SICILIAN ODYSSEY

SICILIAN ODYSSEY
PRE-CRUISE EXTENSION AT PALAZZO BELMONTE
19th to 22nd May 2016
Palazzo Belmonte, Courtyard
We are pleased to be offering the opportunity to extend your time in Italy before your cruise aboard the
MS Island Sky cruise with a three night stay at the Palazzo Belmonte prior to embarking the vessel in
Naples. Please find below details of the hotel and the programme and we look forward to you joining us.
PALAZZO BELMONTE
Just a couple of hours drive south of Naples lies a beautiful and unspoiled area of seemingly endless white sandy beaches, lush hills, historic hilltop towns
and fishing villages. Set amid this wonderfully attractive area is the 17th century Palazzo Belmonte, the only Italian palazzo situated directly on the beach.
Built for the family of the present Principe di Belmonte, who still resides in a private wing, this truly romantic building was used as a hunting lodge by the
Kings of Italy and Spain. After many years of sympathetic conversion this delightful property now offers a perfect place to relax and unwind.
Leave your French doors open at night and enjoy the pleasure of falling asleep and waking to the sounds of the sea. Enjoy the scents of the garden,
birdsong and absorb the peace and tranquillity of this little oasis. Stroll down to breakfast in the garden, enjoy a swim in the pool or walk along the beach
to the next village. Meals can be taken open-air on the terrace with sea views and at night it really comes into its own as you dine to the background
sound of the surf.
This really is a very special place if you prefer the quiet life. It is not glitzy and glamorous in the way of a typical grand Italian hotel. Palazzo Belmonte
is unique, and because it is privately owned it has that extra ingredient that separates it from the chain hotels of this world. The love, care and thought
provided by the owner is reflected in a hundred different ways, something very few deluxe hotels can emulate.
Situated in a picturesque and untouched area of southern Italy, in the heart of Magna Graecia, this truly romantic building offers an idyllic retreat. When
you enter via its imposing gates you step into a timeless world, a walled five-acre garden of almost semi tropical splendour which in turn gives way to a
white sandy beach, stretching for miles along the bay. Dominating the estate is the beautiful Palazzo and hidden away in the lush gardens is the more
recently built Villa Belmonte, named after the Prince’s daughters and designed to complement the historic palazzo.
You have the choice of staying in either building in a range of rooms and suites. The accommodation is beautifully appointed and whilst all rooms are
individual they share the same fresh feel with whitewashed walls, terracotta floors, wrought iron beds and colourful tiled bathrooms, with antiques and
artworks that have been collected by the family since the 17th century when the estate was built. Most rooms have views of the gardens or sea although
a number of rooms at the Villa Belmonte are rear facing with a view of the garden perimeter wall.
DINING: If you choose to take lunch and dinner at the Palazzo, these may be taken open-air in the ‘Belvedere’, a beautiful terrace in the gardens and at
night candles are lit to add to the magical atmosphere. Regional specialties with an emphasis on fresh sea food and the finest local produce feature every
day on the menu including the best Buffalo mozzarella in the world used for the typical dish ‘La Caprese’ with San Marzano tomatoes and fresh basil;
home-made local pasta ‘fusilli’ - spiral-shaped noodles; not to mention extra virgin olive oil from the Belmonte estate and famed white figs, both fresh
and dried.
THE GROUNDS: A path through the five acres of the Palazzo’s gardens leads to the 24-metre fresh-water pool surrounded by bougainvillea, and beyond
to a small green “secret gate” which leads down to the Palazzo’s private golden sandy beach. The terraces and magnificent fresh-water swimming pool
are set in a profusion of greenery with an inviting poolside bar offering light lunches and cocktails. Massage and beauty treatments are available on
request. In late May the gardens are at their most beautiful. The wonderful views at Palazzo Belmonte inspire some guests to paint or draw, while others
prefer to read and relax in the shade of the pine trees in the garden or by the pool.
Due to the layout of the hotel and grounds, we do not recommend this holiday for those with walking difficulties. The hotel is spread out over a large area
and many rooms are only accessible by climbing a number of steps.
Palazzo Belmonte
One Bedroom Suite
Terrace of a Double Room with Sea View
Bar Terrace
Pool
Balcony, One Bedroom Suite
THE ITINERARY
Day 1 London to Naples. Fly by scheduled flight. On arrival
transfer to the Palazzo Belmonte for a three night stay. A light
snack will be served in the hotel this evening. Over the next
two days you can enjoy the Palazzo at your own pace. After
breakfast each morning you can choose to join one of the
optional excursions on offer or maybe walk the short distance
to the local town of Santa Maria de Castellabate. Alternatively,
simply relax at the Palazzo on the private beach or by the
pool.
Day 2 Palazzo Belmonte. Enjoy a quiet morning to explore
the grounds or wander to the local town. In the afternoon
an optional excursion will take the opportunity to discover
the cheese and wine of the region. We will visit a nearby
Buffalo Mozzarella farm and a vineyard before returning to the
Palazzo.
Day 3 Palazzo Belmonte. Today is again free to enjoy the
Palazzo but for those looking to explore the region further
you can choose to enjoy a full day excursion to explore the
archaeological sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Day 4 Palazzo Belmonte to the MS Island Sky. After a
morning at leisure we will transfer to the MS Island Sky in
Naples in the early afternoon.
PRICING
Double Standard
£445
Double Room – Sea View with Terrace
£545
OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS
Please advise at the time of booking if you would like to add any excursions. The
costs will be added to your final invoice.
Day 2 LOCAL FOODS OF CILENTO –
MOZZARELLA & WINE £68 per person
Discover the cheese and wine of the region. We will visit a nearby Buffalo Mozzarella
farm, tasting the typical products of the farm and seeing the production of
handmade mozzarella. Enjoy a mozzarella tasting, with other typical products, before
driving into the hills of the Cilento to the village of Prignano to the established
vineyard Cantina De Conciliis, which is family-owned and run, where we will taste
some of their Cilento wines.
Day 3 POMPEII & HERCULANEUM
(Full day including lunch)
£175 per person
We start the day visiting Pompeii. Because of Pompeii’s long and varied history
of ownership, foreign influences – such as the practice of Egyptian religious
rites and the use of Greek architecture are evident everywhere in the city. It
held administrative control over the neighbouring suburbs, and was a centre for
trade of crops, wine, and olive oil. When Vesuvius erupted, much of Pompeii was
still recovering from the great earthquake of A.D. 62. Enjoy a lunch in a typical
Italian restaurant, followed by a visit to Herculaneum. Situated towards the sea,
Herculaneum is famous for the public bath used by the Romans’ wealthiest citizens.
PLEASE NOTE: Please note that the operation of each excursion is subject to a
minimum of 15 participants. If we do not meet the minimum number requirement,
you will be refunded and time will be at leisure. If the intended excursions do go
ahead, we regret that no refunds can be given in respect of places booked and then
not taken up. Please also note that the order in which the excursions operate may
change due to local conditions.
One Bedroom Suite – Sea View£695
One Bedroom Suite – Sea View and Terrace
£795
Single Room
£645
Price Includes: Three nights at the Palazzo Belmonte on a bed
and breakfast basis, return transfer from airport to the Palazzo
and the Palazzo to the ship.
Not Included: Travel Insurance
Courtyard Garden
Landscaped Gardens
2 Chester Close, Belgravia, London, SW1X 7BE
+44 (0)20 7752 0000 | info@noble-caledonia.co.uk | noble-caledonia.co.uk
All special offers are subject to availability. Our current booking conditions apply to all reservations and are available on request.