Itinerary
- Day 1
Catania to Taormina
You'll start your Sicilian journey at Mount Etna, Europe's largest active volcano. The experience offers flexibility depending on what you want to do - there's a cable car and 4x4 tour that gets you to the crater, a hiking option to the crater rim if you're fit and have sturdy shoes, or easier trails lower down on the volcano. After grabbing lunch along the way, you'll stop in Naxos, a beachside town where you can check out Greek ruins and take optional boat rides if that interests you. From there, you head to Taormina, a hilltop town where you'll spend the night.
Included Activities
- Mount Etna visit (cable car, 4x4 tour, or hiking options available)
- Visit Taormina
Optional Activities
- Hike to Mount Etna crater rim (requires moderate to high fitness level and sturdy walking shoes)
- Lower-crater trail walks at Mount Etna
- Museum and Archaeological Area of Naxos visit
- Boat ride in Naxos
- Palazzo Corvaja exploration in Taormina
- Greek-Roman amphitheater visit in Taormina
Landmarks/POIs Mount Etna Museum and Archaeological Area of Naxos Palazzo Corvaja Greek-Roman Amphitheater of Taormina - Day 2
Taormina to Palermo
Following breakfast at your hotel, you'll spend time in Novara di Sicilia walking through its winding streets and seeing the Saracen castle ruins, Chiesa di San Giorgio, and the 16th-century Duomo. Then you move on to Tindari, where ancient Greek theatre ruins and a 12th-century Black Madonna statue sit waiting. Next is Cefalu, a beachside town with a Norman cathedral, Byzantine mosaics, and the option to hike up to the Temple of Diana. The day wraps up in Palermo where you'll stay for two nights and get to explore its mix of Arab, Roman, Norman, and Byzantine architecture.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel breakfast)
Included Activities
- Novara di Sicilia village exploration
- Tindari ruins and ancient Greek Theatre visit
- Cefalu visit and Norman cathedral exploration
Optional Activities
- Saracen castle ruins exploration in Novara di Sicilia
- Chiesa di San Giorgio visit in Novara di Sicilia
- Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta visit in Novara di Sicilia
- Black Madonna statue viewing at Tindari sanctuary
- Temple of Diana ruins and Church of Saint Anne hike in Cefalu
- Medieval washhouse exploration in Cefalu
Landmarks/POIs Novara di Sicilia Saracen Castle Chiesa di San Giorgio Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta Rocca Salvatesta Tindari Greek Theatre of Tindari Black Madonna Sanctuary Cefalu Norman Cathedral Temple of Diana Church of Saint Anne - Day 3
Palermo
You'll spend your morning in Monreale checking out the hilltop town's cathedral with its intricate mosaics and ornate archways, surrounded by local orchards. A Sicilian lunch happens during this time, and then you head back to Palermo for the rest of the afternoon and evening. You've got free time to wander the city and explore things on your own terms.
Included Activities
- Monreale exploration
- Monreale Cathedral visit
Optional Activities
- Sicilian lunch in Monreale
Landmarks/POIs Monreale Cathedral - Day 4
Palermo to Agrigento
You'll travel to Sicily's western tip to visit Castellammare del Golfo, where beaches and sacred churches from different periods are scattered throughout. Try the local Cofanetto cheese while you're there. Then it's on to Segesta to see an extraordinary 5th-century unfinished Doric temple. After that, you head to Agrigento, a hilltop city where you'll stay for two nights. You'll have free time to walk through the Old Town's narrow streets and check out various historic sites.
Included Activities
- Castellammare del Golfo visit
- Segesta temple visit
- Agrigento Old Town exploration
Optional Activities
- Castellammare del Golfo beach swimming
- Chiesa della Madonna della scala photography
- Local Cofanetto cheese tasting in Castellammare del Golfo
Landmarks/POIs Castellammare del Golfo Chiesa della Madonna della scala Segesta Temple Agrigento - Day 5
Agrigento
Start your day at the Scala dei Turchi, a white limestone cliff formation that drops right to the sea. Then head to the Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where ancient Greek temples sit among flowering almond trees. After you've spent time there, you'll head back to Agrigento for the evening.
Included Activities
- Scala dei Turchi visit
- Valley of the Temples visit
Landmarks/POIs Scala dei Turchi Valley of the Temples - Day 6
Agrigento to Siracusa
After breakfast, you'll explore Piazza Armerina and its cathedral that dominates the town's skyline. You'll walk around the medieval town seeing Renaissance and Baroque buildings throughout. If you're interested in art, you can check out Borremans paintings at Chiesa di San Giovanni. The UNESCO-listed Villa Romana del Casale shows off ancient Roman mosaics and art. Later, you travel to Siracusa for your final two nights, and you'll get an included guided tour to get your bearings before having free time to explore.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hotel breakfast)
Included Activities
- Piazza Armerina Cathedral exploration
- Villa Romana del Casale visit
- Siracusa guided tour
Optional Activities
- Piazza Armerina town exploration
- Chiesa di San Giovanni visit for Borremans artwork
- Archaeological Park of Neapolis exploration in Siracusa
- Catacombs of San Giovanni exploration in Siracusa
- Piazza del Duomo relaxation in Siracusa
Landmarks/POIs Cathedral of Piazza Armerina Chiesa di San Giovanni Villa Romana del Casale Siracusa Archaeological Park of Neapolis Catacombs of San Giovanni Piazza del Duomo - Day 7
Siracusa
You'll start at the Chocolate Museum in Modica to learn about the town's chocolate-making heritage. Then wander through Modica's alleyways checking out cave tombs, the UNESCO-listed Cathedral of San Giorgio, and the Portale De Leva archway. Next, you head to Scicli, described by Italian writer Elio Vittorini as perhaps the most beautiful city in the world, and you'll see why with its Baroque buildings and 18th-century Palazzo Beneventano. Finally, you reach Noto, a glowing Baroque city with elegant architecture, before returning to Siracusa.
Included Activities
- Modica Chocolate Museum visit
- Modica exploration
- Scicli exploration
- Noto exploration
Optional Activities
- Cave tombs exploration in Modica
- Cathedral of San Giorgio visit in Modica
- Portale De Leva archway discovery in Modica
- Via Francesco Mormino Penna walk in Scicli
- Palazzo Beneventano visit in Scicli
- Corso Vittorio Emanuele walk in Noto
Landmarks/POIs Chocolate Museum Cathedral of San Giorgio Modica Scicli Palazzo Beneventano Via Francesco Mormino Penna Noto Corso Vittorio Emanuele - Day 8
Siracusa to Catania
You'll begin at the Neapolis Archaeological Park to see the 5th-century Teatro Greco amphitheater. Then you explore the Latomia del Paradiso limestone quarry with its catacombs. Later, you visit the Necropolis of Pantalica, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on cliffs with about 5,000 cave tombs carved into rock. After that, you return to Catania where your tour ends.
Included Activities
- Neapolis Archaeological Park visit
- Teatro Greco (5th-century amphitheater) visit
- Latomia del Paradiso quarry exploration
- Necropolis of Pantalica visit
Landmarks/POIs Neapolis Archaeological Park Teatro Greco Latomia del Paradiso Necropolis of Pantalica
