Things to see & do on Sicily, Italy
Our Italy Vacations
Sicily history tour, Italy
One of the most fascinating islands in Europe
Sicily walking vacation, Sicilian Volcanoes
Discover Mt Etna and the beautiful volcanic achipelago
Sicily cycling vacation in Italy
Ride through Sicily's UNESCO sites of Siracusa, Noto, Modica and Ragusa
Sicily tour, Street Food and Sunshine in Sicily
See the best of Sicily’s city life, coast and volcanic landscapes
Sicily food vacation in Italy
Be overwhelmed at how varied and diverse Sicily’s cuisine
Sicily food and wine vacation
Experience the flavours of real Sicily on this tasty tour
Sicily self guided walking vacation in Italy
Uncover the secrets of Sicily's western coast
Small group Sicily grand tour
Discover the temples, villages and food of Sicily
Sicily tour, classical Sicily
Tour the main classical sights of Sicily
Sicily self guided cycling vacation in Italy
A wonderful introduction to Sicily's south-east
Sicily and Aeolian Islands small ship cruise
Cruise to the amazing volcanic Aeolian Islands from Sicily
Self drive tour in Sicily
Experience the best of Sicily food and wine on a self-drive
Magna Via Francigena walking vacation in Sicily
Travel the ancient road from Palermo to Agrigento
Sicily history tour
Discover Sicily with a knowledgeable guest lecturer
Sicily bareboat sailing vacation
Go sailing around beautiful Sicily
Calabria and Sicily vacation, Italy
Discover the secrets of Italy’s vibrant south
Aeolian Islands walking vacation in Sicily
Self Guided Walking in the Aeolian Islands, Sicily
Yacht charter in Sicily Aeolian islands, 8-12 people
The “Have a Blast” sailing in Sicily Sept 12th Departure !
Sicily’s lived-in history
A vacation to Sicily is one big history lesson. Balanced between mainland Italy, Spain, North Africa and the Greek Ionian islands, it’s been a trading crossroads for around 10,000 years. To get your head around it all, you’ll need two things: great walking boots and a great local guide.The Ancient Greeks left behind some of the most grandiose architecture, setting up outposts on the coast from the 8th century BC. The theatre at Taormina serves up swooping views of Mount Etna and the Aeolian Islands. And the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento lays out some of the best examples of Doric temples in the world.
Later, arriving Arabs and Normans shaped cities like Palermo, when North African craftspeople worked with the Norman King William II to create the domes and Byzantine-style mosaics in Monreale Cathedral.
Inland, temperamental geology was just as influential as the ruler of the day. In 1693, an earthquake killed over 100,000 people and tumbled towns in the Noto Valley. Noto and Ragusa were almost completely rebuilt with a 17th century flourish; these days, the whole plateau is an ode to Sicilian baroque. Expect plenty in the way of warm honeyed stone and gloriously OTT doorways carved with roses, scrolls and cherubs.
Get outside
It’s not every day that you get to hike up the most active volcano in Europe – especially in the wake of a fact-loaded volcanologist. A guided walking vacation will take you to the desolate landscape of lava flows, craters and cinder cones that tops Mount Etna. You might even score a night in Rifugio Sapienza (1,900m), giving you the chance to catch a Technicolor sunset over the northeast coast and Aeolian Islands. Zingaro Nature Reserve is another must-do walk. March from Scopello village in the east to San Vito Lo Capo in west; it’s all sunny seas, untouched beaches and hideaway coves.And where there’s good walking country, there’s good cycling country. Sign up to a cycling tour to roll over the hills and valleys between the baroque cities of Ragusa and Modica. In the Alcantara valley, meanwhile, you could take the old railway tunnels between villages and fruit orchards, before cooling off in the pools of the Alcantara River. Or you might be treated to the Cava Grande Natonal Reserve, where you can peer into the Cassibile canyon.
Whatever you choose to do, small group tours are often your best option. Sicilian cycling and walking routes aren’t exactly known for their watertight waymarking. Plus, your guide will know the best swimming spots and family-run vineyards to catch your breath in. Then there’s your luggage – on a guided tour, it’ll be waiting for you at your next hotel after a hard day’s pedalling. All you have to do is remember to pack your swimsuit in your pannier.
Our top Italy Vacation
Sicily history tour, Italy
One of the most fascinating islands in Europe
2021: 4 Sep, 11 Sep, 18 Sep, 2 Oct, 9 Oct, 23 Oct
2022: 26 Mar, 9 Apr, 16 Apr, 30 Apr, 7 May, 14 May, 21 May, 4 Jun, 11 Jun, 25 Jun, 27 Aug, 3 Sep, 10 Sep, 17 Sep, 24 Sep, 1 Oct, 8 Oct, 15 Oct, 22 Oct
Food, glorious food
You don’t always need a history book to learn about Sicily’s past – a food menu will do just fine. Street food is the precedent of the big cities. Arancini is the most famous snack, but how much do you know about panelle chickpea fritters or pizza-like sfincione? Sign up to cookery course to find out how Arabs revolutionised Sicilian cuisine by bringing over spices like saffron and planting citrus orchards. And pizza making demos will win over the kids.Of course, you’ll need to wash all that down with a glass of good Sicilian wine. Fortified Marsala is the classic. But island-made Malvasia comes a close second, along with the Etna DOC grown on the high-altitude slopes of the island’s resident volcano.
Aeolian Islands
Long black beaches, thermal springs and sulphuric mud baths bubble on Vulcano. A walking vacation will take you up to the rim of the volcano to get a bird’s-eye view of the very much active fumaroles. Lipari rolls out a panoramic trail along the wild western coast and Roman spas in San Caolgero. Just over the water, Stromboli island is basically one big volcano that burps smoke about every 15 minutes. Guided tours will team you up with a volcanologist who’ll tell you all about the Sciara del Fuoco channel, where fiery lava shuffles down to the sea.
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