April 18 - 27, 2026
Escape to Sicily for seven days of beauty, cuisine, and history—without the crowds you’d find in the high season. Begin in Palermo and meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. Spend the following day on a guided sightseeing tour of Palermo’s ornate Piazza Bellini and Capo Market. See the stunning baroque features of the Church of the Immacolata, and visit the historic Palermo Cathedral. Enjoy the panoramic view of the Conca d’Oro in Monreale, and visit the 12th-century Norman Cathedral with its treasured Byzantine mosaics.
Walk through the 24-centuries-old Valley of the Temples with your Local Guide in Agrigento, visit Piazza Armerina’s Villa Romana del Casale to admire the world’s largest collection of Roman mosaics. In Syracuse, the birthplace of mathematician Archimedes, you’ll take a guided visit to the archaeological site of the 5th-century-BC Greek Theater, Garden of Paradise, Ear of Dionysus, Altar of Hieron II, Roman Amphitheater, and the Cordmaker’s Cave. Travel to Catania, where you’ll sample Sicily’s famous Arancino, and spend two nights on the spectacular Taormina Riviera, your base for a fascinating excursion to Mount Etna—the largest active volcano in Europe. Explore Taormina, and complete your Sicilian Escape with a fabulous dinner at a local restaurant.
Discover the marvelous sights of Malta to explore the ancient archaeological sites and amazing seaside sights along the way.
Sicilian Escape with Malta
April 18 - 27, 2026
RATES: Land Only
Starting at $4,566 per person CAD based on double occupancy
Single supplement $750.00 per person CAD
Deposit: $500 per person CAD
Flights: Call us for flight and airfare information from your closest airport in Canada as we can often access flights not easily found on the Internet and offer alternatives.
Tour price includes:
- 9 nights’ accommodation based on double occupancy
- Meals: 9 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 4 dinners
- All transfers and transportation are by private, air-conditioned coach (One Group transfer meeting one flight only on arrival and departure is included)
- Government/local taxes at existing rates
Exclusions in the above prices:
- All airfares, departure taxes & fuel surcharges, seat selection
- Additional charges will apply for extra transfers if anyone in the group is arriving or departing on different flights.
- Optional Tours
- Tips & Gratuities
- Travel Insurance
- Changes in Government / local taxes
Itinerary
Arrive in Palermo, Italy
Welcome to Palermo!
At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at the hotel.
Dinner
Palermo - Sicilian Specialties
Guided sightseeing includes the Church of Immacolata and a visit to the cathedral. Drive up to Monreale for a panoramic view of the Conca d’Oro and visit the Norman Cathedral.
Breakfast
Tour Highlight
The story of the splendid Monreale cathedral starts when the Arabs took control of
Palermo. They transformed the cathedral into a mosque and banished the Bishop of
Palermo from town. Not wishing to venture too far from his beloved cathedral, the Bishop settled in a small village in the hills overlooking Palermo, the site of modern-day Monreale. There, he built a modest church to keep the flame of local Christian worship alive. Today the cathedral is known for its stunning mosaics that cover an area of over 64.500sq ft.
Palermo - Agrigento - Timeless Temples
Agrigento - Take a guided walking tour of the Valley of Temples. 87 mi / 140 km
Breakfast and Dinner
Tour Highlight
ANCIENT ARCHAEOLOGY The ruins of Akragas remain Sicily's most amazing
archaeological site. The impressively well-preserved Tempio della Concordia sits in
spectacular setting upon a ridge where it served as a beacon for homecoming sailors and today draws enthralled visitors to revel in the remarkable Valley of the Temples.
Agrigento - Piazza Armerina - Syracuse - Ancient Artistry In Sicily
Piazza Armerina - Take a guided visit to the Villa Romana del Casale with the largest and most complex collection of Roman mosaics in the world. Enjoy lunch with regional specialties at a local restaurant. 162 mi / 260 km
Breakfast and Lunch
Tour Highlight
ART & ARCHITECTURE Explore the extraordinary example of Roman power in one of the most luxurious villas of its kind in the Italian countryside. Marvel at the magnificently preserved mosaics that embellish the Villa Romana del Casale, designed and installed by African mosaic workers and the strength of the Roman influence and power throughout the Mediterranean region.
While we include select excursions and sights on your trip, you may wish to explore other options.
Option:
Wonders & Ruins of Ortigia
- Spend time exploring Ortigia Island, the historic center of Syracuse, home to the largest collection of Greek ruins outside of Greece. Led by an expert guide, your walking tour begins with a look at thousands of years of history. You will soak up the atmosphere in the lively port area, and marvel at the Apollo Temple, the oldest Doric temple in Sicily; the UNESCO World Heritage Duomo with one of the region's most beautiful piazzas; the impressive 5th-century BC Temple of Athena; and other historical landmarks. Afterward, explore the town at your own pace with time to relax, do some shopping or enjoy a delicious meal- like a local!
- 2h 0m
- price range: $
Syracuse-Catania-Taormina Riviera
Coastal Treasures
Syracuse Guided visit to the Greek and Roman ruins of the Archaeological Park features the Greek Theatre and the Roman Amphitheater.
Catania Arancino tasting and free time on the way to Taormina Riviera. 75 mi / 120 km
- Breakfast
Local Tastes - Sicily’s love affair with food goes back a long way. Cooking traditions originating from the Greeks, Arabs, and Normans blend with those from Spain and North Africa resulting in a fabulous melting pot of flavors and unique dishes. Celebrate this feast of cultures with a traditional arancino tasting one of Sicily’s most famous street food.
While we include select excursions and sights, you may wish to explore other options.
Option:
A Taste of Sicily Dinner
Discover the tastes, aromas, and delectable nuances behind authentic Sicilian cuisine at a traditional dinner with drinks, beautiful surroundings, and spectacular views.
- 2h 30m
- price range: $$$
Taormina Riviera
The Pearl of the Mediterranean
Taormina Riviera Guided excursion to Mount Etna. Orientation walk through Taormina town and free time. Dinner at a local restaurant.
- Breakfast and Dinner
Tour Highlight
Natural Wonder Mount Etna, Europe’s tallest volcano and one of the most active in the world. Learn how in 1669, an eruption that lasted 112 days developed a record-long stream of lava that destroyed the city of Catania.
Catania-LaValletta, Malta-St. Julian
Gardens and a Grand Harbor
CATANIA Fly to La Valletta airport.
LA VALLETTA Orientation walk includes the Barakka Gardens.
- Breakfast
Tour Highlight
HISTORIC SPOT Welcome to the marvelous sights of Malta with an overnight stay in St. Julian. Named for the patron Saint that bears his name, this seaside town is rich with history and lovely views of the rocky stretch along the promenade.
St. Julian - Home of Giants
ST. JULIAN Free day to explore the city.
- Breakfast
Enhanced Free Time
Explore More with a visit to the little island of Gozo home’s oldest freestanding structures in the world: the 5,500-year-old complex of the Ggantija Temples. Locals claim the site was built by giants, hence the name “Ggantija.”
Tour Highlight
Cultural Gem - When the capital city was moved out of Mdina, the city was left
uninhabited so people started to consider it a ghost town and the “silent city” nickname
was born. This name is still fitting today as there are many signs around the city urging
to be silent and no cars are allowed in the city.
St. Julian - Excursion to Rabat - Mosta & Mdina
Catacombs & Silent Cities
RABAT Stop in the city famous for its catacombs
MOSTA Take pictures of the stunning Roman Catholic church with a unique architectural history.
MDINA Walk through the “Silent City” and take in views of the ancient walls followed by a glass-blowing demonstration.
- Farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
- Breakfast and Dinner
St. Julian
Safe travels until we meet again!
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning
