Small group Sicily guided vacation is a guaranteed departure of this tour, with up to 16 people. which we handle a bit differently when we have a very small group of 2-7 people, or a larger group of 8-25 people. This tour is operated with a Driver-Guide from 2-7 people. The Driver Guide is not a Licensed Tourist Guide so will be driving and pointing out sites along the way. A Licensed Tourist Guide: a professional with a Regional license, permitted to conduct visits and tours in all sites and museums within a city is provided when the small group Sicily guided vacation group number meets 8 participants.

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Small Group Sicily Guided Vacation Itinerary

ITINERARY:
Day 1 – Depart US for Palermo Sicily

Day 2 (Saturday) Palermo
Welcome to the warm, beautiful and pleasant island of Sicily!

Upon arrival at Palermo airport (PMO) please proceed through the Passport Control and collect your luggage inside the customs area. Your transfer driver will be holding sign with your name to transfer you to your hotel.

Tonight at 7.00PM you’ll meet your Sicily tour director at the hotel.  Then we’ll gather for an authentic Sicilian dinner at a local restaurant. (D)

Day 3 (Sunday) Palermo, Cefalù & Monreale

Today we explore the lively Capo Market, a large open air street market that captures the flavor of Palermo’s Saracen Arab past. Capo is a blend of general confusion and a jumble of vendors’ stalls, winding toward the old gate –Porta Carini– of what used to be the city wall. Later we continue by seeing Piazza Pretoria and Via Maqueda, whose “four corners” converge Palermo at a quartet of baroque palaces left over from the heyday of Spanish rule dating from 1560. We then departure for Cefalù, a charming coastal town home to a massive Norman Cathedral with outstanding mosaics. Here we visit the city center and stroll down main street to reach the Cathedral. This afternoon onto Monreale to see where the Arab-Norman art and architecture reached the pinnacle of its glory with the Duomo (Admission Fee: not included), launched in 1174 by William II. It represents scenes from the Old and New Testaments all in golden mosaics. Later we return to Palermo (BB)

Day 4 (Monday) Palermo/Agrigento/Palermo

Following breakfast, we drive through the interior of Sicily to reach Agrigento where we visit the finest of all ancient Greek sites—the complete Doric Temples (Admission Fee: not included). Light lunch will be served in a local trattoria. This afternoon we then return to Palermo. (BB L)

Day 5 (Tuesday) Palermo/Erice, Olive Oil, Segesta & Winery/Palermo

Early departure to tour western Sicily where we reach Erice uptown. The Elymians settled the medieval town of Erice, which was an important religious site associated with the goddess Venus. Wander through its ancient streets and visit some of the famous homemade pastry shops—world-famous for marzipan candies and other delicacies like almond and pistachio pastries. Later we travel through the Saltpans to see the historic salt flats works, where the ancient tradition of harvesting salt from the sea is still practiced. Then, to an olive oil factory-farmhouse to enjoy a light lunch. This afternoon we continue onto Segesta, one of the major cities of the ancient indigenous Elymian people, to visit the unfinished Doric temple (Admission Fee: not included), late 5th century BC, built on a hilltop just outside of the ancient city and has a commanding view of the surrounding area. Then to a local winery to taste Sicilian wine. We then return to Palermo. (BB L)

Day 6 (Wednesday) Palermo/Piazza Armerina/Syracuse

Today departure for Piazza Armerina to view the ruins of the Roman Villa of Casale (Admission Fee: not included). The mosaics discovered here are celebrated among scholars of antiquity. Light lunch in a local trattoria. This afternoon we continue to Syracuse, founded by colonists from Cornith in 735 B.C. and once the most important competitor to Athens. (BB L)

Day 7 (Thursday) Syracuse/Noto, Ragusa & Watermill/Syracuse

Today our first stop is Noto, a lovely village parts of the UNESCO, famous for its honey colored buildings of the early eighteenth century. Noto is considered a masterpieces of the Sicilian Baroque style. Later, we then continue to Ragusa. The city is situated in the Iblean mountains and, along with Ragusa, it is part of the UNESCO Heritage Sites in Sicily. The main economy of the area revolves around dairy cheese & agricultural products like olives, carobs, legumes, and grains. Upon arrival we walk through the historical town of Ragusa Ibla highlights the wide array of Baroque architecture in Sicily, including several stunning palaces and churches. Snack in a local bar to taste the famous “scacce” a focaccia-like stuffed breads famous in this province. This afternoon we drive in the interior of Ragusa neighbors to see an old Watermill (Admission Fee: not included) from the second half of the 18th century, important because uses a really old technology from the Arab domination. The watermill is still working and we can see the wheat transforming into flour, as well as the place of work and life and other rooms connected with the miller’s life. The Mill Museum presents a rich exhibition of the most typical tools used in the past when manual work was not yet substituted by the new technologies. Visiting this site takes us back into the past indulging us to value how hard our ancestry’s job was. Later we return to Syracuse. (BB S)

Day 8 (Friday) Syracuse/Taormina

During the morning stroll through the streets of Ortygia Island, the heart of the city center. Later we visit through the Archaeological Park (Admission Fee: not included) highlights the Greek Theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre and the Paradise Quarry. We then continue onto Taormina, the world famous resort town of Sicily. The balance of the day is at leisure. (BB)

Day 9 (Saturday) Taormina

Today is at leisure or Optional Excursion. (BB)
Taormina is a hill-village with a glossy sheen of glamour. A drink at the tables of Caffè Wunderbar (or similar) in Piazza IX Aprile may set you back a few euros, but you’ll be basking where Tennessee Williams and Elizabeth Taylor basked before you.
As well as the famed Greek-Roman Theatre (Admission Fee: not included), there are several minor sites to be discovered around Taormina. The attractive principal thoroughfare, Corso Umberto is pedestrian and ideal for strolling and window-shopping. Picturesque lanes above and below the Corso are interesting to explore, while if you want to stretch your legs further there are attractive walks up into the hills, or down to the sea. Given its compact size, Taormina has a huge range of bars, cafes and restaurants where you can while away pleasant hours while admiring the views.
Enjoy your stay at leisure in Taormina or inquiry us for Optional Excursion!
Day 9 (Sunday) Taormina/Catania
Time to say goodbye to Sicily. Today independent (Private Airport Transfer package is available on request) transfer to Catania airport (CTA). (BB)
Meal Legend: BB Buffet Breakfast L Lunch or Light Lunch S Snack D Dinner

Submit form or call us today 800-227-1577 to book your

Escorted Small Group Sicily Guided Vacation