Sicilian Trilogy Tour from Palermo Escorted Tour

Sicilian Trilogy Tour …
… the Real Experience of Sicily!

Small Group Tour of Sicily – 8 days – up to 16 people – Semi Independent-Escorted

Sicily is one of the Mediterranean’s greatest pleasures. Lying off the coast of southwestern Italy, this captivating island offers stunning sea views, quaint medieval hill towns, rustic cuisine and fine wine.

There are lot of options for tours in Sicily, where you can relish great wines looking at breathtaking surroundings such as the Etna Volcano, endless wineries, street food meals, archaeological sites and lovely coastal towns.

We have assembled top activities, top sights and especially top rated services and we have designed this tour for total 8 days.

TOUR RECAP

Season: April-October
7 nights/8 days
Palermo (3 night) Syracusa (2 nights) Taormina (2 night)
Accommodation: First Class
Airline Tickets: not purchased by us

Sicilian Trilogy Tour Starts on: Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday from Palermo

Land: Palermo airport – West Side
Leave: Catania airport – East Side

1° day – Arrival in Palermo airport – Independent Transfer
2° day – Monreale and Palermo Half Day Tour with street food tastings
3° day – Marsala Salt, Wine, Olive Oil and Erice with Lunch
4° day – Palermo to Siracusa (with stop to the Valley of the Temples – Lunch included)
5° day – Syracusa and Ortigia Half Day Tour
6° day – Siracusa to Taormina (with stops in Ragusa and Modica – Lunch included)
7° day – Taormina at leisure (optional activities available today)
8° day – Departure from Catania airport – Independent Transfer

HIGHLIGHTS

Palermo Street Food Experience
Dome in Monreale with 6.340 square meters gold mosaics
Marsala Saltpans and delicious Wine
Erice Medieval village, lunch in an olive oil farmhouse and Marzipan pastry
Valley of the Temples in Agrigento and delicious lunch in a lovely farmhouse
Syracusa and the lovely Ortigia
Modica baroque village and Aztec’s Chocolate tastings
Ragusa, the hilltown Ibla
Taormina world famous resort town of Sicily

ENGLISH SPEAKING GUIDE

Monreale: to visit the Dome
Agrigento: to visit the Valley of the Temples
Syracusa: half day to visit Ortigia and the Archaeological Park

The Admission fees to visit the above sites are included in the tour costs.

PROPERTIES USED

Palermo: Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa

Syracusa: Hotel Roma

Taormina: Hotel Villa Diodoro, superior room sea view

Hotel may be substituted with similar categories.
Hotels will be reconfirmed 20 days prior arrival

ROOMS STYLE

Single Room: room with a single bed for 1 person only
Double for Single use: double/twin room for 1 person only
Twin Room: room with a pair of single beds for 2 persons
Double Room: room with a large/double bed ideally for a couple
Triple Room: double with extra small single bed ideally for a couple with kid

IMPORTANT:
We do accommodate solo-travelers in Single Room
DUS –double for single use– surcharge is available ON REQUEST

PRE-POST NIGHTS: ON REQUEST

Pre-nights: Palermo
Post-nights: Taormina
Whenever possible, lodging will be in the same hotel used during the tour.

TOUR CODE: TRILOGYPMO

Category
Escorted Tours from Palermo, Escorted Tours Sicily and Italy, Multi Days
Location
Agrigento, Erice, Etna, Marsala, Modica, Monreale, Palermo, Ragusa, Siracusa, Taormina
Grade
Moderate
Days
8
Nights
7
Category
Semi Escorted
Group Size
up to 16 ppl
Departures
Sun, Tue, Thu
Accommodation
First Class
Season
April > October

Day 1

Arrival Palermo airport

Welcome to the warm, beautiful and pleasant island of Sicily!

Upon arrival at Palermo Airport (PMO) collect your luggage inside the customs area. Then independent transfer to your hotel (Palermo Airport Transfer - Read More>). This afternoon is at leisure to explore the town on your own.

Inclusions today:
>Hotel accommodation in Palermo

Day 2

Half Day Monreale and Palermo with Street Food Tastings

Breakfast at hotel.

Today departure for Monreale by taxi for a guided visit to the Dome, a wonderful example of the Arab-Norman art and architecture. Launched in 1174 by William II, the Dome represents scenes from the Old and New Testaments all in golden mosaics.

Later back to Palermo and start with a walk into a lively open-air market, a place with strong Arab influences, resembling a souk, with picturesque stands of fresh fish, cheeses, fruits and vegetables. During the tour you will have the opportunity to observe local people in their dailly activities and to savor foods that real Sicilian people love to eat! A small tasting of typical street food is included.

The walking tour through the ancient center of Palermo is approx. 2,5 hours and you will visit several monuments including Piazza Pretoria, and the exterior of Cathedral.

The tour will finish at the Four Corner to permit to have the afternoon at leisure to explore Palermo on your own.

Inclusions today:
>Breakfast at hotel
>Half Day English Speaking Guide
>Admission tickets to visit the Dome in Monreale
>Taxi service from Palermo to Monreale and return to Palermo
>Street Food Tastings
>Hotel accommodation in Palermo

Day 3

Marsala: Salt, Wine, Olive Oil and Erice

Breakfast at hotel. Today departure for Marsala, the Arab “Marsa Allah” –Harbour of God–, is known in the whole world for one thing: Wine! The Marsala Wine comes from the western lands of Sicily and its name derives from the homonymous town. The Marsala is the oldest Italian DOC wine, with an average alcohol content of about 18 degrees.

Have a short walk in the city center of this lovely town before driving along the scenic Salt Way Road to admire the beautiful Saltpans where the sea-salt is still produced following the old phoenician tradition preserved during the century.

Enjoy a light-lunch in a local Winery/Olive Oil producer Farmhouse including tasting of mixed local products

This afternoon departure for Erice uptown. The Elymians settled in 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. At arrival, friendly walk along the city centre with stop at local pastry shop to taste some Sicilian local sweet.

Later we return to Palermo.

Inclusions today:
>Breakfast at hotel
>Full Day Tour with English speaking team
>One light-lunch in an Olive Oil/Winery Farmhouse with wine tastings
>Hotel accommodation in Palermo

Day 4

From Palermo to Syracusa with stop at the Valley of the Temples

Following breakfast, we drive through the interior of Sicily to reach Agrigento to see the Valley of the Temples: two hours guided walking tour on the Valley of the Temples an important Unesco World Heritage site covers the Temple of Hera, the Temple of Concordia, the Temple of Hercules and the Temple of Zeus. Agrigento, according to legend, was founded by Daedalus and his son Icarus after they had fled from Crete “by air”. Historically, however, its origins date back to 582 B.C. when it was founded by Rhodian-cretan colonist from the neighbouring Gela who named their city Akragas after the nearby river. It rapidly increased in size, importance and military strength under Phalarides, the first tyrant, and later under Theron, who extended his way over northern Sicily as far as Himera.

In conclusion, Agrigento was a city of artists and illustrious personages, amongst whom the philosopher Empedocles. Pindar defines it as “the most beautiful of mortal cities” and, in fact, in the Vth century B.C., those famous temples, whose beauty we still admire today, were built.

Then we drive to a local Country Estate. Enjoy a rustic lunch to taste delicious local dishes. This afternoon we then continue to Syracusa

Inclusions today:
>Breakfast at hotel
>Full Day Tour with English speaking team
>Guided visit to the Valley of the Temples
>Skip the line tickets to the Valley of the Temples
>One rustic lunch in a local Country Estate
>Hotel accommodation in Syracusa

Day 5

Siracusa and Ortigia – Half Day Tour

Breakfast at hotel.

Today h 8.30AM visit this wonderful town with a professional guide who will lead you to the discovery of the most important beauties as well as the hidden treasures of Syracusa and Ortigia Island.

Transfer by taxi the Archaeological Park that highlights the Greek Theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre and, the Paradise Quarry. After we travel back to the Island of Ortigia by taxi to start the walking tour from the Aretusa Fountain, visit the incredible Dome of Syracusa built on top of a Greek Temple and today incorporated in a beautiful baroque church!!

Continuing the walk, the tour will end at Apollo Temples to permit you to get back independently to your accommodation.

This afternoon is at leisure.

Inclusions today:
>Breakfast at hotel
>Half Day Guided visit to the Archaeological Park and Ortigia
>Taxi service from Ortigia to the Archaeological Park and return to Ortigia
>Skip the line tickets to the Archaeological Park
>Hotel accommodation in Syracusa

Day 6

From Siracusa to Taormina with stops in Ragusa Ibla and Modica

Breakfast at hotel.

If you want to discover the Baroque beauty secrets, this is the tour for you! An incredible full-day dedicated to the exploration of two fascinating UNESCO heritage sites: Ragusa Ibla and Modica.

H 8.30AM departure from Syracusa in direction of Ragusa Ibla. Our Team will offer you time at disposal to keep the feeling with this section of the town giving you direction to explore independently the old part of the city and an undisputed reality of Baroque art. Here you can admire numerous eighteenth-century churches and buildings and the Gardens.

Soon after, you will discover another jewel of the Sicilian Baroque: Modica.

Lunch in a typical trattoria to enjoy the food specialties of this side of Sicily where a strong Spanish influence is still alive. Obviously, you will have the opportunity to taste the local chocolate made following the tradition that originated from the Aztec of central America brought in Sicily from the Spanish in the 17° century

Then we drive on to Taormina.

Inclusions today:
>Breakfast at hotel
>Full Day Tour with English Speaking Team
>Aztec’s Chocolate Tastings
>One lunch in a typical trattoria
>Hotel accommodation in Taormina

Day 7

Relax in Taormina

Breakfast at hotel.
Today is at leisure to explore the town on your own.

Inclusions today:
>Breakfast at hotel
>Hotel accommodation in Taormina

Recommended Optional Day Tours

#1 - Taormina Citysightseeing, half day
Enjoy with us a half day guided walking tour of Taormina to visit the lovely Greek Roman Theatre (admission fee: not included), Corso umberto Street and the Corvaja Palace. READ MORE>

#2 - Etna Jeep Tour with lunch, full day
Travel on off-roads on the slopes of Mount Etna. Do some trekking and have a great lunch experience based on local food & wine. READ MORE>

#3 - Godfather villages, half day
Half day Excursion to discover and enjoy the scenes of the Godfather movies in Savoca and Forza d'Agrò. READ MORE>

#4 - Taormina Boat Tour, half day
A relaxing half day private tour to visit the bays of Taormina and the coast of the pearl of the Ionian from the most privileged point of view: the sea! READ MORE>

#5 - Etna Ascent to the summit
Discover Mount Etna, an active volcano located on the east cost of Sicily. Is the largest volcano in Europe - with different way to ascent to the top from the north and south gate. READ MORE>

Day 8

Departure from Catania airport

Breakfast at hotel.
Time to say goodbye to Sicily!

Independent Transfer to Catania Airport and departure to your next destination

Inclusions today:
>Breakfast at hotel

Included