ITALY CUSTOM TOURS, ITALY CUSTOM VACATIONS, ITALY TOUR PACKAGES 

SICILY TOURS, SICILY PRIVATE VACATIONS

Well Arranged Travel is a tour operator company, tour experts in customizing private group tours or custom tours and custom vacations in Italy and France. We design upscale and luxury vacations in Italy and France, offering complete vacation packages. Your itinerary can be one of our already published tours or we can design one to fit your interests, goals, budget and schedule. Contact us, your expert trip planners, for travel arrangements in Italy and France.

Below is one version of our Sicily custom tours that are available for purchase as a private vacation package. This Sicily tour package is available for travel anytime you wish.  Prices are at the bottom of the page.  For larger groups, please inquire.

Other custom tours available (click here).

SICILY TOUR

(8 Days in Sicily)

(B = Breakfast, L = Lunch,  D = Dinner)

Arrival Airport: Palermo

Departure Airport: Catania

ITINERARY

Note:  Activities or order of activities in our Sicily tours are subject to change due to unforeseen closures, etc. We reserve the right to replace an activity.

DAY 1:
Arrival Day in Palermo, Overnight in Palermo
We will meet you at the airport in Palermo and our private transfer will take you to our hotel, a 19th century grand hotel in the historic district of Palermo.  A Well Arranged Travel representative will be available for a stroll with you in the afternoon or early evening.  You will visit the interesting markets of Palermo. You willl sample a unique flavor of Italy, one with a touch of Africa, as we experience Palermo’s street life and its ancient market, the Mercato della Vucciria.  

DAY 2:
Guided Tour of Palermo, Monreale, Overnight in Palermo

In this small group tour of Sicily, our local Sicily tour guide will show us the highlights of historical Palermo, capital of ancient Sicily.  Colonized by the Phoenicians, Sicily boasts a rich 3,000 years of history, particularly flourishing under the Arab and Norman rule.   The many great empires that once ruled Sicily's capital left behind wonderfully diverse architecture, from Roman to Byzantine to Arab-Norman, which we will view in the city's palaces, churches and crypts. We will also visit the city’s eclectic cathedral -- originally Norman, then Catalan Gothic, and in the 18th-century, transformed by baroque and neoclassical styles. Afternoon visit to Monreale, a town above Palermo with its famous 12th Century cathedral built by the Norman King William II.  This ornate cathedral is a mix of Byzantine, Arab and Norman architecture with its richly mosaic-covered interior. (B)

DAY 3:
Monreale, Erice, Segesta, Overnight in Palermo

This trip will begin with a lovely drive on a road overlooking the Conca D'Oro valley to reach the village of Monreale. You will visit the magnificent Duomo of Monreale, one of the great sights of Norman Sicily. Founded in 1172 by King William II, the Duomo flanks a Benedictine monastery. The cathedral’s interior glitters with mosaics designed by Sicilian and Byzantine artists.

Next stop will be the magnificent Temple of Segesta, the first Doric-style Greek Temple, set among gently sloping hills of yellow-ochre and brown. The temple was built by the Elimians, one of the most important Greek colonies in Western Sicily. The temple’s 36 columns are still intact despite several major earthquakes. You will also see a typical Greek semi-circular-style theatre, set on the rocky slope.

Our next stop is Erice. You will also visit a 14th-century Gothic Catalan-style cathedral featuring the famous depiction of the black Virgin Mary. You will wrap up the day strolling along the town’s charming old stone streets. Erice’s hilltop twin castles of Pepoli, with foundations dating from both the Saracen and Norman eras, give the town a spectacular skyline. Both castles have been modified over the centuries, yet they retain their distinctively medieval character. You will enjoy a breathtaking view from the castle towers.  Free time after the short tour.  Return to Palermo late afternoon. (B)

DAY 4:
Excursion to Cefalu, Guided Tour of Winery and Wine Tasting, Overnight in Taormina
Today we’ll drive east of Palermo on our way to Taormina. The first stop is Cefalù, a quaint fishing village with a stunning setting, built on a rock that juts out into the sea. The town was probably founded by the Siculi people in the 9th century B.C., although its name comes from the Greek Kephalos (head) because of the shape of the rock on top of the village.

The Arabs built a little town here between 858 and 1063, but what you will see here was mostly built during the Norman domination.  You may visit the 12th-century Romanesque Cathedral, considered one of the finest Norman cathedrals in Sicily. Enjoy visiting the sites, walking its medieval streets and promenade along the water or do some shopping in the town center. You will arrive in Taormina late afternoon.  (B)

DAY 5: 
Excursions to Castelmola, Savoca and Forza d'Agro, Overnight in Taormina
Today, our small group tour of Sicily will take you to Savoca, selected by director Francis Ford Coppola as one of the settings for "The Godfather II."  You may recognize the stunning seaside views from the piazza and terraced bar here as part of the set used for the wedding reception in the movie.  We will also visit the beautiful cathedral and tour catacombs of the Cappuccini convent underneath.  We will then head to Castelmola, a medieval hill town above Taormina with breathtaking views of the sea and Mt. Etna.

Our next stop is the village of Forza d'Agro, another charming medieval hilltop village with a fantastic view of the coast and Mt. Etna.  We will visit its unique Norman castle with three castle-walls and a wonderful coastline view towards the straits of Messina.  Some scenes from "The Godfather III" were shot in this enchanting place.  (B) 

DAY 6:
Guided Tour and Overnight in Taormina
At 9:30am, we will travel to Siracusa. Founded in 734 BC by the Greeks, Siracusa was one of the great ancient capitals of Western civilization.  This city quickly grew to rival and even surpass Athens in splendor and power.  Siracusa still has some of the finest examples of Baroque art and architecture, along with fantastic Greek and Roman ruins.  Siracusa is definitely one of the most beautiful places to see in this trip to Sicily.  A local guide will take us on a guided tour of this city and its archeological sites, including a Roman amphitheater, beautiful Greek temple, a famous grotto called the Ear of Dionysus, and the most complete Greek theater surviving from antiquity.

Time on your own after the tour to enjoy Ortigia island of Siracusa, a relaxed, comfortable and beautiful setting. The lively baroque old town has some interesting shopping, charming piazzas and lots of outdoor cafes and bars.  (B)

DAY 7:
Excursion to Mt. Etna & Its Villages, Winery Visit With Lunch, Overnight in Taormina

Enjoy a private tour of the villages that thrive on the slopes of Mt. Etna. You will travel to different local villages of the Alcantara Valley, visit the Alcantara Gorges and a wonderful waterfall created from an old Etna lava flow 40 miles long. 

You will continue the drive, stopping to visit the charming and unspoiled old Sicilian village of Castiglione di Sicilia with its beautiful and fragrant lemon, orange and olive groves, as well as the Etna grapevines. You will have the chance to visit the old Greek fortress, situated on the highest slopes of the village, with a breathtaking view over the Alcantara valley.

Next you will travel the “red wine” route, literally traversing the lava flows of 1981 as you cross through the village of Linguaglossa and its cluster of Baroque churches. You will also tour the Gambino winery, and sample this rare Etna wine, accompanied by a selection of local Sicilian specialties and more to make this a festive lunch perfect for celebrating your last day in Sicily.

On the way down, you will pass through a fragrant pine tree forest before arriving in Taormina. Lunch is planned. A very nice lunch with wine at a great winery is a good way to end your last day in Sicily. (B, L)

DAY 8:
Departure Day
Prepare for your flight home.  A private transfer will take you to the airport. (B)

Sicily Tour Package Includes:

• Land Tour – 8 Days
• Beautiful & elegant accommodations in centrally located 4 Star hotels  
• Breakfast daily
• Tour of Segesta with local expert guide
• Tour of Siracusa - Greek Theater, Roman Amphitheater - with local expert guide
• Excursion to Monreale With Visit to its Cathedral
• Tour of Palermo with local expert guide
• Tour of Mt. Etna & Its Villages
• Excursion to Monreale and coastal town of Cefalu
• Tour of Erice with local expert guide
• Excursion of the villages of Castelmola, Savoca & Forza D'Agro
• 1 Winery visit with wine tasting & lunch
• Private transportation to all planned activities
• Entrance fees to all scheduled museums and sites
• Airport Transfer on arrival day and departure day

Not included:

• Airline tickets
• Gratuities to guides and drivers

Targeted hotel:

Palermo – Grand Hotel et Des Palmes

Taormina – Hotel Belvedere or Hotel Schuler

NOTE: Reservations are made at the time of booking. If these hotels are no longer available, similar quality hotels will be booked.

TOUR COST:

2895 Euro per person, based on 2 people traveling together

2655 Euro per person, based on 3 to 4 people traveling together

2475 Euro per person, based on 5 to 6 people traveling together

2295 Euro per person, based on 7 to 8 people traveling together