Sicily in Depth

9 Days Palermo to Catania
Sicily in Depth
Sicily in Depth
Sicily in Depth

Overview

Trafalgar
Trip Operated By:
 (1,790) Reviews
Total No. of Tours & Cruises 529
In Syracuse, you step inside Paradise Quarry’s Ear of Dionysius with a Local Specialist and call into the cool limestone grotto, where your voice can return as many as 16 times. At Palermo’s Palatine Chapel, you look up at gold mosaics gleaming across the walls and ceiling, surrounded by centuries of intricate craft. Continue west past salt pans and old windmills before tasting Marsala wine in the town that shares its name. High above the Ionian Sea in Taormina, you explore the cliffside Greek theatre with a Local Specialist and, on a clear day, look towards Mount Etna beyond the ancient stone.
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A$4,474 per person
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Trip Length
9 Days
Trip Starts
Palermo
Trip Ends
Catania
5 Trip Reviews
Trip Style
Country Collection
Accommodation
4 - 5 Star
Budget
Premium
Age Range
5-99 Years
Max. Group Size
40
Guide Style
Fully Guided
Tour Code
E934
Countries Visited:

Itinerary

Relax and settle in before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travellers for dinner at a local restaurant.

Accommodation: Palazzo Liberty Unique, Splendid Hotel La Torre
Included Meals: Dinner

Discover Palermo on a walking tour featuring a visit to the stunning 12th-century Palatine Chapel with a Local Expert. This afternoon, enjoy leisure time exploring Palermo Cathedral, a fascinating site with its unique blend of architectural styles reflecting centuries of history. For your dining pleasure, you can try the foods the locals like to eat and experience how they like to eat it on your Dine-Around Evening.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Nestled along its crescent-shaped coastline, Trapani is embraced by the Mediterranean Sea. Discover the age-old tradition of salt production when you visit the colourful salt pans and an ancient stone windmill during a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience to see where sea water is transformed into salt crystals. Then, savour the flavours of Marsala with a tasting at a local winery, where you can enjoy the town's renowned wine in beautiful surroundings.

Accommodation: Seawater, Marsala
Included Meals: Breakfast

Travel along the southern coast of Sicily en route to Agrigento. In Agrigento, explore the Valley of the Temples with a Local Expert. Recognised by UNESCO, these temples are exceptional examples of ancient Greek architecture. Marvel at the imposing Temple of Concordia and the cliff-top Temple of Juno, both overlooking the sea. Reflect on this unforgettable day with your fellow travellers over dinner at the hotel, sharing insights and experiences.

Accommodation: The Scala dei Turchi Resort, Agrigento
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Travel inland to the Villa Romana del Casale, a luxurious Roman villa renowned for its rich and intricate mosaics. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1997, showcases the opulence of ancient Rome. Continue to Ragusa and explore the labyrinthine alleyways of Ragusa Ibla with your Local Expert. The town, with origins dating back to the Bronze Age, was once inhabited by the Sicels tribe, who gave their name to Sicily. Admire the remarkable Sicilian Baroque architecture that has earned Ragusa UNESCO recognition.

In the evening, savour the rich flavours of locally sourced ingredients with a delicious Farm-to-Table dinner at a charming local restaurant.

Accommodation: Mediterraneo Palace, Ragusa
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Enjoy a Relaxed Start this morning or join an Optional Experience to the Val di Noto and the town of Noto. Later, explore the town of Modica, rebuilt after the 17th-century earthquake, and discover its artisanal techniques used to create the town's celebrated handmade chocolate.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Discover Syracuse through Insight Choice. Opt for sightseeing with your Local Expert at Syracuse's Paradise Quarry, home to the unique Ear of Dionysius, an ear-shaped grotto with remarkable acoustics. Next, visit the impressive Greek theatre, carved from solid rock, and one of the largest of the ancient world. Alternatively, take time to explore the atmospheric Old City on the island of Ortigia, a labyrinth of narrow streets lined with palaces. This historic area is where the famed mathematician Archimedes famously ran through the streets, exclaiming 'Eureka!'

Continue your journey along Sicily's picturesque Ionian Riviera to the charming resort of Giardini Naxos or Marina Forza d'Agrò (departure dependent).

Accommodation: Hellenia Yachting, Giardini Naxos, Baia Taormina, Marina di Forza D'Agrò
Included Meals: Breakfast

Your hotel faces east, offering early risers a glimpse of why D.H. Lawrence dubbed this 'The Dawn Coast of Europe'. After breakfast, consider an Optional Experience through the vineyards to Mount Etna, Europe's largest active volcano.

Journey to the charming old town of Taormina, perched on Mount Tauro with views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna. With your Local Expert, visit the ancient Greek theatre, set on a cliff and open to the sky. Sit and absorb the breath-taking view through the crumbling arches to Mount Etna. Stroll along the elegant Corso Umberto and enjoy panoramic views from Piazza IX Aprile. Celebrate your time in Sicily with a delightful dinner at a local restaurant, savouring Sicilian cuisine with exquisite Italian wines.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Your Sicily tour has now come to an end. Appreciate views of Mount Etna on your way to the airport.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Trip Inclusions

  • Palermo: Visit the spectacular 12th-century Palatine Chapel. Its sombre exterior gives away few clues to the riches inside. Step into a world where the walls glitter with 12th-century mosaics - the best of their kind in the world.
  • Agrigento: Explore the Valley of the Temples and its impressive Hellenistic ruins like the well-preserved Temple of Concordia and the clifftop Temple of Juno, overlooking the vast Sicilian landscape.
  • Piazza Armerina: Travel to the Villa Romana del Casale, a UNESCO site since 1997. The Villa is one of the most luxurious of its kind, showcasing its rich and intricate mosaics which decorate almost every room.
  • Ragusa: Walk through Ragusa with a Local Specialist, taking in its noted Baroque churches and the elegant facades that define the old town.
  • Modica: Discover Modica's celebrated hand-made chocolate, shaped by age-old techniques and rich aromas. You'll watch the craft unfold and sample pieces that carry the distinctive texture and flavour made possible through Modica's traditional cold-working process.
  • Taormina: Visit Taormina's ancient amphitheatre with your Local Specialist. Carved from honey-coloured stone and set high on the cliff, the theatre frames wide views of the Ionian Sea and the distant rise of Mount Etna through its weathered arches.
  • Taormina: Wander through Taormina's limestone streets and lively boutiques with a Local Specialist. Then enjoy free time along Corso Umberto and take in the broad outlook from Piazza IX Aprile, where the town opens towards sea and sky.

Choose between two carefully selected activities

  • Syracuse: Wander through the gardens of Paradise Quarry, test the remarkable acoustics in the Ear of Dionysius and step into the ancient Greek theatre, set within one of Sicily's most evocative historic sites.
  • Syracuse: Stroll through the old town on the island of Ortigia, tracing its narrow lanes towards the Fonte Aretusa and the legends that continue to shape this historic waterfront.

  • Air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom
  • An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
  • Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
  • All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
  • We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door
  • From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with a local specialty representing the destination.
  • Complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi where available

  • Marsala: Taste some of the island's richest Sicilian wines at a local winery in Marsala. 
  • Ragusa: Savour the flavours of Ragusa during your Farm-to-Table dining experience, highlighting the freshest locally sourced ingredients – a relaxing moment spent with your fellow travellers.
  • Giardini Naxos: Your dinner reflects some of Sicily's top culinary heritage.
  • Dining Summary: 4 Dinners (D), 8 Breakfasts (B), 1 Lunch (L)

  • Trapani: Explore how the ancient tradition of salt extraction has been handed down from generation to generation. Set in a breathtaking natural landscape, home to pink flamingos and various aquatic birds, the salt pans and windmills create a picturesque scene against a backdrop of sea and sky. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities.

  • Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change
  • Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included
Must-sees to Local Secrets
Must-sees to Local Secrets

You’ll enjoy the icons and hidden gems with a Local Specialist by your side. Read more

Connect with Locals
Connect with Locals

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Stay With Stories
Stay With Stories

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Trip Reviews (5)

Trafalgar Reviews
Reviews 5 Reviews
Average Rating 4.6 out of 5
5 Star
80%
4 Star
3 Star
20%
2 Star
1 Star
Enjoyable trip of Sicily 6 , 4074, Australia, Jul 2019
I enjoyed this trip. A combination of busy touristy places and smaller locations. Wonderful guide, who spoke perfect Italian with an English accent. Lovely driver as well. The highlight for me was the Cathedral at Monreale - as the local guide said, you could spend a day talking about this Cathedral with its 24 carat gold edging & mosaic tiles, telling read more the stories of the times. Also I was there in Palermo at the annual Festival of St Rosalie, and the street lighting was beautiful. The accommodation was great.

Unfortunately there was a heat wave in Europe when I travelled in July, but I did find Sicily cooler than where I had come from (Greece). The included dinners in Sicily were wonderful. I have used Insight quite often in the past, and will use them again next year for one of my trips. Global Journeys always does a great job with booking, and Yvonne is lovely in that she sent me a paper copy of my documents, as I like to hold paper in my hand (I know I am old school).
La Dolce Vita in Sicily 2 , VIC, Australia, Jun 2019
This island is colourful, interesting and very welcoming... just like its inhabitants. Local food is delicious and always served with a smile. The trip was well paced and at the end we felt satisfied that we had seen the best sights. Our tour guide, Anne Kennedy, was truly superb and ensured all went smoothly. She shared her knowledge of this region read more with grace and wit and we appreciated all she did for us. I would happily revisit Sicily in future.
Fabulous, efficient tour of the best Sicily has to offer 7 , NSW , Australia, May 2019
This tour cherry picked the main highlights of Sicily and visited them all in 8 days - a very efficient way to see the best that Sicily has to offer. Our guide Mark was tremendously knowledgeable about Sicily and each place we visited. He had wonderful enthusiasm and was a gifted storyteller, describing Sicily's sites, sounds, history and flavours like read more a poet. Our driver was also fantastic. He managed hair pin bends up mountains very carefully.

Sicily as a whole is an island full of gems; great food, churches, ancient Greek ruins and cities, and quaint villages atop mountains. I highly recommend this tour if you are looking for a hassle free and efficient way of seeing Sicily in a relatively short amount of time as this is not an island that can easily be experienced without a car.
Rediscover Sicily 8 , VIC, Australia, Jun 2017
Great experience and insight picked some wonderful places to see. Very professional through out the tour, overall had a great time and would definitely would use Global Journeys and Insight again. Thank you.
Overall value for money it was a good tour 6 , Australia, May 2014
I think overall value for money it was a good tour. However, the one night stands should be eliminated if possible, as everyone was exhausted. The hotels were OK, but not in center of old villages. One in Taormina was outside the town, and although a Hilton, it was terrible. The guides were good. Although the tour operator told us there was no way read more to adjust the air con in the coach, he didn't tell us that you could adjust the overhead device, to close it. Result was I got a cold, and could not go out the day we had a half day free. Otherwise, everyone was professional and hard working.
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Dates & Pricing

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Friday 02 Apr 2027 02 Apr 27 Palermo
Saturday 10 Apr 2027 10 Apr 27 Catania
Details
Available Departure
Exclusive Savings
Was: $4,775
A$4,632
Save $143
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Friday 16 Apr 2027 16 Apr 27 Palermo
Saturday 24 Apr 2027 24 Apr 27 Catania
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Definite Departure
Today's Deal
Exclusive Savings
Was: $5,125
A$4,474
Save $651
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Friday 23 Apr 2027 23 Apr 27 Palermo
Saturday 01 May 2027 01 May 27 Catania
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Available Departure
Exclusive Savings
Was: $5,275
A$5,117
Save $158
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Friday 30 Apr 2027 30 Apr 27 Palermo
Saturday 08 May 2027 08 May 27 Catania
Details
Definite Departure
Today's Deal
Exclusive Savings
Was: $5,250
A$4,583
Save $667
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Note
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you Enquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Trafalgar. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.

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