Grand Tour of Sicily – Taormina, Syracuse & Mount Etna

This morning we'll visit one of the wonders of the ancient world: the Greek remains in the Valley of the Temples. Surrounded by flowering almond trees and beautiful coastal landscapes are the ruins of nine temples - and the remains of other structures, like tombs and gymnasiums - situated largely on a ridge looking out to sea. Visible for miles and standing proud as they do, they must have made a statement of absolute power and confidence to any passing mariner or shepherd, leaving none in doubt as to who were the masters. 

The best of them, Concordia, similar in design to the Parthenon in Athens, is almost perfectly preserved, with just the roof missing. With its tapering columns and beautiful light golden colour, it is absolutely captivating. You can't help but wonder what was going through the builders’ minds thousands of years ago, toiling under a hot sun whilst creating a masterpiece. 

We'll enjoy a guided tour of the site and visit the museum, which displays finds from both the temples and the surrounding area, including a unique collection of vases.

We'll also visit Agrigento, one of Sicily's oldest cities. With a medieval atmosphere, it's awash with tiny, stepped streets and quite shady piazzas overlooking the blue Mediterranean in the distance. Running through its medieval core is Via Atenea, where you could find lunch.

After a busy day exploring, we'll return to our hotel during the mid-afternoon to relax. You could sit on the hotel’s terrace overlooking the sea or enjoy a drink by the pool in the afternoon sunshine before dinner this evening.

Leaving Agrigento this morning, we’ll drive through Sicily's mountainous interior to Cefalù. Its atmospheric medieval centre clings around the base of a huge rocky outcrop called La Rocca which dominates the terracotta-coloured roofs below and at whose summit is a temple dedicated to the goddess Diana. On arrival, we will have a short orientation walk, before time at leisure to explore as you wish.

It’s hard not to fall in love as soon as you set eyes on Cefalù, its golden sands and sparkling blue sea draw you in. But look beyond the coast, and you’ll find that the town’s golden-hued stone buildings and narrow cobbled streets have their charm too. The jewel in Cefalù’s crown is its cathedral, a majestic Norman edifice - the pinnacle of Sicilian Romanesque architecture - containing mosaics, which though smaller, are exquisite. 

You can soak up the ambience, enjoying the maze of picturesque medieval streets, with a great selection of shops, cafes and bars. Perhaps you'll while away the hours in the quaint Piazza Garibaldi (with a gelato and a Negroni, of course) or continue to explore. Whatever your choice, you're guaranteed an idyllic day in this spot before we continue on to our hotel to check in.

Driving westwards our scenic coast journey offers tantalising views of blue waters and Sicily's mountainous interior. Our destination is the island's capital, Palermo, where we'll take a guided tour to unravel the past's mysteries and gain insight into what makes this fascinating island tick.  

There are some incredible monuments here, most dating from before 1861 when Sicily was an independent kingdom. You will love some of Italy’s most brilliantly decorated churches - plus tiny, almost timeless piazzas - but the most outstanding of them all is the Norman Palace. 

Once the seat of kings, now occupied by the Sicilian government, in the Middle Ages it was Europe’s most decorated royal court. During our visit, we'll see the huge Carthaginian foundations, whilst upstairs is the royal church, literally covered in some of the finest gold medieval mosaics in existence and without doubt Palermo’s undisputed artistic gem. 

We will have some free time to explore Palermo’s slender side streets lined with palazzi (mansions) and terracotta-toned landmark buildings. You could seek out the city's ancient past at one of the eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Palermo, including palaces, churches and cathedrals and more.

Cefalù is an idyllic spot for some sunbathing, its golden sandy crescent beaches blend perfectly with the dusty browns and whites of the historic buildings behind. Today is at leisure, you could scope out the best spot on the beach this morning (they can fill up quite quickly) and relax by the sea. As the sun gets hotter, you’ll find shade - and lunch - in the city's narrow roads browsing the little stores and gelaterias. Or perhaps escape the hustle and bustle of the town centre and spend the rest of the day relaxing by the hotel’s pool, set in the greenery of its private grounds.

We'll head out of Cefalù and drive to the small town of Piazza Armerina, home to one of the most amazing archaeological discoveries of the last century. The Villa Romana del Casale is one of the best-preserved and best-known Roman villas developed between the 4th and 5th centuries AD.  

It's thought to have been owned by one of the joint Emperors - which explains its size and richness of decoration - but was buried for centuries. On our guided tour, we'll see the remains of pastel-coloured frescoes on the walls and fine mosaics from Roman antiquity, depicting animals and hunting scenes. This palatial building, complete with its baths, illustrates with great clarity the evident high standard of living of the Roman elite. 

After our tour, we’ll carry on to a local agriturismo (which roughly translates to farm-stay or a rural guesthouse) in the heart of the Sicilian countryside. Here, we'll stop for a home-cooked lunch featuring local produce, such as vegetables, pasta and often wine and olive oil that's fresh off the farm. Since many of Sicily's gastronomic traditions aren't found in swanky city restaurants but rather in the homely kitchen of a Sicilian nonna, dining at an agriturismo offers an authentic dining experience. We'll then continue to the east coast of Sicily to Taormina, where we stay for five nights.

Today, we’ll visit Taormina with time to explore as you wish. It's one of the smartest and most exclusive small towns in Italy – it has everything! Retaining much of its medieval charm, wonderfully situated on a high balcony, it offers panoramic views of the sea to one side and Mount Etna to the other. Taormina is renowned for its beautiful gardens and charming atmosphere but its greatest claim to fame is the ancient theatre. It’s a legacy of the ancient Greeks and still in use today, playing host to a wide array of performances from musicals to gladiatorial battles.

Today we'll take the drive to Syracuse, one of Sicily’s most attractive cities.  

Called "the greatest and most beautiful of all Grecian cities" by Cicero in the ancient world, Syracuse rivalled Athens and Carthage in size and status. You can explore the old town at the eastern end of the city, called Ortygia; it’s an island connected to the mainland by three bridges. It’s a web of narrow streets lined by Greek, Roman and Baroque buildings which you can explore during time at leisure in the city. You could stumble upon piazzas, like Piazza Archimedes (named after the city's most famous resident and mathematician) with the beautiful Fountain of Diana, the Roman goddess. Or visit Syracuse’s extraordinary cathedral incorporating an ancient temple with a lovely interior and Bosco Palace, which is just opposite. The old port area is extremely beautiful and very traditional, full of small fishing boats unloading their catch. 

You will have the option to take a boat trip around the bay before returning to the hotel.

Today, is free to spend as you wish. You could spend the day in and around our hotel in Giardini Naxos. You could relax by the pool (open in the summer months, weather permitting), wander around the local area or spread out along the long sandy beaches this resort town is famous for. 

Alternatively, you could travel back to Taormina, taking advantage of the local public transport or taxis, to peruse the main street lined by designer boutiques and jewellers. The side streets, some of which are so narrow you can touch both sides at once, lead to intimate piazzas lined with atmospheric family-run restaurants – the perfect place to stop for a spot of people watching over lunch. Or, perhaps, take one of Taormina’s very own cable cars down to the beach area of Mazzarò to explore the extensive beaches, rocky coves, tiny islands and sea stacks that make this coastline so enchanting.

Dominating eastern Sicily is Europe’s highest volcano, Etna. This morning we'll take the drive as near to the snow-capped summit as possible. Ascending the winding road, the landscape becomes increasingly eerie and alien, with razor-sharp black rocks in contorted formations, and some areas devoid of almost all vegetation. As we near the cable car station itself you can enjoy extensive views over the whole area. 

Subject to certain regulations, you will have the opportunity to take the cable car, jeep and guide to explore even higher levels.