Beginning on a Thursday or Sunday at Taormina (Day 1) and ending at Siracusa ten days later, with arrival and departure from Catania Airport, this popular semi-private itinerary takes you to some of the island's most interesting sites and sights in a small group of no more than 8 participants, and upon request it can be "custom planned" for as few as 2, with flexible start-days. It features licensed tour guides at specific sites, all breakfasts, and other meals as indicated, and a copy of The Peoples of Sicily. Admission fees are included for places specifically indicated where there are guided visits. This semi-private tour is planned conveniently, with just 3 hotel check-ins (Taormina, Palermo, Siracusa) at "superior 4-star" accommodations. Additional pre-tour and post-tour days can be added if you wish to extend your time in Sicily. Airport transfers are priced separately. Pricing and details follow, with purchase conditions set forth here and in PDF form, with frequently asked questions and more details about us on our main tour page. If you search the net, you'll find that no other company in Sicily offers "group" tours with such small group sizes and regular departures (start dates) throughout the year. Details follow the summary.

Summary (detailed itinerary follows)

• Day 1 (Thursday or Sunday): Arrival at Catania. Transfer to Taormina.

• Day 2 (Friday/Monday): Day at leisure in Taormina. Optional excursions.

• Day 3 (Saturday/Tuesday): Morning jeep excursion to upper regions of Mount Etna. Following lunch, afternoon at leisure.

• Day 4 (Sunday/Wednesday): Depart Taormina for Palermo, with visit to Cefalù. Overnight at Palermo.

• Day 5 (Monday/Thursday): Guided tour of Monreale and Palermo. Afternoon at leisure. In the early evening, cocktail lecture with the author.

• Day 6 (Tuesday/Friday): Full day excursion to Erice and Marsala with lunch in a farmhouse.

• Day 7 (Wednesday/Saturday): Check-out from Palermo. Depart for for Siracusa with stops for lunch and guided visit of the Agrigento temples and independant visit to the ancient Roman villa at Piazza Armerina. Overnight at Siracusa.

• Day 8 (Thursday/Sunday): Half-day guided visit of Siracusa's archeological site and Ortygia district. Afternoon at leisure.

• Day 9 (Friday/Monday): Full-day excursion to the Baroque towns of Noto, Modica and Ragusa. At, Modica, a tasting of the chocolate, a local specialty.

• Day 10 (Saturday/Tuesday): Check-out and departure for Catania airport.

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival at Catania and check-in at your hotel in Taormina. Overnight in Taormina.

• Day 2: Day at leisure in delightful Taormina with optional excursions.

• Day 3: Today we'll set out for a jeep excursion to Mount Etna, western Europe highest volcano and greatest natural wonder, followed by lunch in this high region (dress warmly!), then an afternoon at leisure in Taormina.

• Day 4: Departure from Taormina for Palermo with a visit en route at Cefalù, a splendid medieval town known for its Norman-Arab cathedral. Overnight in Palermo.

• Day 5: Guided tour of Monreale and central Palermo. The focus in Monreale is its magnificent medieval cathedral and cloister. Sights visited in Palermo are the San Cataldo and Martorana churches, hallmarks of the Norman-Arab architectural style. This evening, you'll enjoy a welcome cocktail and meet one of the book's authors (Louis Mendola or Jacqueline Alio), experts on Sicilian history and culture. Overnight at Palermo.

• Day 6: Today we'll leave the city early for an excursion to Marsala, known for its dessert wines, with a visit to a winery, and hilltop Erice, with a light lunch in a farmhouse nearby. Overnight in Palermo.

• Day 7: Following check-out from Palermo, we'll depart for Siracusa, historically the most important city of Greek Sicily, with stops for a guided visit of the Agrigento temples and the Roman villa at Piazza Armerina. Overnight in Siracusa.

• Day 8: A half-day guided visit of Siracusa's fascinating archeological site, outside town, and the city's charming Ortygia district. The afternoon is at leisure. Overnight in Siracusa.

• Day 9: Enjoy a a visit to the Baroque towns of Noto and Ragusa, with a stop in Modica to sample its famous chocolatre based on a Aztec recipe.

• Day 10: Following check-out, transfer to Catania airport.

• There are personalized options, such as a day or two added to the tour before or after the itinerary indicated here.

Pricing

€2799 per person in double room (a couple) in low season (November 1st to March 15th), €3329 in high season (March 16th to October 31st) for ground services and standard hotels; accommodations in boutique hotels will increase the total by approximately €900.
A 30 (thirty) percent deposit is required to confirm a reservation, with the balance paid sixty (60) days before arrival. Cancellation and refund conditions appear below. We recommend the purchase of travel insurance to cover eventual cancellation fees. Most parts of this itinerary, which includes a fair amount of walking, presume independent (unassisted) physical mobility on the part of participants, not only on Mount Etna but at sites such as Monreale which have stairs but no elevators (lifts).

Hotels (may be substituted)

Standard: The Politeama in Palermo, the Alfeo in Siracusa, the Splendid in Taormina.
Boutique: The Plaza Opera in Palermo, the Palazzo Salomone in Siracusa, Villa Schuler in Taormina.
In the event of a substitution, the hotel will be of comparable quality in the same part of the city.

What is Included: Lodging in Palermo (3 nights), Siracusa (3 nights), Taormina (3 nights); daily buffet breakfast in hotel; transportation as per day-by-day program; licensed tour guides where indicated; meals and food tastings as indicated; sales (value added) tax; one copy per room of The Peoples of Sicily.

What is not Included: International and domestic (Italian) flights; airport porterage; airport transfers (see below); baggage handling fees at hotels; city taxes (see below); admission fees at sites; beverages and meals not mentioned in the program; travel insurance; gratuities and tips, airport transfers (pleasse inquire for pricing).

Details and Additional Fees

City taxes, to be paid at check-out from hotels in some localities.

More About Us

These services are offered by Chat & Tour srl, Via Stefano Turr 38, 90145 Palermo, a registered tour operator (tel: +39 091 657 4539). Essential services are insured in compliance with Italian law.

Cancellations and Refunds: The following cancellation policy applies.
• Sixty (60) days before arrival (commencement of services), the non-refundable portion of the payment is 100 euros per participant if the total for that participant is at least €1499; €300 per participant if the total for that participant is between €1500 and €3499; €50 per participant if the total for that participant is more than €3500.
• From fifty-nine (59) to forty-five (45) days before arrival, twenty-five (25) percent of the total is non-refundable. To wit, seventy-five (75) percent is refundable.
• From forty-four (44) to thirty (30) days before arrival, fifty (50) percent of the total is non-refundable.
• From twenty-nine (29) to fifteen (15) days before arrival, seventy-five (75) percent of the total is non-refundable.
• In the event of a "no-show" (the Client and/or other participants fail to appear for the tour/activity), or for a cancellation made at or within fourteen (14) days before arrival, the entire price is non-refundable; to wit, there is no refund.
More in the PDF.