Classic Sicily, Etna and Taormina
from £1,297.00
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Highlights
- Experience a walking tour of Sicily’s capital Palermo
- Spend four nights in a charming hotel beneath fabled Taormina
- Visit Syracuse, rich in Greek and Roman history
- Spend a day exploring the Aeolian Islands
- Visit Monreale’s Benedictine monastery
- Travel by cable-car to the top of Etna– one of the highest volcanoes in Europe
- Discover Taormina, a beautiful hilltop town
Inclusions
- Seven nights’ carefully chosen dinner, bed and breakfast accommodation at four-star hotels
- City tours of Palermo, Syracuse and Taormina
- A Mount Etna cable-car ascent
- Return flights to Sicily
- Coach travel and transfers throughout
- Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager
- Visit to the mosaics at the Villa Romana Casale
Day 1
Fly from the UK to Italy - Fly to Catania on Sicily’s east coast, meet your tour manager and transfer to your first hotel in the resort of Mazzaforno or Santa Flavia. Rest and relax after the journey and have dinner in the hotel.
Day 2
Included visit to Cefalù - The morning sees you in the nearby coastal city of Cefalù. Dominated by a mighty cathedral, which we visit, and the craggy outcrop of ‘La Rocca’, Cefalù is part fishing port, part holiday resort. The 12th-century cathedral is home to one of the world’s finest Byzantine mosaics, and the surrounding maze of medieval cobbled streets is a delight to wander through. The more energetic might even consider a climb to the Temple of Diana, on the slopes of La Rocca. The town boasts a superb beach of fine sand, and there’s a good selection of shops, restaurants, and pavement cafés for you to explore and soak up the local atmosphere before you return to the hotel this afternoon.
Day 3
Included Palermo guided tour - Embark on this morning’s included tour, first calling at the Benedictine monastery at Monreale. Acknowledged as one of Sicily’s greatest architectural glories, this abbey cathedral is a mix of Romanesque, Byzantine and Arab design. Set off a guided walking tour of Palermo, the island capital that has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Founded by the Phoenicians, and later home to Carthaginian, Greek and Norman conquerors, Palermo, once Europe’s richest city, offers a glimpse of the entire history of Southern Italy in one place. Wander the streets of its four quarters, the Quattro Canti, watching the world go by from a seat in one of the city’s countless bars and cafés. Return to the hotel later this afternoon, where you can spend some time before dinner by the pool or on the hotel’s private beach.
Day 4
Included Villa Romana del Casale excursion - Bidding farewell to Mazzaforno, travel deep into the Sicilian interior, to the medieval town of Piazza Armerina, set high in wooded hills, and close to the Roman villa at Casale, with its well-preserved mosaics, giving an insight into Imperial life. Continue to your second hotel, positioned in the resort of Giardini-Naxos or Letojanni. Rest and relax and enjoy dinner in the hotel.
Day 5
Included Etna and Taormina tour - Today’s included tour first heads to the southern slopes of towering Mount Etna. Ascend by cable car to a height of 2,300 metres, to take in impressive views on clear days, and perhaps walk to the base of the volcano’s crater. Taormina is no less stunning, with its marbled squares and flower-decked streets lined with restaurants – perfect spots for lunch. The famous Greco-Roman theatre is cut into the mountainside. Once used for gladiatorial contests, it is now a setting for modern performances that compete for audiences’ attention with the vistas of Etna and the sea. After a special day, return to the hotel for dinner.
Day 6
Full day at leisure with optional Aeolian Island cruise - On yet another memorable day, go to the north coast port of Milazzo, where you’ll step aboard a ferry for the one-hour crossing to the glorious, volcanic Aeolian Isles, which rise out of the blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Arrive on the largest island Lípari, passing Vulcano with its brooding crater, and after docking in Marina Lunga, it is a short transfer to Lípari Town to spend a couple of hours, before returning to the mainland and back to the hotel for dinner. (For 2025 departures, the Aeolian Island cruise is optional).
Day 7
Included Syracuse city tour - Unearth the treasures of one of Sicily’s most important cities today, as you make the short journey to discover Syracuse. The former centre of the Greek empire, the ancient heart of the city is on Ortigia island, upon which great temples of Apollo and Athena were built.
Day 8
Fly back to the UK - It’s “Arrivederci, Sicilia”, as you leave the hotel and transfer back to the airport for your return flight to the UK, at the end of an incredible exploration of a truly intriguing island.
Classic Sicily, Etna & Taormina Touring Hotels
You'll be staying in two good hotels, each of which will be of a high European standard. Hotel Baia del Capitano, Mazzaforno (nights 1-3) Overlooking a sandy beach and enclosed by palm trees and olive groves, this relaxed Mediterranean-inspired hotel is located within the Bay of Mazzaforno, just a short drive from Cefal`u. An elevated position allows for beautiful views over the sea, and facilities include two restaurants, three bars, an expansive sun terrace, an outdoor pool and a tennis court. Light, air-conditioned rooms, with a Sicilian style, feature Wi-Fi, TVs, and minibars. Hotel Caesar Palace, Giardini Naxos (nights 4-7) Encircled by a Mediterranean garden and centred around an expansive outdoor swimming pool, this casual, ivy-lined hotel also has private access to a nearby beach, reachable by a free shuttle. Local shops are within walking distance and a nearby public bus service is available. Air-conditioned, comfortable guestrooms feature tea/coffee-making facilities, TVs, mini-bars, sitting areas, and free Wi-Fi. Two on-site restaurants serve Italian, Sicilian, and international food in a buffet style, a poolside bar offers refreshments throughout the day, and a bar lounge hosts live entertainment every evening.
Classic Sicily, Etna & Taormina Touring Hotels
You'll be staying in two good hotels, each of which will be of a high European standard. Hotel Baia del Capitano, Mazzaforno (nights 1-3)Overlooking a sandy beach and enclosed by palm trees and olive groves, this relaxed Mediterranean-inspired hotel is located within the Bay of Mazzaforno, just a short drive from Cefal`u. An elevated position allows for beautiful views over the sea, and facilities include two restaurants, three bars, an expansive sun terrace, an outdoor pool and a tennis court. Light, air-conditioned rooms, with a Sicilian style, feature Wi-Fi, TVs, and minibars. Hotel Caesar Palace, Giardini Naxos (nights 4-7)Encircled by a Mediterranean garden and centred around an expansive outdoor swimming pool, this casual, ivy-lined hotel also has private access to a nearby beach, reachable by a free shuttle. Local shops are within walking distance and a nearby public bus service is available. Air-conditioned, comfortable guestrooms feature tea/coffee-making facilities, TVs, mini-bars, sitting areas, and free Wi-Fi. Two on-site restaurants serve Italian, Sicilian, and international food in a buffet style, a poolside bar offers refreshments throughout the day, and a bar lounge hosts live entertainment every evening.
Further Information
Hotel transfer times
The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately two hours and 30 minutes and approximately 45 minutes on departure.
Combining hotel transfers
We sometimes need to combine transfers to and from your hotel. We always try to keep any wait to a minimum, but you may be asked to wait at the airport for up to an hour, while other incoming flights arrive, before the transfer to your hotel. Similarly, we may need to transfer you back to the airport up to three hours before your flight home departs.
Meals in Italy
Guests on half-board arrangements will be served a three-course evening meal, and can expect a first course of traditional pasta or soup, a main meat or fish course accompanied by one or two types of vegetable, and a simple dessert of fruit, cake or Italian ice cream. Breakfasts will usually consist of bread rolls, jam, cereal, ham, cheese, fruit juice, tea and coffee. Menus will vary from hotel to hotel, but choice will be more limited than in a normal restaurant. In some instances, individual guests who have booked with the hotel independently may be offered a different menu from those who are staying at the hotel as part of a package tour. An authentic dining experience in Italy can often be a bit different to the Italian food that international tourists might be used to, but it’s one of the best ways to truly appreciate the finer cultural differences of this tourist hotspot. From simpler, but more frequent, courses to regional dishes, here are some points to note when dining in Italy. The first major difference you’re likely to notice is that the dining experience as a whole is much longer; you’ll enjoy a much more social experience than the average dinner back home with multiple smaller courses spread across a longer period of time. While each meal will be prepared to order, you may notice that dishes are served cooler than you might be used to – Italian dishes are rarely served piping hot to preserve the more delicate flavours of each ingredient and to provide a more enjoyable dining experience. The final thing to bear in mind is that it may be tricky to find Italian classics in the same form as they are at home. For instance, while Spaghetti Carbonara is a staple in historic Rome – and made traditionally using egg yolks rather than cream – you’ll often find it replaced with a wild boar ragù in Tuscany.
Mount Etna excursions
You will ride to a higher altitude and experience uneven ground when visiting Mount Etna and warmer clothing - a cardigan or jacket - is recommended along with stronger shoes.
Special requirements
If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.
Disabled access
The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Italian hotel room tax
Some regions of Italy have introduced a room tax of between 1€ and 4€ per person per night, payable directly by the guest to the hotel on check-out. You will be advised by your tour manager in resort if a particular hotel is implementing this charge.
Itinerary changes
Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.
Foreign Office Travel Advice
Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.
Selected 2025 departures
For the 29th October, 5th and 12th November 2025 departure dates, the Hotel Caesar Palace in Giardini Naxos will be closed. The replacement hotel will be the Hellenia Yachting hotel, which is also in Giardini Naxos and the same hotel star rating, 4-star.
Visas & Passports
Rules may have changed since you last travelled to European Union countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The following are useful guidelines which will help you prepare for your next adventure. You do require government issued passport to travel. Names - It is very important that all passenger names are exactly as per your passport although we do not require middle names. Passport - Your passport must meet two requirements to travel to an EU country and to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It must be: Less than 10 years old on the day you return home (please check the "date of issue") and valid for at least 3 months after the day you return home (please check the "expiry date"). Visa - You do not need a visa for short trips to most EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You’ll be able to stay for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period.
European Entry/Exit Scheme (EES)
EES is a new digital border management system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, each time they cross the external borders of most European countries. Once introduced, when you go through passport control on arrival, as well as producing your passport for checking, you will also have your photograph taken and fingerprints scanned. The system will register your entry on arrival and your exit when departing. You will only need to do this on your first entry into Europe after the scheme starts. The EES scheme is not live yet - the latest information can be found at https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en. We recommend keeping yourself updated on the planned commencement date and, once live, ensure you are familiar with the process. For those travelling via Eurostar, there is a dual British and French/Belgian border in operational at St Pancras International. Therefore the EES system will be in place at the station, you will not need to be checked again on arrival at the other side. For further information please visit the ABTA website here. Please note: Irish passport holders or British Passport holders with an EU residency are currently excluded.
European Travel Information & Authorisation System (ETIAS)
Following the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, changes have been planned which affect the eligibility of citizens of the United Kingdom to have visa free travel to the EU. ETIAS travel authorisation is a new entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of the European Union and Schengen counties. The ETIAS system is not live yet - the latest information can be found at www.etias.com. We recommend keeping yourself updated on the planned commencement date and, once live (and if applicable to you), apply for your ETIAS in good time prior to travel. Newmarket Holidays will not be able to undertake ETIAS applications on your behalf, so have instead instructed the services of the Travel Visa Company to provide help, should you need it. You can find more information about this service here. Please note: ETIAS will not be required for UK citizens travelling on our UK and Ireland tours.
Terms and conditions
Terms and conditions: 'Wish-list moments save up to 15%' applies to new bookings on selected tours made between 31st May to 31st July 2025 inclusive, and cannot be applied retrospectively to bookings already confirmed. This offer does not apply to holidays with late availability pricing and excludes André Rieu events, Lapland, Wimbledon, Tattoo, Ocean Cruise and River Cruise. Maximum discount of 15% is applied to our best-selling tours. This offer does not apply to child pricing. This offer cannot be combined or used in conjunction with any other discount, promotion, or concession. When booking a holiday as described above, prices shown will automatically have the discount applied. The discount applies to the original tour price (excluding extras and holiday insurance) at the time of booking. This offer is subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Newmarket Holidays reserves the right to cancel, change or amend any tour. Holidays booked with Newmarket Holidays, are financially protected in accordance with ABTA, ATOL & ABTOT regulations. Newmarket Holidays Limited is a company registered in England and Wales. Registered number: 02238316.