A Journey into the History of Southern Italy 9 DAYS - 8 NIGHTS

Arrival at Palermo Airport and private transfer to your accommodation. Enjoy some free time to settle in and unwind after your journey, taking in your first impressions of the city. Overnight in Palermo.

Breakfast at the hotel. Begin the tour with a local English-speaking guide who will lead you through Palermo, revealing the city’s unique urban identity and its role in Italian unification. The itinerary starts at Quattro Canti, the Baroque intersection at the historic heart of the city, and continues through Piazza Pretoria and the Cassaro, ancient centers of public and administrative life since Norman times. Along the way, the guide will share stories of the 1848 revolts, connecting you with the events that shaped Italian unification and highlighting the local population’s struggle for freedom. In the afternoon, enjoy a private transfer to Cefalù, a picturesque coastal village. Stroll its medieval streets and admire the Arab-Norman cathedral, witnessing firsthand how southern identity is reflected in both architecture and everyday life by the Mediterranean. Return to Palermo for overnight accommodation.

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart by private car to Marsala, enjoying the scenic Sicilian landscape along the way. Upon arrival, meet your local English-speaking guide for a city tour, including the Garibaldino Museum and the dock of the 1860 landings, where Garibaldi and the Mille began the process of Italian unification. The guide will share the stories of the expeditionaries’ arrival and the first actions that marked the birth of a unified Italy. Visit the salt pans of Marsala, living witnesses of traditional labor and southern Italy’s historical memory, while observing how the landscape and daily life are intertwined with history. In the afternoon, transfer by private car to Agrigento. Upon arrival, check in at your accommodation and enjoy some free time to rest.

Breakfast at the hotel. Meet the private English-speaking guide to visit the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento for approximately three hours. During the tour, visitors will get to know the most emblematic temples of Magna Graecia, understanding how the ancient history of Sicily connects with the cultural identity of southern Italy and how these deep roots influenced the life and thinking of its inhabitants over the centuries. Entrance fees to the Valley included. In the afternoon, transfer by private car from Agrigento to Catania, enjoying the Sicilian landscape and its contrasts between coast and countryside. On arrival, a short city tour of Catania of approximately two hours, touring its baroque historic center and its main squares, while the guide explains how the city has been an example of resilience to earthquakes and eruptions, reflecting the strength and identity of southern Italy. Overnight in Catania.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure by private car from Catania to Messina, with a vehicle available for a tour of the city. Meet and greet with the private English- speaking guide, who will escort visitors through the historic center of Messina, including Piazza del Duomo, the cathedral and the port, explaining how this city was a strategic point during Garibaldi's arrival from Sicily to the mainland and his role in Italian unification. In the afternoon, board the ferry from Messina to Reggio Calabria with tickets included. Arrive in Reggio Calabria and free time to explore the city on your own. Overnight in Reggio Calabria.

Breakfast at the hotel. Meet the private English-speaking guide for a city walking tour of approximately two hours through Reggio Calabria. During the tour, visitors will tour the Lungomare Falcomatà, known as "the balcony of the Mediterranean", the cathedral and historic squares, while the guide explains how the city reflects the southern identity, its port life and its strategic role during Italian unification, being one of the first points of arrival of Garibaldi and his troops on the continent. You will also visit the Rialce Museum, with archaeological collections that show the historical continuity of the region, from Magna Graecia to the modern era, helping visitors understand the cultural and political context that shaped southern Italy. In the afternoon, transfer by private car to the train station, train tickets included to travel from Reggio Calabria to Naples, and on arrival, transfer by private car to the hotel, with free time to settle in and rest. Overnight in Naples.

Breakfast at the hotel. Start of the city walking tour of Naples of approximately four hours with an English -speaking guide. During the tour, visitors will explore the Palazzo Reale di Napoli and the Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino), with tickets included, while the guide explains how these spaces reflect Bourbon power, urban life, and the relevance of Naples in the history of southern Italy and Italian unification. There will also be squares, streets and corners that show the cultural identity and historical vitality of the city. In the afternoon, transfer by private car to Salerno for a city tour of approximately two hours with an English-speaking guide. Visitors will tour the historic center, St. Matthew's Cathedral, squares and the promenade, discovering how Salerno represents the urban, commercial and port life of southern Italy, and how its history connects with the Mediterranean tradition and the cohesion of the cities of the Mezzogiorno. Return to Naples by private car and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure by private car to Caserta for a full day tour. Meet the English-speaking guide to tour for approximately four hours the Royal Palace of Caserta, including its majestic rooms, the Palatine Chapel, the gardens and the monumental fountains, with entrance fees included. The guide will explain how this palace reflects the Bourbon power in southern Italy, the organization of the government, the life of the court, and the cultural influence that radiated from Naples and Caserta to the entire Mezzogiorno. The relevance of these spaces in the history of the south and their indirect role in the events that led to Italian unification will also be contextualized, showing how the Bourbon cities were the scene of fundamental political and social changes. In the afternoon, return by private car to Naples, with free time to stroll through the historic center, enjoy the local gastronomy, or rest at the hotel after a day of exploration and learning. Overnight in Naples.

Check-out from the hotel and private transfer to the airport.