Explore Southern Sicily

  • thumbnail image_exploresouthernsicily
  • thumbnail map_exploresouthernsicily

Duration: 8 days

Begins: Catania

Ends: Palermo

Trip Code: EISS

From

£1,597 per person

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    If you’ve ever written down “experience the best of Southern Sicily” on some sort of must-do list, this eight-day adventure will let you emphatically check that box. Featuring a Sicilian cooking class, ancient Roman mosaics, pristinely preserved Greek temples, Medieval towns, and so much more, the only thing this tour is missing (for now) is you.
    Is this tour for me?
    Travel Style
    Classic
    All of the highlights, culture, access, and I-can’t-believe-we-did-that moments, all at a great price.
    Service Level
    Standard
    Comfortable tourist-class accommodations with character; mix of public and private transport.
    Physical Rating
    2 - Light
    Light walking and hiking suitable for most fitness levels. Nothing too challenging.
    Trip Type
    Small Group
    Age requirement
    12+
    All travellers under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
    What's Included
    • Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
    • Your Hands-On Moment: Arancini Cooking Class, Syracuse
    • Orientation walks in Syracuse and Palermo
    • Visit to Ragusa
    • Villa Romana del Casale Visit
    • Valley of the Temples Guided Tour
    • Monreale Cathedral Visit

    Allow USD280-365 for meals not included.

    Day 1 : Catania

    Arrive at any time. Tonight, meet your CEO and fellow travellers at the welcome meeting, then opt to head out for dinner and enjoy your first Sicilian meal.

    Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group

    1h

    Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

    Acommodation

    Best Western Hotel Mediterraneo

    Acommodation

    Best Western Hotel Mediterraneo

    Day 2 : Catania/Syracuse

    Travel to Syracuse, an enchanting city by the Ionian Sea that was once at the centre of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. Take a cooking class on arrival and learn how to make Arancini — an iconic Sicilian specialty — to enjoy as a light lunch! Later, explore the old town's baroque piazzas and medieval side streets with a CEO-led orientation walk.

    Arancini Cooking Class

    Syracuse 1h30m

    Learn how to prepare a delicious snack enjoyed beyond the borders of Sicily: deep-fried arancini, a ball of creamy risotto rice typically filled with a savoury cheese or meat filling.

    Private Vehicle

    Catania - Syracuse 1h 70km

    Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

    Orientation With CEO

    0h30m - 1h

    Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.

    Acommodation

    Hotel Gran Bretagna Siracusa

    Acommodation

    Hotel Gran Bretagna Siracusa

    Meals Included:

    Breakfast | Lunch

    Day 3 : Syracuse

    Enjoy a full free day in Syracuse. Opt to visit the impressive Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, or travel to nearby Noto, a UNESCO World Heritage listed city renowned for its baroque architecture built with a unique golden limestone.

    Free time:

    Syracuse Full day

    There's lots to see and do. Get out and explore!

    Acommodation

    Hotel Gran Bretagna Siracusa

    Optional Activities - Day 3

    Noto Visit

    Noto

    Take a local bus to Noto, about an hour southwest of Syracuse. Home to one of Sicily's most beautiful historic centres, stroll through the Arco di Trionfo to reach Corso Vittorio Emanuele and visit the majestic 18th century Noto Cathedral.

    Parco Archeologico della Neapolis Visit

    Syracuse

    Uncover the city's ancient past at the Parco Archeologico della Neapoli, home to Syracuse's sprawling Teatro Greco. First constructed in the 5th century BC, today visitors can wander the grounds and imagine what 2nd century gladiator combats and horse races at the Anfiteatro Romano may have looked like.

    Acommodation

    Hotel Gran Bretagna Siracusa

    Meals Included:

    Breakfast

    Day 4 : Syracuse/Agrigento

    Travel to the baroque city of Ragusa before heading to the medieval hilltop town of Piazza Armerina. Visit the world's most varied collection of Roman mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale. Known for their incredibly well-preserved state "in situ", or in their original location, observe ancient scenes of hunting, fishing and athletics depicted beautifully in mosaic tile. Continue to Agrigento.

    Private Vehicle

    Syracuse - Ragusa 1h45m 90km

    Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

    Ragusa Visit

    Ragusa

    Enjoy some free time to explore the alleyways and the squares of this hilltop city, rich with baroque architecture.

    Private Vehicle

    Ragusa - Piazza Armerina 1h45m 100km

    Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

    Villa Romana del Casale Visit

    Piazza Armerina 2h30m

    Admire the finest Roman floor mosaics in existence at Villa Romana del Casale, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dating back to the 4th century, the villa's exquisitely preserved mosaics and frescoes are outstanding examples of early Roman art. To get even more out of your visit to the luxury countryside villa, opt to upgrade to a guided tour.

    Private Vehicle

    Piazza Armerina - Agrigento 1h45m 100km

    Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

    Acommodation

    Colleverde Park Hotel

    Acommodation

    Colleverde Park Hotel

    Meals Included:

    Breakfast

    Day 5 : Agrigento/Trapani

    Take a guided tour of the Valley of the Temples, one of Sicily's best-known attractions. Learn the history of this magnificent site as you explore the ruins of its seven temples, nestled on a ridge below Agrigento. Continue to Trapani, stopping en route in Marsala to see some of Europe's oldest salt marshes.

    Valley of the Temples Guided Tour

    Agrigento 2h

    Regarded as the best example of ancient Hellenic architecture in Sicily, the Valley of the Temples' oldest structures date back to the 5th century. Explore the ruins of the Temple of Concordia, with its majestic columns, and learn about the site's history from a local guide.

    Private Vehicle

    Agrigento - Marsala 2h30m 135km

    Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

    Marsala Salt Marshes

    Marsala

    Visit some of Europe's oldest traditional salt marshes, where sea salt is still harvested in the same way it's been for hundreds of years.

    Private Vehicle

    Marsala - Trapani 0h45m 32km

    Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

    Acommodation

    B&B Hotel Trapani Crystal

    Acommodation

    B&B Hotel Trapani Crystal

    Meals Included:

    Breakfast

    Day 6 : Trapani

    Enjoy a free day to explore the charms of Trapani and its nearby towns. Opt to cruise the idyllic Egadi Islands, spend the day hiking at a nature reserve filled with local flora and fauna, or hop on a funicular to explore the walled town of Erice.

    Free time:

    Trapani Full day

    Take the day to explore Trapani at your leisure.

    Acommodation

    B&B Hotel Trapani Crystal

    Optional Activities - Day 6

    Egadi Islands Excursion (Full-Day)

    Isole Egadi

    The crystal-clear seas off western Sicily are home to the idyllic Aegadian islands of Favignana and Levanzo. Cruise through the coastal waters and drop anchor in beautiful spots around the islands.

    Erice Excursion (Half-Day)

    Erice

    Head to the medieval hilltop town of Erice, a walled 12th century village perched high above the sea. Take a cable car from Trapani's city centre to reach Erice and spend a few hours wandering its picturesque streets.

    Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro Excursion (Full-Day)

    Zingaro Natural Reserve

    Visit the Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro, Sicily's first nature reserve located about an hour from Trapani. Perfect for nature-lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, spend the day hiking on spectacular trails that overlook the Mediterranean Sea.

    Acommodation

    B&B Hotel Trapani Crystal

    Meals Included:

    Breakfast

    Day 7 : Trapani/Palermo

    Travel to Monreale to visit the 11th century Monreale Cathedral, intricately decorated with thousands of gold mosaic tiles. Admire panoramic views of the Conca d'Oro (Golden Valley) and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Continue to Palermo and enjoy a CEO-led orientation walk upon arrival.

    Private Vehicle

    Trapani - Monreale 1h30m 110km

    Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

    Monreale Cathedral Visit

    Monreale 1h

    Visit the World Heritage–listed Cattedrale di Monreale, or Monreale Cathedral, considered one of Europe's greatest examples of Norman architecture with a heavy Moorish and Byzantine influence.

    Palermo Orientation Walk

    Palermo

    Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO along the squares and the streets of Palermo, this city has been the crossroad of so many civilizations from Phoenicians to Byzantines, from Arabs to Normans and Spaniards. Walk around to see baroque and gothic façades, neoclassical theatres as Teatro Massimo, the biggest in Italy and one of the largest of Europe, very unusual squares as Quattro Canti, and the majestic Palermo Cathedral.

    Private Vehicle

    Monreale - Palermo 0h15m - 0h30m 20km

    Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

    Acommodation

    Hotel Vecchio Borgo

    Acommodation

    Hotel Vecchio Borgo

    Meals Included:

    Breakfast

    Day 8 : Palermo

    Depart at any time.

    Meals Included:

    Breakfast

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