MAXIMUM TOUR

MAXIMUM TOUR

7 DAYS (6 NIGHTS)

Reggio - Bronzi di Riace - Scilla - Chianalea - Stretto di Messina
Taormina - Tropea - Pizzo - Stilo - Gerace - Etna

Departures every day

1st DAY: Arrival
Meeting point in Reggio Calabria or Lamezia Terme (airport/city/station) or at any Italian or international airport. Transfer by private car/minibus/bus to the hotel. Dinner not included. Overnight stay.

2nd DAY: Riace Bronzes, Reggio Calabria - Scilla and Chianalea
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning: Visit to the National Museum with access to the Riace Bronzes room. Private car tour to visit the city of Reggio Calabria. Seafront with Greek walls and Roman baths, Cathedral, Castle, Corso Garibaldi. Free lunch. Afternoon departure for Scilla for a free visit of the town and Chianalea, a characteristic fishing village known as the Venice of the South. Return to the hotel. Free dinner. Overnight stay.

3rd DAY: Strait of Messina - Taormina - Isola Bella - Giardini Naxos
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Taormina, crossing the Strait of Messina. Arrival in Taormina and free time to visit the city (Ancient Theatre, Palazzo Corvaia, Corso Umberto, etc.). Free time for optional lunch. Afternoon continuation of the visit and return journey with stops at Giardini Naxos and Isola Bella (a small island opposite Taormina famous throughout the world). Return to the hotel in the evening. Dinner at leisure. Overnight stay.

DAY 4: Tropea - Pizzo
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Tropea and free time to visit the Norman Cathedral, the Baroque Church of Sant'Alfonso dei Liguori, and stroll through the historic centre to discover the "glorious civilisations" that made this town famous in the past. Free lunch. In the afternoon, continue on to Pizzo for free time. Walk through the historic centre and visit the 16th-century castle, known for a tragic event that took place here: the execution of the King of Naples, Joachim Murat. Finally, relax and enjoy some truffle ice cream in one of the many bars located in the town's 'salotto' (living room), where the ice cream makers of Pizzo are true masters. At the end of the visit, return to the hotel in Reggio Calabria. Dinner at leisure and overnight stay.

5th DAY: Stilo - Gerace
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Stilo. The village is very charming, preserving Byzantine and Norman styles. It is famous for the beauty of its architecture and its imposing walls. Visit to the "Cattolica", a small Byzantine church dating back to the 9th-10th century, which has preserved its ancient structure intact and is a candidate to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Free time for lunch. We then continue on to visit Gerace (listed as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy). We enter the historic centre through the 'Porta del Sole' and take a walk that will allow visitors to immerse themselves in a remarkable medieval atmosphere as they discover churches and palaces of rare beauty. At the end of the walk, as if by magic, the 11th-century cathedral will appear, the largest church in Calabria, which houses the treasure of the ancient bishops. At the end of the visit, return to the hotel in Reggio Calabria. Dinner at leisure. Overnight stay.

DAY 6: Etna
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Villa San Giovanni. Boarding of a ferry for a picturesque crossing of the Strait of Messina with spectacular views. (At its narrowest point, the two shores are only 3.2 km apart.) Disembarkation in Messina and continuation to the Etna station at 1,900 metres (Rifugio Sapienza). Arrival in the morning. Free time. A few steps from the main square are the Silvestri Craters, now extinct, which were formed during the eruption of 1892. The lower crater can be circumnavigated independently in a few steps (also perfect for walks with younger children), while the upper crater requires more effort as there is a bit more of a climb, but the view is truly enjoyable. For an additional fee, you can reach 2,500 metres by cable car, from where you can admire a wonderful panorama and see the lava flows, now extinct, that have occurred over the years. It is also possible (for an additional fee) to reach the maximum altitude (approximately 2700 metres) in 4x4 off-road vehicles with CAI (Italian Alpine Club) authorised mountain guides. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon, departure for the return to the hotel. Dinner on your own. Overnight stay.

DAY 7: Departure.
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer back to the place of departure.