KALEIDOSCOPE: A NEW WAY OF LEARNING Presents

"To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything." — Goethe Set like a diamond in the azure waters of the Mediterranean, Sicily has been the crucible at the crossroads of civilizations. This is Homer’s “island of the sun”, the heart of the Mediterranean that still bears the stamp of the major civilizations that gazed upon on its shores: Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Hebrews, Normans, the Holy Roman Empire. These civilizations left their architectural and cultural footprints on the island: the best-preserved Greek temples and theaters, mosaics and frescoes, magnificent churches and chapels, Islamic cloisters, and Baroque cathedrals and palaces: an embarrassment of riches in an Island that boasts such jewels as Agrigento's Concordia temple, the monumental rubble of the columns at Selinunte, the theatres at Taormina and Siracusa, the mosaics of Morreale. Our journey begins on the mainland, in Calabria, as we wend our way down the spectacularly beautiful and aptly named costa degli dei (coastline of the gods), to Reggio where we stop to take in the unrivalled classical magnificence of the Riace bronzes and to stroll along the lungomare that the poet Dannunzio called the most beautiful kilometer in all of Italy. From here, like Odysseus, we gaze upon the Island of the sun and venture into the straight of Messina under the watchful gaze of Scylla and Charybdis. We begin each day with a breakfast lecture by Prof. Damiano Pietropaolo, preparing us for our daily adventure; and (it goes without saying) during our 9-day cultural journey into the heart of the Mediterranean our palate will take sensual delight in the paradise of Sicilian cuisine and wines. Damiano Pietropaolo is an award winning writer/producer, theatre director, and lecturer. For over thirty years he was head of cultural programming for CBC radio and adjunct professor at the University of Toronto. As a documentary producer he has travelled all over the world, but his heart keeps calling him back to Sicily and Southern Italy were he was born and raised. Since directing plays by Pirandello in Agrigento some thirty years ago, Damiano has returned to Sicily on numerous occasions. His love affair with the “island of the sun” has led to a life long exploration of Sicilian art, culture and archeology. He is currently producing a major documentary on Sicily as the gateway to the creation of Modern Europe. Tour Dates May 2nd to May 11 2015 Cost $ 3,299.00 pp plus applicable taxes Deposit Required $500.00 pp Date for final registration: December 15th 2014

To obtain a registration form please contact: Rochelle Diamond 416-781-0329 anewwayoflearning@hotmail.com Sabina Green 416-481-7734

KALEIDOSCOPE: A NEW WAY OF LEARNING Journey to Sicily with Damiano Pietropaolo May 2 SAT Departure Toronto Pearson Airport Alitalia AZ 651 at 22.30 May 3 SUN Arrival in Rome. Proceed for Lamezia with arrival at 15.55. Check- in at hotel

Dinner and overnight Hotel 501 – Vibo Valentia Dinner www.hotel501.it Tel. (0963) 43951

May 4 MON After Breakfast, lecture by Prof Pietropaolo preparing for our exploration of The Coastline of the Gods. En route a brief visit to Pizzo, picturesque seaside resort, a thriving fishing village and historical centre where you can sample the world-renowned tartufo, visit to the Madonna di Piedigrotta. Early afternoon stroll through Tropea, the pearl of the Mediterranean. Dinner at hotel. Hotel 501 – Vibo Valentia Brkfst/Dinner www.hotel501.it Tel. (0963) 43951

May 5 TUES After Breakfast Check out and proceed for Sicily. En route stop in Reggio Calabria to visit the Bronzi di Riace and walk along the “best km of Italy” boardwalk. In the afternoon proceed for Sicily, and a leisurely tour of enchanting Taormina, popular as a cultural tourism destination for its beautifully preserved and spectacular Greek theater still used for summer performances. Lying on the slopes of Mt. Tauro, it has breathtaking views of the coast and Mt. Etna. It's also a good place for shopping and visiting beaches. Dinner at hotel. Hotel Orizzonte – Acireale B/D www.hotelorizzonte.it Tel. (095) 886-006

May 6

WED After breakfast, Lecture on the Sicilian Baroque by Prof Pietropaolo, then a guided tour of the city city of Noto, the pearl of Baroque art in Sicily and A UNESCO world heritage site. Destroyed by an earthquake in1693, the city was rebuilt to surpass its former splendor. In the afternoon, we will enjoy a guided tour of the island of Ortigia, the historical centre of Siracusa with a visit to the ear of Dionysus and the Greek Theatre. Dinner at hotel. Hotel Orizzonte – Acireale B/D www.hotelorizzonte.it Tel. (095) 886-006

May 7 THU After breakfast, Lecture by Prof Pietropaolo on the Greek Heritage of Sicily. Check out followed by a guided visit to “Valle dei Templi” in Agrigento; home to the best Greek Temples still standing in their original unrestored splendor. On route, a tour of “Il Feudo dei Principi di Butera”, a prestigious Sicilian vineyard where we can appreciate the vigorous vines, underground cantine, and the Slovenian-made barrels as large as 6.000 lbs. Sommeliers will introduce us to the taste of the local cuisine accompanied by local wines (Optional). Dinner at hotel, and evening at leisure. Hotel Della Valle, Agrigento. B/D

May 8 FRI After breakfast, lecture by Prof Pietropaolo on Sicily and the birth of Modern Italy. After checkout we wend our way to the hilltop Medieval town of Erice, stop for lunch in Marsala, where we must delight our palates with the legendary marsala wines. In Erice we will enjoy a leisurely afternoon in the medieval splendors of the town pausing to take in the breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea and the salt depot of Trapani Dinner at hotel. Hotel in downtown Palermo TBA B/D

May9 SAT After breakfast, Lecture by Prof Pietropaolo on Sicily and its Middle Eastern Roots. Followed by a guided walking tour of Palermo to explore the lively Capo Market, a large open-air street market that captures the flavor of its Arab past. Walk to Porta Carini of what used to be the city wall. Continue to Pretoria and Via Maqueda to Quattro Conti to see the Baroque palaces dating from the Spanish rule from 1560. Free time for lunch, shopping, leisure or tour on your own the Palazzo Normanno and/or Cappella Palatina. Dinner at Hotel Hotel in Palermo TBA. B/D

May10 SUN After breakfast Lecture by Prof Pietropaolo Palermo through the ages followed by a visit to the Cathedral of Monreale, the greatest monument of Norman Sicily. The monumental complex, consisting of the Basilica, the monastery and the Royal Palace was built in the twelfth century, and remains outstanding historical testament to the unrivaled role that Sicily and its capital Palermo played as a crucible of cultures linking the ancient Mediterranean to Modern Europe. Return to Palermo. Dinner and at the Hotel. Hotel TBA . B/D

May11 MON During breakfast final conversation with Prof. Pietropaolo on Sicilian journeys. Good-byes, Check out and departure from Palermo.