UNESCO heritage in Sicily

UNESCO heritage in Sicily

To celebrate Palermo inclusion within the UNESCO heritage in Sicily, we have planned a tour that will lead you in all the Sicilian sites on the list.

The UNESCO world Heritage’s list counts up a thousand and seven places of which fifty-one in Italy, the greatest number respect the other one hundred and sixty-three members. The UNESCO heritage in Sicily protects seven physical sites plus an intangible one thanks to the tormented history together with the millenary culture and the luxuriant Nature of the island.

In the list of physical sites the UNESCO heritage in Sicily boasts: The Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, the Roma Villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina since 1997, the Aeolian Islands since 2000, the Late-Baroque towns in Val di Noto since 2002, Syracuse and the rupestrian Necropolis in Pantalica since 2005, Mt. Etna since 2013, the Arabic-Norman city of Palermo since 2015.

The intangible site included in the list of UNESCO heritage in Sicily ‘s “ Oral and Intangible Heritage of the Humanity” in 2008 is the Opera dei Pupi (Sicilian Puppet Theatre), a popular tradition spread all over the Island thanks to the Cantastorie (ballad singers) who used to sing the deeds of the heroes of Charles Magne Cycle employing peculiar puppets called “pupi” that were manhandled by a wire and iron bars.

For this journey to discover the UNESCO heritage in Sicily’s sites Uzeda Viaggi propose you:

Day 1

“The pearl of the Ionian sea”: Taormina

Arrival in the morning at Catania Airport. Transfer and visit of Taormina, the ancient Tauromenion, founded in 358 BC. The city is settled on a mountain top between the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna. Praised by plenty poets and writers, Goethe among them, is still today one of the most longed for destination of the international tourism. The main monuments worth a visit are: the Palazzo Corvaja, built at the entrance of the city and showing a fifteenth-century facade with two-mullioned windows, the Cathedral erected in the fourteenth-century, the Greek-Roman theatre.
At the end accommodation, dinner and night at a hotel in Acireale.

Day 2

Up to the highest Vulcano in Europe and the Opera di Pupi

Breakfast in hotel. In the morning visit of the first site: Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, till 2000 metres above sea level. You can walk round the estinct Crateri Silvestri with impunity.
In the afternoon visit of Catania, late-Baroque city in East Sicily.
Visit of the Cathedral, built for the first time during the second half of the 11th century, rebuilt in 1169 and again after the earthquake in 1693. The façade, composed of two tiers of columns, is one of G.B. Vaccarini’s best works. Piazza Duomo is on the site of the mediaeval Platea Magna but was enlarged after the earthquake of 1693. Via Crociferi is one of the most beautiful and monumental way of the city where you can find a series of churches and baroque buildings, notably the church of San Benedetto (St. Benedict), the church of San Giuliano (St. Julian)and the former Collegio Gesuitico. Via Etnea, the high street, is rich of churches, squares, baroque and nineteenth-century buildings.
At the end transfer to Acireale to watch the show of Opera dei Pupi that tells the deeds of the Paladines of the Chanson de Gestes, of Orlando Furioso (the Furious Roland) and of Gerusalemme Liberata.
Dinner and night in hotel.

Day 3

The Aeolian Island

Breakfast in hotel. Departure for the Aeolian Islands. You will reach Milazzo and at nine departure for the Aeolian Islands. After sailing along the promontory of cape Milazzo, you will reach Lipari. Visit of the historical centre and the Archaeological Area. At the end transfer to
Volcano and tour by sea of the mythological area. You will have the opportunity to admire the Faraglioni, the Grotta degli Angeli, the Scoglio della Mummia, the rock of “Papa Giovanni”, the Piscina di Venere (Venus’s swimming pool), the Grotta del Cavallo, the Scoglio del Leone. When you arrive to Vulcano you can bathe in the thermal waters or get to the unusual beach of Sabbie Nere (Black Sands). Departure to Milazzo sailing along the enchanting Scoglio della Sirenetta (Mermaid’s Rock).
Arrival in Milazzo at 17.30. Dinner and night in hotel.

Day 4

The Baroque Val di Noto

Breakfast in hotel. In the morning visit of Syracuse: the Archaeological Area, the Greek Theatre, the Latomia del Paradiso (an ancient Greek quarry), the Grotta dei Cordari, the Ara of Hiero II, the Roman Amphitheater. The visit continues to discover the historical centre of Ortigia: the Temple of Apollo, the Cathedral and the Fountain of Arethusa.
In the afternoon visit of Noto, known as “a garden in stone”, speechless example of Baroque architecture: the Cathedral, the churches of San Francesco (St. Francis) and of Santa Chiara (St. Clare), the Monastero del Salvatore, Palazzo Ducezio (the local Town Hall), Palazzo Nicolaci di Villa Dorata, the church of San Domenico (St. Dominique) and the Theatre.
Transfer to Modica. Accommodation, dinner and night in hotel.

Day 5

Ragusa and Modica

Breakfast in hotel. Transfer to Ragusa. Visit of the oldest part of the city: Ibla with its astonishing jewels of the Baroque art, notably the Duomo dedicated to San Giorgio (Saint George).
In the afternoon visit of Modica, town among the most representative places of the Baroque District. Break in one of the most renowned confectionery to taste the excellent local chocolate.
Transfer to Piazza Armerina: Dinner and night in hotel.

Day 6

Roman Villa del Casale and Valley of the Temples

Breakfast in hotel. In the morning visit of Villa Romana del Casale (a Roman Imperial Villa). The building dates back to the third-fourth century AD and it was first used as a country house and then as a hunting residence. Its importance is due to the well preserved status of the place and above all to the mosaics which floor all rooms and which are the widest and most beautiful in the Roman world in Sicily. Especially remarkable the Ambulacrum of the Great Hunt and the Room of the Ten Girls.
In the afternoon transfer to Agrigento and visit of the Valley of the Temples. The place is not a proper valley but rather a mountain plateau along which, during the fifth and sixth centuries BC, were built a series of temples evidence of the welfare the town enjoyed at that time. Notably visit the Tempio di Zeus Olimpico (Temple of Olympian Zeus), Castore e Polluce (Castor and Pollux), the Tempio di Ercole (Temple of Hercules) and the Temple of the Concordia (Temple of the Concorde), which is very well preserved.
Transfer to Palermo or nearby. Accommodation, dinner and night in hotel.

Day 7

The Arabic-Norman Palermo

Breakfast in hotel. Full day tour of Palermo and Monreale: Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace), the Cappella Palatina (Palatine Chapel), the church called La Martorana, the church of San Cataldo (Saint Cataldo), the Zisa. The Admiral’s Bridge, the Cathedral, the Duomo and the Cloister of Monreale.
Dinner and night in hotel.

Day 8

Cefalù and departure

Breakfast in hotel. Tour of Cefalù and its wonderful Duomo.
At the end of the visit transfer to Palermo Airport and departure.