Sicily tour: A classic Italy trip

Land at Catania Airport, pick up your rental car, and check into your hotel. Keep it easy on day one.

Head to Taormina for a gentle intro to Sicily. Stroll the scenic terraces, dip your feet in the Ionian Sea, and wander through the ancient Greek theatre: its stone arches frame views of Mount Etna like a movie set. End the day with fresh seafood or pasta alla Norma, paired with a glass of Etna wine.

It’s a soft landing into Italy travel: views, history, and food all rolled into one.

Spend the morning recharging by the sea. Taormina’s coastline gives you options: snorkel off the rocky shore, find a quiet cove to sunbathe, or grab a granita at a seaside café with a view of the Ionian.

Sicily has around 930 miles of coastline, from wild stretches in nature reserves to beach clubs backed by baroque towns. If clean, safe swimming matters, look for Blue Flag beaches, spots certified for water quality and sustainability.

Meet your guide and head to Milazzo, where you'll catch a boat to the Aeolian Islands.

First stop: Panarea. You've got free time here: swim in quiet coves, wander the whitewashed alleys, or grab lunch at a local trattoria. Go at your own pace.

Next, sail to Stromboli. Explore the island before sunset, then watch the Sciara del Fuoco from the water, a stream of glowing lava carving down the volcano into the sea. It’s one of nature’s rawest shows.

Return to Taormina late in the evening.

Drive to Palermo and check in. The afternoon’s yours.

Wander the backstreets of Ballarò or Vucciria, grab arancini or a spleen sandwich from a street vendor, or settle into a café and watch the chaos unfold.

Palermo wears its history on the street, Arab domes, Norman churches, and Spanish courtyards, all mashed together into something gritty, beautiful, and unmistakably Sicilian.

Meet your group and head west to Erice, a medieval hilltop town with roots in Elymian mythology and a temple once dedicated to Venus. Walk the cobbled streets, take in sweeping views, and breathe in the cooler mountain air.

Next, cross the saltpans of Trapani, wide, white flats dotted with windmills, where salt is still harvested the old way.

In the afternoon, explore Segesta’s striking Doric temple, unfinished but powerful, standing alone since the late 5th century BC. Return to Palermo by evening.

Head inland to Piazza Armerina to visit the Roman Villa del Casale, a late 4th-century residence known for its remarkably preserved floor mosaics, think hunting scenes, mythological figures, and the famous bikini-clad athletes.

Continue south to Agrigento for a guided two-hour tour of the Valley of the Temples, where massive Doric columns rise from olive groves. It’s one of Sicily’s most impressive ancient sites.

Return to Palermo in the evening.

Early hydrofoil ride brings you to Ustica Island, a wild, welcoming place famed for crystal seabeds and a protected marine reserve.

Meet our local team, enjoy a light breakfast at a bar, then take a short panoramic walk to cliff viewpoints and a boat tour of the island with snorkeling among rich underwater life.

Afternoon is free for hiking, cycling, or diving before a late hydrofoil returns you to Palermo.

Drive to Catania and check into your hotel. The afternoon’s yours, take it easy or opt for a guided street food tour, a market visit, or a slow walk along the Ionian coast.

Set beneath Mount Etna, Catania mixes volcanic grit with UNESCO-listed Baroque architecture and a food scene that pulls no punches.

Start with a tailored visit to Syracuse’s Neapolis Archaeological Park. Walk Roman roads, sit in the Greek Theater still used for open-air concerts, and explore the Roman Amphitheater, the echoing Ear of Dionysus, Latomia del Paradiso, the Altar of Hieron, and the small church of San Nicolò.

Then head to Ortigia, the city's island heart. See the Fountain of Arethusa and the Duomo Square, with time to grab lunch or just wander.

In the afternoon, visit Noto, a UNESCO-listed baroque gem known for its honey-colored buildings along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, often called a “stone garden” for good reason.

From Sapienza Refuge, explore Etna’s recent eruption sites and the ancient Wild Craters. Then hike a panoramic trail through Etna Park with sweeping views over the Bove Valley, a raw, lunar landscape shaped by lava and time.

Go underground next: visit a lava cave, geared up with a helmet and headlamp for a glimpse into the mountain’s molten past.

Wrap up the day at an organic farm with a tasting of local specialties, think sharp cheeses, rich olive oil, and homemade preserves.

Take a final scenic drive to Catania Airport and return your rental car; assistance available if needed. That’s a wrap on your Sicily trip.

Head home with laid-back memories, a few local favorites, and maybe a bottle of olive oil tucked in your bag. Safe travels.