The Best Highlights 7 Day Sicily Tour 2024

Sicily’s best sights are spread across an island, and this private seven-day tour makes the long journey between them part of the plan. You’ll go from Etna’s volcanic slopes to Greek temples, Baroque towns, Palermo’s layered streets, and the gold mosaics of Monreale.

I like two things in particular: the range of places covered, and the chance to see the Valley of the Temples after dark. The private format also gives your group its own vehicle and guide, rather than asking you to keep pace with strangers.

The trade-off is a packed schedule. You’ll change overnight bases and spend time on the road, while many entrance fees and most lunches and dinners are extra. This suits you best if you want broad coverage, not a slow week in one town.

• Etna begins the trip: Visit the Silvestri Craters near Rifugio Sapienza, at about 1,800 meters, before continuing to Taormina.
• Ancient sites come in several forms: See Syracuse’s Greek and Roman remains, Villa Romana del Casale’s mosaics, and the temples at Agrigento and Selinunte.
• The overnight plan moves across Sicily: Stay near Etna, in the Noto or Syracuse area, in Agrigento, and in Palermo.
• Palermo gets a full day: The route includes the Cathedral, Palatine Chapel, Pretoria Square, and the Martorana, followed by Monreale.
• Transport and guiding are included: You travel in a luxury Mercedes with an English-speaking driver-guide or a driver and English-speaking guides.
• Budget for extras: Admission fees are estimated at about €100 per person, while most meals, tips, and some city taxes are not included.

A private route from Etna to Palermo

The route links eastern, southern, and western Sicily before finishing on the north coast. That is a lot of ground for one week, but a private car makes the itinerary possible without asking you to coordinate trains, buses, and hotel transfers yourself.

The tour is private, so only your group takes part. That matters on a schedule with several different interests: a family can pause for a sweet in Noto, while a group keen on archaeology can give the ancient sites more attention, depending on the guide and day’s timing. The itinerary is set out in advance, but Handy Sicily has a reputation for planning trips around a group’s interests. Paolo Mortellaro and Barbara are names associated with the company’s guiding and trip planning. Confirm who will lead your specific departure.

The listed price is $6,050.07 per person. That is a substantial amount, but it covers seven days of private transport, airport transfers, English-language guiding, and accommodation with breakfast at most overnight stops. The first night also includes dinner, a wine tasting, and food at a wine resort in the Etna area. You are paying for the vehicle, the route, and the time saved arranging each leg, not for an all-inclusive holiday.

Add the costs that sit outside that price: admission fees are estimated at around €100 per person, and most lunches and dinners are on your own. City or tourist taxes may be due at some hotels, and tips are not included. Before booking, ask Handy Sicily to confirm the exact hotels, which meals are included, and the arrangements for your chosen dates.

Day 1: A first taste near Catania

The tour starts in Catania, with a possible visit to the city center if time allows, then transfers you to a wine resort in the Etna area. The first evening is deliberately gentler than the days ahead: you have an overnight stay, a wine tasting, and food included.

That is a useful way to start a trip that soon covers a lot of territory. You can settle in, taste local wine, and get a first glimpse of the island’s food culture without having to find a restaurant after a travel day. The city visit is not guaranteed, though. It depends on time, so don’t count on a proper Catania tour unless the operator confirms it.

Day 2: Etna’s craters, then Taormina

After breakfast, you head toward Rifugio Sapienza, at roughly 1,800 meters on Mount Etna. The described stop is at the Silvestri Craters, with time around the characteristic lodges for shopping and lunch. The volcanic setting is the point here: Etna is not just a distant view, but an active mountain that shapes eastern Sicily.

The day’s details depend on weather and conditions, and the tour description does not specify additional mountain activities. Admission costs are not included, so ask what, if anything, you plan to do beyond the stated visit before assuming it is covered. Bring layers for the higher elevation, even if the coast feels warm.

In the afternoon, the route continues to Taormina. You’ll walk along Corso Umberto and visit the Greek Theatre, Palazzo Corvaja, and the Odeon, with time to take in the sea views. Taormina is beautiful, but popular; the appeal is a compact historic center and dramatic setting, not a quiet or undiscovered town. The Greek Theatre admission is extra.

You sleep in the Noto area that night, which means the day also includes a transfer south after Taormina. It is a substantial itinerary, so keep your expectations flexible if you prefer lingering over a quick succession of sights.

Day 3: Syracuse’s ancient world and Noto’s Baroque streets

Syracuse brings together an archaeological park and a walk through Ortigia, the old island center. At the Neapolis Archaeological Park, the listed sights include the Greek Theatre, the Altar of Hieron II, the Roman amphitheater, the Latomia of Paradise, and the Ear of Dionysius. The park gives you a sense of how much ancient Syracuse mattered, and why it could rival Athens in power and wealth.

Ortigia shifts the mood from open archaeological grounds to narrow lanes of pale stone. The Cathedral is built over an ancient temple to Athena, and the route also includes the Fountain of Arethusa and other major monuments. The itinerary describes this as a short stop, so you may need to prioritize what you most want to see rather than expect a long, unhurried visit.

Next comes Noto, rebuilt after the devastating earthquake of 1693 and now celebrated for its Baroque architecture. The route takes in Santa Chiara, the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, Palazzo Ducezio, the balconies along Nicolaci Street, the Fountain of Hercules, and the Municipal Theatre. The warm stone and carved façades make the town especially rewarding on foot.

Leave time for a local sweet. Cannoli, filled with sweet ricotta, and granita, a frozen dessert, are both named as possible stops. It’s a small but welcome contrast to a day of churches and monuments. You overnight in the Noto or Syracuse area, with the exact location depending on the accommodation arranged.

Day 4: Roman mosaics and temples after dark

The route heads inland to Villa Romana del Casale, near Piazza Armerina. The fourth-century villa is known for its vivid floor mosaics, which show scenes from Roman daily life. This is a different kind of ancient site from the open-air temples: you are looking closely at domestic details preserved in color, rather than reading a city through its ruins.

Admission is extra, and the tour allows about two hours at the site. That gives you a useful visit, though anyone especially interested in Roman art may wish for longer. From there, you continue to Agrigento on Sicily’s southwestern side.

The Valley of the Temples is the day’s great set piece. The route includes the Temples of Juno, Concordia, Hercules, Zeus, and Castor and Pollux, with a night visit planned before returning to the city. Seeing the remains after dark can change their scale and mood, and makes this stop more than a quick daytime photo break. Confirm the evening opening and entrance arrangements for your date, since admission is not included.

You stay overnight in Agrigento. Because the visit runs into the evening, this is one day when a simple dinner plan matters. Most dinners are not covered, so check whether you’ll have time to eat before or after the temple visit.

Day 5: Selinunte, salt flats, and Erice

Selinunte is described as Europe’s largest archaeological park, with an Acropolis, natural paths, and temples E, F, and G. The sheer scale is part of the experience: ancient remains are spread across a broad area, so comfortable shoes and a willingness to walk will serve you well. The stated visit is about two hours, and admission is extra.

Later, you travel along the salt road between Marsala and Trapani, with a stop for photographs. The itinerary does not promise a guided visit to salt production sites, so treat this as a scenic pause rather than a full excursion.

The day ends in Erice, a historic town set high above the western coast. Views toward Monte Cofano and the Egadi Islands provide a change of pace after the archaeological stops. You’ll also have a chance to taste sweets from Maria Grammatico, a celebrated local pastry maker named in the plan. This is one of the tour’s more personal food moments: a chance to connect a place with a specific local name and specialty.

Day 6: Palermo’s cultural layers and Monreale’s mosaics

Palermo gets a full day, which is wise. The city’s history reflects Greek, Arab, Norman, and Bourbon rule, and its architecture brings those influences together in ways you can see from one stop to the next. The listed route includes Palermo Cathedral, the Palatine Chapel inside the Norman Palace, Pretoria Square, and Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, known as the Martorana.

The Palatine Chapel is a highlight for its mosaics, while the Martorana offers another striking look at Palermo’s mix of artistic traditions. You’ll want to ask how much time is allocated at each site and whether admission tickets are handled on the day. Entrance fees are not included, and the four-hour visit needs to cover several major sights.

A short drive takes you to Monreale, whose cathedral is famed for gold-background mosaics. The adjoining cloister is also included in the visit. This is a fitting final architectural stop: after several days of Greek, Roman, and Baroque sites, you get a close look at Sicily’s Norman-era art and religious architecture.

You spend the night in Palermo. Accommodation is described as a 4-star hotel or B&B with breakfast, but the exact property is not specified. Ask for the name and location before booking if you care about being within walking distance of the center.

Day 7: Cefalù and the Palermo departure

After breakfast, the route heads to Cefalù, a northern coastal town beneath a high cliff. The Cathedral, of Norman origin, is the main stop, with twin side towers and mosaics on a gold background. The plan allows about two hours, which is enough for a focused visit but not a leisurely beach day.

The tour then ends with a transfer to Palermo Airport or another agreed location. The stated airport transfer from the Palermo hotel takes about 40 minutes. Since the trip starts in Catania and finishes in Palermo, check that your flights fit the route and confirm exactly where the first pickup and final drop-off will be.

What the price includes, and what it does not

The main value is convenience across a complicated route. You get a luxury Mercedes, an English-speaking driver-guide or a driver plus English-speaking guides each day, airport transfers, and overnight accommodation. The stated stays include a wine resort near Etna, hotels or B&Bs in the Noto or Syracuse area, Agrigento, and Palermo. Breakfast is included at the listed hotel stays.

Food is only partly covered. Day one includes dinner, wine tasting, and food at the wine resort, but lunches and most other dinners are excluded. Plan for meals as a separate expense, along with about €100 per person for admissions, any city taxes due at checkout, and tips.

The private format is most valuable if you want to cover several regions without planning each transfer yourself. It is less compelling if you prefer independent travel by public transport, want long stays in each town, or would rather choose every hotel and meal on your own. Ask for a day-by-day timing estimate before committing; the itinerary is ambitious, and the actual pace matters as much as the list of stops.

Who should book this Sicily tour?

I’d consider this tour for a first visit when you want a broad introduction to Sicily and have only a week. It combines major archaeological sites with towns, churches, food, and countryside, while the private vehicle reduces the burden of moving between them. The company’s broader trips have included groups as varied as a family of 16, from children to adults in their seventies, and small groups with specific interests. That suggests flexibility is part of the operator’s approach, but you should discuss your own group’s needs directly.

It also suits a family or group that values a guide and a shared vehicle more than independent scheduling. Past Sicily trips associated with Handy Sicily have been shaped around interests such as history, food, and vineyards, and Paolo Mortellaro is particularly linked with guiding and itinerary planning. Still, confirm who will accompany your tour and how much the schedule can be adjusted.

Skip it if you want a restful holiday, dislike changing hotels, or hope to spend a full day at each major site. The route is a sampler, not a slow exploration. Its best feature is the breadth: in seven days, you move from Etna to Cefalù and encounter very different chapters of Sicily along the way.

FAQ

Where does the tour start and finish?

The tour starts in Catania, with a 9:00 am start time. It ends in Cefalù, followed by a transfer to Palermo Airport or another agreed location.

How long is the tour?

It lasts approximately seven days.

Is the tour private?

Yes. Only your group participates.

What transport is provided?

Transport is in a luxury Mercedes vehicle. Airport transfers are included.

Is an English-speaking guide included?

Yes. The tour provides an English-speaking driver-guide or a driver with English-speaking tour guides each day.

Are admission fees included?

No. Entrance fees are not included and are estimated at about €100 per person.

Which meals are included?

Dinner, wine tasting, and food are included on the first night at the Etna-area wine resort. Breakfast is included at the listed hotel or B&B stays. Other lunches and dinners are excluded.

What is included in the overnight stays?

The tour includes an overnight at a wine resort in the Etna area, stays in the Noto or Syracuse area, Agrigento, and Palermo. The listed hotel stays are 4-star hotels or B&Bs with breakfast.