Sicily has for many centuries soaked up influences from all over the Mediterranean, and these are the basis for the colorful and vibrant present day culture and cuisine. Our tour provides unique experiences covering the diverse aspects that the island of Sicily offers – the lifestyle and culture of the people, with visits to markets and a farm; the art and architecture, seeing several Sicilian baroque towns and Arab-Norman styles. And of course the history, with visits to ancient Greek and Roman sites including Segesta and Agrigento. We enjoy long lunches, taking time over the multiple courses to enjoy the atmosphere and to relax.
Our tours are a balance between being informative (examples of the culture and lifestyle, details of the fascinating history) as well as having time to explore by yourself and everything that makes for an enjoyable trip (long lunches in good restaurants, a relaxed pace, small group size). We plan the itinerary in the way that you would plan to travel yourself, or with a group of friends.
We invite you to join us to see beautiful Sicily. Here’s our Sicily Travel Guide.
Sicily Tour Highlights
- Key locations such as Palermo, Agrigento, Siracusa, Taormina, Monreale, Noto, Ragusa and Modica
- The tour includes UNESCO World Heritage archeological site of the ‘Valley of the Temples’ in Agrigento, the late baroque towns of Ragusa and Modica and the Arab-Norman architecture in Palermo
- The art and architecture of Sicily, where you find everything from Greek temples, Roman theatres through to Byzantine mosaics. Your guided touring adds a significant depth of understanding in these places, while you also enjoy the breathtaking views.
- We mix and mingle with the locals going about their normal daily lives, for example in the markets of Siracusa. Here all of your senses are stimulated; curious foods on sale, the aromas of ‘panelle’ frying, the vendors calling and chatting. A focus on off the beaten path experiences is an aim of this tour. This is the 'bucket list' trip that you've been looking for.
- Through the week we progressively uncover how the culinary traditions are intrinsically linked with the history of Sicily; Arab couscous, Spanish chocolate, pastries from the island’s convents, Palermo street food. We taste it all. We even make a full meal with a chef in our cooking class
- We stay for the week in good 4 star hotels in Palermo, Ragusa and Siracusa
Sicily Tour Itinerary
DAY 1: PALERMO
Welcome to Palermo, with its many layers of civilizations and history. The city today is a colorful, living testimony to this cultural heritage. Our hotel is located right in the historic centre of town, so the vibrancy of this diverse city is all around you.
Starting the tour, we first look at a series of sights that provide an insight into both Palermo and Sicily. These include buildings featuring both Arab domes and Norman arches. This combination of styles is what is known as the ‘Arab-Norman architecture’ of Palermo, and is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
We continue on past some of the well known points of interest – the Quattro Canti, the fountain Fontana Pretoria, before visiting a pasticceria that is based in a convent. The nuns follow the ancient recipes to create biscuits and pastries in a completely Sicilian style. We look at the old kitchen implements that were used for producing these sweet treats in the past, then try some for ourselves.
Fortified by this cake stop, we carry on to look at some fascinating aspects of the cathedral – this is where you see the merging of cultures that is the basis for Palermo.
Moving on we visit the Oratorio of Santa Cita. In this ‘oratorio’, a private chapel constructed in the 16th century, you will find sumptuous rococo stucco sculptures decorating the interior. The quality and detail of the sculptural elements are a wonderful surprise to many who visit here. This chapel really is a masterpiece of craftmanship.
Wandering back to the hotel, we take the opportunity to try some of the famous Palermo ‘street food’, sharing some arancini from one of the renowned producers in this area.
After a break back at our hotel, we head out in the evening to dine together, sharing a meal of Sicilian dishes where we start to discover the unique flavours on offer here: Mediterranean vegetables that combine with Arabic influences to create this unique cuisine, seafood fresh from the Tyrrhenian Sea, and distinctive local wines from grape varieties grown only in Sicily.
MEALS INCLUDED:
Dinner (3 courses including wine)
DAY 2: MARKETS - MONTEALE - SEGESTA
We start the morning with a walk through the Ballaro market. This market, the oldest in Palermo, has been operating here for 1000 years. It is in places like markets that you really get a good feel for the people and the lifestyle of Sicily – locals shopping for their food, the in-season fruit and vegetables stacked up, street sellers offering snacks, the calls of the stall holders.
Next we travel for a short distance to Monreale, where we visit the cathedral. It is said to be one of the finest Norman buildings in the world. Visiting this cathedral is like seeing civilisations from different eras displayed in front of you. They are represented by the golden mosaics, created by Arab craftsmen, commanded by medieval rulers, representing scenes with artistic virtuosity.
We have lunch together in the town of Castellamare del Golfo, a classic port town with small fishing vessels mooring alongside our restaurant.
Next we continue on to Segesta, where we have our first glimpse of the monuments that remain from when Sicily was part of Magna Grecia (the greater Greek empire).
Segesta boasts one of the most intact Greek-era Doric temples anywhere, and an excellent theatre, both from the 5th century B.C. In fact some performances continue to be held in this theatre during the summer.
We return to Palermo in the early evening.
MEALS INCLUDED:
Breakfast & Lunch (3 courses including wine)
DAY 3: AGRIGENTO
Today we depart from Palermo and travel first to Agrigento, with its famous ‘Valley of the Temples’.
This UNESCO World Heritage site features the beautiful Temple of Concordia, one of the most photogenic spots in Sicily. We are shown around by an expert guide, who explains the phases of civilisation here, as well as the current discoveries that are being made.
Strolling through the archaeological area gives a sense of the gravitas of history, as well as a pleasant experience of continued traditions, surrounded by almond groves and olive trees.
After lunch we continue on to our hotel in Ragusa. Here we visit a historic mill, still in operation and producing flour. We enjoy a dinner here, in a setting that is unable to be accessed by most visitors to the area.
MEALS INCLUDED:
Breakfast and Dinner (3 courses including wine)
DAY 4: RAGUSA AND MODICA
In the morning we spend time visiting the town of Ragusa together, where we look at specific elements of the baroque architecture that are a feature of Ragusa. In Ragusa you can’t help but be charmed by the elegant palazzos and the picturesque winding streets.
Ragusa is one of the best examples of the Sicilian baroque style, with ornate edifices and intricate detailing. Some of Sicily’s architectural gems are scattered through Ragusa. The buildings we see in this style were built from 1693 onwards, and feature elegant balconies and balustrades.
We have lunch just outside the town of Modica, where we work our way through a range of specialities from the Ragusa area. Continuing on, we visit Modica. While Modica is another of Sicily’s famed baroque towns, here we also have an ulterior motive, and that is chocolate. Modica is an important centre for chocolate making, and has its own distinctive style known as ‘cioccolato modicano’. This is made using a different production method to regular chocolate, based on Aztec techniques brought in during the period of Spanish rule. We have a tasting where you can appreciate the unique qualities of this chocolate.
MEALS INCLUDED:
Breakfast and Lunch (3 courses including wine)
DAY 5: NOTO AND SIRACUSA
Our first stop today is the Cava d’Ispica, a site where early Greek civilisations of the area used to inhabit, and we can see many examples of these ancient populations. This is a rare opportunity to see how the early Greek population here used the local terrain to create their village – often carved into the rock.
We go on to see Noto. This is one of the famed baroque towns of the area, in particular for the carefully planned out urban design with long boulevards lined with imposing palazzos. Noto is another of the UNESCO recognised towns for Sicilian baroque, but it has a very diifferent feel when compared to Ragusa and Modica.
Continuing on, we reach Siracusa. This seaside town is a treasure trove of ancient palazzi, a fascinating old centre, and many harbourside restaurants where good living comes first. Taking advantage of our coastal location, lunch is in a restaurant that enjoys view over the water.
In the afternoon we leave some time for you to look around at your own pace. Our hotel provides easy access to the old town of Siracusa, the island of Ortigia. This is the heart of Siracusa, with the remains of the ancient Greek city. In fact you can still see the ancient Greek columns forming part of the structure of the current church, dating back to when it was the Temple of Athena.
MEALS INCLUDED:
Breakfast & Lunch (3 courses including wine)
DAY 6: TAORMINA AND SICILIAN COOKING
Today we team up with a chef to cook together, creating a complete three course meal. The dishes are typically Sicilian, a cuisine which has developed through the absorption of a myriad of influences through the ages. With today’s focus on Sicilian cooking, our chef unlocks some of the secrets and teaches us the techniques used here. As well as this, we discuss the importance and provenance of the ingredients and produce used. Then we relax and eat!
We also taste wines produced on the lower slopes of Mt Etna, benefitting from Etna’s unique microclimate and lava soils. Wine has been made in Sicily for over 2000 years, and the Etna DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) region is one of the key quality wine areas. The predominant red grape is called Nerello – these wines are reminiscent of pinot noir – and the whites made from Carricante can be excellent.
Next we visit Taormina, with its combination of spectacular views (over the sea and Mt Etna), beautiful old buildings, plus a touch of the ancient (both Greek and Roman).
We take full advantage of all three aspects (the view, the town, the ancient ruins) as we enjoy our time here. Around town, as well as the archaeological sites, there are numerous ceramics shops and cafes on the piazza.
We visit the ancient theatre. This was built first by the Greeks, and then enlarged by the Romans. This theatre continues to be a premier location for music and drama performances to this day.
We then leave you with some free time to look around the town centre.
MEALS INCLUDED:
Breakfast and Lunch (3 courses including wine)
DAY 7: ARRIVEDERCI
By now you know the local barista by name – and he knows which coffee you order – but we must say ‘arrivederci’ as you leave Italy’s largest island.
We organise transport for you to your departure point of Catania airport and bid you “buon viaggio”.
The tour finishes in Catania at 11 a.m.
Sicily Tour Dates 2026
- 10 - 16 May 2026
- 31 May - 6 June 2026
- 13 - 19 September 2026
- 27 Sept - 3 October 2026
- 11 - 17 October 2026
- See our other tour dates
Sicily Tour Cost and Inclusions
SICILY TOUR PRICE: €2900
Price is denominated in Euros. Price listed is based on twin share/double occupancy
Single supplement of €500 for solo travellers
- All accommodation is included in 4 star hotels with locations in Palermo, Ragusa and Siracusa
- Meals as listed in the itinerary: breakfast every morning, plus a main meal each day including wine
- All costs/entry fees for activities listed in the itinerary are included
- All transport during the tour is included. Travel is in our minibus with a professional driver
- 'Italy With Pleasure' provides a tour leader who will be with you for the duration of the tour, on hand to provide any support that you need
- Contact us to book online for this group tour, we'd love to see you in Sicily
Sicily Tour Accommodation
The hotels we use for this tour are good quality hotels in Palermo, Ragusa and Siracusa. This makes it easy for you to spend time independently discovering these wonderful places. All of the hotels we use are 4 star rated.
In Palermo we stay in either the Hotel Quintocanto or the Hotel Piazza Borsa. These hotels are conveniently located right in the centre of Palermo. Many of the key areas to see are in your neighbourhood.
Next we stay at either the San Giorgio Palace Hotel or the Hotel Antico Convento in Ragusa. These hotels are located in the old town called Ragusa Ibla.
In Siracusa we stay in the Grande Albergo Alfeo, a short stroll from the centre of Ortigia, Siracusa.
Sicily Tour Reviews
S O, AUSTRALIA 
My husband (Bill Griffin) and I had the great fortune to be on the Sicily tour 9-16 October this year. Our profession as geologists has taken us travelling around the globe as part of our job, but this was our first experience of a group tour and we were interested to see how it suited us.
The experience could not have been better! Ricky (Riccardo) was our tour leader and he was outstanding in this role – very outgoing, knowledgeable, organised but creating a very casual and inclusive atmosphere, and dealing very capably with any day- to-day potential/actual wrinkle. The limited size of the group was ideal.
We are very impressed by the range of key sites that we visited, and the expert guides who joined us for various visits. The mix of archaeology, food and culture was excellent and we appreciated the free time which created a great balance. The chosen hotels were perfect and gave extra depth to the experience of the regions we visited. We also consider the trip was great value.
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K M, CANADA
We are not tour people, but our small group Sicily tour was excellent. The whole tour was very well organized with a wide variety of sights and experiences. Our guide Mark was very conscientious and did an excellent job of managing all aspects of the tour agenda. I would highly recommend Italy With Pleasure.
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J H, AUSTRALIA
I really enjoyed my Sicily tour. We saw a lot of the island. The pace was excellent and the small group of 7 was perfect especially being able to spread out in the smaller buses which more easily navigated the windy mountain roads . Mark was a wonderful leader and adaptable to group requests with good suggestions for any free time. The leisurely lunches /dinners were a highlight.
My only suggestion would be to for the organisers to make it a smoother transition for any participants who move from one tour to the next. (This was a problem for a couple in my group)
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