Classical Sicily

This small-group tour begins in Syracuse, once the largest city of the Greek Classical period and birthplace of Archimedes. There’s time to walk Ortygia Island’s limestone streets before heading inland to the mosaics of Villa Romana del Casale near Piazza Amerina, followed by the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento with its enormous Temple of Zeus.

After some rest in Trapani, the tour takes a slower pace with a free morning in Erice, a hilltop town where stone-paved lanes wind past churches and the Norman fortress. Palermo follows with visits to Monreale’s Norman Cathedral, a guided city walk and free time to wander its complex blend of cultural pasts and street foods.

The trip ends along Sicily's northern coast in Cefalù and Giardini Naxos, with a visit to Mount Etna’s lunar slopes and the Greek theatre in Taormina, framed by the snow-capped volcano. The itinerary involves some driving but balances journeys with moments to take in quiet towns and fresh sea air alongside historical sites.

New to Italy? Our Italy guide has the practical essentials: money, plugs, visas and when to go.

Erice

These are the places the trip visits, in order. Explore Worldwide publishes the day-by-day itinerary on its own site.