

We have breakfast early, put on comfortable shoes, and take outerwear with us because the first stop on today's tour is the majestic Mount Etna, which is the highest active volcano in Europe. There are various routes to conquer it, but ours is a climb by organized transport to the Sapienza shelter and from there a walk through the side craters of the Silvestri. Weather permitting, for an additional fee anyone can take a cable car up to the top of the four active craters at about 2900 meters above sea level. Tastings of many products cultivated in Etna's fertile soil await us after we have walked on the roof of the volcano. We will taste honey, local liqueurs, delicacies, and of course the region's amazing wine! The mountain is famous not only for its numerous and interesting activities but also for one main highlight - its huge biodiversity and home to the oldest and largest tree in Europe. After our educational adventure here we head back down the mountain to the picturesque seaside town of Taormina. As a constant stop for European aristocrats in the past, so for us these days, from the first steps taken on this picturesque land, an atmosphere envelops us as if we were in a dream. Narrow streets, the scent of flowers and the sea, and the colorful ceramic sculptures of heads so characteristic of all of Sicily are part of the interior, along with the row of landmarks we will pass. From the Caravaggio Palace to the Catania Gate, where an authentic sign hangs saying "Narrowest alley in Italy - 43 cm", it does not let us pass it without a memorable selfie! We will also reach one of the most iconic squares of the island to enjoy a stunning view from its balcony, where we catch our breath at the majesty of the Ionian Sea! Looking around, wherever we pass we are impressed by the variety of historical buildings and masterpieces: the churches of San Augustine and San Giuseppe, the clock tower, through the baroque fountain until we reach the southern entrance of Taormina, where the palace of the Dukes of Santo Stefano is located, a grandeur in 14th-century Gothic art. To finish this fantastic tour, we have left you the ancient theater where we will welcome the beautiful sunset! An extraordinary testimony to the taste of the ancient Greeks, to always choose picturesque places to build their buildings! The view you can see from here is unparalleled - on one side Mount Etna with peaks covered with snow, and on the other side the Gulf of Giardini Naxos with the azure blue sea and the beautiful buildings of Taormina! A joy for the soul! Those of you who still have the strength can visit Isola Bella, a small private island emblematic of the city, reached by a thin sandy strip, or just enjoy the atmosphere from the city and the sunset on the last day of the amazing Sicily with a glass of wine or Aperol! Surely the memories from here will always make us smile and want to come back again! We head back to our hotel where a final dinner and rest await us.

We enjoyed our last breakfast, prepared our luggage, and transferred to Catania. As our flight is late, we have the perfect opportunity to steal some more time away from the amazing Sicily! Catania stands out from all the towns we've passed through in that it embodies the youthful spirit of the island - trendy bars and energy can be spotted everywhere alongside the historical landmarks. We were greeted with magnetic views of Mount Etna, baroque squares, contemporary art in an 18th-century monastery, and underneath it all the ruins of a city dating back 2,700 years! We might emphasize the food as one of the highlights because the area is home to many world-famous dishes. From here comes the famous Sicilian pasta Alla Norma - pasta with tomato puree, salty ricotta, aubergine, and aromatic basil, which is also available as pizza. Here, for a short while, we feel the most characteristic. We head to the airport from where we catch a flight to Sofia.