Sicily - Palermo, Agrigento & the Aeolian Islands

Meet your tour manager as you arrive at the airport in Sicily, then transfer to your hotel on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Depending on the time you arrive, perhaps take a stroll along the sandy beach before dinner is served.

Today you're free to rest and relax, either enjoying the hotel's range of amenities or perhaps venturing into nearby Cefalu. This colourful resort town is dominated by the craggy outcrop of La Rocca, and a mighty cathedral that is home to one of the world’s finest Byzantine mosaics. The town is fringed by a long, sandy beach, and the surrounding maze of medieval cobbled streets is a delight to wander through.

Consider climbing to the Temple of Diana, on the slopes of La Rocca, then rewarding yourself with lunch or an ice cream in one of the many restaurants and pavement cafes around lively Piazza Duomo, in the shadow of the cathedral.

Your first included excursion takes you to the Sicilian capital, Palermo, where the island’s heritage is reflected in its buildings – the Cattedrale, the Royal Palazzo dei Normanni, the Archaeological Museum – in the streets of its four historic quarters (the Quattro Canti), and also in its vibrant, cultured inhabitants who believe their city to be the equal of any on the mainland.

After a fascinating morning, and perhaps the chance for lunch in the city, spend the afternoon exploring Monreale’s great Benedictine monastery and Norman cathedral, with its extraordinary mosaics. Don’t miss the ornate cloisters, or the chance to enjoy the wonderful view of the capital from this exquisite hill town. You’ll return to the hotel for dinner.

Journey back in time as you explore Agrigento, a vast archaeological area boasting some of the finest and best preserved Ancient Greek relics outside of Greece itself. The magnificent temples of Hera Lacinia, Concordia, Heracles, Zeus and Hephaestus (who the Romans called Vulcan) are laid out along the Valle dei Templi, which is actually a ridge above the nearby medieval town of Agrigento.

This afternoon, heading inland, you’ll call at the medieval town of Piazza Armerina, set in wooded hills, close to the Roman villa at Casale, which offers a fascinating insight into Imperial life.

Return to the hotel in time for dinner.

Today is another left free so that you can enjoy the hotel, its amenities and its surroundings, including the beach itself.

On today’s included tour, you’ll journey to the Ionian port of Milazzo to board the ferry for the one-hour crossing to the volcanic Aeolian Isles, which rise out of the blue waters. You'll call, first, at the largest island, Lipari, after passing Vulcano with its brooding crater. Spend a pleasant couple of hours in delightful Lipari Town. Wander the colourful streets that spread out beneath the 1,000-year-old castle, or head to a more secluded corner of the island for a dip in pristine azure waters. The energetic might hire bicycles, or the brave a scooter, while the more relaxed might just enjoy an ice cream in the sun. Return to the mainland this evening at the end of an especially enjoyable day.

Enjoy a last day soaking up the atmosphere of the hotel and its surroundings, or join an optional excursion that will see you head inland from Cefalu into the rugged Madonie Mountains. Home to wildcats and wolves, as well as over 2,500 colourful plant species, and where age-old agrarian practices including sheep farming and olive growing still continue, this protected natural reserve is sure to intrigue. You’ll pause for the opportunity to enjoy lunch in stunning, hill-top Castelbuono, which is something of a foodie mecca thanks to its selection of speciality shops and restaurants serving traditional Sicilian fare. And you’ll return to the hotel, this afternoon, to enjoy a last evening and a farewell dinner.

Bid "arrivederci" to your Sicilian hosts, and transfer to the airport to board your flight home.