Magical Sicily Experience

Magical Sicily Experience

Price

$6875

Duration

11 days

Min Age

5

Reviews

No reviews yet

Overview

Hello from Sicily! Travel Inventor and Tour of Sicily have the pleasure to introduce you our tour designed for people who wish to really experience Sicily.

On this eleven-day itinerary, you’ll uncover layers of history on the island of Sicily. Is a sort of showcase where you can immerse your senses in the art, culture, and gastronomy! Sicily is a perfect destination for those who love art, delicious food, excellent wines, and breathtaking landscapes. Despite its small territory, unlike other Italian regions, Sicily claims years and years of history, incredible cultural wealth, and folkloristic differences in every corner, which makes it a unique and inimitable country.

Included/Excluded

  • Hand-picked downtown hotels
  • Experienced local guides
  • Complimantary arrival and departure transfers
  • Breakfasts in the hotels
  • Transfers: Palermo - Agrigento - Siracusa - Taormina
  • Palermo sightseeing with street food tastings
  • Day trip: wine, saltpan pools and olive oil
  • Visit to the Valley of the Temples
  • Half-Day organic cooking class
  • Mosaics floor at the Roman Villa experience
  • Visit to Siracusa Archeological Park
  • Aztec Chocolate Tasting in Modica
  • Taormina City Tour
  • International Flights and other transfers not mentioned in the itinerary
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Meals not included in the itinerary
  • City Tax (1€-5€ per day) paid on the spot

Tour Plan

Day 1: Arrival in Palermo

Welcome to the warm, beautiful, and vibrant island of Sicily!

Upon arrival at Palermo Falcone-Borsellino Airport, a private driver will be waiting to take you to your centrally located hotel to check-in.

There is nothing planned for the rest of the day, so feel free to rest after the trip, check out the local food scene, and enjoy exploring the city on your own.

  • Transfer: airport - hotel.
  • Meals: not included.

Day 2: Highlights of Palermo & Street Food Tasting

The next morning, after breakfast, you meet your private guide and start to explore the amazing city with a walk to a lively open-air market. This place boasts a strong Arab vibe, resembling a traditional bazaar you can find in Istanbul rather than something one expects to see in Italy. Your guide will show you around the picture-like stands with fresh fish, cheese, fruit, and vegetables and offer you an opportunity to savor foods that locals love to eat!

After that, you proceed to visit the most popular tourist attractions in Palermo, such as the Palatine Chapel, Pretoria Square, and the beautiful cathedral. The tour will end at the famous and very picturesque area in the historic center of the city, Via Maqueda, so you could continue exploring the lively city on your own.

Nothing is planned after the tour, and you have the rest of the day at leisure.

Alternatively, we will be happy to organize one of the following evening activities for you:
- Cooking class and dinner at a local's home;
- Sunset boat cruise;
- Evening Monreale and guided Dome tour.

  • Meals: breakfast.

Day 3: Day Trip to Marsala and Erice

This morning, you have a delicious breakfast in your hotel and set off on an exciting day trip that is all about wine, saltpan pools, and olive oil.

Your first destination is lovely Marsala, also known as the Harbor of God. What puts this picturesque town on the map is its world-famous wines named after the city. The local Marsala is the oldest Italian DOC wine (one of the highest quality levels according to the wine classification system!), and you will get a chance to enjoy the noble drinks during a guided visit to a local winery.

After that, you head to a local olive oil farm, following the scenic Salt Way Road. On your way, you have a chance to admire the beautiful saltpans, where the sea salt is to this day produced following the ancient Phoenician traditions.

Upon arrival at the farm, you enjoy a delicious lunch at the farmhouse, skillfully prepared using the local produce according to the best Sicilian cooking traditions.

Following the lunch break, you depart for the medieval town of Elymians, a destination perched atop a majestic mountain and boasting ancient history. Once, it was an important religious site associated with the goddess Venus, and now it is a well-preserved historical town boasting truly breathtaking views. Upon arrival, you will have a chance to independently wonder through its ancient streets and visit some of the famous homemade pastry shops. Make sure to try marzipan candies, candied almonds, and pistachio pastries. Trust us, you won't regret it.

After that, your driver takes you back to Palermo, and you enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

  • Meals: breakfast & lunch.

Day 4: Transfer to Agrigento & Turkish Steps and Valley of the Temples Sightseeing

This morning, you wake up, have a delicious breakfast, check out of your hotel in Palermo, and head off to the charming villa in Agrigento.

On your way there, you visit one of the most beautiful sights in Sicily, and the first stop of today's journey is the small, picturesque village of Realmonte. This destination is famous for the majestic rock formation of Turkish Steps — the striking white cliffs resembling a giant staircase nestled on the coast of the village. After you take your time admiring the natural wonder and taking some excellent photos, you continue your way to Agrigento.

  • Please note: walking on the cliff is against the law. Your discrepancy is advised.

The next stop is the city of Agrigento itself. Once, the destination was a city of artists and illustrious personages, such as the philosophers Empedocles and Polus.  And the ancient Greek lyric poet Pindar described Agrigento as “the most beautiful of mortal cities." Upon arrival, you embark on a tour of the Valley of the Temples, a world-famous Unesco World Heritage site. The tour covers the Temple of Hera, the Temple of Concordia, the Temple of Hercules, and the Temple of Zeus, all living histories dating all the way back to the 5th century BC.

After the tour, your driver will take you to a wonderful villa in the countryside, where you will enjoy a relaxing two-day stay.

  • Transfer: Palermo - Agrigento.
  • Meals: breakfast.

Day 6: Transfer to Siracusa & Roman Villa Sightseeing

The following day, you enjoy your breakfast and say ciao to your gracious host before starting your journey to the vibrant city of Siracusa. On your way there, you will have a chance to independently visit the majestic Roman Villa of Casale and see its famous mosaic floor.

The villa is an important local sight, built in the 4th century AD but abandoned and mostly forgotten soon after. In the 20th century, the building was found during the excavations and got its second life as a tourist attraction. The sight is the supreme example of a luxury Roman villa of its time, with about 3500 square meters of floor mosaics, and was likely the residence of an upper-class member of the Roman Empire. The mosaics are in excellent condition for their age and are celebrated among scholars of antiquity. Although we don't include a guided tour, all rooms have an extensive information board where you can learn more about the history of the place.

After the visit, you continue your journey to Siracusa. Upon arrival, your driver will take you to your hotel for check-in.

Nothing is planned for the rest of the day, and you are free to start exploring the city on your own.

  • Transfer: Agrigento - Siracusa.
  • Meals: breakfast.

Day 5: Organic Cooking Class with Zero-Mile Ingredients

The next day, you have a morning free to explore your surroundings. And around 11 a.m., we invite you to join a very special organic cooking class using zero-mile ingredients! The menu is up to you, as you will have a chance to choose between two different but equally amazing traditional Sicilian recipes and learn the secrets of the ancient culinary traditions. All the ingredients are fresh and locally sourced, from the vegetables picked from the garden to delicious Ricotta cheese, almonds, and, of course, olive oil. The cooking class is followed by a hearty lunch, where you will enjoy the dishes you made together with your host.

Nothing is planned after lunch, so you are free to enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

  • Meals: breakfast & lunch.

Day 7: Siracusa Sightseeing & Archaeological Park Tour

Today, you enjoy a delicious breakfast and set off to explore one of the most famous sights of the region, Siracusa Archeological Park, a place that breathes history. It is nestled only a short drive from your hotel, and it is a must-visit place for any history enthusiast. During the tour, you will see such gems as the Greek Theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre, and the Paradise Quarry, among other highlights of the park.

After that, you get a transfer back to the city center and start your comprehensive sightseeing tour of Siracusa. Together with a local guide, you will stroll through the picturesque streets of Ortigia Island, explore all the must-see sights, and dive deep into the fascinating history of the destinations.

There is nothing planned after the tour, and you enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

  • Meals: breakfast.

Day 8: Departure from Siracusa & Aztec Chocolate Tasting

Get ready for an exciting day ahead! After breakfast, you check out of your Siracusa hotel and start your journey to Taormina. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, as we have a rich sightseeing program planned for you!

The first stop is Ragusa Ibla, one of the most fascinating cities in Sicily. It was almost completely destroyed by the earthquake in 1693, but the city's story clearly didn't end there. Following the tragedy, Regusa was rebuilt into two different sites. The upper part has its fair share of architectural delights, of course, but it is the smaller Ragusa Ibla down below that is the real gem that draws visitors. The sight of the jumble of houses, churches, and civic palazzi piled on top of each other, clinging to the walls of the gorge, is really not to be missed.

Next, you head to Modica, a beautiful Baroque town known for its delicious chocolate. What makes it special is that it is still made the same way the ancient Aztecs made chocolate in 16th-century Mexico. The technique was brought over by the Spaniards, and Modica has kept the ancient culinary traditions alive to this day. You can try the chocolate in one of the oldest confectionary shops in Sicily, which makes it extra special!

The next stop on your journey is the picturesque town of Noto, a masterpiece of baroque architecture. During your short independent stay, you will have a chance to admire the historical center with its stunning old palaces and the city's majestic cathedral.

After that, you continue your journey all the way to your downtown hotel and Taormina. There is nothing planned for the rest of the day, so you are free to start exploring the city on your own.

  • Transfer: Siracusa - Taormina.
  • Meals: breakfast.

Day 9: Taormina Sightseeing

Get ready for an exciting day ahead! After breakfast in your hotel, you meet your guide in the lobby and enjoy an extensive tour of the best Taormina has to offer.

The city has long since been Sicily’s most favorite resort town, perched on a coastal bluff that looks out to the Tyrrhenian Sea between Messina and Catania in the north-east of the island. Its ancient, narrow streets are full of little Artesian shops, cafes, and restaurants, inviting you to step into the spell cast by this intriguing town. The town’s history is vibrant, dating back to the Ancient Greek period, and your guide will be happy to not only show you around the city's most famous historical sights but also tell you fascinating stories from the city's past.

Nothing is planned after the tour, and you have the rest of the day at leisure.

Alternatively, we will be happy to organize one of the following evening activities for you:
- Sunset Boat Tour (focus: Isola Bella)
- Godfather villages (focus: Savoca and Forza d'Agrò)
- Castelmola

  • Meals: breakfast.

Day 10: Free Day

Today, there is nothing planned. Enjoy the best the city has to offer, take advantage of its incredible restaurant scene, or hunt for souvenirs to bring back home.

Alternatively, we will be happy to organize one of the following evening activities for you:
- Etna Volcano (fintess level requred: beginner) with lunch in a rustic trattoria
- Etna Slopes with lunch in a winery with wine tastings
- Etna WD4X4 with lunch in a winery with wine tastings
- Siracusa (focus: Archaeological Park and Ortigia)
- Taormina Cooking Class with lunch

  • Meals: breakfast.

Day 11: Departure

Today is your final day in Italy! You check out from your hotel and enjoy a private transfer to the Catania airport in time to catch your flight back home. We wish you a pleasant flight and can't wait to start working on your next vacation.

  • Transfer: airport - hotel.
  • Meals: breakfast.

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