Day 1: Palermo
Visit of the historic
centre of Palermo which has countless places of worship, many of which have
been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The religious symbol of the city
is certainly the Cathedral where the relics of Saint Rosalie, Patroness of Palermo,
are kept. You cannot miss a visit to another place that has made the capital
famous all over the world: the Palatine Chapel; located inside the Norman
Palace, it was erected in 1129 by King Roger II and dedicated to St. Peter the
Apostle. In the historical centre and close to each other are the Church of
Santa Caterina, which with its marble and frescoes is one of the most decorated
in the city, the Church of Martorana, a perfect fusion of different artistic
styles and the Church of San Cataldo famous for its red cups.
Curiosity:
on the night between the 14th and 15th of July the feast of Santa Rosalia is
celebrated in Palermo. Thousands of people accompany the "Carro della
Santuzza" in a procession from the Cathedral to the Foro Italico. This
event celebrates the liberation of the city from the plague in 1624, following
the discovery of the relics of the Saint on Mount Pellegrino.
Day 2:
Palermo - Tindari - Messina (approx. 290 Km)
Leaving Palermo to head
to Messina we will visit the suggestive Sanctuary of the Black Madonna of
Tindari. Built on a cliff overlooking the sea, it houses a unique statue of the
Virgin Mary in cedar wood. Legend has it that this Byzantine statue was part of
the cargo of a ship from the East that had found refuge from a storm in the bay
above the Sanctuary today. Only when the Statue of the Black Madonna was
deposited ashore, the ship was able to leave again. The afternoon is dedicated
to the visit of Messina and another Sanctuary located on the Colle della
Caperrina: the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Montalto. The history of this
Sanctuary is linked to the war of the "Sicilian Vespers" in 1282,
when it is said that the Madonna appeared under the robes of a White Lady who
protected the people of Messina. According to the legend it was the flight of a
white dove that determined the perimeter in which the church would be built.
Curiosity:
the Cathedral of Messina is next to a bell tower about 60 meters high with a
beautiful astronomical clock. At the stroke of noon the statuettes of the clock
begin to move to the sound of the Ave Maria that echoes throughout the square.
Day 3: Messina - Catania (approx. 95 Km)
After breakfast
departure to Catania, another city full of symbols and religious symbols. The
main place of worship is the Cathedral of St. Agatha, located in the historic
center and dedicated to the Virgin martyr and patron saint of the city. The Via
dei Crociferi, one of the oldest streets of Catania, owes its name to the
presence of four churches in a few hundred meters: the Church of San Benedetto,
connected to the homonymous convent, the Church of San Francesco Borgia, the
Jesuit College with its charming cloister and the Church of San Giuliano. Another religious place remarkable is the Monastery of
the Benedictines, one of the largest monastery complexes in Europe.
Curiosity:
in the month of February more than one million tourists and faithful arrive in
Catania for the Feast of St. Agatha. During this religious celebration the
remains of the Saint are transported in a silver coffin followed in procession
by hundreds of devotees dressed in the traditional "sack". a tight
white tunic and a black cap. The vara is followed by eleven "cannalori",
wooden columns representing the city's arts and crafts guilds.
Day 4: Departure
After breakfast starts
the round trip to destination