Venice, Florence and Rome may get all the attention, but as Mr. Harper notes in the September 2011 Hideaway Report, Sicily boasts some of the most spectacular archaeological sites in all of Europe. Add in some meals with royalty and a chartered jet to ensure ease of travel, and you have the makings of a truly remarkable Signature Tour.

Limited to just 14 participants, this Andrew Harper Signature Tour (October 1-13) encompasses the most fascinating and beautiful sights in Sicily, as well as a number of palaces and estates normally off-limits to visitors. After digging deep into this enigmatic Mediterranean island, travelers are whisked by chartered jet directly to the Amalfi Coast, one of the world’s most gorgeously sybaritic stretches of cliffs and sea.

Some highlights of this Signature Tour:

• Chartered jet flight from Catania to Naples
• Dinner with Conte and Contessa Federico in the 12th-century Arab-Norman tower of their private palace
• Presentation by Judge Fabio Licata about the role of the Mafia in Sicilian society
• Lunch and cooking class at the olive oil estate of Gianfranco and Gabriella Becchini
• Private tour of the Florio Winery’s cellars in Marsala
• Surprisingly expressive and well-preserved Roman mosaics in the Villa Casale
• Presentation by journalist Wendy Mazza about the development of Sicilian culture throughout history
• Private tour and lunch at the Borghese Estate accompanied by Princess Maria Carla Borghese
• Private tastings at a vineyard and mozzarella farm on the Amalfi Coast
• Farewell dinner at Michelin-starred La Caravella, former archive of the Duchy of Amalfi

For more information about the Andrew Harper Signature Tour of Sicily and the Amalfi Coast, contact Peter Delgado at the Andrew Harper Travel Office: (800) 375-4685 or (630) 734-4610.