Journeys that Take You to Far Horizon

Sicily & Sardinia

Hidden Gardens, Classical Ruins and Vibrant Culture

with Carlo Gabriele

08 - 25 May 2018

TOUR LEADER

Carlo Gabriele’s passion for

the beauty of nature was

kindled in his native

Sardinia, famous for its

scenic landscapes and the

‘Emerald Coast’ – La Costa

Smeralda.

In 2010, Carlo started his

own landscape and

garden design business in

Milan. At this stage he was

discovered by some of the

world’s leading design and

fashion magazines, such as

Vanity Fair, Elle and Elle

Décor and was asked to

create installations for

fashion and design photo

shoots. These shoots

opened the doors to

incredible locations not

normally accessible to the

public. Carlo’s passion for

sharing the beauty of

Europe’s most beautiful

gardens and natural

settings was born.

In 2014 he moved to

Melbourne and in 2016

founded his own Garden

and Landscape Design

practice. Today, in addition

to applying the timeless

beauty of classic Italian

design to contemporary

Australian gardens, he is

delighted to share the

gardens that inspire him

with those who join him on

tours to his native Italy.

Sicily & Sardinia: Hidden Gardens, Classical Ruins and Vibrant Culture

Tour Highlights

Tours are led by Carlo Gabriele, Italian garden and landscape designer

born in Sardinia, trained in Milan and living in Melbourne.

He shares his native country with visitors, inviting those who join him on

the tour to enjoy delicious, authentic Italian meals, to meet the locals

and to shop where Italians do, while you explore the rich history and

culture of Naples, Sicily and Sardinia, through their most beautiful

gardens, parks and historical sites.

Naples

We start in Naples, with a visit to the extraordinary Reggia di Caserta

(Palace of Caserta). This is the largest Royal Palace in the World and

its garden was inspired by Versailles.

Sicily

We visit the historic centre of Palermo and discover its unique mix of

influences.

We meet Massimiliano Marafon Pecoraro, Researcher at the

Department of Historic and Artistic Studies at the University of

Palermo and let him introduce you to some of the most beautiful

buildings of the city, including the Palazzo Alliata di Pietratagliata

and the Palazzina Cinese (Chinese Palace).

We experience how Italian aristocrats live today, with an exclusive

tour and lunch at Villa Valguarnera, home of the Princess Vittoria

Alliata.

We visit some of Palermo’s most beautiful gardens, including the

Botanical Garden of Palermo and Villa Tasca, open exclusively for

our group. Let the Valle dei Templi (Valley of Temples) charm you

with one of the largest complex of Greek temples in the world.

We explore the ruins of an historic garden from 500 B.C. with a stroll

through the Giardinodella Kolymbetra national park.

We enjoy the iconic beauty of Taormina, with its Greek-Roman

amphitheatre overlooking Mt. Etna.

Moving further into Sicily, fall in love with the magnificent historical

centres of Ragusa, Modica and Siracusa.

Sardinia

We explore the historic centre of Cagliari, the main city of Sardinia,

where talented landscape architect and rose and perennial expert,

Maurizio Usai, leads us through some of the private gardens he has

designed.

We go back in time to the prehistoric site of Barumini, dating back

to the 17th century B.C.

We revel in the Mediterranean lifestyle of the towns of Bosa and

Alghero, and visit the outstanding Grotte di Nettuno (Neptune's

Grotto).

We tour the natural paradise of the Asinara Island.

We explore the garden of Villa Certosa in Porto Cervo for a private

and exclusive tour.

We tour the iconic Costa Smeralda, famed getaway spot for

celebrities and socialites and visit the historic centre of Olbia.

Flight Coach

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 Tue 08 May Arrive Naples

The beautiful city of Naples welcomes you with its rich

history, art, culture and gastronomy. Mediterranean pines

and the volcano Mount Vesuvius are the iconic landmarks

of this city with a terrific history, listed by UNESCO as a

World Heritage Site. Its narrow alleyways lead to

mysterious churches, catacombs and underground caves.

Until today, Naples’ old folk-culture reveals itself to the

visitor among artisans, fluttering laundry and shouting fish

sellers.

Make your own way to the hotel for check in. Relax and

freshen up before our welcome dinner. (Dinner)

Day 2 Wed 09 May Caserta

Covering an area of approx. 235,000 m² the Royal Palace

of Caserta, erected during the 18th century, is the largest

royal residence in the world. You will discover this

monumental complex created by the Bourbon King

Charles III in the mid-18th century to rival Versailles and the

Royal Palace in Madrid. What makes it exceptional is the

way it brings together a magnificent palace with its park

and gardens, as well as natural woodland, hunting lodges

and a silk factory.

After the visit, you will be transferred to Naples airport for

your flight to Palermo. (Breakfast/Lunch)

Day 3 Thu 10 May Palermo

Palermo, one of the largest ancient historical centres of

Europe, is a unique mix of influences: from Roman to a

distinctive Norman/Arab mix, from the Baroque style to the

Liberty style (the Italian expression of the Art Nouveau).

In the morning you will take a walking tour of this charming

city including the traditional street market of Vucciria.

In the afternoon you will discover the beautiful Villa Tasca;

originally built in the 1500 A.C., the oasis which protects it is

one of Sicily's most emblematic Victorian-era Romantic

gardens. The curvilinear stone-bordered pathways and

the lush tropical vegetation carry one away into a rich

world of silence and suggestion. These more thickly

planted areas are complemented by English lawns that

allow the garden to be experienced with lightness and

simplicity, even during every-day activities. After the visit

continue to Monreale to visit the cathedral and the

garden. (Breakfast/Lunch)

Day 4 Fri 11 May Bagheria and Palermo

Between 1650 and 1800 circa Bagheria became the

preferred location for the vacation homes of Palermo's

elite class, and the area experienced a boom: all the

aristocrats wanted a Villa in the area. Today you will have

the privilege to visit one of the most charming Villas of

Bagheria, and meet its owner: the Princess Vittoria Alliata

di Villafranca e Valguarnera. Journalist, writer and the only

Italian translator of J.R. Tolkien, she will open the doors of

her house and garden, Villa Valguarnera, for an exclusive

tour.

In the afternoon, the Director of the Botanical Garden of

Palermo will take you on a private tour of this urban oasis

built between the 18th and the 19th century. To conclude

the day, you will visit the Palazzo Alliata di Pietratagliata, a

prestigious gothic building erected around the second

half of the fifteenth Century. (Breakfast/Lunch)

Day 5 Sat 12 May Palermo and Agrigento

In the morning you will meet with Massimiliano Marafon

Pecoraro, Researcher in the Department of Historic and

Artistic Studies at the University of Palermo who will show

you the secrets behind one of the most striking buildings of

Palermo: the Palazzina Cinese (The Chinese Palace).

Conceived as a royal residence on commission by the

King Ferdinand III of Sicily, it was designed in 1799 in the

style of Chinoiserie; internally is completely decorated with

terrific paintings and frescoes.

The afternoon is dedicated to relaxation and leisure,

followed by the transfer to Agrigento. (Breakfast)

Day 6 Sun 13 May Agrigento and Ragusa

Today you will visit one of the most outstanding examples

of Greater Greece art and architecture: the Valle dei

Templi (Valley of the Temples). Included in the UNESCO

Heritage Site list, the area is the largest archaeological site

in the world with its 1,300 hectares. The Valley includes

remains of seven temples, all in Doric style, including the

Temples of Concordia, Hera and Zeus.

After visiting the Greek temples you can enjoy a moment

of relaxation, or you can follow me for a stroll along the

ruins of a historic garden from 500 B.C.: the Giardino della

Kolymbetra. This well restored and cared for unique

garden is situated within the historical Valley of Temples in

Agrigento. You will enjoy the variety of fragrances of

plants and herbs, including a magnificent collection of

very old lemon, orange and olive trees. You will even see

one of the world's oldest systems of irrigation still working to

water the garden.

Transfer to Ragusa for overnight. (Breakfast/Lunch)

Day 7 Mon 14 May Ragusa and Modica

Today’s walking tour will explore two symbols of the Sicilian

Baroque: Ragusa and Modica.

Ragusa, made world famous thanks to the television series

‘Il Commissario Montalbano’ (Inspector Montalbano), is a

two faced city: sitting on the top of the hill is Ragusa

Superiore, the modern heart of the city, built after the

earthquake that destroyed the old city in 1693. Etched

into the hillside further down is Ragusa Ibla, the

magnificent historic centre.

The next stop will be Modica, a small gem that lies nestled

in a deep valley. In the old town, the houses seem to

spring out of the rock, resting on ancient caves carved in

prehistoric times. The picturesque scenic view is

dominated by the imposing churches of San Giorgio and

San Pietro, both set atop a wide staircase. (Breakfast)

Day 8 Tue 15 May Taormina

This morning you will enjoy a walking tour of the Florence

Trevelyan garden. A member of the well-known

Northumberland family, Florence Trevelyan was the only

surviving daughter of Edward Spencer Trevelyan and

Catherine Ann Forster and granddaughter of Sir John

Trevelyan (5th Baronet) of Wallington Hall, Northumberland

and his wife, Maria Wilson. When Florence Trevelyan

arrived in Taormina in 1884 she set about creating her own

corner of England next to the Greek/Roman

amphitheatre. She called it Hallington-Siculo, after the

name of her hometown in England. The area was given to

Taormina after Florence's death and is now part of a

much larger municipal park. This unique garden is the

second biggest tourist attraction in Taormina.

After the morning walk you will visit some of the most

characteristics monuments of the town, including the

Greek-Roman amphitheatre, you will have free time to

enjoy the atmosphere of this Sicily’s most famous touristic

destinations.

Founded in the 4th century BC, Taormina enjoyed great

prosperity under the Greek ruler Gelon II and later under

the Romans, but fell into quiet obscurity after being

conquered by the Normans in 1087. Its reincarnation as a

tourist destination dates to the 18th century, when northern

Europeans discovered it on the Grand Tour. Among its fans

were Goethe and DH Lawrence, who lived here between

1920 and 1923.

The rest of the day is free. (Breakfast)

Day 9 Wed 16 May Siracusa

This morning you will say farewell to Taormina and travel to

Siracusa. En route, visit to Villa San Giuliano and lunch.

(Breakfast/Lunch)

Day 10 Thu 17 May Siracusa

The day will start with a visit to the island of Ortigia, the

historical heart of Siracusa. The tight lanes are pleasant for

strolling, so you will wander down narrow medieval lanes,

Baroque palaces and churches. You will discover the

many gems of the island, like the small Chiesa of San

Martino, a simple and ancient church with a lovely interior,

decorated with a mosaic in the apse. Afternoon is at your

leisure. (Breakfast)

Day 11 Fri 18 May Catania-Cagliari

It’s time to say goodbye to Sicily and fly to Sardinia. You

will land in Cagliari, the main city of the island. When DH

Lawrence arrived in the 1920s, he compared the Sardinian

capital to Jerusalem: ‘…strange and rather wonderful, not

a bit like Italy.’

You will be met on arrival and transported to the hotel, to

relax and freshen up. (Breakfast/Dinner)

Day 12 Sat 19 May Cagliari

During this walking tour around the old town of Cagliari we

will evoke the crucial events that took place in the most

important city of Sardinia. You will discover representative

monuments and spots of its historical centre and get

captivated by its secrets, legends and fascinating

anecdotes.

Get familiar with the numerous faces of Cagliari: its

Phoenician-Punic origins, vast Roman heritage and

fortified district conquered by the Republic of Pisa, the

Spanish Empire and the Savoyard dynasty respectively.

Not to mention its breath-taking panoramas and sounds of

singing flamingos coming from the sky.

In the afternoon the Landscape Architect Maurizio Usai will

wait for you in his own private garden, La Pietra Rossa. He

will guide you in an exclusive tour of his garden that he

started to create when he was 17 years old. Extremely

passionate about roses, his private collection counts over

250 varieties. (Breakfast)

Day 13 Sun 20 May Barumini-Oristano-Bosa

In the morning you will leave Cagliari and travel north-

west to Bosa. A first stop will be the prehistoric

archaeological site of ‘Su Nuraxi’. Included in the UNESCO

list of World Heritage Sites, Su Nuraxi is a settlement

consisting of a bastion, called Nuraghe, and a village.

Probably built in the seventeenth century B.C. the

complex is considered the most impressive expression of

the Nuragic civilization.

A second stop will be the nursery ‘I campi’ in Milis,

specialized in drought tolerant plants and gardens or the

ancient city of Tharros probably founded by the

Phoenicians at the end of the 8th century B.C.

Continue to Oristano and Bosa. (Breakfast/Lunch)

Day 14 Mon 21 May Alghero

Alghero is one of Sardinia's most beautiful medieval cities:

with its animated historic centre is a terrific place to hang

out. Enclosed by robust, honey-coloured seawalls, this is a

tightly knit enclave of shady cobbled lanes, Gothic palazzi

and cafe-lined piazzas. Presiding over everything is a

palpable Spanish atmosphere, a hangover of the city’s

past as a Catalan colony. Even today, more than three

centuries after the Iberians left, a form of medieval

Catalan is still spoken, and street signs and menus are

often written in both Catalan and Italian.

In the afternoon you will visit the Neptune's Grotto: a

suggestive a stunning stalactite and stalagmite cave

accessible via a short boat trip from the port of Alghero.

Within the grotto, tourists can visit a 120-metre-long

saltwater lake. The shallow salt lake boasts the same

calcic salt structures as the rest of the cave. (Breakfast)

Day 15 Tue 22 May Stintino-Asinara Island

Fine, white sand, breathtaking panoramas, waters that

range from hues of azure to turquoise, and one of the

most beautiful seascapes of the entire Mediterranean:

welcome to Stintino, renowned touristic destination on

Sardinia’s north-western extremity.

It started out as a fishermen’s village, when the Island of

Asinara was made a penal colony. Stintino today is

synonymous with magnificent beaches, like the most

celebrated La Pelosa characterized by its luscious white

sand and transparent sea.

Accessible by boat, Asinara Island was a quarantine

station during the 1800s, a prison camp during World War I,

and afterward one of the most famous Italian prisons until

the establishment of the homonymous National Park in

1997. Isolated for almost a century, it has become an oasis

of rare and sometimes-almost-extinct species of plants

and animals, such as the white albino donkey. (Breakfast)

Day 16 Wed 23 May Telti

Today you will have the pleasure to meet again the

Landscape Architect Maurizio Usai who will guide you

through a beautiful private garden: Il giardino dei

Fontanili. Designed in 2011, the garden is characterized by

a profusion of water that flows generously through a series

of granite basins framed by lush borders Salvia

chaemdryoides, Aster x Frikartii and several varieties of

Agapanthus. Another feature of this garden is the

presence of numerous varieties of roses (Rosa candida

'Sally Holmes', Rosa 'Clair Matin', Rosa 'Mlle Marie van

Houttei').

After lunch and a visit to the small town Tempio, you will

continue to Olbia, where you can finally relax after a

hectic few days of sightseeing. (Breakfast/Lunch)

Day 17 Thu 24 May Olibia

In the morning you will take a walking tour for discovering

every hidden corner and the of this old town, including the

oldest Romanic church in Sardinia (San Simplicio) and the

Archaeologic Museum where you will learn about the

early Greek foundation of Olbia, the later clashes

between Carthaginians and Romans, and the maritime

and commercial activities that flourished over the

centuries.

In the afternoon you will meet again with the Landscape

Architect Maurizio Usai who will take you for a private and

exclusive tour of Villa Certosa, a 168-acre estate formerly

owned by the ex-Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The

property includes six swimming pools, an amphitheatre

and even an artificial volcano, and it’s also known as the

Italian garden with one of the largest collections of plants.

Farewell dinner tonight. (Breakfast/Dinner)

Day 18 Fri 25 May Depart Olbia

Our tour ends after breakfast. (Breakfast)

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Tour prices

Price per person twin share $8,995

Single room supplement $1,590

INCLUSIONS: Internal economy class flights Naples-Palermo

//Catania-Cagliari with taxes and surcharges, 17 nights’

twin-share accommodation with breakfast daily, porterage

at hotels, 7 lunches & 3 dinners as stated, comprehensive

touring, local English Speaking guide, gratuities to local

guides and drivers.

Not Included: International flights to Italy, travel insurance,

personal expenses, anything not mentioned above.

To Make a Booking

Please complete, sign and return the booking form, with

your deposit and a copy of your passport.

As all of our tours are very unique and bespoke, we aim to

provide a seamless individual service to you. Please contact

us directly if you have questions.

Fitness - Moderate

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www.opulentjourneys.com.au/fitness_level

For further information please contact Opulent Journeys

Email: enquiries@opulentjourneys.com.au Web: opulentjourneys.com.au

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