The Best of Sicily
The Best of Sicily
The Best of Sicily
8 Days Starting and ending in United Kingdom
Visiting: Giardini Naxos, Campofelice di Roccella
Tour operator:
Tour code:
FICLA
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
15 - 35
Age range:
18-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Vegans, Please make us aware of any specific dietary requests
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Sicily has so much to offer, and on this tour, you’ll experience it all!
The carefully crafted itinerary includes a cable car ride up Mount Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in Europe, and a visit to the island’s vibrant capital Palermo. You’ll learn about Sicily’s Greek and Roman history at well-preserved archaeological sites and see the beautiful Monreale Cathedral, a masterpiece of medieval architecture.
With its unique style of Italian cuisine, Sicily is also known for its food, and you’ll have a chance to sample some delicious local specialities including Palermo’s famous street food, and granita, a refreshing semi-frozen dessert. What’s more, you’ll be staying in comfortable 4-star hotels, where you can soak up the Sicilian sun by the pool, relax with a drink, or dip your toes in the shimmering sea.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 Uk - Catania
Location: Giardini Naxos
Accommodation Name: Hotel Caesar Palace
Meals Included: D
Your holiday begins with a flight to Catania. When you arrive, we’ll drive you to your first hotel in the picturesque coastal village of Giardini Naxos, close to Taormina. The hotel has an inviting pool and welcoming bar, and you have some free time to relax and settle in before we get together for a drink this evening.
Day 2 Mount Etna
Location: Giardini Naxos
Accommodation Name: Hotel Caesar Palace
Meals Included: B, D
It's Sicily's most famous attraction, its name known the world over, and today you’re going to see Mount Etna up close. We’ll ascend Europe's tallest active volcano by cable car to an altitude of around 2,500 metres. You’ll then have some free time to take in the far-reaching views and explore the lava fields of this UNESCO-listed site at your own pace. After our descent, we’ll visit a traditional farm shop to learn about their delicious produce. We’ll try different flavours of honey, taste locally produced olive oil, olives and vegetable pâté and sample three different types of wine.
Day 3 Taormina
Location: Giardini Naxos
Accommodation Name: Hotel Caesar Palace
Meals Included: B, D
We're off to Taormina today, a fascinating town which overlooks two sweeping bays. We’ve arranged for a Local Guide to show us around and one of the highlights will be a visit to the town’s magnificent Greco-Roman theatre, perched dramatically on a clifftop. As well as exploring this ancient site, you can take in panoramic views of the sea with Mount Etna looming large in the distance. Our tour will end with a tasting of granita. This semi-frozen dessert, which originated here, comes in many delicious flavours and is utterly refreshing. You’ll then have some time to yourselves to explore Taormina at leisure. Perhaps find an inviting restaurant for lunch or take a stroll through the pretty streets and piazzas.
Day 4 Villa Del Casale - Campofelice Di Roccella
Location: Campofelice di Roccella
Accommodation Name: Acacia Resort
Meals Included: B, D
We're going to head to our next base today, Campofelice di Roccella, near Cefalu, on Sicily’s northern coast. On the way, we’ll have the chance to revel in some Roman history at the 4th-century Villa Romana del Casale, close to the town of Piazza Armerina. Here, excavations have revealed one of the world's richest and most complex collections of Roman mosaics and as you view them with a Local Guide, you'll be amazed by their excellent condition. We'll continue to our hotel which is set in beautiful gardens and has a private beach. Once you've unpacked, why not head out and explore your surroundings.
Day 5 Valley Of The Temples & Agrigento
Location: Campofelice di Roccella
Accommodation Name: Acacia Resort
Meals Included: B, D
Our included excursion today takes us to Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples, a Hellenic archaeological site dramatically situated on a ridge overlooking the sea. Here, a Local Guide will point out all the must-see sights, which include the Temple of Concord, famed for its surprisingly well-preserved columns, and the Temple of Zeus, said to be the largest temple built by the Greeks. Those who are feeling energetic can also climb to the Temple of Juno for fabulous views over Agrigento and the sea.
After the tour, you will have some free time to enjoy lunch if you wish, and then the rest of the day is yours to relax at the hotel.
Day 6 Campofelice Di Roccella - At Leisure
Location: Campofelice di Roccella
Accommodation Name: Acacia Resort
Meals Included: B, D
How you spend today is entirely up to you. Relax by the pool or on the beach or maybe take a local shuttle to nearby Cefalù, a pretty fishing port. There's lots to discover here, including its winding medieval streets, sandy beaches and one of Sicily's finest Norman cathedrals. If you peer inside, you'll see some of the island's earliest and best-preserved mosaics, with the spectacular Christ Pantocrator above the altar, particularly memorable. The town’s pretty piazzas are also a lovely place to take the weight off your feet with a gelato or well-earned coffee.
Day 7 Palermo & Monreale
Location: Campofelice di Roccella
Accommodation Name: Acacia Resort
Meals Included: B, L, D
Today we’ll visit Palermo, Sicily's vibrant capital, boasting a wealth of architecture ranging in style from Arabic to Art Nouveau. The city is famous for its street food tradition and we’re going to a local restaurant to enjoy a street food experience. You'll be able to sample a wide variety of seasonal dishes, such as deep-fried tuna, a cheese made from sheep's milk, and arancini, which are rice balls filled with ragu sauce. Also on the menu will be caponata, a sweet and sour dish made with aubergines and other vegetables, served in a tomato sauce. It promises to be a real treat for your tastebuds! After you've eaten you could take some time to explore the light-filled Capella Palatine Chapel, which proudly exhibits intricate Byzantine mosaics.
After a short drive, our next stop will be the beautiful Monreale Cathedral, one of the greatest examples of Norman architecture in the world. The pleasant yet unremarkable exterior of the cathedral offers no clue as to the exquisite golden paintings and spectacular mosaics you'll discover when you venture inside.
Day 8 Catania - Uk
Meals Included: B
After breakfast, relax and enjoy your final hours in Sicily before we drive you back to the airport in Catania for your return flight to the UK.
What's Included
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Return flights from Gatwick with British Airways
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7 nights half-board in 4-star hotels
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15 meals: 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 7 dinners and welcome drink
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Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage
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Return flights from London
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Travelsphere Holiday Director and Specialist Local Guide
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Travelsphere Holiday Director and Specialist Local Guide
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Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage
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15 meals: 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 7 dinners and welcome drink
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Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage
What's Not Included
Check out our Q&As
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
No. Min age is 18 years.
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Are flights included in this tour?
Yes
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Yes
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Are vaccinations required for this tour?
Requirements do change, and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure so that you have the correct documentation and are adequately vaccinated. Information on health is available from your GP surgery and from the National Travel Health Network and Centre www.travelhealthpro.org.uk
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Will I know the names and details of all the accommodation before I depart?
Yes
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Travelsphere’s Flexibility Promise has been created to give you complete peace of mind and make you feel confident when booking your holiday with us. We have also been awarded the WTTC safe travels stamp which recognises businesses and destinations worldwide that have adopted a new set of global protocols to support the return of 'Safe Travel' around the world.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Travelsphere has been operating escorted touring holidays for 60 years
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
At Travelsphere, we are committed to operating our business operations responsibly, with integrity and always act ethically in all our business dealings and relationships. We are committed to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking does not take place in our own business or in any of our supply chains
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
You will receive Holiday conformation upon booking, and then several documents detailing any adddiotnal information and the optional excursions that you can book before you travel. The final information covering your flights, hotels and itinerary will be sent to you around 14 days before your departure date.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
No, we do not offer single share options
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
No, Im afraid not
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If we can accomadate a change in date - we will always do our best to help you. Just pick up the phone and ask one of our friendly advisors - and make sure you have your booking number to hand.
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Am I contributing to any charity by booking the tour?
Our Travelsphere Cares programmes, in partnership with the Planeterra Foundation, support local projects and social enterprises by helping them earn an income from tourism. We simply donate a portion of the funds from our tours, so it’s great to know that when you travel with us you are helping to change lives and turn travel into real impact.
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Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
Like minded travellers
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
All of our accommodation providers will be working to the very highest standards of hygiene – you already always enjoy a private room of your own on all of our trips, all of our partners will be guided by local government operational standards of hygiene and the new protocols we have issued to them.
Reviews of this Operator
Book with Confidence
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Free Date Changes
Travelsphere allows you to make 4 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 75 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Travelsphere allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform travelsphere, 75 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Travelsphere requires a minimum deposit of 21% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 84 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of travelsphere charges.
Up to 75 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 74 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Book with Confidence
When you book your holiday with Just You, you can have complete peace of mind. Your money is 100% protected through our Independent Trust Fund, any money you pay to us is held by them & governed by 3rd?party trustees. It is also a condition of our ATOL license and is regularly monitored by the Civil Aviation Authority. We don’t receive any money until after you’ve come back from your holiday – so your money is 100% protected no matter what. If you have any questions you can speak to one of our friendly and knowledgeable holiday advisors.