Fire & Ice – The Wonders of Sicily, Italy & Austria

16 days from £1,599 pp.

About the Tour

Join us on this Grand Explorer holiday for a journey of discovery, as we capture some of Europe’s most spectacular natural and ancient wonders. From vast volcanoes to the Rome Colosseum, our tour begins with the mighty Mountains of Italy, as we take in the vast Vesuvius, the haunting ruins of Pompeii and the mighty Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano. Guests also have the opportunity to join a boat trip to Stromboli, to see the spectacular volcano, which has been continually erupting for over 2000 years. In contrast, we then visit Austria’s highest mountain, the icy Grossglockner glacier, which offers breath taking views of the surrounding alpine scenery. On this grand coach tour we also spend time in the popular resort of Sorrento, visit the ancient wonders of Rome and give guests the opportunity to visit the Isle of Capri and the Sicilian town of Syracuse. This holiday is part of our GRAND EXPLORER range.

Tour Includes

  • 15 nights hotel with continental breakfast
  • 13 evening meals
  • Convenient local joining points
  • Travel by Silver Service or upgrade to Luxuria
Dates & Prices

Once you have booked your tour either online, or by telephone ( 01709 787 463 ), you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can:

  • Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
  • Send payments via online banking.
  • Send payments via cheque.
  • Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.

Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.

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Your Itinerary

    Local departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then to northern France for an overnight stay.

    We depart our overnight hotel early this morning as we begin our journey towards Italy. During the day we will travel through Switzerland, bypassing places such as Basel and Lucerne before arriving at our hotel in the Parma area for an overnight stay.

    • Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

    We continue our journey south bypassing Bologna, home of the famous Bolognese sauce and the Tuscan capital of Florence. We continue past the ‘eternal city’ of Rome and later Naples, Italy’s third largest city, before arriving at our hotel on the Sorrento Peninsula for a three-night stay.

    • Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
    Pompeii

    Pompeii

    Today we visit the historic town of Pompeii at the foot of Mount Vesuvius on our included excursion. We begin our day with a visit to Pompeii, and the spectacular ruins of what was once a great Roman city. In 79AD the eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried the town of Pompeii in about 6/7 metres of stones and ash. Painstaking excavations, which are still ongoing, began in the 18th century and have uncovered a remarkable hidden city. Accompany your expert guide around the town, walking along roads with indents from the passing of chariot wheels and discovering the remains of homes, shops and public baths (entrance to the ruins is included). We then continue to the awe-inspiring Mount Vesuvius. Discover the history of the volcano’s activity. The coach will take you within 1000 metres of the summit and from here you can walk to the very top and admire the splendid, panoramic views across the bay. Please note: there is a local charge of approximately €10 to visit the crater.

    • Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
    Mount Vesuvius

    Mount Vesuvius

    A free day in Sorrento today, or you can join our superb optional excursion as we sail across the Bay of Naples to the Isle of Capri. Visit the fabulous villa of Dr Axel Munthe (entrance cost is extra – approximately €8), a Swedish doctor, whose bestselling book “Story of San Michele” tells of his time on Capri. Continue to Capri town, famous for its main square Piazza Umberto, which has a pretty white church and several open-air cafes where you can sit and watch the world drift by. Leading off the square are medieval looking alleyways and arcades full of shops selling handicrafts of the island, clothing, shoes, ceramics and jewellery made from coral and gold. There is so much to see and do on this tiny island paradise you will be sorry to leave.

    • Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

    We leave our hotel and travel south to the ‘foot’ of Italy and take a ferry across to Sicily where we stay for the next five nights.

    • Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
    Mount Etna

    Mount Etna

    Today we take an unforgettable drive up Mount Etna, the highest volcano in Europe. Standing at 3350 meters (10,991ft) Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is in an almost constant state of eruption. Although it can occasionally be very destructive, it is not generally regarded as being a dangerous volcano. Thousands of people live on its slopes and in the surrounding areas where the fertile volcanic soil support extensive agriculture. Our coach takes us within 1900 meters and if the weather is good why not enhance your experience of Etna with a visit to its summit (at own cost). A 15-minute gondola ride takes you to 2504mts and offers some fantastic views of the landscape, which has been characterised by countless lava flows. For the more adventurous, we then join the special modernised ‘Busses’ which, driven by expert drivers, take you on a 20-minute journey to an altitude of 3000mts. There will be some free time at the summit to photograph the impressive central and southeast craters before we commence our descent. Later in the day we travel to Taormina for free time where you can explore the sights or perhaps visit some of the many shops along the car free main street ‘Corso Umberto’.

    • Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

    Enjoy a free day to relax in resort.

    • Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
    Stromboli

    Stromboli

    Another memorable optional excursion today as we leave the hotel and take a boat to the tiny island of Panarea. We arrive at the port and then either walk or perhaps take a local taxi (own cost) into the village centre. We spend free time on this enchanting island surrounded by typical Aeolian white houses and clear blue seas. Perhaps meander through the town centre, have a meal in one of the restaurants, or enjoy a swim at Zimmari Beach. This evening we board a boat and travel out to Stromboli and anchor off shore to view the mighty volcano at night. This is the best time to see the mountains fiery explosions, a truly breathtaking sight. We return by sea to Milazzo and then return to our hotel late this evening.

    • Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner*
    Syracuse

    Syracuse

    A further day at leisure today or why not join our optional excursion to Syracuse, once the most powerful of all Mediterranean cities and the home of the famous natural Philosopher, Archimedes. Accompanied by our guide, we are introduced to the delights of this lovely town. We see the grand Theatre whose cavea is one of the largest ever built by the ancient Greeks. Entrance to the Archaeological area is also included.

    • Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

    We say goodbye to Sicily as we travel back to the foot of Italy and head north to Fiuggi and onto our overnight hotel.

    • Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
    Rome

    Rome

    We leave our hotel this morning as we head north towards our overnight hotel in Tuscany. En-route we visit the beautiful Italian capital city of Rome. A lovely place to explore on foot, our optional walking tour is a fantastic way to introduce you to the city’s array of spectacular sites. We see the famous Trevi Fountain, and to ensure a return visit to the city, it is tradition to toss a coin into the water. We also see the beautiful Piazza Venezia, the central hub of Rome in which many thoroughfares intersect. The imposing Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, first king of Italy, dominates the piazza. The Viale di Fori Imperiali starts here, a main thoroughfare, which leads past the Roman Forum and Trajan’s Forum, to the mighty Colosseum (entrance not included). Although Rome is a relatively compact city, we would remind you that this is a walking tour, not suitable for anyone with mobility difficulties and we would recommend you wear suitable shoes for the day.

    • Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

    We continue our journey north as we head towards the Austrian Tyrol. We pass the beautiful border town of Vipiteno, the ancient city of the Fugger. We continue our journey across the magnificent Brenner Pass and to our hotel where we stay for two nights.

    • Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
    Krimml Falls

    Krimml Falls

    Our included excursion takes us along the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse and up the Grossglockner, which at 3,789 metres, is Austria’s highest mountain. We view the icy world of the massive Grossglockner Glacier from the magnificently situated Franz-Josefs-Heights panorama viewing platform.

    • Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

    To Belgium for an overnight stay.

    • Included meals: Breakfast

    Return home.

    • Included meals: Breakfast

    Your Excursions

    Included Excursions & Visits

    • ‘Fire’ – Pompeii & Vesuvius - Volcano-hit preserved Roman town and active volcano
    • Sorrento - Picturesque resort
    • ‘Fire’ – Mount Etna - Europe’s highest active volcano
    • Taormina - Mythical atmosphere
    • Rome - The eternal city
    • ‘Ice’ – Grossglockner Glacier

    Optional Excursions & Visits

    • ‘Fire’ – Stromboli - Evening volcano views
    • Syracuse - Beautiful Sicilian town
    • Rome Guided Sightseeing
    • Isle of Capri - Magical views across the Bay of Naples

    Notes

    Please Note: This tour is not suitable for mobility scooters. Wheelchairs are acceptable, though the terrain may cause some difficulties. *Customers travelling on the optional excursion to Stromboli will receive a packed lunch instead of dinner on this day.


    Travel Insurance from £38.00 (16 days). Single Room Supplement from £279.00 (16 days).

    Frequently asked questions about our tours

    Certain excursions are included in the price of your holiday. If you choose not to go on an included excursion, for whatever reason, no refunds will be made.
    Yes, you will receive one with your Travel Documents, which are sent 7-10 days before departure.
    We believe that our holidays may not be suitable for children under 8 years old (except for Disneyland Paris bookings) however, we will consider individual requests on application. Customers aged 18 and under at the time of travel must be accompanied by an adult, parent or guardian aged over 18 years old.
    You can check weather averages at here.

    Accommodation

    You will stay in minimum 3-star hotels for one night in the Parma area of northern Italy; one night in Fiuggi, to the south of Rome; and one night in Tuscany.

    You will spend three nights on the Sorrento Peninsula in a 3-star hotel such as the Hotel Mary in Vico Equense, followed by five nights on the island of Sicily at a minimum 3-star hotel such as the Hotel Kennedy in Sant Alessio in Siculo.

    In the Austrian Tyrol you will spend two nights in a minimum 3-star hotel.

    Overnight stays in northern France and Belgium are in city-style hotels.

    Austria

    Hotel Sonnschein

    Sonnschein

    Find out more

    Sonnschein

    A warm welcome awaits you at the family-run Hotel Sonnschein. Situated in its own gardens and parkland, the hotel is located on the edge of the quiet village of Niederau in the Wildschonau Valley. Gill Thaler provides a typically Tyrolean welcome – even though your hostess is actually originally from Birmingham! All bedrooms are beautifully furnished with en-suite facilities, television and hairdryer. The spacious restaurant, bar and sun terrace provide the ideal meeting place to relax. Leisure facilities include both indoor and outdoor swimming pools (subject to season), table tennis, mini-golf (small charge), sauna, steam bath and whirlpool.

    • Swimming Pool
    • English Speaking Staff
    • Bureau de Change
    • Guest Lounge
    • Bar
    • Restaurant
    • Lift
    • WiFi Available
    • TV
    • Hairdryer
    • Bath and/or Shower
    • Telephone

    Frequently asked questions about accommodation

    If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.

    No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.

    All hotel rooms benefit from private bathroom facilities.
    Some hotels have tea and coffee making facilities. Please check the tour pages for more information or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
    Most hotels have a lift, please call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 for more information.
    Some hotels have ground floor rooms. Please email for information on individual hotels or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
    Your hotels will supply towels in your room.

    We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.

    We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.

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    Travel Information

    Frequently asked questions about travel options

    Departure times given for each region are approximate. Please check your travel documents to confirm the actual timings.

    Front row seats can be reserved for £14pp (up to 6 days' duration), £22pp (7 & 8 days' duration) and £25pp (9 days' duration and over) on all European tours. This offer is only available for bookings of two or four persons on the front row and is subject to availability. In addition to this, seats on the second row can be reserved for £7pp (up to 6 days duration), £14pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £17pp (9 days duration and over). Guaranteed front/second row seats cannot be reserved on transfer journeys to/from the interchange. Children under 15 years cannot occupy a front row seat due to French Law. Central view seats are free.

    Please note: On some coaches the legroom on front seats may be slightly less than that available on other seats due to the presence of a modesty board in front.

    If your tour is cancelled for any reason and front/second row seats are not available on your new tour, you will be refunded the supplement. No other compensation will be payable.

    Alternatively, we can take seating requests on your booking. However, requests are not guaranteed. All seat numbers are confirmed on travel documents approximately 7-10 days prior to departure.

    We guarantee that all passengers on the same booking will be seated together on the main tour coach. Seats on the transfer coaches to and from the interchange are not allocated.
    Hot and cold drinks are served on your main tour coach. Prices are approximately £1 or €1.25 Euro per drink. Prices will be confirmed by your driver.

    Transfer coaches are routed approximately 2-3 weeks before departure. The route taken depends on where paassengers are booked to travel from on any particular date as to which route is taken. If you require further detailed information regarding the route to the port you can contact our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 two weeks before you are due to travel.

    With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.

    All main tour coaches have on-board toilets. Transfer vehicles to and from the interchange may not have on-board toilets. When non-British coaches are used on transfers and tours (air holidays only) an on-board toilet may not be available. However, comfort stops will be made during long journeys.
    All coaches feature air-conditioning. Should the air-conditioning system break down for a period exceeding 12 hours, compensation will be awarded up to a maximum of £10 per fare-paying passenger per tour.
    All our coaches and transfer vehicles operate a 'no smoking on board policy'. The use of electronic cigarettes is strictly forbidden.
    In the interest of fellow guests, do not take hot food or ice cream on board.
    alcohol can only be taken on board our vehicles at the discretion of your driver.
    Depending on the location of your pickup point, you may be picked up by coach (not necessarily the on you are touring on), minibus, taxi, National Express or Megabus service. You may then be taken to another centralised pickup location or service station. We operate a passenger interchange at Stop 24 Services, where you will meet the tour coach you are holidaying on and then continue on with your outbound journey. Similarly, on the way home, you may also change transfer vehicles at another location, to take you to your final drop off point.
    Your allowance is one medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full. We may refuse to carry larger or heavier cases. Hand luggage should be stored in the overhead racks aboard the coach. Nothing should be stored under your seat.

    Customer Reviews

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    01709 787 463

    To book this tour, just give our friendly team a call on 01709 787 463 or book online at www.leger.co.uk