2021 & 2022 Globus Guided Tours - Globus® Vacation Packages

Sicilian Escape (KIJ)

7 Day Tour from Palermo to Taormina Riviera

2024 Tour Details

Escape to Sicily for seven days of beauty, cuisine, and history—without the crowds you’d find in the high season. Begin in Palermo and meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. Spend the following day on a guided sightseeing tour of Palermo’s ornate Piazza Bellini and Capo Market. See the stunning baroque features of the Church of the Immacolata, and visit the historic Palermo Cathedral. Enjoy the panoramic view of the Conca d’Oro in Monreale, and visit the 12th-century Norman Cathedral with its treasured byzantine mosaics.

Walk through the 24-centuries-old Valley of the Temples with your Local Guide in Agrigento, visit Piazza Armerina’s Villa Romana del Casale to admire the world’s largest collection of Roman mosaics. In Syracuse, the birthplace of mathematician Archimedes, you’ll take a guided visit to the archaeological site of the 5th-century-BC Greek Theater, Garden of Paradise, Ear of Dionysus, Altar of Hieron II, Roman Amphitheater, and the Cordmaker’s Cave. Travel to Catania, where you’ll sample Sicily’s famous Arancino, and spend two nights on the spectacular Taormina Riviera, your base for a fascinating excursion to Mount Etna—the largest active volcano in Europe. Explore Taormina, and complete your Sicilian Escape with a fabulous farewell dinner at a local restaurant. You’ll treasure the time spent exploring Sicily’s famous sights and stunning scenery—without the crowds of the busy travel season on this spectacular guided tour of Sicily!


Dates & Prices Book Online
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Sicilian Escape map
Escapes by Globus

 Photo Highlights

 Meals & Itinerary

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN PALERMO, ITALY

Welcome to Palermo! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at the hotel.


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Day 2 PALERMO

Sicilian Specialties PALERMO Guided sightseeing includes the Church of Immacolata, and a visit to the cathedral. Drive up to Monreale for a panoramic view of the Conca d’Oro and visit the Norman Cathedral.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
The story of the splendid Monreale cathedral starts when the Arabs took control of Palermo. They transformed the cathedral into a mosque and banished the Bishop of Palermo from town. Not wishing to venture too far from his beloved cathedral, the Bishop settled in a small village in the hills overlooking Palermo, the site of modern-day Monreale. There, he built a modest church to keep the flame of local Christian worship alive. Today the cathedral is known for its stunning mosaics that cover an area of over 64.500sq ft.


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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 3 PALERMO–AGRIGENTO

Timeless Temples AGRIGENTO Take a guided walking tour of the Valley of Temples. 87 mi / 140 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ANCIENT ARCHAEOLOGY The ruins of Akragas remain Sicily's most amazing archaeological site. The impressively well-preserved Tempio della Concordia sits in spectacular setting upon a ridge where it served as a beacon for homecoming sailors and today draws enthralled visitors to revel in the remarkable Valley of the Temples.


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Day 4 AGRIGENTO–PIAZZA ARMERINA–SYRACUSE

Ancient Artistry In Sicily PIAZZA ARMERINA Take a guided visit of the Villa Romana del Casale with the largest and most complex collection of Roman mosaics in the world. Enjoy lunch with regional specialties at a local restaurant. 162 mi / 260 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ART & ARCHITECTURE Explore the extraordinary example of Roman power in one of the most luxurious villas of its kind in the Italian countryside. Marvel at the magnificently preserved mosaics that embellish the Villa Romana del Casale, designed and installed by African mosaic workers and the strength of the Roman influence and power throughout the Mediterranean region.

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Day 5 SYRACUSE–CATANIA–TAORMINA RIVIERA

Coastal Treasures SYRACUSE Guided visit to the Greek and Roman ruins of the Archaeological Park features the Greek Theatre and the Roman Amphitheater.
CATANIA Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite Arancino tasting and free time on the way to Taormina Riviera. 75 mi / 120 km

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES Sicily’s love affair with food goes back a long way. Cooking traditions originating from the Greeks, Arabs, and Normans blend with those from Spain and North Africa resulting in a fabulous melting pot of flavors and unique dishes. Celebrate this feast of cultures with a traditional arancino tasting one of Sicily’s most famous street food.

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Day 6 TAORMINA RIVIERA

The Pearl of the Mediterranean TAORMINA RIVIERA Guided excursion to Mount Etna. Orientation walk through Taormina town and free time. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDER Mount Etna, Europe’s tallest volcano and one of the most active in the world. Learn how in 1669, an eruption that lasted 112 days developed a record long stream of lava that destroyed the city of Catania.

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Breakfast Breakfast
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Day 7 TAORMINA RIVIERA

Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (The nearest airport is Catania.)


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Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With GLOBUS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

SILVIO CACACE

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

“Travelling that leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller. This is what happened to me travelling around my home country of Italy, a place renowned for its remarkable architecture, fine artworks, delectable food and wines, and superb hospitality. Showing people my country, enthralling them with captivating stories, sharing with them my passion and enthusiasm, and making them happy has become my main goal in life. Join me on a Globus tour so you can see for yourself how life is beautiful in Italy.”

Tour Director - SILVIO CACACE

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyGlobus site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 CAD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 CAD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 CAD)
$$$$ (Over $150)


Palermo
Syracuse

Palermo

Exclusive private visit to a noble Palazzo in Palermo

Exclusive private visit to a noble Palazzo in Palermo

Get a true taste of ancient Palermo, capital of Sicily, on this fantastic excursion featuring an exclusive visit to a private noble Palazzo.

Price Range: $$

Syracuse

Wonders & Ruins of Ortigia

Wonders & Ruins of Ortigia

Experience the ancient wonders and impressive Greek ruins of Ortigia Island, historic center of Syracuse, on this exciting guided tour, and enjoy this amazing little town like a local!

Price Range: $

 Private Touring

Private Touring: Globus European Private Touring enables you to experience all of the attractions, sights and highlights of your selected Globus tour as a private experience - delivered just for you and your traveling party. With Private Touring, you'll have your own dedicated Tour Director, your own private transportation and driver, and your own professional local guides. All with greater flexibility in pace and your experience.

For your selected tour, there will be additional per-person cost for the size of your party - from 1 to 24. This additional supplement is reduced with each traveler you add to your party.

Here's a sample of the additional cost:

6 guests in a party: $1,905*
18 guests in a party: $492*

Contact Globus or your preferred travel agent for pricing for your specific party size as well as any other information on Globus Private Touring.

* Supplement pricing is per person (CA) and will be added to the standard published price for your given departure date and is based on availability. Supplement price is valid for 2020 and 2021 travel years. Occasionally some included and optional activities & excursions may be operated with other guests. Additional restrictions may apply. Not applicable for custom groups. No Group allowances or promotions are available on Private Touring. Published itineraries only. Note that blackout dates may exist where the Private Touring option is not available.



The “Starting at” or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on twin occupancy and any applicable port charges, non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.