Walk in the footsteps of ancient Greek explorers who settled on this historic island in 734 BC, building a city of archaeological splendors, economic prosperity and political power that rivaled Athens as the most important city in the world until it fell to the Romans in 212 BC. Your locally guided walking tour today reveals some of its treasured Greek and Roman sites as you explore Neapolis Archaeological Park, including the 16,000-seat Greek Theatre (Teatro Greco), the Ear of Dionysius (Orecchio de Dioniso), and the 3rd-century Roman amphitheater. Back in Ortigia, visit the Theatre of Apollo and the Baroque Duomo. Lunch today is a noble affair when you dine at the family palazzo of the Barone Pietro di Beneventano, and taste wines from the family vineyard. Free time this afternoon offers you an opportunity to see more of the city or walk back to the hotel with your Tauck Director, where the remainder of the day is at leisure.

This morning, travel to the nearby town of Piazza Armerina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been called an art city, woven into the fabric of Sicily. The mosaics you will see here are considered among the most beautiful and best preserved of their kind anywhere in the world. Your artful discoveries begin when you step inside the Roman Villa del Casale, dating back to 320 to 350 BC when it was built for a Roman official back in the day. Look down at the floors as you tour the villa; the mosaics, both figurative and geometric, cover the surfaces measuring some 37,674 square feet, telling eloquent tales of Homeric poems and myths, nature and scenes from aristocratic life. You will also discover mosaic murals on the walls and columns, and statues and coins that pay further homage to the glory days of the Roman Empire. Head back to your hotel late afternoon and enjoy some time to explore as you please; your hotel enjoys a spectacular view of the Valley of the Temples. Following lunch at a local agriturismo, return to Ragusa Ibla for a very special dinner this evening in the wine cellar located in the medieval crypt underneath an old church, featuring 400 labels of the best Sicilian and international wines.

The morning is free to spend as you please. After lunch, travel to your Palermo hotel for a two-night stay. This evening, join the son of a baroness for an exclusive private dinner and tour of his family's art collection in their historic city-center villa, designed by Ernesto Basile, the architect of Teatro Massimo.

Journey to Cefalu for a guided tour of its Norman cathedral, considered one of the jewels in Sicily's Norman-Arab crown that includes the magnificent cathedral of Monreale and Palermo's Palatine Chapel. View its soaring twin pyramid towers outside and elaborate Byzantine mosaics inside before driving into the Madonie Mountains. Then, it's on to Taormina this afternoon on a scenic drive that offers picturesque views of the Aeolian Islands dotting the seascapes. Arrive at your hotel late afternoon and enjoy an evening at leisure.

Tour ends: Taormina. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo to Catania - Fontanarossa Airport (a 45-60 minute drive). Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in at the airport.