Sicily In Depth - With 6-Day Malta Option, Small Group
See every slice of Sicily during this 14-day guided tour. Take off to Paradise Quarry in Syracuse with a Local Expert, who will show you its Ear of Dionysius, an ear-shaped limestone grotto: call out to your fellow travelers here, and your voice may echo as many as 16 times. Visit the Palatine Chapel to marvel at the glittering gold mosaics for a stunning sight. Travel to the salt pans and windmills on the western coast and taste Marsala wine in its home town. In Taormina, perched above the Ionian Sea, join a Local Expert at the city’s cliffside Greek theater, from which you can see Mount Etna, the island’s active Strato volcano.Venture from your waterfront hotel in Sliema to the capital of Malta. In Valletta, meet a Local Expert who will guide you through the Fortress City, filled with golden-hued buildings and anchored by St. John's Cathedral. Later, in Mdina, join a Local Expert on a walk through the fortified Silent City, nicknamed for its peaceful atmosphere. Then, toast to an incredible journey during a final celebration dinner with your fellow travelers.


Dining Summary

• 13 Breakfast (B)
• 5 Dinner with Wine (DW)
• 2 Dinner (D)
• 1 Lunch with Wine (LW)

Choice Highlights

• Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Palermo: Visit the spectacular 12th-century Palatine Chapel. Its sombre exterior gives away few clues to the riches inside. Step into a world where the walls glitter with 12th-century mosaics, the best of their kind in the world.
• Palermo: Learn about the civil anti-mafia movement and discover the lesser known history of Palermo. This experience supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.

Additional Included Highlights

• Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
• Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
• We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
• From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
• Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
• If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.

Authentic Dining

• Palermo: Embark on a fun exploration of Palermo's tasty culinary scene on a Dine-Around evening.
• Marsala: Enjoy a tasting of some of the island's richest Sicilian wines at a local winery in Marsala.
• Taormina: Your Farm-to-Table dinner reflects some of Sicily's top culinary heritage.
• Sliema: Enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers at your luxury hotel in Sliema.
• Mdina: Toast to your trip with your fellow travelers and enjoy a Celebration Dinner at a wonderful local restaurant.

Insight Experiences

• Sliema: Visit the National War Museum, site of a former air raid shelter. Learn about the important role Malta played during WWII over a lecture by an historian.

Make Travel Matter

• Palermo: Learn about the civil anti-mafia movement and discover the lesser known history of Palermo. This experience supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.
• Mdina: Experience the ambiance of Palazzo Falson, a prestigious museum that highlights the rich heritage of the island. Visit the exclusive rooftop garden, where Malta's endemic species thrive, creating a sophisticated pollinator haven for the local ecosystem.

Top Rated Highlights

• Palermo: Visit the spectacular 12th-century Palatine Chapel. Its sombre exterior gives away few clues to the riches inside. Step into a world where the walls glitter with 12th-century mosaics, the best of their kind in the world.
• Trapani: Discover the age-old tradition of salt production with a visit to the colorful salt pans and ancient stone windmills where sea water is transformed into salt crystals.
• Agrigento: Admire magnificent Hellenistic remains in the Valley of the Temples, such as the massive Temple of Concord and clifftop Temple of Juno.
• Piazza Armerina: Travel to the Villa Romana del Casale, a UNESCO site since 1997. The Villa is one of the most luxurious of its kind, showcasing it's rich and intricate mosaics which decorate almost every room.
• Ragusa: During your orientation with your Travel Director see the famous Baroque buildings and churches.
• Modica: Explore Modica and discover the artisanal techniques used to create the town's celebrated hand-made chocolate.
• Taormina: Should you awake early, you may see why this is known as 'The Dawn Coast of Europe.'
• Taormina: Visit the ancient Greek Amphitheater with your Local Expert. Set on a cliff, open to the sky, take your seats and enjoy the view through the crumbling arches to Mount Etna.
• Taormina: Visit Taormina with a Local Expert and enjoy free time to stroll along Corso Umberto to Piazza IX Aprile.
• Valletta: Explore the capital with your Local Expert. Visit the Upper Barrakka Gardens and get lost in its beautiful 16th century buildings including St John’s Co-Cathedral, designed in a baroque fashion.
• Mdina: Explore Mdina with a Local Expert in the late afternoon to explore this golden city. Known as the Silent City for its shady streets and peaceful atmosphere.

Travel Director

• "A type of food I really love introducing my guests to is the street food because it tells a lot about the habits of the locals, it can be a slice of pizza folded up or a sfogliatella in Naples, an arancini, a gelato in Sicily, or a cannolo. "
• "One fun fact people don't usually know before they come to Italy is that the Italian alphabet only has 22 letters."
• "One thing I really love about showing guests about Italy is how art and beauty can be found around every corner of some of Italy's cities, which are real open air museums."

Well-being

• Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
• Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.