Explore Sicily in ten days: you’ll uncover layers of history in the island of Sicily. Is a sort of showcase where you can immerse your senses in the art, culture and gastronomy!

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Day 1: Arrival in Palermo, the capital of Sicily 

Welcome to the warm, beautiful and pleasant island of Sicily!

Upon arrival at Palermo Airport (PMO) collect your luggage inside the customs area. Then transfer to your hotel.                                                                                                         

This afternoon is at leisure to explore the town on your own.

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Day 2: Half Day Palermo with Street Food Tastings 

Today we start with a walk into a lively open-air market, a place with strong Arab influences, resembling a souk, with picturesque stands of fresh fish, cheese, fruit and vegetables. During the tour you will have the opportunity to observe local people in their daily activities and to savor foods that real Sicilian people love to eat!  A small tasting of typical street food is included.  The walking tour through the ancient center of Palermo is approx. 2,5 hours and you will visit several monuments including Piazza Pretoria, and the exterior of Cathedral. The tour will finish at the Four Corner to permit to have the afternoon at leisure to explore Palermo on your own.

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Day 3: Cefalù and Monreale

Today we drive to Cefalù, a gorgeous town located on the northern coast of Sicily and one of the major tourist attractions in the region. Built on a promontory dominated by a sheer cliff, Cefalù, still keeping its ancient print, has grown around the Cathedral wanted by Ruggero II. The Cathedral, began in 1131, is one of the most interesting medieval monuments of the island and boasts outstanding mosaics and a wonderful cloister. A large part of the town is pedestrian. Stroll through the medieval narrow street and admire the picturesque houses on the sea and the long beach of finest sand. Time at leisure. This afternoon we then continue to Monreale to see independently where the Arab-Norman art and architecture reached the pinnacle of its glory with the Dome. Launched in 1174 by William II, it represents the scenes from the Old and New Testaments all in golden mosaics. Later we return to Palermo.  

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Day 4:  Wine, Salt and Olive Oil Experience 

Today departure for Marsala, the Arab “Marsa Allah” –Harbor of God–, is known in the whole world for one thing: Wine! The Marsala Wine comes from the western lands of Sicily and its name derives from the homonymous town. The Marsala is the oldest Italian DOC wine, with an average alcohol content of about 18 degrees.

Have a short walk in the city center of this lovely town before driving along the scenic Salt Way Road to admire the beautiful Saltpans where the sea-salt is still produced following the old Phoenician tradition preserved during the century.

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Enjoy a light-lunch in a local Winery/Olive Oil producer Farmhouse including tasting of mixed local products

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This afternoon departure for Erice uptown. The Elymians settled in the medieval town of Erice, which was an important religious site associated with the goddess Venus. Wander through its ancient streets and visit some of the famous homemade pastry shops—world-famous for marzipan candies and other delicacies like almond and pistachio pastries. At arrival, friendly walk along the city centre with stop at local pastry shop to taste some Sicilian local sweet. 

Later we return to Palermo.  

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Day 5: Palermo to Siracusa with stop at the Valley of the Temples and Roman Villa

Today we drive through the interior of Sicily to reach Agrigento to see the Valley of the Temples: two hours guided walking tour on the Valley of the Temples an important Unesco World Heritage site covers the Temple of Hera, the Temple of Concordia, the Temple of Hercules and the Temple of Zeus. Agrigento, according to legend, was founded by Daedalus and his son Icarus after they had fled from Crete “by air”. Historically, however, its origins date back to 582 B.C. when it was founded by Rhodian-Cretan colonist from the neighboring Gela who named their city Akragas after the nearby river. It rapidly increased in size, importance and military strength under Phalarides, the first tyrant, and later under Theron, who extended his way over northern Sicily as far as Himera.

In conclusion, Agrigento was a city of artists and illustrious personages, amongst whom the philosopher Empedocles. Pindar defines it as “the most beautiful of mortal cities” and, in fact, in the Vth century B.C., those famous temples, whose beauty we still admire today, were built.

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This afternoon we then continue onto Piazza Armerina to enjoy the visit of the amazing Mosaics Floor at the Roman Villa of Casale, that belongs to the Unesco Heritage. Built on the 4th century AD, the Villa was later forgotten and only in the 20th century excavations revealed the whole building. It is the supreme example of a luxury Roman villa (about 3500 square meters of floor mosaics) and was probably the residence of a member of the upper class of the Roman Empire. The mosaics discovered here are celebrated among scholars of antiquity. The visit inside the Roman Villa will be done independently. Every room has information boards. Admission fee not included.  Later onto Siracusa.

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Day 6: Siracusa and Ortigia – Half Day Walking Tour

Today visit this wonderful town with a professional guide who will lead you to the discovery of the most important beauties as well as the hidden treasures of Siracusa and Ortigia Island.

 

Transfer by taxi the Archaeological Park that highlights the Greek Theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre and, the Paradise Quarry. After we travel back to the Island of Ortigia by taxi to start the walking tour from the Aretusa Fountain, visit the incredible Dome of Siracusa built on top of a Greek Temple and today incorporated in a beautiful baroque church!!

Continuing the walk, the tour will end at Apollo Temples to permit you to get back independently to your accommodation.

 

This afternoon is at leisure.

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Day 7: Siracusa to Taormina with stops in Ragusa Ibla and Modica with lunch

Today departure from Siracusa in direction of Ragusa Ibla. Our Team will offer you time at disposal to keep the feeling with this section of the town giving you direction to explore independently the old part of the city and an undisputed reality of Baroque art. Here you can admire numerous eighteenth-century churches and buildings and the Gardens.

Soon after, you will discover another jewel of the Sicilian Baroque: Modica.

 

Lunch in a typical trattoria to enjoy the food specialties of this side of Sicily where a strong Spanish influence is still alive. Obviously, you will have the opportunity to taste the local chocolate made following the tradition that originated from the Aztec of central America brought in Sicily from the Spanish in the 17° century. 

Then we drive on to Taormina.
 

Day 8: Etna Experience with lunch in a winery

Today meet the off-road’s driver and transfer to Etna Volcano. During our first stop we will discover a unique canyon comprised of basaltic lava (the “Alcantara Gorges”) and shaped by the waters of the Alcantara river. The Alcantara’s vertical cliffs reach 30 meters in height and its structures have been forged by high intensity geological and geothermal events. In prehistoric times, a river flowed here over clay sediments until a massive volcanic eruption channeled magma into the river bed forming the current canyons. After this stop, we will visit the historic center of Castiglione di Sicilia, a medieval village perched on a hill overlooking the Alcantara valley. Traveling through one of the wine roads of Sicily and crossing large expanses of vineyards (Etna D.O.C.), we will arrive at a local winery. This is the ideal place to enjoy relaxing moments surrounded by nature while sampling a lunch and excellent wines. We will then make a brief stop at the 2002 lava flow reachable by jeep through a winding dirt road surrounded by chestnut and oak forests. The 2002 eruption lasted from October 27th to January 29th 2003 and it is considered one of the most explosive eruptions of the past one hundred years.

Continuing our excursion we will reach the Ragabo pine forest where hidden among pines and brooms, we will discover the cave of Corruccio (1350 meters above sea level) a cave formed by flowing lava.

Later, driving up along the Mareneve road we will reach Piano Provenzana (1800 meters above sea level), a ski resort, theater of the great eruption of 2002. After a short walk to visit the ruins of the hotel Le Betulle destroyed by a molten lava flow.

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Day 9: Taormina at leisure

Today is at leisure to explore the town on your own.

 

We do recommend an independent walking tour to visit Taormina: start in Corso Umberto Street, the core of the town. From here you can join the Greek Roman Theatre, built for the most part of brick, and is therefore probably of Roman date, though the plan and arrangement are in accordance with those of Greek, rather than Roman, theatres; It is one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions, so that Johann Wolfgang Goethe in his famous “Journey to Italy” wrote: “No theater audience has never had such a sight in front of him.” The highlight of today walking tour is for sure go up using the old steps up to the top of the theatre to admire an amazing view of the Taormina Bay and the Etna volcano, the view from here is amazing and unforgettable.

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Day 10: Taormina > Catania airport

Time to say goodbye to Sicily!

Transfer to Catania Airport and departure to your next destination

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