Sicily, Etna & the Aeolian Islands

Your holiday starts by meeting the Tour Manager at London Gatwick, ready for a flight to Catania on Sicily. After touching down on this historic Italian island, we transfer by coach to the hotel in Giardini Naxos.

The laid-back coastal town lies at the end of a small bay, at the other end of which is the ancient town of Taormina. Our four-star resort hotel sits on the seafront in large grounds of citrus trees leading to a private beach.

The excellent facilities focus on relaxation and include a number of outdoor pools, tennis courts, four restaurants and café-bars. Dinner is served at our hotel this evening.

• Dinner

Our first full day on Sicily begins after breakfast with a short coach journey to the historic town of Taormina. Founded by the Greeks in 392 BC, the town is perched on a hilltop overlooking the Ionian Sea.

On a guided tour, we see the stunning Greek theatre which dates back to the third century BC. Dug out of Mount Taurus, this vast venue once seated thousands to watch Greek tragedies or comedies and, during the later Roman period, gladiators. This impressive amphitheatre offers beautiful views of the sea and Mount Etna, Sicily's famous active volcano. Our tour ends at a 'pasticceria', where we taste a cannolo - Sicily's signature pastries filled with creamy ricotta.

The afternoon is then free to explore independently. You could visit Taormina's medieval Duomo or soak up the ambience with a coffee or gelato in the town's main square, Piazza IX Aprile. Tonight, and each evening of the tour, we dine at our hotel in Giardini Naxos.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Travelling by coach after breakfast, we make our way to the city of Syracuse in the southeast of Sicily. The historic heart of the city is Ortigia, a small island inhabited for nearly 3,000 years and renowned for its Greek heritage. Founded by the ancient Greeks in around 733 BC, the city rivalled Athens in size by the fifth century BC.

On a guided tour, we visit some of Ortigia's great sights, such as the Baroque cathedral, built on the site of the Greek Temple of Athena, part of which remains inside. The temple is surrounded by Piazza Duomo, which is regarded as one of Sicily's most beautiful squares. The Arethusa Spring is an ancient freshwater pond near the sea, bedecked with papyrus and shrouded in myth. The town has palazzos and fountains to discover and, with a free afternoon to look around independently, you could treat yourself to lunch at a restaurant overlooking the bay.

After our explorations, we travel back to Giardini Naxos this evening for dinner at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A highlight of the holiday awaits after breakfast as we visit the island's most iconic natural wonder.

An active volcano with a height of more than 10,000 feet and a circumference of around 93 miles, Mount Etna has captivated visitors for centuries. We travel by coach to Rifugio di Sapienza, the highest point of vehicular access on Mount Etna, where there is time to view the Silvestri craters and the volcanic scenery. You could also opt to take the cable car to the top where the summit's active crater is visible, often casting out smoke accompanied by lumps of tiny red and grey lava - an awe-inspiring sight to see. This afternoon, we have a different view of Mount Etna as we join the Circumetnea Railway on the most scenic part of the route, to Randazzo, travelling around the base of the volcano on a narrow-gauge railway. From here, we can view the surrounding lava fields and see how they have encroached on towns.

We return to the hotel in the late afternoon, with time to relax before dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

With a full day at leisure, today is a chance to explore the local area at your own pace. You might be tempted to make the most of the facilities at your hotel, relaxing on the private beach or lounging by one of the pools.

History buffs could visit the archaeological park near the hotel, where you can walk among the ruins of ancient Naxos, believed to be the oldest Greek settlement in Sicily, founded in the seventh century BC. There is also a museum with interesting artefacts recovered from the settlement.

Dinner at the hotel is included tonight, but if you would prefer to dine in town, you will find a good choice of restaurants in the area surrounding Piazza Municipio. Look out for local specialities, including seafood such as swordfish, and the baked pasta dish 'ncasciàta - a celebratory dish featuring a dome of pasta with a meat ragù encased by slices of aubergine.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, we travel by coach to the harbour of Milazzo for a boat cruise across the sparkling Tyrrhenian Sea to the Aeolian Islands. A local guide is on hand all day to provide information about this small, UNESCO-listed volcanic archipelago.

Mooring at Lipari, the largest of the islands, there is time at leisure in the town. You could wander through the streets of this picturesque town, with pastel-coloured houses overlooked by a fortified hill. We continue by boat to the neighbouring island of Vulcano, famed for its hot springs and smoky volcanic peaks. Believed by the Romans to be a by-product of the God of Fire's underground workshop, the island was named in his honour. Even today, the black beaches, natural mud baths and rugged coastline have a touch of this ancient mythology about them. The small town, dappled with palms, is dominated by the mighty volcanic peak.

Sailing back to Sicily, we return by coach to our hotel in time for dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

You are free to spend today as you wish, possibly relaxing on the hotel's private beach. In the sea, you can see the underwater fossilised lava from age-old Etna eruptions. Another option is to take a boat tour from Giardini Naxos harbour to the marine park of Isola Bella.

From the Taormina-Giardini railway station you could catch the train to Catania. Having been reconstructed over the centuries due to earthquakes and Etna's eruptions, its streets are dotted with impressive sites. Here, you can visit the 13th-century Castello Ursino and discover the city's history in its museum or wander along to the 2nd-century Greco-Roman amphitheatre, next to the Roman Odeon. Catania Cathedral stands in the Piazza del Duomo, between the main shopping street and the fish market.

As the birthplace of composer Vincenzo Bellini, Catania honours him with a piazza and in its cuisine. Pasta alla Norma is named after Bellini's popular opera. You could enjoy a lunch of this signature Sicilian dish before returning to the hotel for our final dinner together.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Sicily bursts with history and natural wonders, and we have seen many of its finest offerings during our holiday in Giardini Naxos. From the volcanic Aeolian Islands and Mount Etna to the historic towns of Syracuse and Taormina, this Italian island showcases the beauty of Mediterranean Italy.

After breakfast this morning, it is time to say goodbye to Sicily and its rich culture. A coach transfer takes us to the airport in Catania for our flight back to London Gatwick, where your holiday draws to a close.

• Breakfast