Based on our own experience and the many tips we have received from enthusiastic holidaymakers, it is our pleasure to present to you Sicily’s most famous highlights and World Heritage Sites!
Today we fly to Catania. Upon arrival, our friendly English speaking guide welcomes us and accompanies us to our modern travel coach. Depending on the arrival time, we drive to the Cyclops coast and take a short break in the lively fishing village of Aci Trezza, famous for the film “La terra trema“. There, impressive rock formations – the famous Faraglioni – rise up out of the sea just a few meters from the promenade. On a walk through the enchanting streets of Aci Trezza, we explore this little village. We then transfer to our modern 4-star hotel in the Catania/Taormina/Letojanni/Giardini Naxos area. Here we will spend the entire week in superb comfort.
Caltagirone and Piazza Armerina are two very special highlights of the largest island in the Mediterranean. So we would love to take you with us on a fantastic optional all-day excursion. Caltagirone is known as Sicily’s “Capital of Ceramics“. No matter where we look, in addition to the ubiquitous Baroque, we discover wonderful ceramic art everywhere. The city was almost completely destroyed during the 1693 earthquake, but then rebuilt as a Baroque dream. With Piazza Armerina, a magnificent place of culture in the heart of Sicily awaits us, as numerous historical works of art shape the city’s skyline. Here we visit the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site of Villa del Casale, one of the most beautiful Roman imperial villas with its world-famous mosaics and frescoes.
Today we head to the volcano Etna (UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site). It soars to an incredible height of 3,340 m (11,985 ft) – a truly spectacular piece of nature and one of the most famous volcanoes in the world. Via the winding, picturesque road, we ascend to a height of 2,000 m (6,562 ft). There we take a small guided walk on the mountain the Sicilians lovingly call “Grande Mamma“. Enjoy the incredible view of Sicily from above! Afterwards, we continue on to Taormina. This town is worth a visit most of all due to its narrow, picturesque alleyways, steep gardens and the Greek-Roman theatre. And there’s more: The view over the wonderful coastline with Etna in the background is simply breath-taking. You will have plenty of time there to explore the city independently. Or we can take you on an interesting, optional city tour – including admission to the Greek-Roman theatre.
“The most beautiful city of mortals“ the poet Pindar called the Greek Akragas, today’s Agrigent (UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site). On the 4th day, we get to know and love this fabulous UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site, located on the crest of a hill. We walk through this “Valley of the Temples“ surrounded by ancient olive and almond trees. See the former splendour of this ancient city and admire it with your own eyes. The city is home to one of the best preserved Doric temples of Greek Antiquity: the Temple of Concordia. We also visit the exciting ancient excavations (admission included).
Two UNESCO World Heritage Sites await you in Palermo and Monreale today. Join us on this fantastic, optional full-day excursion. During a relaxing tour of the city, we discover first of all the most famous sights of Palermo, the capital of Sicily. Our path leads, among other things, past the Palazzo dei Normanni, a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site. This monumental palace is located on a hill above the old town. Another highlight awaits us only a few kilometres from Palermo: the mighty Norman Cathedral of Monreale – also a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site (admission included). It boasts a symbiosis of Roman, Arabic and Byzantine art so typical of Sicily. The cloister next to the cathedral is surrounded by 228 richly ornamented columns, and each of them is unique.
Day 6 leaves plenty of time for your own activities. Some of you might explore the surroundings independently or relax at the hotel bar. Others are enjoying their own sightseeing tours around the hotel. After a cosy breakfast on day 7, we drive to Catania, one of Sicily’s most enchanting cities. It was buried by a lava stream from Etna and then rebuilt in a Baroque style, and is today quite rightly a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We explore this interesting city on a little walk. At the ancient fish market “A‘ Piscaria“ near the cathedral we experience the city’s temperamental character up close. In the afternoon we continue to Syracuse, another famous UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site. We visit this once mighty Greek colonial city with its magnificent excavations (admission included). On a small tour we will then explore the beautiful island of Ortigia. We will marvel at the Temple of Apollo and the distinguished cathedral in the city centre.
Today we say goodbye to one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean. New holiday friends have been made, and we will be taking home a lot of unforgettable memories. Together we drive to the airport to fly back to the UK.
Package includes:
The package includes 2 full-day excursions to “Caltagirone & Piazza Armerina (World Heritage)“, “Palermo & Monreale (2× World Heritage)“ and the “City tour of Taormina incl. admission to the Greek-Roman theatre“: only £229 per person.
The package includes 7 × evening meals (3-course menu with dishes typical of the region): only £ 169 per person.
£249 per person (subject to availability)
Example hotels
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rome | 11 | 13 | 17 | 18 | 23 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 20 | 17 | 13 |
| London | 8 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 17 | 12 | 8 |
Below is an information overview. The conditions of entry, as well as the political and health situation, can change anywhere in the world at any time. We therefore recommend checking before your trip. Please check the website of the Foreign Office (www.gov.uk) before your departure.
Republic, parliamentary democracy with bicameral system. President Sergio Mattarella has been the head of state since February 2015. Minister President Giorgia Meloni has been the head of government since October 2022.
Rome has been the capital of Italy since 1871 and has 2.8 million inhabitants.
Primarily Roman Catholic
The national language is Italian. Friulian, Ladin, German, Slovenian, Occitan, French, Franco-Provencal, Albanian, Greek, Sardinian, Catalan and Croatian are also officially recognised minority languages.
In Italy, the climate varies significantly between the north and south. The north is governed by a harsh climate with very cold winters and very hot summers with high levels of humidity. In the centre, the climate is moderate while winters are always mild and summers very warm and sultry in the south and on the islands.
Italy is part of the Central European Time zone where GMT+1 applies, along with daylight saving time.
To call an Italian phone number from abroad: international dialling code for Italy (+39), followed by the respective phone number. To make phone calls to the UK: pre-dial 0044 (+44).
British nationals do not need a visa to enter Italy. Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. Nationals of other countries are advised to inquire at the Italian Embassy about the entry requirements applicable to them. Customers are reminded that it is their sole responsibility to make sure that passport and visa entry requirements for the country or countries that they are visiting are satisfied. Regulations in respect of passport and visa requirements for Italy are the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation whose Web site is www.esteri.it/mae/en/. If you hold a different type of British nationality (BN(O), British Overseas Citize n, British Protected Person or British Subject), check visa requirements with the Italian Embassy before you travel. However, passport and visa requirements change from time to time and are also dependent on the purpose of your visit and your nationality. Whilst we endeavour to provide guidance where necessary, we can not be responsible for any problems encountered (whether at any point of entry or elsewhere) in the event that passport and visa requirements are not satisfied.
Your tour guides will be able to provide you with detailed information on the country, people, history, culture etc., and offer advice and assistance in organising your trip. They can also help with room allocation and look forward to welcoming you with initial information. Here you will find out all you need to know and useful information about the trip. We have put together a varied programme including numerous highlights, enabling you to experience the culture and diversity of landscape that Italy has to offer, and learn all about the country and its people.
Although your trip already includes a comprehensive package, you also have the option of choosing added extras. We recommend booking the following packages:
Half board: The package includes 7 × evening meals (3-course menu with dishes typical of the region): only £169* per person.
Explorer package: The package includes 2 full-day excursions to “Caltagirone & Piazza Armerina (World Heritage)“, “Palermo & Monreale (2× World Heritage)“ and the “City tour of Taormina incl. admission to the Greek-Roman theatre“: only £229* per person.
* Package prices may vary when booking on site.
A State city tax of 1,50 € (approx. £ 1.30) per person/night (last revised: August 2023), to be paid on site.
The currency is the Euro. Exchange rate (as at September 2023): 1 GBP = 1.17 EUR; 1 EUR = 0.86 GBP.
Purchases can be paid for in cash and using the most popular credit cards. This payment system is typical in Italian shops; the symbols of credit cards accepted are usually displayed at the entrance to shops. Passports are required when paying by credit card. Travellers’ cheques (in dollars or Euro) can also be cashed in banks. It is also possible to withdraw cash from ATMs using EC/Maestro cards but high fees may be charged by the respective bank. Cash payments exceeding 3,000 EUR (2700 GBP) are not possible in Italy. Sums exceeding 3,000 EUR can only be paid for by credit card, EC card or by bank transfer.
There are a number of products which have entry or exit limitations in Italy from outside the European Union. These include cultural goods, wild fauna and flora and products derived from these, vegetables and plant products, weapons and ammunition, medicines, tobacco and alcoholic beverages (please note the alcohol and cigarette allowances). You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. In terms of medications, only those necessary for personal use are allowed, and they must be accompanied by a copy of the prescription or medical report.
Important: If you’re travelling to Great Britain from outside the UK, your personal allowances mean you can bring in a certain amount of goods without paying tax or duty. If you go over your allowances you must declare all your goods and pay tax and duty on all the goods in that category. Please inform yourself about the current customs regulations: www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal-use/arriving-in-Great-Britain.
Italy lies in a seismically very active zone, which is why earthquakes are common.
Crime: Vigilance should be exercised regarding pickpockets and petty crime in tourist centres in particular, especially cases of fraud where tourists are distracted (e.g. by jostling etc.) and then stolen from by accomplices. As for any holiday trip, the rule is to only ever carry what is absolutely necessary. Large amounts of cash and original identification documents should always be deposited in the hotel safe. If necessary, only carry secure credit cards (protected by PIN) on your person. Take photocopies of your documents with you when you travel. Alternatively, you can save the files on a private e-mail account, enabling them to be accessed wherever you are in the world. When walking outside, do not wear bags or cameras on the side facing the street, making it more difficult for them to be stolen by thieves on motorbikes.
At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest countryspecific health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC – https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries) on the TravelHealthPro website. Each country-specific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad.
Anyone entitled to free healthcare in the UK is also entitled to treatment in Italy – if it is urgently required – from doctors, dentists, hospitals, and so on that are approved by the foreign statutory health insurance company. You should get a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. If you already have an EHIC it will still be valid as long as it remains in date. You can also contact your health insurance company for information on current regulations. Nonetheless, you are urgently recommended to take out travel health insurance for the duration of your holiday which covers risks not assumed by the statutory health insurance companies (e.g. repatriation to the UK in the event of illness, treatment by private doctors or in private hospitals). Such policies usually also offer benefits not covered by state health insurance companies, e.g. the costs of repatriation.
Customers must ensure that they are in good physical and mental health in line with the trip in question. Customers must enquire about the physical mobility and psychological autonomy required for this trip.
All information is subject to change/Last updated: September 2023
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