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 travelers as you begin your journey through Sicily.
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 favor and the way they like to enjoy them.
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 colorful salt pans and an ancient stone windmill where seawater settles into clear salt crystals. Then continue to Marsala and savor an exclusive tasting at a local winery with your group - enjoying the town’s renowned wine in quiet, sunlit surroundings.
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-recognized 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.
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 flavors.
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-colored 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.
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 theater. 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).
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 theater, 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.
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.
