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Sicily Hiking & History Tour

Sicily is one of the most beautiful and fascinating islands in the world and this new tour gives you all of the rich history, culture and cuisine wine with the added bonus of some gorgeous walks and hikes in the countryside. Start in Catania and travel around the entire island, from Siracusa to Agrigento, Palermo and Taormina. You’ll see ancient Greek temples, stunning Norman palaces, Baroque chuches, and vibrant cities and towns who have perfected the art of hospitality. This trip is perfect for anyone who enjoys a little more activity in their day but also wants time to stop and smell the roses.
Duration: 11 nights / 12 days
Dates: 2025: April 23-May 4
Trip starts/ends: Catania airport afternoon Day 1/Catania airport morning Day 12
Activity level: 2+ we have four hikes that aren't long but they are on rocky terrain with some moderate climbing [more info]
Group size: min. 4 - max. 14

Highlights

* explore the colorful streets of tiny Ortigia island, founded in the 8th c. BC by Ancient Greeks
* see the golden-hued Baroque buildings of Noto
* walk amongst the Ancient Greek Temples of Agrigento
* see the spectacular Roman mosaics of the Villa del Casale
* hike on coastal and mountain trails in some of the island’s natural parks
* visit an award-winning cheese producer followed by a delicious lunch
* discover fascinating Palermo, once the most powerful city in the Medieval world
* tour the imposing Norman castle and Palatine Chapel in Palermo
* enjoy lunch at a local winery on the slopes of Mt. Etna with a sampling of their wines
* visit the magnificent Greco-Roman theater in Taormina
* tour the slopes of Mt. Etna with a professional volcanologist
* stay in wonderful hotels with old-world charm and attentive service

Trip price includes

11 nights in 3 & 4-star hotels and 1 country residence; 11 breakfasts, 5 dinners plus 2 lunches; all visits and transfers as per itinerary; at least 1 bilingual guide to accompany you throughout the week (2 guides are present for groups over 8)

Not included

6 dinners, 8 lunches, drinks other than water at meals, and anything not listed in the inclusions

ITINERARY

Days 1 & 2) ORTIGIA/SIRACUSA
From the Catania airport we transfer to the tiny island of Ortigia, located at the tip of the ancient city of Siracusa. We’ll visit the grand Duomo (cathedral) that’s built directly over and ancient Greek temple to Diana, see the colorful local market, see an underground area that holds a ritual Jewish Bath (mikveh) as well as an air-raid shelter from WWII, and endless tiny streets and alleyways that criss-cross the island. Two nights Ortigia

Days 3 & 4)  AGRIGENTO and the VALLEY of the TEMPLES 
Transfer south and spend two nights in Agrigento, stopping en route for a fabulous hike to cold pools and small waterfalls. You’ll love our quiet hotel in the countryside with views to the temples which rise on a ridge. We also have some fun cultural visits in the city of Agrigento.

Days 5-8) PALERMO and Surroundings 
Head north and spend four nights in the vibrant and historical city of Palermo, which was once the cultural capital of the Mediterranean with a thriving arts scene and religious tolerance. Centuries of Arab rule left an imprint on the city’s layout, cuisine and customs while the northern Normans left some of the most spectacular churches and chapels in the world. The Spanish ruled for centuries after that and left opulent Baroque architecture and palaces. A short drive from Palermo brings us to some beautiful coastal hikes as well.

Days 9-11) TAORMINA and MOUNT ETNA
We continue our journey clockwise around the island and stop en route for another beautiful hike in a natural park with monumental trees and charming hilltop villages. Our last three nights are in the world-famous town of Taormina, that sits on a rocky promontory overlooking the sea, a glittering beach below, and the silhouette of Mt Etna. We have a hike on the volcano with a professional vulcanologist and also take time to tour Taormina and its well-preserved Greco-Roman theater.

Day 12) DEPARTURE from CATANIA
A short transfer takes us to Catania, where you can catch onward flights.

2025 price from €5,400
[info on prices]

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Activity Levels

Some tours have a range of activity levels through the week, where some walks may be more challenging than others, but this will give you a general idea of the type of walking/hiking involved on your tour.

1 – EASY: City walking, all or mostly paved, minimal climbing
2 – GENTLE: Moderate hills & easy terrain
3 – MODERATE: Some sustained hills with occasional steep grades on a mix of terrains
4 – HIKE: Classic hiking with rough/rocky terrain, sustained hills, and longer mileage
5 – CHALLENGING: Challenging hiking with steep climbs and descents over rocky terrain and some longer mileage

See below for more detail:

1 – EASY: City walking, all or mostly paved, with minimal climbing (though some cities may have steeper inclines). Archaeological sites may be unpaved but the grades and difficulty level is easy. TOURS: Sicily Coast-to-Coast and any “light active” version of a tour

2 – GENTLE: Moderate hills & easy terrain
The terrain is easy to navigate with packed earth or gravel roads. There are some climbs but nothing too challenging. TOURS: Tuscany, Puglia, Provence
[2+ The “plus” indicates more challenging terrain though the walks are gentle].

3 – MODERATE: Some sustained hills with occasional steep grades and rocky terrain
Here you find a mix of terrain with some steep stretches.
TOURS: Corsica, Sardinia, some of the Dolomites tours, and some hikes on the Greek Islands
[3+ The plus indicates rockier terrain or lots of stone steps (Amalfi, the Cinque Terre) or greater elevation gain/loss (the Dolomites)].

4 — HIKE: Classical hiking with rough terrain, sustained hills, and more mileage. These hikes are on a mix of rough terrain, sometimes involving steep stretches and difficult footing. TOURS: some of our hikes in Sardinia, some of the days in the Cinque Terre, some of the variants of our Dolomites tours.

5 – CHALLENGING: Longer days, challenging climbs, rocky terrain. We don’t do a lot of seriously challenging tours but we do have a Dolomites trip where we hike from hut to hut, so that’s probably the closest we get to a 5.

Info on prices

The price indicated is for a minimum of 6 people and our basic itinerary based on double occupancy (a “single supplement” covers hotel prices only, we apply no extra fees). Departures with fewer people or with upgraded hotels will have a higher price. We can organize private departures for any number of people but prices vary depending on number of participants. Please contact us for details!