Dear Serious Traveler,

Here is our Sicily tour for 2012, part of a great south Italy odyssey. Each segment is carefully designed to capture the essence of the region. We have been working to comfortably include as much as possible of the largest island in the Mediterranean during this 7-day program. We enter Sicily from Palermo in the north and say arrivederci from Catania on the east. Both airports are served by Alitalia Airlines, which offers new premium economy rates at sale prices.

The itinerary is a well-balanced blend of archaeological and architectural sites, but for variety includes the tallest volcano in Europe, Etna, three times larger than Vesuvius. This year we are adding an excursion to Corleone (Godfather fame or infamy) to see the Placido Rizzoto Cooperative, now an organic farming commune. If you have more time, continue to Puglia (Apulia) for our Precious Stones tour, April 25 - May 3, followed by the Gargano Peninsula (Padre Pio) and Roseto Valfortore, May 3 - 10.

Gwen Erwood
President, Travel Concepts International

Click map for larger view

• From north to south and west to east – we explore it all
• See Medieval Palaces in Palermo
• Towers and Castles of Erice and Monreale and Taormina
• Bask in the nature preserve surrounding Mt. Etna
• Step into archaeological sites also tread upon by the Greeks and Romans
• Learn about the influences of the Normans, French, Spanish, Swabians and Arabs from our Sicilian tour manager
• Relax with tips for guide and driver included in the rate
• Find a new appreciation for outstanding mosaics
• Prepare with pretrip study material
• Dine Italian-style with two meals daily included
• Enjoy the camaraderie of a small group of no more than 15