Land of Volcanoes

Today you spend the day in the town of Siracusa. Once the most important settlement on Sicily, Siracusa is rich in history and architecture, with monuments ranging back through the centuries. First founded by the Greeks, evidence of their existence here is abundant, from the huge Greek theatre to the many temples including the famous Temple of Apollo. Following the Greeks came the Romans, who added to the city’s sites with a series of catacombs, second in size only to those in Rome. Other incredible Roman sites here include the Roman theatre, hewn out of the rock. 

You will also visit the island of Ortigia, connected to the rest of Siracusa by a small bridge, which includes the Duomo and the Fonte Aretusa, a freshwater spring shrouded in myths and legends. 

You spend the next two nights in Siracusa, so there is time for you to wander the streets of this beautiful town in the evening. Hotel (AA) - 3 nights (B)

This morning you head off to the beach at the Vendicari Reserve. Here you can spot over two hundred species of bird among a mixture of lagoons, sand dunes, rocky coastlines and sandy beaches. These birds include flamingos, a bird that is not commonly seen in Europe, but is endemic to this area of Sicily. In the afternoon head over to Noto, a jewel of Sicilian Baroque architecture, and a great place to wander the streets or merely stop for a drink and watch the world go by.

Tonight is your last night in Sicily, so you might want to sit down for one last enjoyable meal of the delicious Sicilian food on offer on this island. (BD)