Holidays Organiser:    holidays@yant.org.uk

Sicily has become one of Europe’s best-loved destinations in recent years and it is truly an island of the senses but also a place with a unique history.

Our tour begins at the GrecoRoman city of Taormina and on the slopes of Mount Etna, Europe’s highest volcano and still active. We continue to Tindari for more classical remains and Piazza Armerina where we discover some amazingly well-preserved Roman mosaics. The ‘Valley of the Temples’ is a UNESCO World Heritage site, one of the greatest legacies of ancient Greece.

We continue to Palermo, a melting pot of many different civilisations and cultures, and the magnificent Benedictine abbey at Monreale, before concluding in Syracuse, another UNESCO site, described by Cicero as "the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all".

SICILY - 5th to 12th May 2024 

Have you ever gazed across to a small settlement on top of a precipitous hill and wondered, “who lives there and how on Earth do they get there?”. Well, we did and the place we gazed across to is the village of Castelmola, not far from our hotel in Giardini Naxos. The network of narrow streets leading off the main piazza would spark off the explorer in anyone wanting to visit this gem of a town. You can go upwards as far as the castle but then it’s downhill, either along street level or via the many stone steps that run between the houses and link the streets. What an ideal start to our 7 night, two centre holiday in Sicily!

Sicily’s geographical location almost defines the modern expression “geopolitical”. The island has been home, first to the Siculi, the Sicani and the Elimi, then the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and many other nations who dominated the island. All have had an influence. Take the wonderful Valle dei Templi for example. Situated on the outskirts of modern day Agrigento, this plateau with its unobstructed view towards the sea was the choice site of the Greeks for a settlement called Akragas where they constructed five temples that are now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The best and most in tact are the temples of Concordia, Hera and Heracles. 

The Romans left their architectural stamp on the island too, well obviously! As witnessed by the wonderfully preserved 4th century Villa Casale near Piazza Armerina and the awesome ancient theatre in Taormina. Originally built by the Greeks and going back to King Heiron II, The Romans re-purposed the theatre and enlarged it enough to have a seating capacity of 10,000; it’s still in use today for various concerts. Taormina itself is a vibrant place with lots of shops ranging from kiosk-type establishments to elegant fashion boutiques and of course an excellent choice of cafes and ristoranti. Just avoid public holidays to give yourself a good chance to enjoy it at a more leisurely pace. 

Travelling across the island was a treat in itself . The landscapes, once away from the towns and cities, are not just stunning but unusual. Jagged hills tumbling down forming small ravines and then becoming dales where fields of wildflowers punctuate groves of olive and citrus trees. Sicily’s highest point, Mt Etna, is visible from much of the eastern routes and we were lucky to see it topped with snow on our journey back to Catania. If you’re planning a trip to Sicily, consider including a visit to the lower slopes of Mt Etna where you can walk round the edge of Crateri Silvestri, though, take care if you do; the volcanic gravel is like ball bearings and you can be on your bottom before you can say “volcano”. You don’t have to stay at this level; you can get higher by means of the cable car but at €50:00, make sure it’s not a hazy day! 

Our last full day was spent in Palermo with a stop at Monreale before heading down the hill into the city. The mosaics in the cathedral of Monreale are breathtaking and adorn the whole interior. That much beauty is dizzyingly head-turning; time then to enjoy the tranquility of the cloisters, with a different view from each side. In Palermo, the old royal palace is a must-see. From the design of the building with its Moorish influences around the stone staircases leading up from the courtyard to the decorative interior of the royal chapel. 

Palermo deserves a longer visit but then, Sicily offers more than the most conscientious traveller could squeeze into a week. 

I consider myself lucky to have been in the company of such a lovely group of people led by Peter Drew – thank you Peter for all your work – and two great Sicilian guys, Davide our tour guide and Marco our patient and skilled driver. Ciao e grazie mille!