A welcome cocktail with Italian specialties will be held at the Municipal Theatre of Siracusa as an occasion for all participants to meet and interact with each other.

All guests will have the chance to live an entertaining networking event enjoying delicious food and drinks with music entertainment in the charming Ortea Palace Luxury Hotel, a magnificent building from 1920, known as “Palazzo delle Poste” in the historic centre of Syracuse, on the splendid Porto Piccolo of the island of Ortigia, where commensals will be immersed in Siracusa’s history while consuming a dinner with local specialties.

Siracusa is a window into the ancient history of the Mediterranean and Europe. Its vast archeological site, on the edge of the modern city, is a rare treasure of temples, amphitheatres and an ancient castle. The island of Ortygia, a labyrinth of charming ancient and medieval streets, was a center of Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Judaic civilization. Physical evidence of these three cultures can still be seen today, making Ortygia a fascinating place to visit for anybody curious about the historic patrimony we have inherited from classical mythology, early Christianity and medieval Judaism.

Starting from here, in the morning participants will be guided to a tour on Mount Etna, which has been designated a Decade Volcano by the United Nations and it was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Participants will then have lunch at a typical Sicilian restaurant.

In the afternoon, the tour will be taken to Taormina.

The city was founded in the 1st century BC and has been a tourist destination since the 19th century. Its Ancient Theatre, probably of Roman date, faces Mount Etna and Taormina’s wonderful beaches, like the famous Isola Bella

The guided walk will begin in the wide and magnificent Piazza Duomo of Siracusa, on the highest point of Ortigia island, is the symbol of Baroque reconstruction of the city after the earthquake of 1693.
After having admired the Duomo (Cathedral) of Siracusa – erected on the ruins of an ancient Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Athena and later converted into a mosque, truly considered one of the finest examples of Sicilian Baroque style and since 2005 listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site – the tour will then lead guests to the charming Giudecca district – the ancient Jewish district.
The walk will then continue to the Puppet Theatre known as the ‘Opera dei Pupi’ to discover the history of a famous puppets artisan family and enjoy a Pupi show transporting guests through time in a magical atmosphere, narrating stories about French paladins, saints, and many local legends.

The bus will arrive at Catania approximately at 10 am, and participants will be taken on a guided visit of the city.

Catania is the second largest city of Sicily. Founded in 8^th century BC, it was destroyed by catastrophic earthquakes in 1169 and 1693, and several volcanic eruptions from the neighbouring Mount Etna, the most violent of which was in 1669. The city was then rebuilt in Baroque, the style that nowadays characterizes its architecture.

Catania is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy.

Its old town, besides being one of the biggest examples of Baroque architecture in Italy, is a World Heritage Site, protected by UNESCO.

Lunch will be hosted at Avuciata Restaurant in the fish market of Catania.

The bus will take participants to the airport after lunch.