Real Sicily
From CAD $2,690
Guarantee
Group Tour
Easy
Rating
(10 reviews)
Experience Overview
Sicily - where have you been all our lives? We're taking you across this idyllic island, from the ancient streets of Catania to the mountainside charms of Taormina, where we'll enjoy some cooking classes and take a ride down Mt Etna. What's next? How about some more UNESCO heritage sites, some spectacular beaches, and a valley of ancient archaeological wonders? This one finishes on a high in Palermo, a colourful tumble of a city with some of the best food in Italy.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 2 Dinner (D)
- 7 Breakfast (B)
FAQs
- London: What does a modular trip mean? A modular trip means fellow travellers will join and leave at various locations. There’ll be some goodbyes, sure, but there’ll also be plenty of hellos with new like-minded travellers.
- Rome: Can arrangements be made for travellers with accessibility needs? If you require arrangements to be made for your accessibility needs, please inform your Trip Manager as soon as possible. We try our best to contact all accommodations and secure ground floor rooms for easy wheelchair access.Please remember that Italy can be physically challenging to get around. Coaches can’t access historical centers, and there will be lots of walking (on roads that are often uneven and cobbled). Travellers with accessibility needs will find this trip challenging.
- Madrid: Do the included meals have a set menu? Yep. Usually, we arrange a buffet for all your included meals. If you’d like a vegetarian option, please inform your Trip Manager beforehand, and they’ll sort it out for you.
- Rome: When would be the best time to book tickets for museums and other attractions? This would depend on the museums & attractions you’re planning to visit. If you’d like to know the exact timings, please contact our 24x7 Helpline to access your day-to-day itineraries to check when you’ll have free time in each city.
- Madrid: I need to refrigerate my medication. Can I do that on the coach? Of course! Just inform your Trip Manager if you need refrigeration on the coach. Please remember that the fridge is turned off overnight, so you’ll have to take your medication with you into your accommodation. We recommend that you bring a cooler bag with you as a backup. It’s your responsibility to store your medication with care.
Included Experience
- Catania: Stroll around the ancient Sicilian port at the foot of Mount Etna. See the Piazza Stesicoro and the Baroque and Renaissance buildings of Via dei Crociferi.
- Taormina: Greek and Roman ruins. Sun-drenched beaches. Epic Italian food. There’s so much to do in this seaside town, you’ll never want to leave.
- Noto: Float around this opulent Sicilian city, taking in the Baroque architecture and panoramic views as you go.
- Agrigento: Explore the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, a UNESCO-listed site featuring some of the world's most treasured Greek art and architecture.
Trip Details
Product Code: 16963
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator:
Contiki (CA)
Supplier Code: 406.2129B
Starts: Catania, Italy
Finishes: Palermo, Italy
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $2,690 ($336 /day)
Itinerary
Welcome to Catania! This colourful cacophony of baroque piazzas and ancient ruins is the perfect place to get acquainted with Sicily. We'll have a chance to check out Catania's UNESCO listed historic core before an included dinner in a local restaurant. Is Sicilian cuisine the best in the world? It has to be up there...
Accommodation: Mercure Catania Excelsior (or similar)
Meals: Dinner
We've got more spectacular Sicilian towns to explore today, as we head from Catania to Taormina. Uniquely perched on the side of a mountain, this elegant resort town is the perfect place to live the good life in Italy. We'll waste no time admiring the gorgeous panoramas, as we take the cable car that connects the town's historic centre with its awesome beaches. After sunning ourselves for a bit, why not opt for a cooking class with some local masterchefs, learning how to whip up local delicacies like Arancini & Cannoli? It's the perfect way to impress everyone when you get back home.
Accommodation: Main Palace Hotel (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Today we've got an unmissable optional for you. Sicily’s stupendous stratovolcano Mt Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe. And what better way to experience this majestic monster than on an adrenaline filled ride, as you pass vineyards and orchards spread across the fertile slopes? You won’t find views quite like this anywhere in Europe. Whether or not you opt for the tour, you'll have a free afternoon to explore Taormina - lazing on the beach, checking out the Roman theatre or sitting and drinking a spritz as life lazily moves by. It's a hard life.
Accommodation: Main Palace Hotel (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
See ya, Taormina – it's time to visit some historical hotspots. Next stop, Syracuse. We’ll have some free time to check out the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Syracuse. Famed for its rich ancient Roman and Greek history, with ancient amphitheatres and architecture everywhere you look, this place was even mentioned in the Bible (how's that for history creds?). Our next outing is to Noto, home to some of Sicily’s most impressive historic architecture. We’ll check out the Corso Vittoria Emanuele and other legendary landmarks, and then it’s off to an organic farm for a Tastes of Sicily experience – the freshest Sicilian ingredients, brought to us direct from farm to table. Just what the doctor ordered! And after a long day, it’s time to hit the hay. ’Til tomorrow, friends.
Accommodation: Panorama Palace Hotel (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Heading from Syracuse we'll arrive in the Valley of the Temples, the perfect base to explore another ancient wonder... We won't be leaving Italy without visiting the Valley of the Temples. This mystical valley is a treasure trove of historical and archaeological heritage. We'll discover ancient temples, sanctuaries and a necropolis. It’s a spectacular testament to Sicily’s ancient history (and natural beauty). Arriving in Cefalù we'll enjoy another included dinner of Sicilian delicacies. What a day - and we're not done yet.
Accommodation: Hotel La Giara (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Cefalu is a real gem, home to Sicily's best beaches and most impressive Arabic architecture. This truly is the island that keeps on giving. Today's all about coastal vibes, soaking up that sun, sea and sand - with plenty of water sports to get involved with. If you're feeling a little more zen, why not opt for the coastal cruise and soak up some scenery instead? Later on we'll stroll the winding cobbled streets and watch fishermen taking stock of the day's bounties, before exploring the town's foodie and nightlife scene. Ah, Sicily - sigh.
Accommodation: Hotel La Giara (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
It's time to end on a high, as we make our way towards Sicily's sizzling capital. Palermo is vivacious, colourful and boasts a thriving culinary scene, but it’s also been plagued by organised crime for decades. Today on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER ® experience, you can join a walking tour through the historic centre, learning about the history of the Mafia in Palermo and how the civil antiMafia movement was formed. We'll round things off with a farewell dinner at Al Fresco, AKA the 'bistro of second chances'.
Accommodation: Hotel Federico II Central Palace (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Time to head home after one final breakfast together. Hug it out, swap social details - and don't be sad, we'll see each other on the road again soon.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Contiki (CA)
Contiki is a New Zealand-based tour company that caters to 18 to 35-year-olds, offering over 350 different tours in over 75 countries in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.[1] It is a subsidiary of The Travel Corporation. Its tours historically had a reputation for partying;[2][3] however, it also operates wellness trips culturally immersive experiences that focus less on alcohol, which are more popular with Generation Z.[4] The company owns lodging facilities in Europe, including the Chateau De Cruix, a 16th century castle in the Beaujolais wine region, and the Gasthof Schoneck in the Austrian Tyrol. The name "Contiki" comes from the portmanteau 'Con' from the word 'Continent' and 'Tiki'; from the Māori referring to the first man, often symbolised as a pendant known as hei-tiki. It can also be attributed to the New Zealand slang 'Tiki-tour' describing taking a longer route to a destination in order to explore.[5]
In Business Since 1931
Reviews
Anonymous - Traveled, December 2024
Laid back, great people, awesome add ons, and great guide. So easy to book and there was so much help when needed!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/20/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, November 2024
I loved the towns that we went to and seeing their individual beauty, architecture, and culture. I also really enjoyed the free time add ons and thought they added quality learning and experience to the trip. I do think 2 full days in Cefalù was a lot. There's not too much to see or do there and the second day we were so bored because we had seen and done everything on day one. Everything was very easy to book and I appreciated the detailed itinerary and documents that were provided.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/21/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, October 2024
A great way to discover Sicily. I loved the pace and all the activities provided/included. So relaxing and very beautiful landscapes. Easy to book.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/22/2024
Murdo - Traveled, September 2024
Really loved the trip to Taormina, the two days there were exactly what we needed with a combination of beach, town and country! Easy to book, everything was well organised and ran by Marco!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/23/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, August 2024
Everything, It is extremely straightforward.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/24/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, July 2024
Mount Etna , was an incredible experience. The evening boat cruise in Cefalù was outstanding with a great host. Loved the ability to jump off the boat into the pristine sea of Sicily. I think this trip needs to be 10 days so you can spend more time in Catania and actually see the city.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/25/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2024
As a 32 year old, it was not ideal to be surrounded by partyers. It would also have been more helpful if there was more communication before the trip in terms of what types of shoes, clothing to bring and expect. This was such an expensive trip with very little structure. Not sure where all that money went and why there were so many out of pocket costs on site. There was no hot water in cefalu both nights and the walls were thin. Sicily was beautiful but the program could have been more structured for its third iteration. There was too much free time at one location, especially the last day in Palermo. Extreme climates should be taken note of. One add on event was cancelled due to rain but why aren’t there contingencies in place? The lava volcano sight was freezing and the group waited outside in the cold for half an hr until the tour guide let us wait on our bus…
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/26/2024
Robert - Traveled, May 2024
I thought that they could of had more add-ons. Very relaxing trip the trip is something I would definitely recommend if they want to see the different aspects of Italy.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/27/2024
Patty - Traveled, April 2024
I had such an amazing time on my tour of Sicily! I would recommend to any young person wanting to travel, explore, get a taste of southern italy, make memories and meet new ppl! I had a great experience with all of the hotels, contiki staff, from planning my trip, the small details and the actual trip manager! Everyone was awesome!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/28/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, March 2024
Umberto was a great tour manager, provided plenty of suggestions to everyone and helped to communicate dietary requirements. Sicily was fantastic and is a must do trip. Easy to book and navigate.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/29/2024
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