Sicily & Rome
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Day 1
Depart from U.S.
Day 2
Arrive Catania airport. Assistance and transfer from airport to hotel in a spectacularly located villa in Mount Etna National Park . Get to know your companions while celebrating with wine and Sicilian hors d'oeuvres, and meet Dr. Yunus Tuncel who will give an introductory presentation.
Day 3
Taormina : guided tour of the historical old-town and ancient Greek theater. Dr. Tuncel will introduce you to the culture of Magna Graecia , a birthplace of Western philosophy. The Greek colony that dated back to the 8th century B.C. now constitutes southern Italy and the island of Sicily . In the afternoon enjoy this pleasant seaside resort. Dinner in a restaurant typical of the area.
Day 4
Morning excursion to Mount Etna to discuss philosophy in the shadow of the snow-capped volcano. Dr. Tuncel's talk will cover the Presocratic philosophers, the Sophists and introduce Socrates. In the afternoon explore beautiful Catania followed by dinner in a regional restaurant.
Day 5
Syracuse (Siracusa). Check-in at a truly magnificent villa in the hills and discuss Socrates and Plato in the large surrounding park, explore the city with your escort and enjoy dinner in a restaurant known for its local color.
Day 6
Agrigento . Leave early morning to visit Agrigento 's extraordinarily well-preserved Greek temples. Dr. Tuncel’s lecture, at the site, will be dedicated to the work of Empedocles and you will have free time in the afternoon before returning to Syracuse for dinner at the Villa.
Day 7
Syracuse . Guided tour of the Greek theater carved in the rock and the other sites dating from the time of Magna Graecia . Plato and Aristotle will be discussed during the tour and you will be free in the afternoon. Dinner at the Villa.
Day 8
Transfer to Catania airport for your flight to Rome . Bid farewell to Sicily and your Sicilian tour escort and welcome to Rome . Transfer to the hotel where you will spend the next two nights - it is situated in the very center of Rome in what, in former times, was a prestigious monastery! In the afternoon, Dr. Tuncel will speak on Greek and Roman philosophy from the fourth century B.C.E. to the third century C.E. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 9
Your tour of Rome will include, among other famous sites, the Forum, the Colosseum, and the Pantheon and while viewing them the topics covered will be neo-Platonism and neo Aristotelianism from the time of the Roman empire . Dinner at the Villa accompanied by a summary of the lectures.
Day 10
If you are returning to the States, transfers to Rome airport will be arranged. It is also possible to extend your stay in Italy and / or other European countries.
Note:
All our programs are customized. Prices are on request and depend on the size of the groups, the time of the year the group will travel, the standard of the hotels and all the services you would like to include.
WHO TO CONTACT
Travel arrangements by:
Celestial Voyagers, Inc.
79 Watermill Lane
Great Neck, NY 11021
Email: sales@celestialvoyagers.com
Phone: 800 651 6262 - 516 829 1525
Fax: 516 829 0703
Philosophical topics and Academic consultation by:
P hilomobile
Yunus Tuncel, Ph. D.
P.O. Box 575
New York, NY 10011-0575
Phone: 201 985 8232
Email: Yunus@philomobile.com
www.philomobile.com