Grand Tour 2018: Sicily

It is a great pleasure to draw your attention to an exclusive garden-, art- and architecture trip to Sicily, which we organize around the upcoming 12th Manifesta exhibition. The five or six day trip will take place from 12 to 17/18 October 2018.

Manifesta, the European nomadic biennial, will be held from 16 June 2018 to 4 November 2018 in the city of Palermo. For centuries, Palermo has been the center of collision and fusion of cultures. Constant migratory flows, from the ancient Greeks, Arabs and Normans to the recent arrival of people from North Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, have shaped the city and the island. The theme of this Manifesta, ‘The Planetary Garden. Cultivating Coexistence. ‘, grew out of two important themes that identify contemporary Europe: migration and climate changes. The exhibition proposes the garden as a lab where various life forms can adapt to each other, can coexist with each other.

Every era in Sicily, under the influence of the arrival and departure of people from all corners of the world, a new view emerges on landscape and beauty. Our planned journey takes you through the different viewpoints. From the melting pot Palermo, past the ruptured land art of Alberto Burri, to valleys from Greek and Roman antiquities to arrive at the birthplace of modern tourism (Grand Tour) in Taormina in the 19th century. We will visit excellent restaurants and hotels. More about the program below.

We focus on bringing together a group of minimum 12 to around 25 people. Guided tours on site are in English. We are hopeful that we will bring together an international group and, if you feel like it, would thank you for selectively forwarding this announcement. With our past trips we succeeded in bringing together a dedicated, curious and diverse group of people. We are curious if such a journey would also work with a European/international group.   

The deadline to make a go/no go decision is Sunday, July 8th. We hope to have made you curious. It would be a real honor if you would consider to accompany us. If so, we would like to receive your application as soon as possible/ at your earliest convenience, to secure flights and hotels. We have already fixed flights to and from the Netherlands. For our other guests we will suggest flights depending on your location.

Highlights from the Noha GT6: Sicily program

Arrival

Friday October 12, 2018

  • Flights to Palermo; indication flight from Amsterdam leaves at 17.30
  • Evening welcome drink in the hotel; dinner for early arrival guests.

Day 1: The Planetary Garden

Saturday, October 13, 2018

  • Introduction to Manifesta in Teatro Garibaldi.
  • Visit to the Orto Botanico di Palermo and other Manifesta location spread around the old town in palazzo’s and churches.

Day 2: Liberty Style: Palermo en Mondello

Sunday, October 14, 2018

  • Morning around the museums and Manifesta sites In the center of Palermo
  • Afternoon visit to seaside resort Mondello next to Palermo.
  • Dinner in the art nouveau beach pavilion Antico Stabilimento Balneare di Mondello. (t.b.c.)

Day 3: The Greek arrival

Monday, October 15, 2018

  • Per coach to Agrigento where will spend the night, via:
  • Cretto di Burri, a giant piece of land art in remembrance of destroyed village designed by Alberto Burri in 1984 and completed in 2015.
  • Visit to the Scala dei Turchi, a rocky cliff formed by marl and limestone and a true natural wonder.

Day 4: The Roman arrival

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

  • Valle dei Templi is an archaeological dig in Agrigento.
  • Giardino della Kolymbethra, an archaeological site and garden in the heart of the Valle dei Templi.
  • The mosaics unearthed after excavations in the Villa Romana del Casale are one of most varied collections of Roman mosaics in the world, UNESCO World Heritage.

Day 5: Arrival of the Tourist

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

  • Taormina, is one of the oldest Greek colonies on the island and was already an important city in ancient times before the arrival of the Greeks. It was ‘rediscovered’ in the 19th century and became part of the Grand Tour itenary.
  • Visit to Casa Cuseni, built by the 19th century British painter Robert H. Kitson.
  • The Giardino Villa Madonna della Rocca is a Arts and Crafts garden made by an Austrian in the early twentieth century.
  • Evening flight back from Catania for those would like to return this day.

Day 6: Gardens on the Etna

Thursday, October 18, 2018

  • The Greek Theater in Taormina.
  • Visit to gardens and landscapes at the foot of the Etna volcano.
  • Lunch at Il Giardino del Biviere, a Mediterranean private garden created on the site of a historic lake near Syracuse (t.b.c.)
  • Early evening return flights from Catania to different destinations. (as example flight to Amsterdam goes at 6.15 pm)

Costs 

The five-day trip costs € 1750,- per person based on a double room or € 1.990,- for a single room ex flight costs. (as indication current return flight from/ to Amsterdam is € 250,-

The six-day trip costs € 1970,- per person based on a double room or € 2.265,- for a single room ex flight costs.

Prices mentioned include all lunches, dinners, overnight stays (well chosen 3 and 4 star hotels) , entrance fees, tours and all coach transportation on the island. N.B. The journey continues with a minimum number of 12 participants. Prices are subject to current hotel and flight prices. We are curious from and where to you would like to travel and depending on your preference we or you can book your flights. Because of our previous Dutch trips and clientele we expect this trip to have a Dutch core, with an international perspective.

Travel terms & conditions

Participation is based on the order of registration and is subject to a minimum number of 12 participants. When reaching the minimum number of participants, an email with the invoice will be sent to confirm the trip. Please pay the travel costs within 14 days.

The following cancellation conditions apply if you have to cancel the trip due to circumstances. The costs are based on the number of days before departure on which you cancel the trip:

● Until the 42nd day: administration costs € 35, -.

● From the 42nd day until the 28th day: 25% of the travel sum

● From the 28th day to the 14th day: 40% of the travel sum

● From the 14th day until the day of departure: 75% of the travel sum

● On the day of departure or later: the full travel sum

Flight tickets or train tickets booked by Noha and other tickets that can not be changed are an exception to what is mentioned above. Regardless of the time of cancellation, in this case the cancellation costs are always 100%. Cancellation is only possible in writing by sending an email to info@noha.nu or kai@noha.nu. A place on the trip is transferable when hindered.
Everyone is responsible for taking care of their own travel insurance. The general terms and conditions and the general travel conditions apply to the trips offered by Noha.

N.B. Noha will, at the time of the trip, have joined one of the guarantee funds for specialized and small travel organizations. This is a legal obligation for offering group travels. A final choice of a fund will follow.