Five days in Sicily discovering the area where the most famous Italian police inspector, Salvo Montalbano, inveted by Andrea Camilleri) lives, the South-Eeast corner of Sicily called by Arabs Vallo (Valley) of Noto. Destroyed by e devastating earthquake in 1693, the Vallo of Noto preserves many Unesco Sites (year 2005: The Syracuse/Pantalica ensemble offers, through its remarkable cultural diversity, an exceptional testimony to the development of civilisation over some three millennia.) and eight towns for their baroque city centres (year 2002: This group of towns in south-eastern Sicily provides outstanding testimony to the exuberant genius of late Baroque art and architecture)

1° DAY NOTO
Arrival at Catania airport and transfer to Noto, a baroque jewel perched on a hill. Called "the capital of the Sicilian baroque", Noto is known especially for its majestic cathedral. Tour in the historic centre with its sumptuous palaces and churches built in the local limestone.
Lunch and guided tour of the town.
Dinner and overnight in the area of Ragusa/ Modica

2° DAY MODICA- RAGUSA IBLA
All day to discover two masterpieces of the baroque architecture.
The ancient town of Modica was quite totally destroyed by the earthquake of 1693.
The town rebuilt after the earthquake is divided into two parts, “higher Modica" and “lower Modica", which are connected by numerous flights of steps. But the town is famous also for an extraordinary and unique product: the chocolate of Modica, produced with an ancient and original Aztec recipe.
In the afternoon we will visit Ragusa. Also this town, which origins go back to the prehistoric age, was destroyed in 1693 and rebuilt: a part on the same site of the old town and is called Ragusa Ibla, another section in a higher position and is called Ragusa superiore.
Ragusa is also one of the principal filming locations for the TV series Il Commissario Montalbano (Inspector Montalbano).

Dinner and overnight in hotel.

3° day SIRACUSA
Siracusa (Unesco World Heritage), the most beautiful and powerful Greek colony in Sicily. Visit of the archaeological park called Neapolis (Greek theatre, Roman amphitheatre, Dionysus ear - a cave with an acoustic producing extraordinary effects-, the stone quarryes), the Capuchin catacombs and the Sanctuary of "virgin Mary of tears"
After lunch the tour will continue in Ortigia, a small island where was settled the first colony by the Greeks, nowadays city centre of Siracusa (the temple of Apollo, Cathedral, Aretusa spring).
Opportunity to take a boat tour.
Back to the hotel, dinner and overnight.

4° day SCICLI and PUNTASECCA
In the morning tour of Scicli, another fascinating baroque town, descybed by the Sicilian writer Elio Vittorini in is unfinished novel "Le città del mondo" (Towns of the world): "the town of Scicli rises at the cross of three deep valleys, with houses everywhere up on the cliffs, a large square down, astride a river, and ancient ecclesiastic buildings which surrond in different parts, us baroque acropolis, the half -circle of the altitudes.".
After lunch departure to Punta Secca, beautiful sandy beach, few chilometers from Scicli, where is the house of Montalbano.
Free time for a stroll.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

5° day CATANIA
After breakfast departure to Catania, the second largest Sicilian town, settled by the Greeks at the foot of Mount Etna. Also if it preserves many archaeological ruins, nowadays Catania is famous for its black and white buildings built in baroque style after the earthquake of 1693 that destroyed the town till its foundations. walking tour of the city centre (Unesco Heritage) and of the vibrant fish market.
After lunch, transfer to the airport.