Tour

Sicily in Depth - Small Group
from USD 4975

Insight Vacations

Tour Code: YE934M27
Vacation Type: Regional
Brochure:
Duration: 9 Days
Country: Italy

See every slice of Sicily during this 9-day guided tour. Take off to Paradise Quarry in Syracuse with a Local Expert to see the Ear of Dionysius, an ear-shaped limestone grotto where voices may echo up to 16 times. At Casa Nepeta, stroll organic crops before tasting an artisanal bitter infused with Sicilian botanicals. Visit the Palatine Chapel, travel to the salt pans and windmills on the western coast and taste Marsala wine in its hometown. Finally, in Taormina, join a Local Expert at the cliffside Greek theatre, with views towards Mount Etna, the island’s active Strato volcano.



Map Sicily Indepth Small Groups Guided Tour YE934 2027

Td Tips

  • Prepaid Gratuities YE934 Small Group

Transfer Airport

  • DEP Chargeable Trf Giardini Naxos to Catania Apt
  • Departure Trf Giardini Naxos Hotel to Catania Apt

Gold Seal Protection

  • Gold Seal Protection

Transfer Airport

  • ARR Chargeable Transfer Palermo Airport to Hotel
  • Arrival Transfer Palermo Airport to Hotel

Dining Summary

  • 5 Dinner (D)
  • 8 Breakfast (B)

Choice Highlights

  • 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.

Additional Included Highlights

  • Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
  • Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
  • 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 an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
  • Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
  • If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.

Authentic Dining

  • Palermo: Embark on a fun exploration of Palermo's tasty culinary scene on a Dine-Around evening with your small group.
  • Marsala: Enjoy a tasting of 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 celebration dinner reflects some of Sicily's top culinary heritage.

Insight Choice

  • 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.

Make Travel Matter

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.

Top Rated Highlights

  • 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 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 Expert, 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.
  • Noto: Awaken your senses on a botanical walk through Casa Nepeta’s organic crops of catmint (Nepeta), marjoram and shrubby thyme, herbs long used by Sicilians and rooted in the area’s local identity. Learn how these aromatics are used, see the production process up close and taste an artisanal bitter infused with locally-sourced Sicilian botanicals.
  • Taormina: Visit Taormina’s ancient amphitheatre with your Local Expert. 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 Expert. 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.

Travel Director

  • "A type of food I really love introducing my guests to is the street food because it tells a lot about the habits of the locals, it can be a slice of pizza folded up or a sfogliatella in Naples, an arancini, a gelato in Sicily, or a cannolo. "
  • "One fun fact people don't usually know before they come to Italy is that the Italian alphabet only has 22 letters."
  • "One thing I really love about showing guests about Italy is how art and beauty can be found around every corner of some of Italy's cities, which are real open air museums."

Well-being

  • Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
  • Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

  • Palazzo Liberty Unique, Splendid Hotel La Torre, Palermo
  • Seawater, Marsala
  • The Scala dei Turchi Resort, Agrigento
  • Mediterraneo Palace, Ragusa
  • Hellenia Yachting, Giardini Naxos, Baia Taormina, Marina di Forza D’Agrò
Day 1 Welcome To Palermo

Relax and settle in before meeting your Travel Director and small group for dinner at a local restaurant. It’s the perfect chance to connect with your fellow travellers as you begin your journey through Sicily.

Duration: 1 Day

Accommodation: Palazzo Liberty Unique, Splendid Hotel La Torre, Palermo

Day 2 Palermo & The Golden Age Of The Normans

Trace Palermo’s layered history on a walking tour that leads into the 12th-century Palatine Chapel, explored in the company of a Local Expert. The afternoon opens into unhurried time in and around Palermo Cathedral, where shifting architectural styles reveal the city’s changing story. As evening settles, join your small group for a relaxed Dine-Around, sampling the dishes locals favour and the way they like to enjoy them.

Duration: 1 Day

Accommodation: Palazzo Liberty Unique, Splendid Hotel La Torre, Palermo

Day 3 Trapani And Marsala

Nestled along its crescent-shaped coastline, Trapani sits close to the Mediterranean Sea. You’ll discover the age-old tradition of salt production on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, visiting the colourful salt pans and an ancient stone windmill where seawater settles into clear salt crystals. Then continue to Marsala and savour an exclusive tasting at a local winery with your group - enjoying the town’s renowned wine in quiet, sunlit surroundings.

Duration: 1 Day

Accommodation: Seawater, Marsala

Day 4 Explore The Valley Of The Temples

Journey along the southern coast of Sicily towards Agrigento, where the Valley of the Temples unfolds across a ridge above the sea. Walk the site with a Local Expert, taking in how this UNESCO-recognised site remains as some of the finest expressions of ancient Greek architecture. Marvel at the Temple of Concordia and the cliff-top Temple of Juno, each carrying centuries of stories in their columns and outlook. Afterwards, gather back at the hotel for dinner with the group, sharing reflections on the day’s unforgettable discoveries.

Duration: 1 Day

Accommodation: The Scala dei Turchi Resort, Agrigento

Day 5 Discover Villa Romana Del Casale And Ragusa

Today, you’ll travel inland to the Villa Romana del Casale, a luxurious UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for mosaics that reflect the scale and skill of Roman craftsmanship. Continue to Ragusa and follow a Local Expert through the narrow alleyways of Ragusa Ibla, a town shaped by Bronze Age roots and early Sicel tribe settlements, who gave their name to Sicily. Admire the area’s Sicilian Baroque architecture before a Farm-to-Table dinner that brings the small group together over local flavours.

Duration: 1 Day

Accommodation: Mediterraneo Palace, Ragusa

Day 6 Modica, Noto And Casa Nepeta

Begin your day in Modica, a town rebuilt after the 17th-century earthquake and known for its chocolate-making tradition. At an artisanal workshop, discover techniques rooted in older Mediterranean methods and how local craft shapes daily life. Later, enjoy a short drive to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Noto, where Baroque palaces and honey-coloured streets set the scene for time at leisure. Choose a local spot for lunch at your own pace before completing the day with an early aperitivo at Casa Nepeta, a sensory botanical journey among aromatic herbs followed by a tasting of Sicily’s authentic artisanal bitters.

Duration: 1 Day

Accommodation: Mediterraneo Palace, Ragusa

Day 7 Ancient Syracuse

Choose your way to discover Syracuse today. You can 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 - before visiting the Greek theatre. Alternatively, you can explore the Old City on the island of Ortigia, a labyrinth of narrow streets lined with palaces. This historic area is where the famed mathematician Archimedes ran through the streets, exclaiming 'Eureka!' Continue your journey along Sicily’s Ionian Riviera to the charming resort of Giardini Naxos or Marina Forza d'Agrò (departure dependent).

Duration: 1 Day

Accommodation: Hellenia Yachting, Giardini Naxos, Baia Taormina, Marina di Forza D’Agrò

Day 8 Taormina And The Dawn Coast Of Europe

After breakfast, consider an optional journey through the vineyards towards Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. Next, you’ll continue to Taormina, perched on Monte Tauro with views of the Ionian Sea and Etna. With a Local Expert, visit the ancient Greek theatre, set on a cliff and open to the sky, and even see Etna through its broken arches. Wander along Corso Umberto and take in the outlook from Piazza IX Aprile. Later, gather for dinner at a local restaurant, sharing Sicilian dishes and wines with the group.

Duration: 1 Day

Accommodation: Hellenia Yachting, Giardini Naxos, Baia Taormina, Marina di Forza D’Agrò

Day 9 Depart Catania

Your time in Sicily comes to an end as you transfer to the airport. Take in steady views of Mount Etna - a final glimpse of the volcanic landscape that has shaped the journey.

Duration: 1 Day

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Sun, 18 Apr 2027 Mon, 26 Apr 2027 USD 6,012USD 4,975
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