Sicily
26th April – 2nd May 2026
The great Sicilian writer Sciascia described the island as being like an onion: you peel back layer after layer – from the Bourbons to the Normans, Arabs and Byzantines to the Ostrogoths, Romans and Greeks, this historically diverse place has left an extraordinarily rich artistic and architectural heritage. This itinerary begins in Syracuse with Oritgia’s architectural and mythological splendour before moving on to Agrigento to explore ancient Greek ruins, and continues on to Palermo for Norman mosaics and baroque churches.
We have chosen three excellent hotels and we hope there will be the opportunity for an opera or ballet at the Teatro Massimo in Palmero. Mix in fine weather, beautiful scenery, good food and wine, great company and you create a perfect week.
Itinerary
Sunday 26th April
We will arrive at Catania airport mid-morning and start the trip in style at il Giardino del Bivere. The creator of this mediterranean paradise was the fabulous Principessa Maria Carla Borghese. We will have a light lunch in the gardens before being shown around by a member of the Borghese family. The younger generation have now also created an organic farm growing blood oranges, lemons, pink grapefruit and saturn peaches. We will drive on to Syracuse. Once we have settled in to our hotel, we will head out to the main piazza, possibly the best setting in all of Italy for a spritz while watching elegantly dressed Sicilians enjoying their passeggiata. Dinner at a great local restaurant with a name inspired by a Charles Baudelaire poem.
Monday 27th April
In the morning, we will explore Ortigia, the perfectly preserved historical centre of the city built upon an island. We will begin at the Fountain of Arethusa and discover the mythological origins of a place so steeped in history that it captured the attention of Virgil, Milton, Pope and Wordsworth. We will also visit the Duomo of Ortigia, a magnificent cathedral built over a 5th century BC Greek temple, where you can still see the original Doric columns embedded in its walls.
Lunch will be at a local fish restaurant on the island before heading just outside Ortigia to find the church of Santa Lucia to see the Caravaggio masterpiece, ‘‘The Burial of St. Lucy’ which still remains here in situ. From there we are close to the open-air Neapolis Archaeological Park where we will see the Altar of Hieron II, the Greek Theatre and the Roman Amphitheatre. We will then walk down into the Latomia del Paradiso, an ancient limestone quarry now full of citrus and magnolia trees. We will return to Ortigia and have supper at an excellent trattoria.
Tuesday 28th April
We will set off early in the morning towards Agrigento. Just outside Ortigia towers a remarkable modern church ‘Madonna delle Lacrime’ built to house a miraculous statue of the Madonna in 1994. It is worth a quick stop not only to see the effects of light created by the architects but also to see that modern pilgrimage is still very much alive. Our journey will then take us through Piazza Armerina where we will stop to see the remarkable mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale.
After a lunch at a countryside trattoria, we will continue on to Agrigento where we will arrive in time to have an aperitivo on the terrace with the enviable view of the sun disappearing behind the temples. Supper will be at the hotel.
Wednesday 29th April
We will explore the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento in the morning. This remarkable UNESCO site has no less than seven temples, as well has sculptures. It is possibility the most outstanding example of ancient Greek art and architecture in all of Magna Graecia.
Lunch will be at a great spot en route to Palermo. Before arriving in the city, we will take a small diversion to Selinunte, a beautifully evocative Greek site perched on the cliffs overlooking the sea. We will arrive in Palermo in time to orientate ourselves with an introductory history walk before supper.
Thursday 30th April
Any thoughts that Norman architecture is plain and under-decorated will be redressed on this day when we will study the dazzling mosaics of the Martorana and then on to see the Cappella Palatina in the Palazzo dei Normanni. Not only are these mosaics very beautiful but they also reveal the Normans to be inspired manipulators of visual imagery as an arm of power.
We will lunch in a fish restaurant behind the Cathedral before going on a baroque church crawl, seeking out in particular the remarkably flamboyant sculptures of Giacomo Serpotta. We also hope to fit in the Palazzo Abatelis designed by Carlo Scarpa to see just two marvellous paintings, one by Antonello da Messina and the Triumph of Death. We will end the day with a good supper.
Friday 1st May
We will start the day early with the Capuccin Cemetery where fully dressed bodies hang around in specially designed niches. We will then go up to the Norman Cathedral of Monreale, decorated by the son-in-law of Henry II of England. Our coach will take us on to the Greek site of Segesta where we will have delicious picnic lunch. Segesta has a breathtaking natural position over-looking the plains to Palermo and the sea beyond. There is a theatre and a temple, both miraculously in good condition. We will return to Palermo for a rest before dinner.
Saturday 2nd May
In the morning, we will take our coach to the airport for the flight home.
Further Details
Tuition – The trip will be led by Nicholas Ross and Angelica Fenzi who both know Sicily extremely well and will enjoy showing you all that this beautiful island has to offer through its art, culture and cuisine.
Hotels – In Syracuse we will stay in the Grand Hotel Ortigia, a beautifully renovated 5-star 19th century hotel with spacious rooms and a wonderful terrace overlooking the sea. At Agrigento we will stay in the countryside at Baglio della Luna, an 18th century ‘foresteria’. The veranda has a stunning view of the temples. In Palermo we will stay at the Eurostars Hotel, badly named but perfectly located! It also has a beautiful roof terrace.
Flights – We do not book the flights thus allowing you to travel to suit your budget, use airmiles, travel between different airports or on different dates. We recommend buying the following flights with Easyjet:
26th April London Gatwick 07.00 – 11.10 Catania EZY8287
2nd May Palermo 13.50 – 15.50 London Gatwick EZY8322
Transport – We will travel in comfort in a private coach with air-conditioning. There will be airport transfers to meet the recommended flights. Please note due to the nature of this trip there will be a lot of driving.
Ability – There is quite a bit of walking on this trip, as well as uneven cobbles. As is the case for all our courses, there is a lot of standing while we discuss the works we are looking at.
Opera or Ballet at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo – The dates for performances have not yet been released for April. We will keep an eye out and let you know if an opera or ballet is scheduled for when we are in Palermo.
Cost – The fees are £3390 which includes accommodation and breakfast, all lunches, dinner at Agrigento (not including drinks), transfers for the recommended flight, transport when connected with teaching, entrance fees, private visit with lunch at the Borghese Gardens, tuition, reading lists and local advice. The single occupancy supplement is £230 (double room for single use). Not included are the flights, all suppers (except one), travel insurance and the opera ticket.
To register – Please complete the online registration form, having read our terms and conditions and pay a deposit of £600 via bank transfer. Your place is not confirmed until we have received the deposit.
If you have any queries, please email [email protected] or call 01379 871800 (302)
NB you must buy your own flights.
