Sicily: Goddesses, Saints and Heroes

ith a civilisation dating back to the ancient Greeks, Sicily has been conqueredsuccessively by the Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Spanish andBourbons. This has led to a fascinating melange of architectural, artistic and culturalinfluences set in spectacular mountain and coastal scenery.

Throughout the centuries new religions have by no means obliterated the old, withfashions in faith washing over Sicily like successive tides. Christian cathedrals sit atopancient Greek temples to Athena. The worship of the Virgin herself can be seen as acontinuation of the ancient adulation of the Mediterranean mother goddess, the ‘MadreDea’ while the whole cult of the saints is clearly the survival of the old pantheism in aChristian guise. Heroes too abound in this time washed land, epitomised by theextraordinary Riace bronzes and the Young Man of Mozia.

This 16-day in depth tour will explore Sicily and the Aeolian Islands, from west to east,south to north. Enjoy leisurely stays in Palermo, Marsala, Agrigento, Siracusa, Taorminaand Lipari, with visits to Cefalù, Solunto, Monreale, Segesta, Mozia, Erice, Selinunte,Piazza Armerina and the slopes of Mount Etna. Arranged in association with Living Italy,the tour will be led by Neil Moore.

Palermo, Marsala, Agrigento, Siracusa, Taormina, Lipari, Mondello18 September - 3 October 2011 (16 days)

Tour Leader: Neil Moore BA (Hons)

NGV

Members

Travel

Palermo - Duomo of Monreale

W

Early Bird

Reductionextended to

31 March 2011see back page

for details

SAT 17 SEP DEPART AUSTRALIADepart Australia on overnight flights toRome, with connection to domestic flightsto Palermo.

SUN 18 SEP ARRIVE PALERMO On arrival in Palermo, you will be met andtransferred to your hotel.

Afternoon at leisure. The tour begins inhotel at 5pm. Later this evening join NeilMoore and fellow travellers at a welcomedinner. (D)

MON 19 SEP PALERMOBegin your exploration of Palermo on amorning walking tour of the main sitesincluding the Palazzo dei Normanni, theCappella Palatina and the PalermoNational Gallery in the Palazzo Abatellis.The latter holds the totally captivating oilpainting of the Annunciation (1476) byAntonello da Messina with a clearly SicilianMadonna. It can be said that this painting,where the observer stands in the positionnormally granted to the angel of the annun-ciation, revolutionized the way artiststhought about the scene.

Free time for lunch and to explore thestreets around the antiques restorationarea. A characteristic Sicilian dinner isincluded this evening. (BD)

TUE 20 SEP PALERMO Today you visit the Duomo of Monreale, itsbeautiful cloister and the Cripta dei Cap-puccini. At sunset, to fully take advantageof the setting, you will visit the stunning ar-chaeological site of Solunto on the slopesof Mt. Catalfamo overlooking the oceanfrom its perched position.

This was originally a Phoenician settlementbefore falling to the Greeks and thenRomans before it was ultimatelyabandoned. (B)

WED 21 SEP PALERMO – SEGESTA - MARSALATravel south west from Palermo to visit theimpressive ruins of Segesta, a city of theancient Elymians with a theatre amongstthe most spectacular of the ancient worldand an unfinished temple incorporating ar-chitectural features that rival theParthenon. Continue to Marsala, your basefor the next two nights. (BD)

THU 22 SEP MARSALAThe isolated Mount Eryx is a great rockmore than 750 metres high that dominatesthe western part of Sicily. In Antiquity, therewas a Phoenician sanctuary to the goddessTanit, who was later identified withAphrodite and Venus. The sanctuary wasknown for its religious prostitution, a happyritual - for the tourists at least - which wasintended to guarantee fertility to the cropsbelow. In the Roman age, the temple wasconsidered to be dedicated by thelegendary hero Aeneas to his motherVenus, now referred to simply as MadreDea or mother goddess.

The day includes a visit to the tiny island ofMozia, once the centre of Phoenicianpower in Sicily. Founded by Carthage at theend of the 8th century BC it soon becamea flourishing colony. One of the mostimportant works of art ever found in Sicilyis the Young Man of Mozia, a breathtak-ingly realistic life size marble statue that isclearly the work of a Greek sculptor thoughmost likely representing a Phoenician cultimage.

Dressed in a finely pleated, clinging tunic,his insolent hand-on-hip pose expressingconfidence in his youth, power and beauty,the work has been dated around the centreof the 5th century BC. It was hurriedlyburied at the time of the Greek sack of thecity in 397 BC and stands out as one of theartistic pinnacles of our tour. (BD)

FRI 23 SEP MARSALA – SELINUTE - AGRIGENTOToday you visit two of the most striking ar-chaeological sites in the Mediterranean.Selinunte was founded by Greeks in the 7thcentury BC with a picturesque position righton the sea shore that bears testimony tothe maritime nature of the colonists. Partic-ularly impressive are the collapsed ruins ofa temple that is amongst the biggest everbuilt in ancient times, left unfinishedfollowing the Phoenician capture of thetown for which the sack of Mozia was theGreek payback. Agrigento, where you staythe night, is equally interesting with a groupof temples still standing that is the pride ofSicily. (BD)

SAT 24 SEP AGRIGENTO – SIRACUSATravel across the centre of Sicily toSiracusa. Former home to Archimedes andonce a mega city of half a million people, itwas once the Mediterranean’s pre-eminentmetropolis. It is now home to a wealth ofarchaeological remains. On the way stop inPiazza Armerina for a visit to the VillaRomana del Casale, a Roman villa built inthe first quarter of the 4th century and con-taining the richest, largest and mostcomplex collection of Roman mosaics inthe world. (BD)

Sicily: Goddesses, Saints and HeroesPalermo, Marsala, Agrigento, Siracusa, Taormina, Lipari and Mondello18 September - 3 October 2011 (16 days)

ITINERARY

Palerma - Palazzo dei Normanni

Capella Palatina - Mosaic Palazzo Abatellis - Annunciation by Antonello da Messina Palerma - Cathedral

SUN 25 SEP SIRACUSASanta Lucia (283-304 AD, whose namemeans "light"), was a Christian at the timeof the persecutions of the Emperor Dioclet-ian. She consecrated her virginity to God,refused to marry a pagan, and had herdowry distributed to the poor for which herwould-be husband denounced her as aChristian to the authorities. Miraculouslyunable to move her or burn her, the guardsstabbed her to death. In medievalaccounts, St. Lucia's eyes are gouged outprior to her execution for which reason inart her eyeballs sometimes appear on aplate that she holds.This morning explore the old city of Ortigiaincluding Piazza Duomo and the spectacu-lar Baroque cathedral which was originallythe city’s temple to Athena. The afternoonis at leisure to wander the labyrinthinestreets of this UNESCO World Heritagesite. (B)

MON 26 SEP SIRACUSAThis morning visit the famed Greek theatreof Siracusa, and the Latomie, the ancientstone quarries with the spectacular handcut cavern called the 'ear of Dionysis',where the Athenian prisoners were heldafter the failed invasion of 415 BC.Continue to the beautiful 13C PalazzoBellomo which houses the GalleriaRegionale, home to The Burial of St Luciaby Caravaggio. Afternoon visit to the Paoli Orsi RegionalArcheological Museum, one of the mostimportant archeological museums in Italy.Its artefacts, found throughout Sicily,survey the Greek, Roman, and earlyChristian epochs. (B)

TUE 27 SEP SIRACUSA – TAORMINAA morning visit to Mount Etna, one of theworld’s most active volcanoes and at over3000m the highest point on the island. Inthe company of Sandro, an enthusiasticSicilian vulcanologist who lives on theslopes, the drive up takes you through pic-turesque villages and an ever changinglandscape of vine-yards, orange and lemongroves, Mediterranean flora and finally thebarren moonscape of the craters at the top.In the afternoon, continue to nearbyTaormina. (BD)

WED 28 SEP TAORMINASan Pancrazio is a venerated saint fromthe eastern Mediterranean whose worshipwas particularly encouraged during theperiod of Byzantine rule.This morning enjoy a guided tour ofTaormina with its world famous Greektheatre and spectacular views of MountEtna. The afternoon is at leisure to fullyenjoy this delightful resort town. (B)

THU 29 SEP TAORMINATake the ferry from nearby Messina acrossto Reggio Calabria on the mainland to seethe Bronzi di Riace, two full-size Greekbronzes of nude bearded warriors, pulledout of the sea in 1974 near the town ofRiace in Calabria and now expertlycleaned. They date from the second half ofthe 5th century BC, the high point ofclassical Greek art, and are amongst themost impressive works of art of the wholeancient world. Return to Messina and visitthe Regional Museum of Messina. High-lights include the Polyptych of SanGregorio (1473) by Antonello da Messinaand two large paintings by Caravaggio, theAdoration of the Shepherds and the Resur-rection of Lazarus. (B)

FRI 30 SEP TAORMINA - LIPARITransfer to Milazzo to board the ferry toLipari. The offspring of several volcaniceruptions, Lipari is the largest of theAeolian Islands and is also the name of theisland’s only real town. (BD)

SAT 1 OCT LIPARI Enjoy a morning walking tour of the oldtown of Lipari encircled by 13C-14C walls.Inside is the castle rebuilt by the Spaniardsin the 16th century on the site an earlierNorman building, housing the ArcheologicalMuseum. Remainder of the day at leisureto explore the many shops and restaurants,along the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Lipari’smain street. (B)

SUN 2 OCT LIPARI - CEFALÙ - MONDELLOReturning to Sicily, drive to Cefalù, a smallfishing village and popular beach town, andhome to one of Sicily’s most strikingexamples of Norman architecture.Exploring Cefalù on foot, walk down itsmain street, Corso Ruggero, visit theDuomo, the splendid Romanesquecathedral boasting extraordinary Normanmosaics, and the Museo Mandralisticawhich houses a painting by Antonello daMessina.

Continue to your hotel in Mondello, nearPalermo, for overnight. Celebrate the con-clusion of the tour with a farewell dinner.(BD)

MON 3 OCT DEPART PALERMO Tour arrangements conclude with a transferto Palermo Airport. (B)

Neil Moore is a painter and etcherof exceptional ability who has livedwith his family for the last twentyyears in the Umbrian countryside.Having graduated and then taughtin the Department of Fine Arts atSydney University, he made asecond career as a newspaperillustrator for Australiannewspapers and magazines,winning a Walkley award in 1980.Now an established artist in hisown right who exhibits in Europeand Australia, he moved to Italy in 1988 and divides his timebetween creative work and operating the Living Italyprogram together with his wife Carol Searle.

Within an unrivalled enthusiasm for all things Italian he hasin recent years become increasingly fascinated by its south-ern regions, so rich in history and authentic local culture.Sicily in particular, with its extraordinary mix of Greek andCarthaginian, of Roman, Arab, Muslim, Norman and Span-ish, provides fertile territory for this passion which combinesa profound knowledge of the historical back-ground with akeen appreciation of the island’s beauties and the variouspleasures it offers.

TOUR LEADER: Neil Moore BA (Hons)

Selinunte Temple

Mt Etna from Taormina Young Man of Mozia

TOUR CODE: NGV- SICILY

DEPOSIT: $500 per person

YOUR HOTELS****:Palermo - Grand Hotel et des PalmesMarsala - Baglio Donna Franca Agrigento – To be advised.Siracusa – Hotel Livingstone.Taormina - Villa Schuler (***)Lipari - To be advised.Mondello – Hotel La torre.NB: Hotels of a similar standard may be

substituted

TOUR PRICE:Per person, twin-share $8,250Single supplement* $1,350Early Booking Reduction - $250(if booked and deposited by 31 March)*Single travellers may request to share. Please

advise at time of booking.

TOUR PRICE INCLUDES:• Transfers on arrival / departure• Accommodation in centrally located 4-star hotels with daily breakfast (B) • Meals as per itinerary (L=Lunch, D=Dinner) including reasonable amounts of wine.for most included meals.• Comfortable air-conditioned coach transport throughout.• Comprehensive sightseeing with your tour leader and local guides, including entrance fees as per itinerary• Gratuities for local guides and drivers• Hotel porterage (1 piece per person).Airport porterage NOT included.

DOES NOT INCLUDE:• Airfares• Additional wines• Items of a personal nature, including telephone, laundry etc.• Travel insurance.

SUGGESTED AIRLINE:Please contact Renaissance Tours forassistance with airfares and flightreservations.

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

How to Book:Complete, sign and return the Booking Formavailable from Renaissance Tours with your depositof $500 per person. Upon receipt of your BookingForm and deposit, you will receive confirmation ofyour place from Renaissance Tours.

Deposit / Final PaymentsDeposit (at time of booking) $500Your deposit is used for hotel deposits and is non-refundable in the event of your cancellation. Yourfinal payment is due 60 days before departure.Failure to make your final payment by the due datemay result in cancellation of your booking and lossof deposit.

Payment by cash, cheque, American Express,Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa is accepted. A3% service charge applies for payment by AmericanExpress and Diners Club.

We reserve the right to charge a late payment fee inthe event of late booking and/or payment to coveradditional communication and other expenses.

Cancellation & Refundsa) Cancellation by You - Cancellation charges willbe applied as shown below, calculated from the daywritten notification is received by RenaissanceTours. In addition to cancellation fees for toursoperated by Renaissance Tours as shown below,airlines, hotels and other third parties may imposeup to 100% cancellation charges.

60 days or more Forfeit of deposit*59 – 45 days 25% of tour cost44 – 31 days 50% of tour cost30 – 15 days 75% of tour costLess than 15 days 100% of tour cost*Includes any flight deposit paid.

The above cancellation charges include applicableGST.In addition to the above cancellation charges, thefull insurance premium together with any existingadministration fees is also payable in the event of acancellation by the Client. If the reason forcancellation is covered by the insurance policy, youmay be able to reclaim these charges.

b) Cancellation by Us - We reserve the right tocancel a tour for any reason (such as failure toreach minimum tour participant numbers). Exceptfor force majeure or the Client's failure to pay thefinal balance, we will not cancel a tour less than 60days before departure (45 days before departure fordomestic tours). Unless the Client fails to pay thefinal balance, we will return all monies paid,excluding payment for travel insurance andadministration fees.

No further compensation will be paid in the event ofcancellation by Renaissance Tours. A full refund ofmonies paid for tour costs will be the full extent ofour liability. Airlines may impose up to 100%cancellation charges.

Passports, Visas and VaccinationsIt is your responsibility to be in possession of apassport valid for 6 months after the date of yourreturn to Australia. You are also responsible forobtaining all necessary visas, inoculations andpreventative medicines as may be required for theduration of the tour. Information about these mattersor related items is given in good faith but withoutresponsibility on the part of Renaissance Tours.

Travel InsuranceIt is a condition of travel that you are covered bycomprehensive travel insurance for internationaltours. You can make your own arrangements oryour travel insurance can be arranged byRenaissance Tours. In either case all participantsmust provide the following information no later than60 days prior to commencement of travel:

• a copy of your travel insurance policy (or details

of master policy)

• the emergency telephone number of your

insurance company

• next of kin emergency contact.

Fitness and ParticipationWhile our tours do not require a special level offitness, for the overall benefit of the group, all tourmembers must possess a moderate level ofmobility, including the ability to:

• negotiate airports and railway stations without

wheelchair assistance

• use combined shower/bath facilities (it is

impossible to guarantee walk-in shower facilities)

• undertake walking tour of 2-3 hours duration,

including using stairs, walking over cobblestones and other uneven surfaces

• stand for long periods in museums and other

sites

• embark / disembark coaches, trains and other

methods of transportation without assistance

• handle your own luggage

If you (or we) have any doubts about your ability toparticipate in your chosen tour, you may be requiredto have a doctor’s appraisal. This would require adoctor to read the itinerary of your chosen tour andprovide you with a written confirmation of your abilityto participate.

Terms & ConditionsYou can find the full terms & conditions on theRenaissance Tours booking form. They can also befound at www.renaissancetours.com.au or we wouldbe happy to post you a copy on request.

TOUR ARRANGEMENTS BY:

Renaissance Tours

Level 4, 47 York st,Sydney NSW 2000(GPO Box, SYDNEY NSW 2001)

Hotels

Tour Prices

Tel: + 61 (2) 9299 5801Fax: + 61 (2) 9299 5805Toll Free: 1300 727 095

www.renaissancetours.com.auemail: info@renaissancetours.com.auABN 14 069 591 448 Lic. 2TA4526

Segesta Greek Theater Palazzo Bellomo - Burial of St Lucia by Carravagio Ortigia - Piazza Duomo