PRE-CONVENTION TOUR

January 18th-21st, 2024

By choosing to register for the pre-convention three-day tour you will immerse yourself in a variety of beautiful and diverse Sicilian localities. First and foremost, Catania followed by an excursion to Mount Etna, Taormina, Pantalica, Palazzolo Acreide, and Ferla.

All these places are noted for their history, culture, architecture, and gastronomy, and two of them – the old part of Catania and Mount Etna – are protected by UNESCO because of their outstanding universal value.

DAY 1 – Friday, January 19th 2024

Visit of: Catania, Mount Etna, Taormina

DAY 2 – Saturday, January 20th 2024

Visit of: Catania, Palazzolo Acreide, Necropolis Of Pantalica And Ferla

DAY 3 – Sunday, January 21st 2024

We are working on an amazing programme for the last day of the pre-convention tour. We will announce more as soon as possible!

Note: Participants will depart to Ortigia before lunch.

Mount Etna is one of the world’s most active and iconic volcanoes and an outstanding example of ongoing geological processes and volcanic landforms. This exceptional volcanic activity has been documented by humans for at least 2,700 years, making it one of the world’s longest-documented records of historical volcanism.

Taormina was founded in the 1st century BC and has been a tourist destination since the 19th century. Its Ancient Theatre, probably of Roman date, faces Mount Etna, and Taormina’s wonderful beaches, like the famous Isola Bella.

Catania is the second largest city in Sicily. Founded in the 8th century BC, it was destroyed by two catastrophic earthquakes in 1169 and 1693 and by several volcanic eruptions from the neighbouring Mount Etna, the most violent of which took place in 1669. The city was then rebuilt in Baroque, the style that nowadays characterizes its architecture.

Palazzolo Acreide is an ancient colony founded by Syracuse around 664 BC. After the Roman conquest, it became a civitas stipendiaria, a tributary community, that was still prospering throughout the course of the early Christian age.

The Necropolis of Pantalica is a vast prehistorical burial ground area that counts roughly 4000 rock-cut chamber tombs dating from 600 to 1200 B.C.

Ferla is a charming little town built around a medieval castle. Destroyed by the earthquake in 1693, the city was later rebuilt further north from the original medieval settlement.

Price: See here

The price will include hotels for all nights during the tour, transport, guides, and tickets.

POST-CONVENTION TOUR

January 26th-29th, 2024

DAY 1 – Friday, January 26th 2024

Visit of: Modica and Ragusa

Note: The post-convention tour will begin after the end of the main convention. Buses will depart after lunch.

DAY 2 – Saturday, January 27th 2024

Visit of: Piazza Armerina, Agrigento

DAY 3 – Sunday, January 28th 2024

Visit of: Selinunte, Segesta

DAY 4 – Monday, January 29th 2024

Visit of: Monreale, Palermo

Note: a transfer will take participants to the airport in Palermo after lunch.

By registering for the post-convention four-day tour, you will have the opportunity to visit the charming cities of Piazza Armerina, Agrigento and the Valle dei Templi, Selinunte, Segesta, Palermo, and Monreale.

Piazza Armerina is an ancient town of Roman origin, nestled in the heart of Sicily. The city is internationally renowned for the astonishing classical mosaics preserved at the Villa Romana del Casale, a luxurious 4th-century AD Roman residence listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Valle dei Templi, Valley of the Temples, is an archaeological park home to eight temples and other ancient remains spanning from the 6th century to the 5th BC. This ancient site, protected by UNESCO since 1997 because of its invaluable beauty and history, is close to the Mediterranean Sea and at a stone’s throw from Agrigento.

The Archaeological Park of Selinunte is the largest in Europe. It encloses treasures which extend through 170 hectares of Greek architecture. Seven temples, sanctuaries, a necropolis, the caves of Cusa and more can be visited within the park’s boundaries.

Legend says that Segesta was built by those who survived the Trojan war, but so far there is no archaeological evidence of its origin. Today, the archaeological park of Segesta with its Ancient Theatre and the Doric Temple is an indisputable expression of the city’s prestigious and opulent past.

Palermo, the regional capital of Sicily, is one of those cities with a very distinct, almost tangible atmosphere, a place of mystery where reality often outperforms the traveller’s imagination and preconceived stereotypes.

Monreale is a historic hill town just outside Palermo, famous for the fine mosaics in the town’s impressive Norman Cathedral.

Price: See here

The price includes hotels for all nights during the tour, lunches and dinners, transport, guides and tickets.