Sicily Grand Tour

Sicily Grand Tour
self-drive tour
15 days / 14 nights
Daily departures. Price on request

ITINERARY:

Day 1                     Palermo – arrival
Arrival and pick-up the car rental at Palermo airport. Check-in and installation at the hotel. Free time at leisure

Day 2                     Palermo
Breakfast at the hotel.
Explore the city of Palermo at your leisure – the largest city in Sicily, Palermo has a whole host of cultural and historical treasures, eight of which are UNESCO sites. It is a city that has experienced centuries of dizzying highs and crushing lows. It features crumbling staircases and the largest opera house in Italy. The city’s architecture reflects periods of Arab, Norman and Spanish rule.

Day 3                     Palermo – Segesta – Erice – Trapani
After breakfast, drive towards the city of Trapani. Along the way, be sure to stop at Segesta, one of the important cities of Sicily’s indigenous people, the Elymians. Continue on a winding road to the hilltop town of Erice, offering spectacular views of all of Trapani and the coastline, including the salt lakes. Sicily’s most famous city is known for its labyrinthine cobblestone streets and beautiful courtyards that give the impression of stepping back in time.
Overnight in Trapani.

Day 4                     Trapani
Breakfast at the hotel.
An ideal base for exploring western Sicily, Trapani sits on a crescent-shaped stretch of coast, right where the Tyrrhenian Sea meets the Mediterranean.
A charming historic center that runs along Corso Vittorio Emanuele is dressed in typical Italian architecture. The most beautiful part is the promenade north of the center, a great place to admire one of the most beautiful sunsets you will ever see.
We suggest visiting in the area:
– Aegadian Islands with its charming coves such as Cala Rossa and Cala Azzurra at Favignana;
– the beach of San Vito Lo Capo with the nearby picturesque Tonnara di Scopello (one of the few remaining places where you can see the history of the Mediterranean and the tradition of tuna fishing)

Day 5                    Trapani – Agrigento
Breakfast at the hotel.
Agrigento: is best known as the city of temples, with its vast archaeological park that preserves a series of five Greek temples and the ancient city walls that surrounded the place called Akragas. We suggest you take an optional ($) guided tour of the Valley of the Temples. You will enjoy a gentle walk through the archaeological area and discover the ruins of what was once the great city of Akragas, founded in 581 BC. Today, the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and includes a network of ancient streets as well as the five massive Doric temples from which the valley takes its name. You will see the two spectacular temples of the site, the Temple of Concordia and the Temple of Juno.
Another beautiful place to visit during your stay in this area is the ‘Scala dei Turchi – Turkish Steps”, a limestone rock formation. You cannot currently access the White Stairs. However, you can admire a beautiful sunset overlooking them from the nearby beach.

Day 6               Agrigento – Ragusa
Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure towards Ragusa. On the way, for the fans of INSPECTOR MONTALBANO, you can stop in Punta Secca (“Marinella” in the fiction) to visit externally the “House of Montalbano”, nearby the sandy beach where he used to swim (possibility to take a bath at Montalbano’s bay).
We suggest making a brief stop at “Donnafugata Castle”, set in a rolling countryside among rocks and giant carob trees and surrounded by a huge park. Inside the Castle, which has 122 rooms, only the first floor is open to visitors and the large garden, shaded first by large Ficus magnolioides trees and other Mediterranean and exotic species.
Overnight in Ragusa.

Day 7               Ragusa
Breakfast at the hotel.
Free time at leisure to visit to this beautiful baroque town. Destroyed by an earthquake in 1693, the rebuilt Baroque town of Ragusa is one of the most beautiful in Sicily. Wandering the alleys, you’ll find elaborate churches and streets lined with the grand mansions of noble families.
We suggest visiting in the area:
Modica – a picturesque town, characterized by houses leaning against each other. Take a stroll to discover the medieval historic center, climbing the stairs to reach beautiful churches and views of the town. One of the most beautiful churches is the Chiesa di San Giorgio which offers fantastic photo opportunities of the town (Belvedere Corso San Giorgio) and the church itself. For the best views of the town, head up the hill to Pizzo Belvedere via a street behind the church, Belvedere Via San Benedetto da Norcia or Belvedere Vanella 139.
Scicli – an enchanting village in southeast Sicily, is a living tableau of art, culture, and baroque elegance. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Scicli narrates a rich history through its cobblestone streets, grand palaces, and exquisite churches like San Giovanni Evangelista and Santa Maria La Nova.

Day 8                    Ragusa – Noto – Syracuse
Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure towards Syracuse.
Drive down the coast and discover one of Sicily’s prettiest seaside villages: Marzamemi , famous for continues its artisanal fishing and processing activities, producing all manner of delicacies, including canned tuna, dried tuna roe (bottarga), smoked swordfish, marinated anchovies, seafood pasta condiments, tuna salamis and much more.
Continue towards Noto – known for its unique style of Sicilian Baroque architecture, and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. Wander the open-air museum and beautiful Corso Vittorio Emanuele to admire the many palaces and churches that, grouped together, are known as the “Stone Garden.”
Overnight in Syracuse.

Day 9                    Syracuse
Breakfast at the hotel.
Syracuse is the birthplace and home of the eminent mathematician and engineer Archimedes. This 2,700-year-old city played a key role in ancient times when it was one of the major powers of the Mediterranean world.
Free day at leisure in Ortygia Island to experience the historic heart of Syracuse. Located at the park’s eastern end, and separated by a narrow channel, Ortygia is filled with Greek temples, Christian churches, and Arabian streets. Visit the Arethusa fountain and Piazza del Duomo, where the baroque palaces, such as Beneventano del Bosco Palace and Senate Palace are among the most beautiful in Sicily. The eastern waterfront is the liveliest part of the city, filled with traditional trattorias.

Day 10                  Syracuse – Catania – Taormina
Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure for Taormina. On the way, make a brief stop in Catania – Sicily’s second largest city has been devastated by volcanic eruptions of Mount Etna throughout its history, which you can see while walking. The main square, Piazza Duomo, is a great starting point to discover the small historic center of the city. The most beautiful is the Cathedral of Sant’Agata, dedicated to the guardian of the city. In the middle, you will find a charming elephant fountain, the Fontana dell Elefante. From here, you can walk along Via Etna which, on a good day, offers a splendid view of the volcano. You can also continue to the ancient fortress of Castello Ursino from the 13th century. At the end of the path, you will arrive at Porta Garibaldi. Continuing on Via Crociferi, you will pass the historic monastery of San Bedenetto with the famous arch that makes the building a symbol of Catania.
In the afternoon, continue towards Taormina. Check-in and installation at the hotel.
Overnight in Taormina.

Day 11-12         Taormina
Breakfast at the hotel.
Charming town located on a rocky plateau of Mount Tauro overlooking the Ionian Sea, at a height of about 250 meters, Taormina boasts a rich artistic, historical and cultural heritage that with its healthy climate and beautiful natural scenery, has attracted visitors since the middle of the eighteenth century.
A clifftop town offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding area that you admire at the Saracen Castle and the Greek Theatre from the 3rd century BC. Along the main road of this town, Corso Umberto, with the Messina Gate below and the Catania Gate on the mountain side, you will admire the most important monuments: Palazzo Corvaja (The Corvaja Palace) , the Teatro Antico* (The Old Theatre), Piazza IX Aprile, the Torre dell’orologio (The Clock Tower), the Cattedrale Fortezza (The Fortress Cathedral), the Badia Vecchia (The Old Abbey), and the Palazzo Duchi di Santo Stefano (The Duke of Saint Stephen Palace), and much more. It is at night that you feel the energetic and lively atmosphere of restaurants, musicians and people strolling.
We suggest taking an optional tour to Mt. Etna or see the villages of Savoca & Forza D’agrò (featured in Godfather movie).

Day 13               Taormina – Cefalu
Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure for Cefalu – a convenient and relaxing last stop on your 2-week Sicily itinerary before heading home, as it is only an hour from Palermo airport.
Cefalu is a beautiful, small mountain town that has a lot of charm and some of the most beautiful sandy beaches. Like any other tourist towns, Cefalu is full of shops and restaurants. However, they do not take away from the charm of the narrow, cobbled streets. While you are taking a leisurely stroll, be sure to stop in the town centre, at the Piazza del Duomo, with the Palazzo Vescovile and the well-preserved Norman-style church, the Cattedrale di Cefalu, from the 13th century. The square is the life of the town, with restaurants filling its entire space, live musicians and people dancing.

Day 14                 Cefalu – Palermo
Breakfast at the hotel.
in the morning, continue exploring Cefalu.
Alternatively, you can also visit  “Monreale” –  a small village on the slopes of Monte Caputo, 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Palermo. It has a great view down the valley (the Conca d’Oro) and a medieval atmosphere with its small streets. It is also the seat of an archbishop and its history is strictly connected to the construction of the Cathedral. The Cathedral of Monreale is one of the most important Norman buildings in the island. It is dedicated to the Madonna and called Santa Maria La Nuova. It dates back to the twelfth century, when the Norman king William II, known as William the Good, founded a Benedictine monastery here; the Duomo was its abbey.
Overnight in Palermo.

Day 15                   Palermo – departure
Breakfast at the hotel. Return the car at Palermo airport. End of the services.