13 days tour

Sicily In Depth (Small Groups, End Malta, 6 Days, 13 Days)

Sicily In Depth (Small Groups, End Malta, 6 Days, 13 Days)

This tour includes:

Accommodation

12 nights in twin-share rooms at hand-picked hotels

Hygieneprotocol

All guests travelling with Insight Vacations through December 31, 2022 are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, which may include a booster shot to keep the vaccination status current and valid, depending on the travel destination. Children not eligible for vaccination and/or booster at the time of travel must provide a verifiable and negative Covid-19 test result, taken within 72 hours prior to the start of the tour (taking time zones into consideration) for all tours departing until December 31, 2022. While highly recommended, COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are no longer required for guests traveling with us from January 1, 2023 onward. It is your clientโ€™s responsibly to comply with specific vaccine and/or booster requirements imposed by airlines and/or authorities in the destinations visited, as well as requirements for accessing restaurants and venues, which may be more restrictive than the above. No refunds will be given if they are unable to undertake some or all of their vacation due to failure to comply with these requirements.

Guide

From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination. Ragusa: During your orientation with your Travel Director see the famous Baroque buildings and churches. Erice: Led by your Travel Director, explore the quiet alleys of this ancient walled town, as if youโ€™ve stepped into the Middle Ages. See the medieval churches and marvel at the sea views from the gardens of the Castle of Venus. Cefalu: Your Travel Director will show you the cathedral, built to fulfil a vow. Walk to the medieval stone fountain in the old fishermenโ€™s quarter, find the Gothic arch of the Porta Marina and see the harbour. Taormina: During your orientation with your Travel Director, visit the courtyard of Palazzo Corvaja, seat of the first Sicilian parliament, and stroll along Corso Umberto to Piazza IX Aprile.

Transport

Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available). If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport. Enjoy the comfort of Insightโ€™s luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.

Others

Choose between two carefully selected activities Palermo: Join your Local Expert for a walk through the lively Vucciria market. Palermo: Visit the spectacular 12th Century Palatine Chapel. Its sombre exterior gives away few clues to the riches inside. Step into a world where the walls glitter with 12th century mosaics, the best of their kind in the world. Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expertโ€™s fascinating commentary. Hotel and restaurant tips are included - youโ€™ll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels. We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door. Sliema: Visit the National War Museum, site of a former air raid shelter. Learn about the important role Malta played during WWII over a lecture by an historian. Palermo: Learn about the civil anti-mafia movement and discover the lesser known history of Palermo. Marsala: Enjoy a tasting of some of the islandโ€™s richest Sicilian wines at Baglio Donna France. The estate uses sustainable farming practices, cultivates rare ancient grains and uses water management systems to reduce waste. Syracuse: Walk through the gardens of Paradise Quarry, listen to the acoustics in the mysterious Ear of Dionysius and visit the Greek theatre. Valletta: Explore the capital with your Local Expert. Visit the Upper Barrakka Gardens and get lost in its beautiful 16th century buildings including St Johnโ€™s Co-Cathedral, designed in a baroque fashion. Agrigento: A Local Expert will lead you through the magnificent remains of the Greek colony in the Valley in the Temples. See the massive Temple of Concord and clifftop Temple of Juno. Mdina: Explore Mdina with a Local Expert in the late afternoon to explore this golden city. Known as the Silent City for its shady streets and peaceful atmosphere. Taormina: Should you awake early, you may see why this is known as โ€™The Dawn Coast of Europe.โ€™ Taormina: Visit the ancient Greek Ampitheatre with your Local Expert. Set on a cliff, open to the sky, take your seats and enjoy the view through the crumbling arches to Mount Etna. "A type of food I really love introducing my guests to is the street food because it tells a lot about the habits of the locals, it can be a slice of pizza folded up or a sfogliatella in Naples, an arancini, a gelato in Sicily, or a cannolo. " "I really love about showing guests the huge variety that Italy has to offer, from quaint countryside villages to cities full of stupendous art and architecture." "One thing I really love about showing guests about Italy is how art and beauty can be found around every corner of some of Italyโ€™s cities, which are real open air museums." Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Meals

6 Dinner with Wine (DW) 12 Breakfast (B) 2 Lunch with Wine (LW) Catania: Join your Travel Director and fellow guests for your Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant. Palermo: Choose between a variety of restaurants and cuisines on your Dine-Around Evening. Mdina: Toast to your trip with your fellow travellers and enjoy a Celebration Dinner at a wonderful local restaurant. Taormina: Your Farm-to-Table Celebration Dinner reflects some of Sicilyโ€™s top culinary heritage. Sliema: Enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your fellow travellers at your luxury hotel in Sliema.

Not included:

Optional

Other activities and services not included

Others

Other activities and services not included

Flights

International flights are not included

Insurance

Insurance is not included

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Sicily In Depth (Small Groups, End Malta, 6 Days, 13 Days)

  • Day 1 Day 1: Welcome To Sicily
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 1: Welcome To Sicily

      On arrival at Catania airport, transfers leave for your hotel at 10:00, 12:30 and 15:30. Relax and settle in before meeting your Travel Director at 17:30, for a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant.

  • Day 2 Day 2: Ancient Syracuse
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 2: Ancient Syracuse

      Sightseeing with your Local Expert takes you to Syracuseโ€™s Paradise Quarry with its unusual Ear of Dionysius, an ear-shaped grotto with an unusual echo. Continue to the superb Greek theatre, carved out of solid rock, one of the largest of the ancient world. There is time to explore the atmospheric Old City, a maze of narrow streets lined with palaces, sprawling over the island of Ortygia. It was here that the famous geometrician Archimedes ran naked through the streets, crying โ€˜Eureka!โ€™ Continue around the southeastern corner of Sicily to Ragusa.

  • Day 3 Day 3: Explore The Valley Of The Temples And On To Palermo
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 3: Explore The Valley Of The Temples And On To Palermo

      Journey along the southern coast of the island, past the oil producing town of Gela to Agrigento. Explore the Valley of the Temples with a Local Expert. See the massive Temple of Concordia and the clifftop Temple of Juno overlooking the sea. Your travels continue to the Sicilian capital of Palermo.

  • Day 4 Day 4: Palermo & The Golden Age Of The Normans
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 4: Palermo & The Golden Age Of The Normans

      Explore Palermo with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the spectacular 12th century Palatine Chapel with a Local Expert. Alternatively, join your Local Expert for a walk through the lively market. Later this morning, visit Palermo Cathedral which has been altered many times over the years and observe its unique blend of architectural styles. For your dining pleasure, you are offered a selection of local restaurants on your Dine-Around Evening, each with their own ambience and cuisine.

  • Day 5 Day 5: Exploring Erice
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 5: Exploring Erice

      Venture to the charming hilltop walled town of Erice and explore the labyrinth of quiet alleyways. Pause to enjoy the sea views from the gardens alongside the Castle of Venus. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTERยฎ Experience in the heart of Marsala countryside, during a tasting of rich Sicilian wines. The estate uses sustainable farming practices, cultivates rare ancient grains and uses water management systems to reduce waste. Back in Palermo the evening is at your leisure.

  • Day 6 Day 6: Cefalu And The Taormina Riviera
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 6: Cefalu And The Taormina Riviera

      Travel to the quaint fishing town of Cefalu. The townโ€™s imposing cathedral was erected to fulfill a vow made by the Norman King Roger II. Stroll down to the medieval stone fountain and seek out the Gothic arch of the Porta Marina for a picture-perfect view of the little harbour. Later, travel onwards towards the Taormina Riviera.

  • Day 7 Day 7: Taormina And The Dawn Coast Of Europe Relaxed Start
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 7: Taormina And The Dawn Coast Of Europe Relaxed Start

      Your hotel faces east, so early risers may experience why D.H. Lawrence christened this โ€™The Dawn Coast of Europe.โ€™ After breakfast, perhaps take an Optional Experience through the vineyards to Mount Etna, Europeโ€™s largest active volcano. Travel to the old town of Taormina, which clings to the side of Mount Tauro overlooking the Ionian Sea and the peak of Mount Etna. With your Local Expert, visit the Greek theatre set on a cliff and open to the sky. Take a moment to sit in this ancient theatre and absorb the view through the crumbling arches to Mount Etna. Stroll on to the tiny courtyard of the Palazzo Corvaja, Taorminaโ€™s grandest building and further along the elegant Corso Umberto, the Piazza IX Aprile offers panoramic views. At a local restaurant, rejoice with your new-found friends over your Celebration Dinner of delicious, freshly prepared Farm-to-Table cuisine, accompanied by exquisite Italian wines.

  • Day 8 Day 8: Fly From Catania To Malta
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 8: Fly From Catania To Malta

      During your private transfer to Catania airport, appreciate the vistas of Mount Etna one last time. Board your short flight to Malta where on arrival you are met and taken to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to relax and settle into your hotel. Join your Travel Director at 18:30 for Dinner with wine.

  • Day 9 Day 9: Explore Valetta Relaxed Start
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 9: Explore Valetta Relaxed Start

      With a Local Expert, youโ€™ll visit the Upper Barrakka Gardens and the impressive St. Johnโ€™s Cathedral, designed in a baroque fashion. Find yourself captivated by the abundance of history as you walk through the elegant streets to see why it is named The Fortress City with its restored golden-stone buildings that mould the cityscape. For lunch feast on delicious meal made from fresh local ingredients.This afternoon visit the National War Museum. Learn about Maltaโ€™s important role in WWII with a lecture from an historian.

  • Day 10 Day 10: Free Time In Sliema Relaxed Start
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 10: Free Time In Sliema Relaxed Start

      Your day is at leisure, you may want to explore to the World Heritage Site of Haฤกar Qim and Mnajdra temples before proceeding to the idyllic fishing village of Marsaxlokk, enjoy a stroll around the many market stalls whilst admiring the colourful โ€˜luzzuโ€™ fishing boats in the harbour.

  • Day 11 Day 11: Sliema Free Day Relaxed Start
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 11: Sliema Free Day Relaxed Start

      Today is free for you to laze on the rooftop terrace and enjoy the marvellous seascapes from the seafront hotel. Perhaps take a relaxing stroll along the promenade filled with many restaurants and bars. If youโ€™re feeling more active, why not take an Optional Experience with lunch on Gozo Island? Calypso Cave, found on the island, is said to be the one Homer wrote about in his acclaimed epic poem, The Odyssey.

  • Day 12 Day 12: Mdina The Silent City
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 12: Mdina The Silent City

      Head to Mdina with a Local Expert in the late afternoon to explore this golden city, known also as the silent city for its shady streets and peaceful atmosphere. Enjoy a Celebration Dinner at a wonderful local restaurant where youโ€™ll toast to your trip with your fellow travellers.

  • Day 13 Day 13: Depart Malta
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 13: Depart Malta

      Itโ€™s time to say goodbye to this beautiful island and your fellow travellers, as a transfer takes you to Malta International Airport for your homeward journey.

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Experience Style

Experience Style

Mixed

There will be challenging activities such as hiking, biking, canyoning and trekking, but youโ€™re also going to have other means of transportation and relaxed moments to just chill.

Accomodation level

Accomodation level

Medium

This accommodation includes essential services like a hot shower, electricity, and a nice and comfy bed.

Experience Type

Experience Type

Small Group

Youโ€™ll be accompanied by a small group of travelers just like you.

Physical Rating

Physical Rating

Basic

Almost everyone is fit for these activities. Every hike or physical exercise last less than 30 minutes, such as paragliding and horseback riding. Please ask about specific conditions.

Age range

Age range

Min: 5 / Max: 99

Age range allowed for this experience.

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