Sicily, Mt Etna & Aeolian Islands

We meet in Catania airport and head to our hotel in ancient Siracusa. We enjoy a guided tour of the archaeological park and Greek theater and, later, a visit to fabled Ortygia, before returning to the hotel for an Introductory Talk and Welcome Dinner.

Today we walk in the Vendicari Nature Reserve, a narrow strip of marshy coastline that provides a habitat for many migratory species and we can admire a wide variety of birds. If you have binoculars with you, today is the day to bring them! After lunch, we visit the splendid baroque town of Noto with its lovely golden limestone buildings. We see the famous cathedral, recently re-opened after long restoration and the Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, home to a family of princes since 1700. Dinner is in a restaurant much favoured by the locals.

An excursion today takes us to the Reserve of Pantalica situated inland in the valley of Anapo,an extraordinary succession of gorges and canyons crossed by two rivers: the Anapo and Cavagrande. Here we see Pantalica, a Bronze age settlement and the largest Necropolis in the Mediterranean, where thousands of tombs give a beehive appearance to the cliff-face. After lunch in a local farm house, we head north to Milazzo, once the Spanish Viceroy's residence and the main seat of the The Inquisition. It has a promenade by the sea with many colourful fishing boats on the shore.

After visiting the incredible fish market, we ferry to the Aeolian Islands, landing on Vulcano - named for the Roman god 'Vulcan' and now the eponymous 'volcano'. From the heights of this most perfect volcano - which still puffs sulphurous steam from its cauldron - we will enjoy one of the most breathtaking views on the archipelago. After a soothing dip in sulphur mud pools, we take a private boat trip across to the island of Lipari. We arrive at the white cliffs of the pumice quarries, for a chance to swim in the enticing blue and glass-clear sea.

From Via Palmeto on the plateau, our walk in Lipari passes by a few scattered houses, fields, gardens and beautiful prickly pear cacti to join a mule track down towards the sea. In view beyond the pristine coastline, set mid-way to the horizon, lie the western islands of Salina and Filicudi. We have lunch in the village of Quattropani and then slowly descend to the other side of the island to the little hamlet of Acquacalda and the mass of pumice quarries. We return to the bustle of Lipari .

We drive to Forza d'Agro, to explore this pretty old town on a hillside above the sea, mostly abandoned by the inhabitants during the big emigration at the beginning of the 20th century. We see the church used in the wedding scene of 'The Godfather', before heading along old tracks, which follow the contours of the hills. We pass isolated communities and farmsteads overlooking stunning views of the distant mountain ranges and coastline. We return to Forza d'Agro for lunch. Our afternoon takes us to Taormina and finally to its impressive Greek Theater. We take a guided tour of this lovely town and walk among beautiful villas and restored gardens w ith a huge variety of flowering and exotic plants, blessed by a mild climate. And so to our hotel overlooking the Mediterranean.

Today we walk on Mount Etna, Europe's most famous active volcano. It reaches to almost 11,000 ft and dominates the city of Catania and its surrounding sea. Around the crater is a lunar landscape but the lower slopes are extremely fertile and walking there is like strolling through a living market; the land abounds in oranges, mandarins, lemons, olives, prickly pears, bananas, eucalyptus and the vines that produce the excellent Etna wine. Our Farewell Dinner is in the hotel restaurant with splendid panoramic views.

In the morning we have time to relax and shop in the charming town of Taormina, before we leave for Catania Airport.