Palermo | Short Sicilian Carousel from Palermo | Small Group

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Enjoy a 5-day fully-escorted Sicilian Carousel Mini Tour visiting ancient Greek temples & charming medieval villages and discovering heavenly beaches, majestic mountains, and perhaps one of Europe’s greatest natural wonders, Mt Etna. This tour starts in Palermo and ends in Taormina.

Day 1: Palermo

Tuesday - On arrival at Palermo airport, make your way to your centrally located hotel. An optional private airport transfer is available on request. After checking in, the remainder of the day is free to relax or get acquainted with your new surroundings.

Day 2: Palermo

Wednesday - Enjoy breakfast at your hotel followed by free time to start exploring the Sicilian capital on your own. At 1:30 pm meet our guide to begin the guided tour of the city visit. First, we will enjoy a “street food” lunch in the centre of the town before visiting the imposing Cathedral, one of its most important architectural monuments. We will continue our visit by walking along Corso Vittorio Emanuele to reach "I Quattro Canti di Città” Piazza Pretoria, Piazza Bellini, and we’ll visit the Church of Santa Caterina. The evening is yours to relax and have dinner on your own. (B.L)

Day 3: Palermo | Monreale | Cefalu | Messina | Taormina

Thursday - Today's tour begins with a visit to the town of Monreale, set in a panoramic position on a hill just a few kilometres from Palermo. Here there will be a visit of the Cathedral, one of the most beautiful monuments in the world with its Moorish architecture, housing very fine mosaics representing a complete cycle of the Old and New Testaments in Arab-Norman style. We continue to Cefalù, a former fishing village, now a charming coastal town. Enjoy a walk to the city centre and down the main street to reach the Arab-Norman Cathedral and the medieval washhouse built in the rock. Free time to explore the town, for shopping and lunch on your own. In the afternoon we proceed to Taormina along the coastal road, passing through the town of Messina from where you'll have the chance to admire the suggestive scenery of the Strait of Messina. Check into your Taormina hotel and enjoy a well-deserved rest. (B)

Day 4: Taormina | Mt. Etna | Taormina

Friday - Today enjoy an excursion to Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe. Weather conditions permitting, we'll journey across a fascinating landscape past citrus groves, vineyards & fruit trees. We will reach a height of 1800 metres and visit the Sylvester Craters from where you can enjoy a spectacular panorama of the Ionic Sea. We then stop at a local vineyard on the eastern slopes of Etna and visit a prestigious cellar, where we'll have the opportunity to taste different local wines accompanied by local cheese & cold cuts. In the afternoon it is back to Taormina, a charming city called "the Pearl of the Ionian Sea". Enjoy time at leisure for shopping or walking through its tiny streets. You'll also have the possibility to visit the Roman-Greek theatre on your own, with its spectacular view of Giardini Naxos and Mount Etna. (B)

Day 5: Taormina departure

Saturday - Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before making your way to the airport for your return journey. An optional private transfer is available on request. (B)

Guaranteed English only departures!

2024 Tuesday Departures
August 27 / September  03, 10, 17 & 24 / October 01, 08, 15 & 22 
2025 Tuesday Departures
May 06, 13, 20 & 27 / June 3, 17 & 24 / July 15 / August 26 / September 02, 09, 16, 23 & 30 / October 07, 14 & 21

Not included: Entrance fees - approximately Euros 10 per person.

This tour is limited to a maximum of 20 participants. In the case of 8 or fewer participants, the tour will be operated by minivan with an English-speaking driver & local guide services as necessary, and the travel program might be adjusted.