Timeless Sicily: Etna, Palermo & Noto

Arrive at Catania Airport and meet your local assistant. Transfer to your hotel in Giardini Naxos (approximately 50 minutes). The rest of the day is yours to relax or explore the beautiful Ionian Coast at your leisure. Overnight stay in Giardini Naxos.

Breakfast at the hotel. Orient yourself with a morning walk through Giardini Naxos alongside your Tour Leader, followed by free time for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a half-day excursion to Taormina. Admire Taormina’s renowned views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna; wander through its picturesque streets and explore the historic center. Admire the famous Greek Theatre from the outside. Complete your afternoon with a traditional Sicilian granita tasting, one of the island's most iconic specialities.  Overnight stay in Giardini Naxos.

Breakfast at the hotel. Take time to enjoy Giardini Naxos at your own pace, either relaxing at the hotel or exploring the surrounding area. To fully savor the local experience, we recommend our Mount Etna & Regional Specialties Tasting Excursion.* Overnight stay in Giardini Naxos.

*Optional Mount Etna & Regional Specialties Tasting Excursion: Explore Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano. Admire its striking landscapes before tasting a selection of local products, including honey, wine, and olives, grown in Etna’s fertile volcanic soil.

Breakfast at the hotel. A transfer will take you from Giardini Naxos to Cefalù. Here you'll have free time for lunch before joining your Tour Leader for a Guided Walk Through Cefalù's Old Town. Discover the sights which make it one of — I borghi più belli d'Italia — the most beautiful villages of Italy. In the evening, you may choose to continue your Sicilian experience with an authentic countryside dinner with our Optional Dinner at Tenuta Luogo Marchese.* Overnight stay in Cefalù.

*Optional Dinner at Tenuta Luogo Marchese:  Escape to a Sicilian estate and enjoy a traditional dinner prepared with local ingredients in a peaceful countryside setting, perfect for experiencing the island's authentic flavors.

Breakfast at the hotel. Travel to Palermo, Sicily’s capital, for a full-day excursion. Uncover the city’s rich history, shaped by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and Romans who have each influenced it over the centuries. Walk through Palermo’s historic center and admire Palermo Cathedral and Palazzo dei Normanni from the outside, before experiencing Ballarò Market. Browse its colorful stalls filled with produce, street food, spices, clothing and accessories. Later, enjoy some free time and continue exploring Palermo at your own pace. After a leisurely afternoon, return to Cefalù. Overnight stay in Cefalù.

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the Valley of the Temples and enjoy a tour of this UNESCO World Heritage Site,  one of Sicily's most important archaeological areas. Admire these remarkably preserved ancient Greek temples as you learn more about their construction and history. After your visit, continue your journey to your hotel. Overnight stay in Syracuse area.

Transfer Cefalù to Valley of the Temples, approximately 2 hrs 10 minutes. Transfer from Valley of the Temples to Noto, approximately 2 hours 45 minutes.)

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a free day to relax or explore the Noto area at your own pace. For a deeper insight into Sicily's rich heritage, join our optional Ragusa & Modica Guided Tour with Chocolate Tasting.* Overnight stay in Syracuse area.

*Optional Ragusa & Modica Guided Tour with Chocolate Tasting: Discover more UNESCO World Heritage sites with the Baroque towns of Ragusa Ibla and Modica. Accompanied by a local guide, explore Ragusa Ibla’s historic cobblestone streets before visiting Modica to learn about the town's celebrated chocolate-making tradition with a traditional chocolate workshop and tasting.

Breakfast at the hotel* before transferring to Catania Airport for your return flight to Canada.

*Depending on the return flight schedule and the hotel's breakfast service, you may not be able to enjoy the included breakfast on the last day.