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Destination
Sicily Tours: Culture, Volcanoes and Islands
Greek temples, baroque towns, Etna and a food culture unlike anywhere else.
Why travel to Sicily
Sicily is an island of layers: Greek temples at Agrigento and Selinunte, Roman mosaics at Piazza Armerina, Norman and Arab architecture in Palermo and Monreale, and the baroque towns rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake at Noto, Ragusa and Modica.
Etna dominates the east, still active, with vineyards on its lower slopes and snow on the summit into spring. Taormina, Siracusa in Italy's south-east and the Aeolian Islands are all within reach, which is why most of our Sicily tours start from Catania and work round the island anticlockwise.
Distances are longer than they look and the island really needs a week: guided tours of Sicily usually split it between the eastern side, around Etna and the south-east, and the west around Palermo and Trapani, with local guides at each site and a coach that stays with the group.
- Where
- Largest island in the Mediterranean, southern Italy
- Best for
- Archaeology, baroque towns, volcano hiking, street food and wine
- When to go
- April to June and September to October
- Gateways
- Catania and Palermo airports
What to see in Sicily
Mount Etna
Europe's largest active volcano, over 3,300 m high. Cable car and guided walks reach the higher craters, while the lower slopes are covered in vineyards, chestnut woods and old lava flows.
Taormina
A hill town above the sea, built around a Greek theatre that still frames Etna between its arches. Below it, the coves of Isola Bella are reached by cable car.
Syracuse and Ortigia
The island core of Ortigia holds a baroque cathedral built inside a Greek temple, a daily market and waterfront walks; the archaeological park keeps the Greek theatre and the Ear of Dionysius.
Palermo
Arab-Norman palaces, the golden mosaics of the Cappella Palatina and Monreale, and street markets like Ballarò and Capo where Sicilian street food is at its best.
Tours in Sicily
Price on request
Hiking in Sicily, between sea and volcanoes
Price on request
Best of Italy: Rome, Naples, Amalfi Coast & Sicily
Sicily: frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Sicily?
Seven days allows a circuit of the main sites: Taormina and Etna in the east, Syracuse in the south-east and Agrigento's Valley of the Temples in the south.
Can you walk on Etna?
Yes. Guided walks run on the marked routes around the craters, with the level set by the volcano's activity on the day and by the local authorities.
When is the best time to visit Sicily?
April to June and September to October. Summer is very hot for archaeological sites, while spring brings wildflowers and mild walking weather.
Are the Aeolian Islands easy to reach?
Yes, by hydrofoil from Milazzo, about an hour and a half from Taormina by road. Crossings can be cancelled in rough weather, so the schedule keeps a margin.
Planning a trip to Sicily?
Our team in Italy builds each itinerary from scratch, for private travellers and for travel agencies.