Discover the classical highlights of Sicily on this jam-packed journey which will take you to the ancient sites of Syracusa and Agrigento en-route to Giardini Naxos and Palermo.
Syracusa Valley of the Temples in AgrigentoBoat ride to Mozia IslandPalermoGiardini NaxosCefaluTaorminaOptional excursion to Mount Etna
This Sicily tour gives you a sun-soaked taste of a wonderful Italian island. This enigmatic and absorbing place is dominated by a gigantic volcano. And its history doesn’t need to be excavated but sits right there on the surface.
On this trip you’ll be taken on a rough circuit around the island. There are historic towns and cities – from Ortygia, birthplace of Archimedes, to stately Palermo, the capital, where the highlight is the highly ornate Monreale Cathedral, and pretty Taormina, the upmarket coastal resort town with beautiful views of the volcano from its Roman amphitheatre.
Outside the cities there are fascinating historic sites that blend into the landscapes – like Agrigento, the valley of the temples, where a valley stretches out, dotted with Greek ruins, and Segesta, with its amphitheatre and temple alone on the hill.
Your trip culminates in an exploration of Mount Etna – for all the civilisations that have captured Sicily, none can conquer the towering volcano. Make it more than a brooding backdrop in your photographs by taking a cable car up its slopes.
It’s impossible to come to Sicily and not enjoy its cuisine. There is fresh produce grown in rich volcanic soil, charming fishing villages share the spoils of the sea. And there’s no end of sweet treats – cassata and cannoli, gelato and granita – and nothing more fun than checking out the local, cheap and delicious street food snacks.
This is a small group trip – with numbers kept low so that you don’t overwhelm the places you visit. There’s an emphasis on trying local food and supporting locally owned businesses. If you like, you could extend your trip afterwards to visit Malta and Gozo to compare these interesting Mediterranean islands.
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Price information
£2085To£2225excluding flights
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Prices based on 2 adults sharing. Single supplement from £385 - £455. Mimimum age 16.
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From Petra to the Pyramids, and from crumbling castles to whole cities, read more about our archaeology holidays.
Holiday information
Trip type:
Small group. Av. 12-18 people.
Activity level:
Full On.
Accomm:
7 nights in standard local hotels.
Included:
Accommodation, transport, listed activities, alongside tour leader and local guide(s).
Meals:
7 breakfasts.
Solos:
Solo travellers welcome.
About this holiday company:
The founders led overland trips across the world in the 60s and 70s before creating this company in 1981. Today, it offers tours in 120 countries, but never lost that pioneering spirit of adventure.
Small group tour, ideal for solos & couples:
Small group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modelled on independent travel – but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. It’s easy to tick off the big sights independently – but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, travelling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. Those with a two-week holiday, a small group tour will save valuable planning time.
Reviews
3 Reviews of Sicily tour, classical Sicily
4.5 out of 5 stars
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Reviewed on 07 Oct 2024 by Alison Sowerby
Excellent - an extremely well thought out itinerary designed to get the most from this trip.Read full review
Absolutely incredible. Our guide for the whole trip was outstanding and I could not
have been with a nicer group of travelers. I still cannot believe how much I saw.Read full review
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing we've worked to maximise the benefits of your holiday to local people and places, and minimise any negative impacts.
Planet
CARBON REDUCTION
The hotels we use on this holiday adopt energy saving systems to limit carbon emissions. Some hotels we use have photovoltaic panels, both for electricity and water heating, limit the degrees of heating and/or air conditioning as well as using led bulbs and motion sensors.
Bus transport is used to cover the long distances from town to town but we always provide walking tours to visit and discover historical centres. All buses used for the tours have European certification for low CO2 emissions.
The hotels we use buy local products according to seasonality, avoiding waste and disposing of used oil according to regulations. They also try to produce as much as possible, in small vegetable patches on site, limiting the purchase of packaged products. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free food options are available on request.
ENVIRONMENT & WILDLIFE
Though you will need to drink plenty on this trip, we encourage you not to buy bottled water due to the plastic waste this generates. Tap water is perfectly drinkable in this area so bring your own reusable water bottle. If you like you could bring a water bottle with filter to improve the taste of the water but it is not necessary on the grounds of safety.
We strive to support nature and biodiversity through protection and regeneration projects, and for every customer that travels with us we make a donation to Rewilding Britain and Cool Earth.
We encourage customers to avoid single-use plastic on tour, and our leaders give advice on refill points each day. Where tap water isn't safe to drink we recommend Water-to-Go bottles, a filtration bottle allowing you to drink water from any source.
People
LOCAL ECONOMY
All of the accommodation used on this trip is locally owned and in which you experience great food, most of which is sourced locally, and lovely Sicilian wine. This not only provides direct employment within the hotel, but also has the effect of percolating money beyond to small businesses that supply the hotel and in this way money is spread throughout the region we visit. Other people too benefit from our visit includes drivers and local guides, as well as the staff in our local handling agent's office, which is based on the island.
Our leaders are the heart of tours. They bring passion and unrivalled knowledge of the destinations and communities that we visit. Their guidance ensures we observe the cultural norms in a destination, they act as a bridge between travellers and the local community and ensure that tourism is a positive experience for both host and guest. We believe in supporting local; staying in locally-run hotels, exploring markets, buying snacks from street vendors, and by doing this we add money to the local economy and enhance our connection with the local community.
EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY & DIVERSITY
At least 90% of the people employed by our local partner and their operating partners in Sicily are from the local community. Women are a predominant part of the workers in the sector, contributing significantly to the workforce. Our local partner ensures that all staff are paid at least the minimum wage in this destination, adhering to fair labour practices. Their recruitment process prioritizes competence, nurturing equal employment opportunities without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality. Additionally, this trip is LGBTQ+ friendly, welcoming and inclusive to all travellers.
At Explore we believe that diversity is to be celebrated and as a Certified B Corp we're committed to championing equity and inclusion throughout our entire supply chain. We believe that an inclusive approach is essential, and that the best results occur when contributors have different opinions, experiences and backgrounds to bring to the table.
