Internationale groepsreis Edits: Street Food & Sunshine in Sicily

Make your own flights arrangements to Palermo, Sicily’s regional capital. It’s got a lively and bohemian feel to it and the ideal place to kick start six days on this glorious island. Check into your hotel for a rest, but this metropolis’ bars and restaurants will coax you out before long. Tonight you may wish to join your leader and fellow travellers and head out to familiarise yourself with the lively historic centre. 

Get under the skin of Palermo with the help of a local guide. You’ll learn about the dark Mafia history (and the civil anti-mafia movement) as you walk beneath the domes and frescoed arches of the city. Tour complete, the afternoon is yours to explore Palermo.You’ll join a food tour tonight to sample some of the region’s celebrated street food around the port of La Cala and the nightlife area of La Vucciria. Try rascatura croquette washed down with a beer served from the carts and kiosks of street vendors. The evening ends at Piazza Fonderia, with ice cream from a legendary gelateria.

Leave the city behind today. It’s an hour to Cefalu where there’s downtime to relax on the beach. Feeling restless? Wander through the Cefalu’s lanes and visit the beautiful Duomo.  In the afternoon there’s a 90-minute drive to your hotel on Taormina Bay. Settle in, relax by the pool or take a walk to the nearby Isola Bella beach.

After breakfast, you’ll take the cable car to Taormina’s historic centre. Get to know the town in your own time, paying an optional visit to Teatro Greco, a spectacular horseshoe-shaped Greek theatre with vast and impressive views.There’s an opportunity to taste some of Sicily’s best cannoli pastries and granita desserts in Taormina’s cafes. Pull up a chair and enjoy a little people-watching – this is the type of town that seduces artists, tourists and the glitterati alike.

Adventure levels are dialled up today. In a kitted out 4X4, you’ll head up the slopes of Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano. Off-roading over cold lava streams, it’s an exhilarating and memorable journey. You’ll hop out to talk to an incredible vantage point over the Bove Valley. Then you’ll visit a wine cellar for a tasting and feast on local dishes for lunch.  In the late afternoon, it’s on to vibrant Catania, Sicily’s second-largest city for a tour. You’ll stay at Hotel Katane tonight, centrally located for easy access to the city hubbub. Enjoy an al fresco aperitivo, with views of Mount Etna. You can choose whether or not you’d like to join your fellow travellers for a final dinner in a local restaurant.

There's one final breakfast of Sicilian treats, then a departure transfer is scheduled to take you to Catania Airport. Got some extra time? Add one more night to the end of your stay and visit the coastal city of Syracuse, 50 minutes from Catania. Speak to your Sales Consultant for more details.