Sicily in Depth - With 6 Days Malta Option, Small Group

Sicily in Depth - With 6 Days Malta Option, Small Group

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Sicily in Depth - With 6 Days Malta Option, Small Group

13 Days Starting in Catania and ending in Valletta

Visiting: Catania, Ragusa, Palermo, Agrigento, Marsala, Erice, Taormina, Cefalu, Sliema, Valletta

Tour operator:

Insight Vacations

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Tour Overview

See every slice of Sicily and experience the heart of Malta during this 13-day guided tour. Take off to Paradise Quarry in Syracuse with a Local Expert, who will show you its Ear of Dionysius, an ear-shaped limestone grotto: call out to your fellow travelers here, and your voice may echo as many as 16 times. Visit the Palermo Cathedral, a blend of architecture styles that combine for a stunning sight. Sample fresh olive oil at a lunch made of local produce from a farm near Trapani. Travel to the quaint fishing town of Cefalu, where you will stroll to the Porta Marina for a picture-perfect view of the harbor. In Taormina, perched above the Ionian Sea, join a Local Expert at the city’s cliffside Greek theatre, from which you can see Mount Etna, the island’s active stratovolcano. Venture from your waterfront hotel in Sliema to the capital of Malta: In Valletta, you will meet a Local Expert who will guide you through the Fortress City, filled with golden-hued buildings and anchored by St. John's Cathedral. Later, in Mdina, join a Local Expert on a walk through the fortified Silent City, nicknamed for its peaceful atmosphere. Then, toast to an incredible journey during a final celebration dinner with your fellow travelers.

Highlights

  • Choose between two carefully selected activities

  • Palermo: Join your Local Expert for a walk through the lively Vucciria market.

  • Palermo: Visit the spectacular Arab-Norman Monreale Cathedral. 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.

  • : Experience enhanced hygiene protocols to align with the latest guidance following COVID-19.All Travel Directors, Well-Being Directors and Drivers have completed training in enhanced well-being and hygiene protocols.

  • : We only work with establishments we are confident will consistently adhere to our high well-being standards, which include hotels, restaurants and sight-seeing venues.

  • : Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

  • : "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 Italy's cities, which are real open air museums."

  • 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 Sicily's top culinary heritage.

  • Sliema: Enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your fellow travellers at your luxury hotel in Sliema.

  • Dining Summary: 6 Dinner with Wine (DW), 11 Breakfast (B), and 1 Lunch with Wine (LW)

  • Syracuse: Walk through the gardens of Paradise Quarry, listen to the acoustics in the mysterious Ear of Dionysius and visit the Greek theatre.

  • Ragusa: During your orientation with your Travel Director see the famous Baroque buildings and churches.

  • 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.

  • Erice: Led by your Travel Director, explore the quiet alleys of this ancient walled town, as if you've stepped into the Middle Ages. See the medieval churches and marvel at the sea views from the gardens of the Castle of Venus.

  • 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.

  • Cefalu: Your Travel Director will show you the cathedral, built to fulfil a vow. Walk to the medieval stone fountain in the old fishermen's quarter, find the Gothic arch of the Porta Marina and see the harbour.

  • Taormina: Should you awake early, you may see why this is known as 'The Dawn Coast of Europe.'

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Marsala: Enjoy a tasting of some of the island'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.

  • Dining Summary: 6 Dinner with Wine (DW), 12 Breakfast (B), and 2 Lunch with Wine (LW)

  • Valletta: Explore the capital with your Local Expert. Visit the Upper Barrakka Gardens and get lost in its beautiful 16th century buildings including St John’s Co-Cathedral, designed in a baroque fashion.

  • 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.

  • : Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxury, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with onboard washroom. Alternate vehicles without onboard washroom or 40 seats may be used on occasion. 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.   ?

  • 6 Dinner with Wine (DW)

  • 12 Breakfast (B)

  • 2 Lunch with Wine (LW)

  • : Our highly-skilled Travel Director will ensure your journey is seamless, serving as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.

  • : Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.

  • : We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.

  • : Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).

  • : Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'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.

  • : From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.

  • : 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.

  • 7 Dinner with Wine (DW)

  • 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.

  • : Enjoy the comfort of Insight'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.

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1: Welcome to Sicily

Location: Catania

Meals Included: Dinner with Wine

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: Ancient Syracuse

Location: Catania, Ragusa

Accommodation: Mediterraneo Palace, Ragusa.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Sightseeing with your Local Expert takes you to Syracuse’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 ‘Eureka!' Continue around the southeastern corner of Sicily to Ragusa.

Day 3: Explore the Valley of the Temples and on to Palermo

Location: Palermo, Agrigento, Ragusa

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

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: Palermo & the Golden Age of the Normans

Location: Palermo

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Explore Palermo with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the Monreale Cathedral with a Local Expert and marvel at the Byzantine mosaics. 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: Exploring Erice

Location: Palermo, Marsala, Erice

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch with Wine

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 MATTER® 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: Cefalu and the Taormina Riviera

Location: Taormina, Palermo, Cefalu

Accommodation: RG Naxos Hotel, Taormina.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Travel to the quaint fishing town of Cefalu. The town'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: Taormina and the Dawn Coast of Europe Relaxed Start

Location: Taormina

Accommodation: RG Naxos Hotel, Taormina.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Your hotel faces east, so early risers may experience why D.H. Lawrence christened this 'The Dawn Coast of Europe.' After breakfast, perhaps take an Optional Experience through the vineyards to Mount Etna, Europe'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, Taormina’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: Fly from Catania to Malta

Location: Catania, Sliema

Accommodation: Waterfront Hotel, Sliema.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

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: Explore Valetta Relaxed Start

Location: Sliema, Sliema, Valletta

Accommodation: Waterfront Hotel, Sliema.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch with Wine

With a Local Expert, you’ll visit the Upper Barrakka Gardens and the impressive St. John'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 Malta’s important role in WWII with a lecture from an historian.

Day 10: Free time in Sliema Relaxed Start

Location: Sliema

Accommodation: Waterfront Hotel, Sliema.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Your day is at leisure, you may want to explore to the World Heritage Site of Haġar 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 ‘luzzu’ fishing boats in the harbour.

Day 11: Sliema Free Day Relaxed Start

Location: Sliema

Accommodation: Waterfront Hotel, Sliema.

Meals Included: Breakfast

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 you’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: Mdina the Silent City

Location: Sliema

Accommodation: Waterfront Hotel, Sliema.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

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 you’ll toast to your trip with your fellow travellers.

Day 13: Depart Malta

Location: Sliema

Meals Included: Breakfast

It’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.

What's Included

  • Our highly-skilled Travel Director will ensure your journey is seamless, serving as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.

  • Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.

  • We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.

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Check out our Q&As

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    We regret that no refunds can be made for absences from a tour, including experiences such as missed meals or sightseeing.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Since 1978.

  • What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

    Insight Vacations is a founding member of the TreadRight Foundation, a joint initiative created by the brands within The Travel Corporation (TTC) almost 15 years ago to ensure our impact through tourism is positive. Our ethos to #MakeTravelMatter guides our decision-making at every level of our business.

  • Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

    Yes

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    You have two options as a solo traveller. Either choose to be matched with a same sex partner for a room share - at no extra cost. Or choose a room of your own with a reduced or even free private room upgrade on select tours.

  • What policies are in place for Covid-19?

    Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies

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Book with Confidence

  • Low Deposit

    Insight Vacations requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of insight vacations charges.

    Up to 91 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 90 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 80% of booking price.

    At 1 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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