Palermo Trip Overview
A travel through Mediterranean scents and flavors. Discover the sunny heart of Italy.
From Catania to Palermo, from the top of Mount Etna to the sea of Cefalù. From east to west: it’s not a Sicilian coast to coast without good food and a glass of Marsala in your hand. Cheers to Sicily!
Additional Info
Duration: 10 days
Starts: Palermo, Italy
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours
Explore Palermo Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Palermo, Sicilia, Italy
A travel through Mediterranean scents and flavors. Discover the sunny heart of Italy.
From Catania to Palermo, from the top of Mount Etna to the sea of Cefalù. From east to west: it’s not a Sicilian coast to coast without good food and a glass of Marsala in your hand. Cheers to Sicily!
Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Sicily
Stop At: Palermo, Palermo, Province of Palermo, Sicily
Welcome to the charming Palermo, in the sunny Sicily!
We meet at the hotel with our local guide and our new travel companions.
Duration: 4 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Accommodation in 4* hotel double room
Day 2: Monreale – Palermo
Stop At: 90046 Monreale, PA, Italy
Ready to discover Sicily and all its secrets?
We spend this first morning visiting Monreale, its Norman Cathedral proclaimed the Eighth Wonder of the World and its Cloister in Arab-Norman style.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Palermo, PA, Italy
We continue towards Palermo: the different architectural styles reflect the city’s multicultural past. We visit the eclectic Cathedral, the astonishing Martorana Curch and the historical Cappella Palatina.
During the day, we will stop for a surprise taste of local street food at the famous Antica Focacceria San Francesco.
Duration: 5 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Accommodation in 4* hotel double room
Day 3: Cefalu – Catania
Stop At: 90015 Cefalù, PA, Italy
Today we head to the charming medieval town of Cefalù. We visit its Norman Dome and then we have some free time: we could visit the Mandralisca Museum or just get lost in the narrow and colorful streets of the town.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Catania, Province of Catania, Italy
Later we head towards Catania. Here we continue our tour, visiting the city historical centre,a Unesco World Heritage Site in charming Baroque style. We can admire the Duomo square and its Cathedral, the splendid baroque Via dei Crociferi and S. Benedict Monastery.
We can’t miss the “Liotru”, a lava-stone elephant statue which is the symbol of the city!
During our tour we stop for a break in a historical café to taste the typical “granita” and brioche.
Duration: 5 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Accommodation in 4* hotel double room
Day 4: Mount Etna – Taormina
Stop At: Catania, Province of Catania, Italy
This morning we take a short visit of the famous “Pescheria” in Catania: the smell of the fresh fish guides us.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Mount Etna, 95030 Catania, Sicily Italy
We continue our tour with an excursion to the Mount Etna, the highest volcano in Europe, another Unesco World Heritage Site.
We reach 3.350 meters high and head towards the Rifugio Sapienza: during the path, we can see the “Crateri Silvestri”, small volcanic cones now inactive surrounded by ancient lava flows.
Once we reach the top, a breathtaking view is waiting for us: from here we can see the whole Sicily, the Aeolian islands and Calabria region!
Duration: 4 hours
Stop At: 98039 Taormina, Province of Messina, Italy
We then move to Taormina where we will visit the Greek theatre with its view on Giardini Naxos bay and the Mount Etna. Then we enjoy some free time walking in the narrow street of this Medieval town and shopping some souvenirs!
We end the day at the beautiful Riviera dei Ciclopi.
Duration: 4 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Accommodation in 4* hotel double room
Day 5: Catania
Stop At: Catania, Province of Catania, Italy
Today we enjoy a free day, in which we can discover the beautiful city of Catania. Go and see all the baroque details that decorate the city, taste all the Sicilian flavors in the local market and get lost in the lively streets of this sunny (even when it’s raining) Sicilian town.
Catania will have no more secrets for you!
Duration: 3 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Accommodation in 4* hotel double room
Day 6: Syracuse – Noto
Stop At: 96100 Syracuse, Province of Syracuse, Italy
This morning we move on to Syracuse to discover the greatest Greek colony in Sicily. Guess what? Another Unesco World Heritage Site! We visit the Archaelogical Park of Neapolis with its Greek theatre, the Roman amphitheater, the Latomie of Paradise and the Ear of Dionysius.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Ortigia, Corso Umberto, 96100, Syracuse, Sicily Italy
We head to Ortigia, a small island in the historical centre of Syracuse. We walk through Piazza Duomo and admire the Cathedral in Baroque style.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: 96017 Noto, Province of Syracuse, Italy
Next stop is Noto, the capital of Sicilian Baroque and declared World Heritage Site. We visit the beautiful noble residence Palazzo Nicolaci Villadorata.
We have some free time to find all beautiful Baroque details and then take a transfer to Ragusa.
Duration: 3 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Accommodation in 4* hotel double room
Day 7: Ragusa Ibla – Modica – Piazza Armerina
Stop At: Ragusa Ibla, 97100, Ragusa, Sicily Italy
Today first stop is Ragusa Ibla, the location of the extremely popular Italian TV series “Police Inspector Montalbano” and World Heritage Site. This little precious ancient town hosts more than 50 churches and
many Baroque architectural treasures!
We visit Giardino Ibleo, one of the oldest garden in Ragusa and admire a spectacular panorama from its 383 meters high.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: 97015 Modica, Free municipal consortium of Ragusa, Italy
Then we head to Modica: while walking through the streets of this World Heritage Site, we stop to visitSabadì which has been awarded as the best chocolate manufacturer for the past 9 years. We can not miss a chocolate tasting experience here!
We then visit Palazzo Castro Polara Grimaldi and its art collection.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: 94015 Piazza Armerina EN, Italy
The day goes on to the charming Piazza Armerina to visit the majestic Villa Romana del Casale to admire the splendid polychrome mosaics.
We depart to Agrigento.
Duration: 2 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Accommodation in 4* hotel double room
Day 8: Agrigento – Marsala – Salt Road
Stop At: 92100 Agrigento, AG, Italy
This morning must-visit of this tour: the famous Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, another World Heritage Site. It is one of the most prosperous of the ancient Greek cities on the island and it contains well-preserved Hellenic treasures.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: 91025 Marsala, Province of Trapani, Italy
We continue our tour in Marsala, a Mediterranean modern city. We take a walk in the city centre and then a guided tour of the Florio Cellars where we enjoy a memorable wine tasting experience!
Last stop of today is the suggestive Salt Road: the area, characterized by salt marshes, is now protected to preserve its interesting birdlife. It’s also an important site of industrial archaeology.
At the end of the day, we go back to Palermo.
Duration: 5 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Accommodation in 4* hotel double room
Day 9: Palermo
Stop At: Palermo, PA, Italy
The day starts with some free time to enjoy in Palermo.
As a nice alternative you can book a private excursion to Erice, a fascinating ancient village with Spanish style courtyards. We are now at 751 meters high: we can enjoy a wonderful view on the bay of Trapani, the salt pans, the Aegadian islands, the Valley of Valderice and Custonaci.
In the afternoon we proceed towards Segesta, an ancient colony. We visit both the theatre and the elegant Doric temple.
Duration: 8 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Accommodation in 4* hotel double room
Day 10: Goodbye Sicily
Pass By: Palermo, PA, Italy
Last day in this beautiful sunny region of Italy. We say goodbye to our new travel companions and local guide, with whom we have shared this tour full of Sicilian experiences
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
