9-Day Sicily with 4-Day Rome Option

2024 International Garden Trip

Monday, September 9 – Tuesday September 17, 2024

Optional Extension: Tuesday, Sept. 17– Friday, Sept. 20

This is a “Members Only” trip.  Registration form will be available January 11, 2024. 

9-Day Gardens of Sicily

Monday, September 9 – Tuesday September 17, 2024

Overview:

On September 9, 2024 HPS/MAG will begin our tour of the outstanding gardens, fantastic scenery and historic architecture of Sicily, with an optional extension to tour several of the must-see gardens around Rome. All travelers will arrange their own air travel to the Catania airport in Sicily, where our tour guide will meet us and we will travel by coach to our hotel in the beach-side city of Taormina. There we will settle into the 4-star Hotel Caparena, our residence for four nights.

From Taormina we will enjoy:

• Villa Trinità, an elegant garden born from lava, which thrives on the slopes of Etna and features both native and exotic species – picture gangly cacti peering above vibrant citrus trees.
• Mount Etna, Europe's highest active volcano and greatest natural wonder.  We will also enjoy lunch here (included).
• Wine-tasting at one of the nearby local wineries.
• Casa Cuseni, a private garden with spectacular views across the city and the sea. Created by Robert Kitson, a British painter of the early 20th century, the house and exuberant plantings demonstrate clear links with the Arts and Crafts movement.
• Private gardens of Lady Giulia, the secretary of Etna Garden Club of Catania.  Situated in the small village of Valverde, the garden began taking shape in the nineties with the help of the unforgettable Sicilian landscapist Ettore Paternò del Toscano (1919-2009). Today you can see Cycas, Iris, Aloe, Euphorbia, Lantana on the walls, and among the trees you will find bitter oranges and tangerines. We will also enjoy lunch here (included).
• Private gardens of Lady Valeria, the founder of Catania Garden Club. The garden is approximately 2 hectares; one of which is full of orange and olive trees, the rest is an informal ornamental garden with a good collection of Mediterranean plants, some of which are very rare.  We will also enjoy refreshments here (included).
• Guided walking tour of old Taormina, featuring Greco-Roman ruins, winding streets, and medieval architecture.

As we continue our southernly circumnavigation of Sicily, we stop to visit the gardens of Princess Maria Carla Borghese, which were created out of barren ground almost fifty years ago. Evocative scents of jasmine and rose intermingle with the fragrance of a Roman-style stone pine avenue. As we travel on to Ragusa, we will stop to visit the San Giuliano estate in Villasmundo, where we will get an insight into Sicilian gardening.  We then settle into the 4-star Hotel Poggio del Sole, Ragusa, our residence for two nights.

From Ragusa we will enjoy:

• Gli AROMI where we discover an extensive collection of herbs and spices on a multisensory tour. We will explore varieties both native to Sicily and imported to the island by the garden's passionate owners – one of whom will be our highly informative guide. Lunch here makes for today's biggest highlight: a home-made feast prepared with an abundance of fresh herbs and devotion (included).
• Private garden in Modica.
• Time to explore Ragusa at your leisure.

On our way north to Palermo we travel to one of the truly spectacular wonders of the ancient world, the “Valley of the Temples.”  This site is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the greatest legacies of ancient Greece. We will have time to explore the site and visit the excellent museum.  In the afternoon we visit the crowning glory of Monreale village: the amazing Cathedral and Abbey, complete with 70,000 square feet of mosaics in gold leaf and colorful glass.  This astounding display echoes the opulence of the Alhambra.  We will settle into the 4-star Hotel Piazza Borsa in Palermo, our residence for two nights.

From Palermo we will enjoy:

• Botanical Gardens, one of the oldest and most significant centers of plant research in the Mediterranean.
• Public garden of Villa Giulia – its beautiful trees and flowers are a lasting testament to the 18th century viceroy's wife after whom it was named.
• Full guided tour of Palermo, featuring the impressive Norman Palace, an architectural gem encapsulating both Norman and Arabic influences, and the Cattedrale di Palermo.

After breakfast on Tuesday September 17, 2024, we will travel to the Palermo Airport at an agreed time.  Those staying for the Rome extension will fly together to Rome to continue our travels.  Those not staying for the Rome extension will arrange their own onward flights.

Please Note:  This trip requires a good degree of mobility.  Some of the places we visit have many steps to climb, some without railings, and long distances to walk on hilly terrain.

Cost of the Gardens of Sicily trip is:

£2195.00    Per person based on double occupancy
£ 595.00     Single Supplement per person
$ 200.00     Per person for Tour Manager and Driver Gratuities and HPS Donation

Included in the cost of the Gardens of Sicily trip:

• Eight nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast: 4 nights at the 4-star Hotel Caparena, Taormina; 2 nights at the 4-star Hotel Poggio del Sole, Ragusa; and 2 nights at the 4-star Hotel Piazza Borsa in Palermo.  All hotels have an elevator.  All rooms have private facilities.
• Three lunches
• Visits to the Villa Trinità, Mount Etna, Casa Cuseni, two private gardens near Catania, San Giuliano, gli AROMI, Princess Maria Carla Borghese gardens, a private garden in Modica, and Palermo Botanic Gardens
• Guided walking tour of Taormina including entrance to the Greek Theatre; visit to Monreale Village including Cathedral and Abbey
• Guided tour of Palermo including Norman Palace and Cattedrale di Palermo
• Services of Trevor Edwards as Brightwater Holidays Tour Manager
• Comfortable coach service in Sicily

Not included in the cost of the Gardens of Sicily trip:

• All lunches except the 3 included above
• Gratuities for hotel and restaurant service
• Personal expenses
• Single supplement
• Air travel

The trip is limited to 22 people and requires a minimum of 20 paying travelers.

To join the waitlist, contact Jill Shaw at [email protected].

Optional 4-Day Rome Extension

Tuesday, September 17 – Friday, September 20, 2024

Begin at Palermo Airport and Depart from Rome Airport

Overview:

On September 17, 2024 HPS/MAG will begin our tour of the must-see gardens and architecture surrounding Rome.  There we will settle into the 4-star Rome Times Hotel, our residence for 3 nights.

Day 1 of our Rome extension begins in Palermo. After breakfast in Palermo we transfer to the Palermo airport for our morning flight to Rome. On arrival at the Rome airport, we will be met by our comfortable coach.  On our way to our centrally located Rome hotel, we will visit:

• Villa d'Este in Tivoli, the 16th century gardens renowned for their use of water. The garden is romantically overgrown with tall pines, evergreen oaks and cedars.  Amble along the Path of One Hundred Fountains to the remains of the miniature Rometta, constructed in 1568, to represent Rome and its seven hills washed at the foot by the River Tiber.

As we continue on to our hotel we will enjoy a short city tour of Rome.  The sights in Rome are many and varied including the Coliseum, St Peter's Square and Basilica, the Spanish steps, and the Trevi fountain.  We will settle into the 4-star Rome Times Hotel, our centrally located residence for three nights.  In the evening we will enjoy a welcome drink at our hotel followed by dinner on our own (not included).

Following breakfast on Day 2 of our Rome extension, we will visit:

• Viterbo, capital of northern Lazio and the region’s most historic center, a medieval town that during the nineteenth century was something of a rival to Rome. On our guided tour, we will see a number of grand palaces and a host of old churches enclosed by an intact set of medieval walls.
• Villa Lante in Bagnaia described by European garden expert Charles Quest-Ritson as “one of Italy’s greatest Renaissance gardens.”  This study in geometry and symmetry dates to 1568 when it was designed for Cardinal Gianfrancesco Gambara by the architect Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola. The dominant theme is water, and in front of the palazzine is a central water parterre which is a classic example of late-Renaissance or mannerist style.

We return to our hotel in the early evening with time to explore the city and have dinner on our own.

After breakfast on Day 3 of our Rome extension, we will visit:

• Gardens of Castel Gandolfo, the traditional papal residence just outside Rome.  The tour begins with a shady walk to the Giardino della Madonnina, where holm oaks (a large evergreen oak native to the Mediterranean) twist out of ancient masonry, and leads on to the Giardino del Belvedere, formed by a series of rigidly geometric parterres, edged by towering cypresses, cloud-shaped crowns of umbrella pines and gnarled cedars.
• Gardens of Ninfa, laid out in the ruins of the village of Ninfa.  The garden is deemed by many to be the most beautiful garden in Europe – if not the world.  Ninfa was abandoned and lay deserted for hundreds of years. In 1922 the Duchess of Sermoneta and her son Prince Caetani began to lay out a romantic garden among the village ruins. At least 10,000 plants were collected and planting has continued ever since giving Ninfa an entrancing beauty where flowers from all over the world thrive in glorious companionship. Please note: Due to the fragile nature of the gardens, our visit will be conducted as a private tour – duration 1 hour 30 minutes.

We return to our hotel in the early evening with time to explore the city and have dinner on our own.

After breakfast on Day 4 of our Rome extension, Friday, September 20, at an agreed time, the coach will transfer us back to the Rome airport for onward flights.

Additional Cost of the Optional Rome Extension is:

£ 1405.00   Per person based on double occupancy
£ 420.00     Single Supplement per person
$ 40.00       Per Person for Tour Manager and Driver Gratuities

Included in the cost of the Rome Extension:

• One way flight between Palermo and Rome
• Three nights’ bed and breakfast at the 4-star Rome Times Hotel in Rome.  Our hotel has an elevator.  All rooms have private facilities.
• Welcome drink on the first evening at the hotel.
• Visits to the gardens of Ninfa, Castel Gandolfo, Villa d’Este and Villa Lante; guided tour of Viterbo
• Services of Trevor Edwards as Brightwater Holidays Tour Manager
• Comfortable coaching in Rome

Not included in the cost of the Rome Extension:

• All lunches and dinners
• Gratuities for hotel and restaurant service
• Personal expenses
• Single Supplement

The Rome Extension is limited to 22 people and requires a minimum of 15 paying travelers.

 The trip is full. To be placed on the waitlist complete a paper registration form, click here for the paper registration form.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

COVID-19 Policy/Information

Covid is still present and outbreaks are still occurring. For the safety of all travelers, we are asking registrants to have the most current covid vaccination. Please provide a copy of your Covid card and/or other documentation of vaccination.

If you need to obtain an updated vaccination, you may register with the expectation that you will provide documentation of your vaccination update in a timely manner.

In addition, HPS/MAG international trip participants will comply with all COVID-related requirements imposed by the host countries, the in-country travel company and the COVID-related requirements, if any, of each garden host. All attendees must bring a mask in case it is required.

REGISTRATION

Click here to view and print the detailed itinerary for the Sicily base trip.

Click here to view and print the detailed itinerary for the Rome extension trip.

This is a “Members Only” trip.  Non-members who want to go on this trip click here to first join HPS/MAG.

Registration is by paper mail only and on a first come first served basis.  To register:

1)     Download and print the Registration Form

2)     Complete your Registration Form

3)     Make deposit checks payable to HPS/MAG

• $200 deposit for Sicily only
• $240 deposit for Sicily and Rome Extension

4)     Enclose a copy of your current Covid Vaccination Card

5)     Mail your completed registration form, copy of your covid-card and deposit check as per the Registration Form

Questions:  Please contact [email protected]

Hope to see you in Italy!!