Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Sicily – Arrive at Palermo Falcone-Borsellino Airport, where you’ll pass through Passport Control and collect your luggage in the customs area. An Italian-speaking driver will meet you at the arrivals area and transfer you to your Palermo hotel in a private, air-conditioned vehicle.
Inclusions: Airport pick-up, hotel drop-off, private air-conditioned vehicle, Italian-speaking driver, booking fees, VAT.
Exclusions: Tips, gratuities, meals, beverages not specified.
Day 2 – Palermo & Monreale | Cultural and Street Food Walking Tour – Time: 8:30 AM, 6-hour duration – Embark on a guided exploration starting with a taxi ride to Monreale to visit the Duomo, a stunning example of Arab-Norman architecture from 1174, featuring golden mosaics of biblical scenes. Return to Palermo to discover the Palatine Chapel, built by Roger II between 1130 and 1140, adorned with intricate Norman-Byzantine mosaics. Continue to the Four Corners, the heart of Palermo’s old town, showcasing 1611 sculptures of seasons, Spanish kings, and patron saints. Stroll down Via Maqueda to Piazza Pretoria, home to the “Fountain of Shame” with its 16th-century nude statues and the City Hall. End at the vibrant Open Air Market, a 1,000-year-old market with Arab influences, brimming with fresh fish, cheeses, vegetables, and spices, where you’ll taste a traditional Palermitano dish like Panelle, a fried ceci bean paste.
Inclusions: Hotel pick-up, full-day licensed tour guide, walking tour, round-trip taxi to Monreale, street food tastings, booking fees, VAT.
Exclusions: Hotel drop-off, admission fees, gratuities, tips, meals, beverages not specified.
Day 3 – Erice & Marsala | Salt, Olive Oil, and Wine Experience – Time: 8:30 AM, 8-hour duration – Travel to Erice, a medieval hilltop town associated with the goddess Venus, where you’ll stroll through ancient streets and visit renowned pastry shops for marzipan, almond, and pistachio delicacies. Discover the Arab-built Pepoli Castle and the Norman Venus Castle, located on the site of an ancient Temple of Venus. Savor lunch at a Sicilian olive oil farmhouse with tastings of local specialties. Journey along the picturesque Salt Way Road, where traditional Phoenician salt harvesting creates a unique landscape of windmills and salt piles. End in Marsala, known as “Marsa Allah” (Harbor of God), celebrated for its historic DOC wine, and enjoy a wine tasting before returning to Palermo.
Inclusions: Hotel pick-up, hotel drop-off, private air-conditioned vehicle, English-speaking driver, independent visits as described, farmhouse lunch, Marsala wine tastings, booking fees, VAT.
Exclusions: Licensed tour guide, admission fees, gratuities, tips, meals, beverages not specified.
Day 4 – Agrigento & Piazza Armerina | Valley of the Temples and Roman Villa – Time: 8:00 AM, 10-hour duration – Venture through Sicily’s interior to Agrigento for a two-hour guided tour of the UNESCO-listed Valley of the Temples, featuring the Temples of Hera, Concordia, Hercules, and Zeus, established in 582 B.C. by Rhodian-Cretan colonists. In the afternoon, head to Piazza Armerina for an independent visit to the UNESCO-listed Roman Villa of Casale, a 4th-century AD villa renowned for its 3,500 square meters of intricate mosaics. Continue to Siracusa for the evening.
Inclusions: Palermo hotel pick-up, Siracusa hotel drop-off, private air-conditioned vehicle, English-speaking driver, guided Valley of the Temples tour, independent Roman Villa visit, booking fees, VAT.
Exclusions: Admission fees, gratuities, tips, meals, beverages not specified.
Day 5 – Siracusa | Archaeological Park and Ortigia Exploration – Time: 9:00 AM, 4-hour duration – Meet your guide at your hotel or city center and travel by taxi to the Archaeological Park, featuring the Greek Theatre, Roman Amphitheatre, and Paradise Quarry. Explore Siracusa, a cultural gem of Magna Grecia with diverse coastal landscapes. Then, take a guided walking tour of Ortigia, the city’s historic core connected by the Umbertino bridge, to admire the Baroque Dome, Arethusa Fountain, Maniace Castle (exterior), Temple of Apollo, and elegant palaces. Spend the afternoon exploring Siracusa at your leisure. Optional Add-On: Ortigia Sunset Boat Tour with aperitif (PM).
Inclusions: Round-trip taxi to Archaeological Park, half-day licensed tour guide, booking fees, VAT.
Exclusions: Admission fees, gratuities, tips, meals, beverages not specified, optional add-on, city taxes.
Day 6 – Ragusa Ibla & Noto | Baroque and Chocolate Tasting – Time: 8:30 AM, 7.5-hour duration – Depart Siracusa for Ragusa Ibla, a Baroque jewel, and independently explore its 18th-century churches, buildings, and gardens. Visit Modica to taste its distinctive Aztec-inspired chocolate, a legacy of Spanish influence. Continue to Noto, a Sicilian Baroque masterpiece rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake, with honey-toned tufa stone buildings along its main street. Conclude the day in Taormina.
Inclusions: Siracusa hotel pick-up, Taormina hotel drop-off, private air-conditioned vehicle, English-speaking driver, independent visits, Modica Aztec chocolate tasting, booking fees, VAT.
Exclusions: Licensed tour guide, admission fees, gratuities, tips, meals, beverages not specified.
Day 7 – Taormina | Leisure Day – Unwind in Taormina, Sicily’s enchanting resort town perched on a coastal bluff overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, with historic streets filled with shops, cafes, and restaurants, founded in 395 B.C. by settlers from nearby Giardini-Naxos. Explore independently or select from optional add-ons: a morning cooking class with lunch, a boat tour, an independent visit to the Godfather villages of Savoca and Forza d’Agrò, a guided Godfather tour to Castello degli Schiavi, a guided Taormina walking tour with the Greek-Roman Theatre, a group Etna 4×4 jeep tour with lunch at a trattoria or winery, an Etna ascent to 3,000 meters with a snack, or an Etna sunset experience (PM).
Inclusions: Booking fees, VAT.
Exclusions: Tips, gratuities, meals, beverages, city taxes, optional add-ons.
Day 8 – Taormina | Departure from Sicily – Time: 1-hour duration – Conclude your Sicilian journey with a transfer from your Taormina hotel to Catania Airport in a private, air-conditioned vehicle driven by an Italian-speaking driver.
Inclusions: Hotel pick-up, airport drop-off, private air-conditioned vehicle, Italian-speaking driver, booking fees, VAT.
Exclusions: Tips, gratuities, meals, beverages not specified.
Dates& Rates On Request
The CAD ($) rate is indicative of Euro price and subject to change.
Price per person in CAD $ Dollars.