Private sailboat Mediterannean cruises by BlueStone Tourism Services

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New cruises available: Private catamaran charter cruises in Sicily

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"Follow the Ulysses' traces along a mythological route of the Sicilian coast"

For your unforgettable holiday in Sicily, a private catamaran cruise can be the right solution for you. Our catamaran charter base is located in the mythological area of Acitrezza,

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BlueStone Tourism Services is proud to present the new 2009 services. Malta & Sicily escorted tour, classic budget tour of Sicily, Sicilian highlights guided tour, Sicilian heritage tour, Jewish heritage tour, mini tours, daily tours, shore excursions in Sicily, point to point transfer tours, Etna mount and Alcantara gorges in jeeps, wine tours, wine tasting, cooking classes, Aeolian Islands mini cruises, private cruises in Sicily, sailing around Sicily, bike tours, incentive travel management, gala dinner, team building activities, accommodations and hotels special rates, luxury holidays in Sicily, luxury holidays accommodations, Sicily discount vacations and much more.....

BlueStone Tourism Services

Tour operator & incentive destination management for Sicily

Via Felice Paradiso 62

95024 Acireale (CT) - Sicily - Italy

Tel. +39.095.7658945 - Fax +39.095.7657843

www.bluestonesicily.com - info@bluestonesicily.com - www.tourinsicily.com

2003-2008 BlueStone Tourism Services Incoming Tour Operator and Incentive Destination Management Company for Sicily.

LICENCE NUMBER: 657/S11 - TUR - REA: 296693 - P.I. 04453840870 Bluestone S.r.l.

BlueStone Tourism Services - Incoming tour operator & incentive destination management in Sicily: Luxury holidays in Sicily ï guided tours of Sicily ï Aeolian Islands mini cruises ï luxury holidays accommodations ï daily & mini tours of Sicily ï Sicily discount vacations ï incentive travel Sicily ï wine tours & cooking classes ï Mt. Etna excursions ï bike tours ï Sicily escorted tours ï sailing around Sicily ï team building & gala dinners ï hotels & farm house offers ï Etna volcano in jeep ï Sicily shore excursions ï incentive travel programs ï

Private charter cruise in Sicily with catamaran

Home ½ About us ½ Contacts ½ Terms & conditions ½ Incentive and events organization ½ Sicily main destinations

Sail around Sicily with us...

Private catamaran sailing cruises in Sicily

wonderful historical fishermen village just 10 Km north of Catania. The use of catamarans was discovered by the French sailors who have immediately loved this kind of boat because it was fast, stable and comfortable with large interior spaces. Today catamarans are spreading all over the world, knocking down some logistic obstacles and now reaching an incredible increasing interest. Catamaran cruises are ideal for the pleasure of swimming anchored just few

meters from the beach with your scuba diving equipment; or the pleasure of staying overnight in a quite, safe and luxury cove, far away from the crowded marinas.

Our standard itineraries from Acitrezza are mainly to the eastern cost of Sicily like: Acitrezza, Aci Castello, Acireale, Giardini Naxos and Taormina. We also operate a private one week cruise to the Aeolian Islands.

New cruises available: Sailing from Palermo to the Egadi Islands

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Already visited Sicily and the splendid Aeolian Islands? Are you looking for new adventures ?…from today, we can offer an unforgettable private sailing cruise on board of luxury sailing boat from Palermo to the Egadi Island. The three islands that form a mini-archipelago off Trapani are called Favignana, Levanzo and Marittimo. All three are blessed with lovely coastlines immersed in glorious crystal-clear water. The islands which are known to have been inhabited since prehistoric times (indeed, it is thought that Levanzo and Favignana formed part of the main island of Sicily in the Paleolithic times), witnessed a very important event in Antiquity: for it was in these waters that the treaty sealing an end to the First Punic War (241 BC) was signed, whereby Carthage assigned Sicily to the Roman Empire. The charcoal and animal fat paintings represent early attempts at fishing (both tuna and dolphins are discernible), animal husbandry (a woman leads a cow with a halter) and ritual images of men dancing and women with wide hips. These paintings are compatible with the Franco-Cantabrian cave paintings of Lascaux in southwest France and Altamira in Spain.

Seven days itinerary from Palermo to the Egadi Islands

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Palermo: S.Vito lo Capo (34 nautical miles).

Departure from our base in Marina di Villa Igiea to San Vito lo Capo. San Vito is a well-known seaside resort, noted in particular for its beautiful coastline. This opens out into a bay

lined with wonderful beaches lapped by limpid water that seems tinged with ranges of blues and greens, from aquamarine to navy. In the 18 C, the small town comprised simply a collection of whitewashed houses clustered around the Chiesa Madre. The church continues steadfastly to act as the town’s focal point, square and massive in profile, a constant reminder of its early beginnings as a Saracen fortress. Inside, it used to preserve a small

church dedicated to San Vito (erected over the site where the saint is supposed to have lived) but this grew to be too small to accommodate the many pilgrims, and so it was enlarged until it actually incorporated the very building which once harboured it.

S. Vito lo Capo: Levanzo (25 nautical miles).

From San Vito lo Capo departures to Levanzo Island. The tiny Levanzo has a surface area of 6 sqm, and is bristled with hills. The tallest, Pizzo dei Monaco (278 mt), tumbles its jaggedly rocky skirts down into the sea; the most beautiful part being a section of the southwest coast. Only one road bisects the island from south to north, making it a veritable haven of peace and serenity, beloved by nature-lovers and those who seek solitude and rhythms set by the breaking waves or by the sound of ones own feet on the stones. The northern part of the island consists of a succession of sheer drops, rocky outcrops and secluded little creeks. Between Levanzo and the coast of Sicily lie two minute islets: Maraone and Formica (on which there are the remains of an old tuna fishery). Cala Dogana - The only hamlet on Levanzo overlooks a bay of the clearest water on the south side of the island. From here, a well-kept path snakes its way to the bays that open out along the south western coast, each tightly embracing its very own miniature pebbled beach, as far as the Faraglione (a large rock). Grotta del Genovese - Accessible on foot (approx 2 hrs there and back), by jeep and then on foot along a steep slope, or by sea. Discovered in 1949, this excavated hollow in the side of a tall cliff bears traces of prehistoric man. Vestiges of wall-painting have been identified as dating from the Upper Paleolithic era, while the incised drawings may be from the Neolithic period. The graffiti drawings, completed at a time when the island was still attached to the island of Sicily, represent a bison and a deer of the most pleasing proportions, elegance and foreshortening. Text taken from: isole-sicilia.it

Levanzo: Favignana (25 nautical miles).

From Levanzo departures to Favignana Island. Favignana Island is the main island of the Egadi Islands. It is positioned at about 9 miles from Trapani and its name derives from the

word Favonio which is a type of wind. Her shape is like that of a butterfly with spread out wings, built on the two flat bits, one called the Wood stretching west and the other called Flatland stretching east towards Sicily. In the centre, the massive body consists of mountains which culminate with the peak of S. Caterina (302 mt) on which is found an ominously placed castle. Being in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, it has been a strategic point for all the people

who have found themselves faced with this Sea and to due to domination found themselves in endless epic battles. The most famous of these remains that of 241 BC between the Fenici and the Romans, which took place in the sea surrounding the island and was decisive for the First Punic War. The myth goes that the mirror like water in which the battle happened, became red with the blood of the fighters and from that came the name Red Bay to the bay in front of where the fight was. Best way to visit the island is a sailing yacht charter so you can appreciate the wonderful grottoes: Grotta Azzurra (so-called because of the colour of the water), Grotta dei Sospiri (the Grotto of Sighs which sounds its laments in winter), and Grotta degli Innamorati (Lovers' Grotto), so named because of two identical rocks standing side by side deep against the back wall. Text taken from: isole-sicilia.it

Favignana: Marettimo (13,5 nautical miles).

From Favignana departure to Marettimo. A steep rocky mountain with great limestone cliffs plunging down into the sea define this, the most remote island of the Egadi group: That's Marettimo Island. Its doors open only for the more curious visitors arriving at its tiny harbour knowing that there are no hotels there. The only accommodation available is that offered by local fishermen and that consists of rented rooms. At the foot of the mountain, nestles the hamlet of Marettimo, a compact collection of square white houses and terraces collected together around the miniature harbour. Behind the Scalo Nuovo (the main landing-stage) stands the Scalo Vecchio reserved far the local fishermen. To one side, extends Punta Troia, topped with ruins from a Spanish castle (17 C) that served as a prison until 1844. A series of rugged paths (manageable even astride a donkey) lead inland uphill to higher ground where Mother Nature, remote and wild, can provide companionship in contemplating the glorious views out over the sea. Text taken from: isole-sicilia.it

Marettimo: Trapani (20 nautical miles).

From Marettimo departure to Trapani. The town is known for the holy "Mystery" events occurring every Holy Friday, for a number of major archaeological locations like Selinunte and Segesta and for the naturalistic and tourist relevance of islands such as Mozia, that are within its provincial territory. The local cuisine is represented and well known for its fish-based various and tasty dishes, that are expertly prepared here. The cuisine, based on local fish, has been favoured not only by the closeness of the sea, but also by the Arabs' influence that maintained through history consistent exchanges across the sea with local inhabitants. Here the most famous dishes are based on tuna, but we should also remind the Cuscus and the "cannoli di tuma". Text taken from: trapani-sicilia.it

Trapani: Ustica (45 nautical miles).

From Trapani departure to Ustica Island. The small hamlet is shaped as an amphitheatre around a large bay partly occupied by the harbour. A single road and various flights of steps, flanked with fine hibiscus bushes, lead up to the main town. One the most peculiar features of

the island's houses is that their external walls are painted with artistic murals depicting landscape scenes, trompe-l'oeils, portraits, still life paintings and fanciful compositions. The town is overshadowed by the Torre di Santa Maria, now accommodating an Archaeological Museum displaying relics recovered from the prehistoric village at I Faraglioni and Hellenistic-Roman tombs at Capo Falconiera. The Odyssey relates that these were hurled by Polyphemus against Ulysses who had blinded him by thrusting a flaming stake into his only eye; the hero then

escaped with his companions by clinging to the bellies of rams belonging to the Cyclops. Note, in particular, the unusual circular fire basket in four sections and the lovely tall two-handed cups. Prehistoric Village - A settlement from the Bronze Age was discovered in the vicinity of I Faraglioni site, at the Colombaia. This comprises a collection of foundations for circular huts that have been re-used later for square-based constructions of a type similar to a kind of prehistoric house found on the island of Panarea. The residential area is bisected by a single "high street"; this would indicate that the settlement was developed according to a town plan (albeit fairly basic) with a consideration for public areas, something unusual for the time (usually, the huts were randomly arranged). The village was protected by a strong set of enclosure walls formed by two sections of curtain walls 6m thick at the base, fortified semicircular towers. The missing sections of curtain walling and the presence of huts founded on base rock have been read as the rock having been joined at that time to the mainland, and that the collapse (probably caused by an earthquake) provoked the village to be abandoned. The coast - The jagged coastline is interrupted by a number of caves which can be explored either by boat (fishermen in the harbour volunteer their services to visitors using boats that are small enough to enter the narrowest caves) or by land. Small beaches (Cala Sidoti, Punta dello Spalmatore, al Faro) succeed lovely rocky bays - including one enclosing the natural pool along the west coast of the island. Conversely, the east coast shelters the magnificent caves like Grotta Azzurra, Grotta Verde, and Grotta delle Barche, which are best-explored with mask and snorkel; the Grotta delle Barche can also be reached on foot by a lovely path that threads its way through pines and past tall hedges of prickly pears from Torre di Santa Maria, along the side of the hill providing marvellous views of the sea and the coast. Text taken from: isole-sicilia.it

Ustica: Palermo (36 nautical miles).

From Ustica we will start our cruise to Palermo. After approximately 5 hours of navigation, we will catch up our base at marina di Villa Igea for the disembarkation of the passengers.

Escorted Sicily tours

Sicily & Malta tour

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Sicily & Malta highlights

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Classic tour of Sicily

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Simple tour

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Mediterranean flavor tour

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Jewish heritage tour

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Sicilian highlights tour

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Sicilian landscape tour

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Private escorted tour

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Archaeological Sicily tour

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Wine & Gourmet Tour

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Mini tours of Sicily

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Daily tours of Sicily

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Sicily shore excursions

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Transfer Sicily tours

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Etna & Alcantara in AWD

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Wine & food activities

Wine & food packages

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Wine tasting in Sicily

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Cooking classes in Sicily

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New packages & classes

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Bike tours in Sicily

The parks bike tour

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The Etna myths bike tour

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Aeolian & Sicily cruises

Private yacht day cruises

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Private sailing cruises

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Daily Aeolian mini cruises

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New cruises available

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Incentive and events

Hotels & gala dinners

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Special entertainments

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Team building samples

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Meetings and congresses

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Post congress ideas

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Hotels offers in Sicily

5 stars hotel monthly offer

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4 stars hotel monthly offer

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Agritourism monthly offer

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Private villas and cottages

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BlueStone Tourism Services

Tour Operator for Sicily

Incentive and Events solutions

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Address

Via Felice Paradiso 62

I95024 - Acireale (CT) - Italy

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Telephone & Fax numbers

Tel. +39.095.7658945

Fax +39.095.7657843

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Web sites & E - Mail

www.bluestonesicily.com

info@bluestonesicily.com

www.tourinsicily.com

info@tourinsicily.com