Magic of Sicily: Etna, Taormina & Palermo

Your holiday starts at London Gatwick airport, where we are greeted by the Tour Manager, before boarding a flight to Sicily. On arrival in Catania, we transfer by coach to the island's capital, Palermo. The city is a treasure trove of rich history, art and culture, as well as fantastic food.

Our hotel is perfectly located in the cultural heart of Palermo, close to numerous museums and theatres and the main shopping streets. With spacious and elegant rooms, and a wellness area, it is an ideal base for both exploration and relaxation. The hotel has a lounge bar and a restaurant, where we are served a three-course dinner tonight.

• Dinner

On our first morning in Sicily, we explore Palermo's most renowned attraction - the Palatine Chapel. Located in the 9th-century Norman Palace, the chapel glistens with golden mosaics and marble floors, beneath a painted wooden ceiling. With its blend of Norman, Byzantine and Arab influences, the chapel reflects Palermo's diverse history.

We continue to Capo Market to experience a traditional Sicilian market. The fruit and vegetable stalls are ablaze with colour, while fragrant spices and the sizzle of grills create a treat for the senses. We sample local flavours on a street-food tasting before time to explore independently.

After lunch, we travel by coach to Monreale to view its World Heritage cathedral. The exterior of this 12th-century church blends Norman and Arabic architecture with twin-column cloisters. The interior is a swirl of golden mosaics leading to a colossal representation of Christ at the centre, which seems to illuminate the church.

There is free time to explore Monreale, and the main piazza outside the cathedral is a great place to soak up the sun. We return to Palermo in the early evening before dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today we travel to the south of Sicily for a full-day excursion to Agrigento to discover the Valley of the Temples. This UNESCO-listed site of Greek temples is one of the most important and best-preserved locations of ancient classical culture in Sicily. Amid groves of almond trees dappled across a rolling valley, are the remains of exquisite temples to Greek and Roman gods such as Zeus, Juno and Hercules.

Dating from around 460BC, the Valley of the Temples demonstrates the importance of this Mediterranean island throughout the ages. Amongst the Doric columns, wild cacti and succulents dot the arid landscape.

Later, we head to a nearby 'agriturismo' for drinks and a four-course lunch. These establishments are popular in Italy and are the best way to experience rural life, providing fresh farm-to-fork food and traditional Sicilian flavours in idyllic surroundings. We return to Palermo, where there is a free evening to explore the city at leisure.

• Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, we leave Palermo and travel by train along the north coast to Messina, with the azure Tyrrhenian Sea in view. From Messina, we transfer by coach to the historic town of Taormina.

We have a guided tour of the town, familiar to some as the setting of the American TV series 'The White Lotus', visiting sites including the Greek theatre which dates back to the 3rd century BC. Dug out of Mount Taurus, this vast venue once seated thousands who gathered to watch Greek tragedies or comedies and, during the Roman period, gladiators. Impressive in its own right, the amphitheatre offers views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna, the active volcano which dominates the east coast of Sicily.

Our tour ends at a local cake shop or 'pasticceria', where we taste cannolo, a crisp pastry filled with ricotta, the island's most famous dessert.

We arrive at our new hotel, in neighbouring Giardini Naxos, in the early evening. With views over the sea, our beachfront hotel has a private beach, a pool and a wellness centre. This evening, we gather in the restaurant for dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A highlight of our Sicilian holiday awaits today as we visit the island's most iconic sight. An active volcano with a height of over 10,000 feet and a circumference of around 93 miles, Mount Etna has captivated visitors for centuries.

We travel to Rifugio di Sapienza, the highest point of vehicle access on Mount Etna, where there is time to view the Silvestri craters and the volcanic scenery. With basalt rocks formed from lava flows, the effect is a lunar-like landscape.

This afternoon we have a different view of Mount Etna as we join the Circumetnea Railway on part of the route, to Randazzo. This is the most scenic stretch of the narrow-gauge railway that encircles the base of Mount Etna.

The unique soils on Mount Etna's slopes make it an excellent place to grow grapes for wine, which we discover on an afternoon visit to a winery. Following a tour of the winery, we enjoy a lunch of Sicilian produce and a wine tasting in beautiful surroundings.

We return to our hotel where we have a free evening to spend as we please.

• Breakfast, Lunch

Today is free to explore the local area as you wish. You might be tempted to simply relax and make the most of the facilities at our hotel, spending time on the private beach or lounging by the pool.

Another option is to take a boat tour from Giardini Naxos harbour to the picturesque marine park of Isola Bella. This tiny outcrop is connected to the mainland by a thin ribbon of sand which appears to float on the turquoise Ionian Sea.

History buffs could visit the archaeological park near the hotel, to walk among the ruins of ancient Naxos. It is believed that Naxos is the oldest Greek settlement in Sicily, being founded by settlers in the 7th century BC. There is also a museum with interesting artefacts recovered from the settlement.

Giardini Naxos has a good choice of restaurants in the area surrounding Piazza Municipio. Local specialities include seafood such as swordfish, and the baked pasta dish 'ncasciata, also known as the favourite dish of Sicily's famed literary character, Inspector Montalbano, which features aubergine, maccheroni and ragù.

• Breakfast

After breakfast, we travel south by coach to Syracuse. The heart of this historic city is Ortigia, a small island inhabited for nearly 3000 years and renowned for its Greek heritage. It is believed Syracuse was founded by Greeks in around 733 BC and rivalled Athens in size by the 5th century BC. The birthplace of Archimedes, Ortigia is a UNESCO-listed landmark due to its importance to Mediterranean culture.

On a guided tour, we visit some of Ortigia's best sights, such as the Baroque cathedral built on the site of the Greek Temple of Athena, part of which still remains. The cathedral stands on the Piazza Duomo, regarded as one of Sicily's loveliest squares.

The Arethusa Spring is an ancient freshwater pond near the sea, bedecked with papyrus plants and shrouded with myth and legend. With a free afternoon to explore independently, you could wander the sun-soaked streets or cool off beside a fountain in a piazza, soaking up the charm of old Syracuse. You may like to stop for lunch at a restaurant overlooking the peaceful bay.

We return to our hotel in Giardini Naxos in time for our final dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We bid farewell to Giardini Naxos after breakfast this morning as we transfer by coach to Catania airport for our flight back to London Gatwick.

During our week just off the toe of Italy, we explored Palermo's historic sites, vibrant markets, and Monreale's cathedral. Visiting Agrigento, Taormina, Mount Etna, and Syracuse, we enjoyed Sicilian cuisine, stunning landscapes, and ancient Greek ruins.

Touching down in London in the afternoon, it's time to say our goodbyes and head home with memories of our holiday in magical Sicily.

• Breakfast