Vantage World Travel

Escorted Tour: Sicilian Jewish Heritage - 9D/8N

Sicily has always been a melting pot in which people of different race, religion and language have clashed and met, leaving in the island a stratification of extremely significant traces. Jews have had a millenary presence on the island and, till the Spanish exile of 1492, the Sicilian Jewish community was one of the most important in the Mediterranean area and was well integrated within the local component. The following itinerary, led by Moshe Ben Simon, a Jewish expert, offers the possibility to travel into the past and to regain one of the most fascinating pages in Sicilian history. This Escorted Trip will have an average group size of maximum of 25 clients, is escorted by at least one Jewish Tour Leader. The accommodation is the best available, which usually means a combination of well-known luxury hotels and lesser known gems with plenty of regional character and charm. The food is first rate, with a blend of haute cuisine and regional Sicilian delicacies, discrete and comfortable transportation, the guides are knowledgeable and charming.

JEWISH-SICILY HERITAGE

Religious and cultural diversity is at the heart of the Sicilian heritage. This tour is designed to show how Jews lived among, and made contributions to, various Italian cultures during the Middle Ages. Jewish presence in Sicily lasted for over a millennium, for the most part in a state of convivenza with their Gentile neighbours, except towards the end, under Aragonese- Spanish rule. The main cause for the change was the Catholic Church, chiefly the mendicant friars, whose conversionary sermons and rabble rousing preaching resulted in persecution and massacre.With the Norman conquest the Jews of Sicily returned to Christian rule and to Church legislation and Christian missionary efforts. However, it was not until the Aragonese conquest that this seriously affected them. Not only the Church undermined the position of the Jews in Sicily. The Spanish rulers exported to Sicily some of their policies versus the Jews. There the approaching completion of the reconquista and the resulting end of the political and economic usefulness of the Jewish element brought about the change. All the same, in Sicily relations between Jews and Christians appear to have been at times cordial and at other times at least tolerable. There existed no compulsory separate Jewish quarters, only voluntary ones such as the Cassaro in Palermo. But there too Christians lived interspersed with Jews.

“We are leaving, and forever, this land where we were born, where our fathers were born, where our nation has known to a lesser extent than elsewhere the pain of exile”. (Prof. Giuseppe Martino)

HIGHLIGHTS:

Palermo: Sicily’s vibrant capital and Jewish quarter. Monreale: Gold mosaic’s scene from the Old and New Testaments. Erice: Medieval streets, Breathtaking views and fortress. Marsala: World known wine producing town, Winery. Fontanasalsa: Olive-Oil factory. Trapani: Saltpan works. Enna: Lombard Castle. Agrigento: Valley of Temples & almond trees. Piazza Armerina: Best Roman mosaics of Sicily. Caltagirone: Traditional ceramic & pottery. Agira: Hebrew iscription. Etna: Highest active Volcano of Europe. Santa Venerina: Winery and tasting. Taormina: World-Famous Mediterranean Resort. Syracuse: Archaeological Sicilian city and Jewish sites. Messina: Jewish sites.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Palermo: Centrale Palace Hotel–Leonforte (Enna): Villa Gussio Nicoletti–Taormina: Hotel Monte Tauro

INCLUDED: Airport Transfers, Palermo: Three nights accommodation in First Class Hotel, superior rooms, Leonforte: Two nights accommodation in First Class Hotel –Villa, superior rooms, Taormina: Two nights accommodation in First Class Hotel, superior rooms sea-view, Buffet breakfast daily, Welcome box-fruit in each hotel on arrival, Two visit to Sicilian cellars and tasting Sicilian wine, Deluxe Van/mini-coach with Air Conditioning, English speaking Jewish Tour Director/Driver as per program, Welcome Dinner with choice of 2 set-menù, Farewell Dinner with choice of 2 set-menù, Two dinners at Hotel-Villa with choice of 2 set-menù, One light-lunch at Winery-farmhouse with tasting typical Etna dishes, Natural mineral water at included meals, All sightseeing, tasting and excursions as specified in the itinerary, Cableway to Erice city centre (subject to weather forecast), Cableway to Etna Volcano (subject to weather forecast), Admission fee included for all sites and other activities as per itinerary, Baggage Handling of one piece of luggage at hotel, Hotel & City Taxes.

NOT INCLUDED: Airfare and airport taxes. Expenditure of a personal nature, such as drinks, souvenirs and laundry etc. Other tours & meals than mentioned in the program.

DEPARTURE DATES 2007: May 6 - September 16. NOTE: Other ad-hoc dates are available on request only for group clients

SKETCH ITINERARY:

• Day 1 Sunday: Palermo apt (PMO)
• Day 2 Monday: Monreale - Palermo
• Day 3 Tuesday: Erice - Trapani - Marsala
• Day 4 Wednesday: Agrigento – Leonforte
• Day 5 Thursday: Leonforte - Piazza Armerina - Caltagirone - Leonforte
• Day 6 Friday: Leonforte - Agira - Etna - Santa Venerina - Taormina
• Day 7 Saturday: Taormina - Syracuse - Taormina
• Day 8 Sunday: Taormina - Messina - Taormina
• Day 9 Monday: Catania apt (CTA)

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