Sicily in Depth
Experience Overview
See every slice of Sicily during this 9-day Sicily guided tour. Take off to Paradise Quarry in Syracuse with a Local Expert, who will show you its Ear of Dionysius, an ear-shaped limestone grotto: call out to your fellow travelers here, and your voice may echo as many as 16 times. Visit the Palatine Chapel to marvel at the glittering gold mosaics for a stunning sight. Travel to the salt pans and windmills on the western coast and taste Marsala wine in its home town. In Taormina, perched above the Ionian Sea, join a Local Expert at the city’s cliffside Greek theater, from which you can see Mount Etna, the island’s active Strato volcano.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 5 Dinner (D)
- 8 Breakfast (B)
Choice Highlights
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Syracuse: Walk through the gardens of Paradise Quarry, listen to the acoustics in the mysterious Ear of Dionysius and visit the Greek theater.
- Syracuse: Stroll through Old Town Syracuse on the island of Ortygia and learn the legends of the Fonte Aretusa.
Additional Included Highlights
- Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
- Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
- If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
Authentic Dining
- Palermo: Embark on a fun exploration of Palermo's tasty culinary scene on a Dine-Around evening.
- Marsala: Enjoy a tasting of some of the island's richest Sicilian wines at a local winery in Marsala.
- Ragusa: Savor the flavors of Ragusa during your Farm-to-Table dining experience, highlighting the freshest locally sourced ingredients.
- Giardini Naxos: Your celebration dinner reflects some of Sicily's top culinary heritage.
Insight Choice
- Syracuse: Walk through the gardens of Paradise Quarry, listen to the acoustics in the mysterious Ear of Dionysius and visit the Greek theater.
- Syracuse: Stroll through Old Town Syracuse on the island of Ortygia and learn the legends of the Fonte Aretusa.
Make Travel Matter
- Trapani: Discover how the ancient traditions of salt extraction has been handed down from generation to generation. Set in a breathtaking natural landscape, home to pink flamingos and various aquatic birds, the salt pans and windmills create a picturesque scene against a backdrop of sea and sky. This experience supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 11 & 12 - Sustainable Cities and Communities & Responsible Consumption and Production
Top Rated Highlights
- Palermo: Visit the spectacular 12th-century Palatine Chapel. Its sombre exterior gives away few clues to the riches inside. Step into a world where the walls glitter with 12th-century mosaics, the best of their kind in the world.
- Agrigento: Admire magnificent Hellenistic remains in the Valley of the Temples, such as the massive Temple of Concord and clifftop Temple of Juno.
- Piazza Armerina: Travel to the Villa Romana del Casale, a UNESCO site since 1997. The Villa is one of the most luxurious of its kind, showcasing it's rich and intricate mosaics which decorate almost every room.
- Ragusa: During your walking tour with your Local Expert see the famous Baroque buildings and churches.
- Modica: Experience Modica's celebrated hand-made chocolate.
- Taormina: Visit the ancient Greek Amphitheater with your Local Expert. Set on a cliff, open to the sky, take your seats and enjoy the view through the crumbling arches to Mount Etna.
- Taormina: Visit Taormina with a Local Expert and enjoy free time to stroll along Corso Umberto to Piazza IX Aprile.
Travel Director
- "A type of food I really love introducing my guests to is the street food because it tells a lot about the habits of the locals, it can be a slice of pizza folded up or a sfogliatella in Naples, an arancini, a gelato in Sicily, or a cannolo. "
- "One fun fact people don't usually know before they come to Italy is that the Italian alphabet only has 22 letters."
- "One thing I really love about showing guests about Italy is how art and beauty can be found around every corner of some of Italy's cities, which are real open air museums."
Well-being
- Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
- Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
Trip Details
Product Code: 19595
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator:
Insight Vacations (CA)
Supplier Code: 146.280A
Starts: Palermo, Italy
Finishes: Catania, Italy
Duration: 9 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $3,685 ($409 /day)
Itinerary
Relax and settle in before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Casena dei Colli, Palermo
Meals: Dinner
Discover Palermo on a walking tour featuring a visit to the stunning 12th-century Palatine Chapel with a Local Expert. This afternoon, enjoy leisure time exploring Palermo Cathedral, a fascinating site with its unique blend of architectural styles reflecting centuries of history. For your dining pleasure, you can try the foods the locals like to eat and experience how they like to eat it on your Dine-Around Evening.
Accommodation: Casena dei Colli, Palermo
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Nestled along its crescent-shaped coastline, Trapani is embraced by the Mediterranean Sea. Discover the age-old tradition of salt production when you visit the colorful salt pans and an ancient stone windmill during a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience to see where sea water is transformed into salt crystals. Then, savor the flavors of Marsala with a tasting at a local winery, where you can enjoy the town's renowned wine in beautiful surroundings.
Accommodation: Seawater, Marsala
Meals: Breakfast
Travel along the southern coast of Sicily en route to Agrigento. In Agrigento, explore the Valley of the Temples with a Local Expert. Recognized by UNESCO, these temples are exceptional examples of ancient Greek architecture. Marvel at the imposing Temple of Concordia and the cliff-top Temple of Juno, both overlooking the sea. Reflect on this unforgettable day with your fellow travelers over dinner at the hotel, sharing insights and experiences.
Accommodation: The Scala dei Turchi Resort, Agrigento
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Travel inland to the Villa Romana del Casale, a luxurious Roman villa renowned for its rich and intricate mosaics. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1997, showcases the opulence of ancient Rome. Continue to Ragusa and explore the labyrinthine alleyways of Ragusa Ibla with your Local Expert. The town, with origins dating back to the Bronze Age, was once inhabited by the Sicels tribe, who gave their name to Sicily. Admire the remarkable Sicilian Baroque architecture that has earned Ragusa UNESCO recognition. In the evening, savor the rich flavors of locally sourced ingredients with a delicious Farm-to-Table dinner at a charming local restaurant.
Accommodation: Mediterraneo Palace, Ragusa
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy a Relaxed Start this morning or join an Optional Experience to the Val di Noto and the town of Noto. Later, explore the town of Modica, rebuilt after the 17th-century earthquake, and discover its artisanal techniques used to create the town's celebrated handmade chocolate.
Accommodation: Mediterraneo Palace, Ragusa
Meals: Breakfast
Discover Syracuse through Insight Choice. Opt for sightseeing with your Local Expert at Syracuse’s Paradise Quarry, home to the unique Ear of Dionysius, an ear-shaped grotto with remarkable acoustics. Next, visit the impressive Greek theater, carved from solid rock, and one of the largest of the ancient world. Alternatively, take time to explore the atmospheric Old City on the island of Ortygia, a labyrinth of narrow streets lined with palaces. This historic area is where the famed mathematician Archimedes famously ran through the streets, exclaiming 'Eureka!' Continue your journey along Sicily’s picturesque Ionian Riviera to the charming town of Giardini Naxos.
Accommodation: Delta by Marriott Giardini
Meals: Breakfast
Your hotel faces east, offering early risers a glimpse of why D.H. Lawrence dubbed this 'The Dawn Coast of Europe.' After breakfast, consider an Optional Experience through the vineyards to Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano. Journey to the charming old town of Taormina, perched on Mount Tauro with views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna. With your Local Expert, visit the ancient Greek theater, set on a cliff and open to the sky. Sit and absorb the breath-taking view through the crumbling arches to Mount Etna. Stroll along the elegant Corso Umberto and enjoy panoramic views from Piazza IX Aprile. Celebrate your time in Sicily with a delightful dinner at a local restaurant, savoring Sicilian cuisine with exquisite Italian wines.
Accommodation: Delta by Marriott Giardini
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Your Sicily tour has now come to an end. Appreciate views of Mount Etna on your way to the airport.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Insight Vacations (CA)
Part of The Travel Company (TTC) family of brands, Insight Vacations began operations in 1978 and is based in Cypress, CA. Journeys are featured to destinations, such as the U.S. and Canada, Europe, Latin America, North Africa, Asia, the UK and Ireland. The company offers are a variety of tours under the classifications of Regional Journeys, Country Roads, Discovery Journeys, Easy Pace trips, and Special Interest tours. Insight is the ideal name for the tour operator, as the journeys provided by Insight Vacations allow travelers to gain further insight into whatever destination they wish to explore. For example, Discovery Journeys are the ideal choice for first-time visitors to Europe. Itineraries include Dine-at-Home or Farm-to-Table experiences so travelers can learn more about how locals live and dine. Regional Journeys allow trip-goers to see a specific location in Europe that they have always wanted to see – Poland, Switzerland, Italy, etc. The carefully planned trips enable customers to immerse themselves in one specific region or country and to become acquainted with its culture, traditions, and people. For anyone seeking travel off the beaten track, Insight Vacations offers Country Roads – trips that lead travelers off the well-tread tourist trail to explore hidden gems where visitors can savor the local produce with Farm-to-Table dining. Some trips are offered under the Easy Pace travel style – the ideal trip choice for trip-goers who wish to slow their pace during their vacation. During these tours, vacationers stay at least 3 nights at each destination, giving them some additional time to explore a place and enjoy it. Regardless of the travel style, many of the vacations offered by Insight Vacations begin with Relaxed Starts – giving travelers time to sleep in a little, spend more time at breakfast, or explore an area on their own. The tour company prides itself on providing business class tours that features luxury coaches with 40 seats. While most coach touring operators provide vehicles with 53 seats, Insight Vacations has re-configured its motor coaches to hold up to 40 guests. This gives passengers extra leg room while traveling and offers them more space and privacy.
In Business Since 1978
Reviews
Anonymous - Traveled, May 2019
The tour director was very familiar with the area and did everything to meet the needs of the 39 travellers under her care. Our driver was a skilled, personable driver. Every historical site was explained by a professional expert. Accommodation was first class. A thorough trip through Sicily! Perhaps more forewarning of the amount of walking involved would have been appreciated especially by those who are overweight or older. We would have liked to have visited more markets, but we're very pleased with all places on the itinerary.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/15/2019
Anonymous - Traveled, May 2024
Excellent once we connected with the tour but poor coordination getting us from airport to first hotel. It was even worse for several other travelers. Went many amazing and varied places in just a few days. Tour director was fun and knowledgeable. Local guides were excellent. Hotels in Gahanna and Palermo were much below our expectations for Insight.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/15/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, May 2024
The inclusions were well thought out and the tour director and driver were both very good at their job. Not all the hotels were a great experience and one restaurant was very poor with service as other customers were waiting for tables and we were pushed. The coach was comfortable but we found the number of people too much and prefer a smaller tour.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/15/2024
Teresa - Traveled, May 2023
Daniele Nannetti was an AMAZING tour guide/emcee for our "Sicily in Depth" trip. He was always friendly, caring, and attentive to all of us guests, very knowledgeable and informative (he taught us SO much about Sicilian history and culture), and was not only supremely organized and proactive but kept us quite literally on the edge of our seats with his infectious enthusiasm. The bus was very spacious and comfortable, and the route of the trip allowed us to see ALL of the diverse and awe-inspiring views out the window. Rotating seat assignments also let us each experience a different vantage point each day for looking out the window on the bus. Daniele selected excellent and comfortable hotels for us to stay at. The Mariott at Giardini Naxos, our final night's stay, was the most luxurious and gorgeous hotel I have ever stayed at in my 32 years; enjoying the delicious and decadent buffet breakfast while seated outside looking out over the Mediterranean was a dream, the perfect end to a perfect vacation, truly something from a postcard. Daniele also arranged the best and most informative tour guides for each special trip/stop on our adventure, and I learned SO much from them as well. Each of the excursions we took were stunning and fascinating, and I loved all of them, especially the tours of Palermo and Agrigento. The history, culture, geography, and gastronomy of Sicily are all incredible, and Sicily in Depth--and Daniele who guided us--embodied all of it. It was so hard to leave at the end of our tour; this was without exaggeration a dream come true. I cannot wait to go back to Sicily, and I cannot wait to go on another Insight Vacation.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/15/2023
Anonymous - Traveled, May 2023
Lorena was superwoman. Always there when you needed her. That covered pretty much the most beautiful spots of Sicily.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/15/2023
Mark - Traveled, May 2023
Our Tour Director, Lorena Schiavon, wonderfully handled our Sicily in Depth tour. It was a pleasure traveling with Lorena and Roberto (our tour bus driver) and they were professional, courteous and personable. My wife and I were very happy with the itinerary which we felt covered a wide range of landscapes, cities, villages, history and Sicilian food.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/15/2023
George - Traveled, May 2023
Some hotels were below my standard. We visited all the major historic sites.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/15/2023
Kerry - Traveled, May 2023
Everything was perfect. Great accommodation, safe and careful driver, above all our guide Micha was the absolute best, he is the quintessential people person, nothing was ever too much for him and he always demonstrated such patience. I loved every minute of my Sicilian tour. Thank you. Kerry Rizzoli.Perfect, I got to see everything that I thought I would and more. Such great specialists guides.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/15/2023
Jerome - Traveled, May 2023
When everything goes right without any problems you have to appreciate the effort of those behind the scenes. Able to see all we wanted to see on this trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/15/2023
Kathleen - Traveled, May 2023
Hotel maintenance not up to Insight standards especially in dining rooms. In Palermo there were 3 coffee machines in the dining room. We were there 3 mornings and never did more than one of the machines work. In our last hotel we were right on the ocean. Many members of our group were given handicapped rooms with a garden level view of the parking for the hotel next door. We were happy that we had gone to Sicily a day early. The first day’s itinerary would have been a killer for jet lagged travelers.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/15/2023
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