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- Classic Sicily, Etna & Taormina with Three-night Beach Extension
-
Price
from £1811 /pp
was £2130
Flights included -
Dates Available
October 2026 - October 2027
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Duration
11 days
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Depart From
3 airports
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Excursions & Visits
4 included
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Meals
15 included
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Ways to pay
Want to spread the cost? Choose our Easy Payment Plan and pay from £247.28 per month.
Classic Sicily, Etna & Taormina with Three-night Beach Extension
Lift the veil on Italy’s fascinating southern island outpost, its ancient treasures, natural wonders, sun-kissed beaches and elegant resorts.
Discover Sicily’s most memorable cities and their lesser-known highlights with an unforgettable two-centre holiday, taking in Palermo, Taormina and historic Syracuse. You’ll start the holiday with a flight to Catania and check into your four-star hotel base in nearby Mazzaforno. Your first included excursion will showcase Cefalù, with its exquisite Byzantine mosaics, ahead of a stop in Palermo. Explore the city’s rich cultural heritage with a guided tour of some of its most famous landmarks and continue to Giardini Naxos for your next hotel, enjoying a visit to Villa Romana del Casale en route.
After taking in the treasures of Sicily’s colourful past, you’ll witness its finest natural vistas, starting with an excursion to towering Mount Etna, one of the world’s tallest active volcanoes. The idyllic Aeolian Islands, a memorable highlight on the Tyrrhenian Sea, are next and you’ll have the chance to dock on Lipari for an afternoon’s exploration before heading back to the hotel. Your final included excursion sees Syracuse’s diverse history showcased with time spent in its city centre and ancient Greek temples. At the end of a week-long exploration of Sicily, you can enjoy the next three days however you see fit, perhaps unwinding on Giardini Naxos’ delightful seafront or continuing your exploration independently.
Top highlights
Discover the historic Sicilian capital, Palermo, on a fascinating walking tour
Spend four nights in a charming hotel beneath fabled Taormina
Visit Syracuse, rich in Greek and Roman history
Unwind with three days at leisure in Giardini Naxos
Itinerary
Travel to Sicily’s east coast this morning and meet your tour manager, before transferring to your first hotel in the resort of Mazzaforno.
Rest and relax after the journey and have dinner in the hotel.
The morning sees you in the nearby coastal city of Cefalù. Dominated by a mighty cathedral, which we visit, and the craggy outcrop of ‘La Rocca’, Cefalù is part fishing port, part holiday resort. The 12th-century cathedral is home to one of the world’s finest Byzantine mosaics, and the surrounding maze of medieval cobbled streets is a delight to wander through. The more energetic might even consider a climb to the Temple of Diana, on the slopes of La Rocca.
The town boasts a superb beach of fine sand, and there’s a good selection of shops, restaurants, and pavement cafés for you to explore and soak up the local atmosphere before you return to the hotel this afternoon.
Embark on this morning’s included tour, first calling at the Benedictine monastery at Monreale. Acknowledged as one of Sicily’s greatest architectural glories, this abbey cathedral is a mix of Romanesque, Byzantine and Arab design. Set off a guided walking tour of Palermo, the island capital that has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Founded by the Phoenicians, and later home to Carthaginian, Greek and Norman conquerors, Palermo, once Europe’s richest city, offers a glimpse of the entire history of Southern Italy in one place. Wander the streets of its four quarters, the Quattro Canti, watching the world go by from a seat in one of the city’s countless bars and cafés.
Return to the hotel later this afternoon, where you can spend some time before dinner by the pool or on the hotel’s private beach.
Bidding farewell to Mazzaforno, travel deep into the Sicilian interior, to the medieval town of Piazza Armerina, set high in wooded hills, and close to the Roman villa at Casale, with its well-preserved mosaics, giving an insight into Imperial life. Continue to your second hotel, positioned in the resort of Giardini-Naxos.
Rest and relax and enjoy dinner in the hotel.
Today’s included tour first heads to the southern slopes of towering Mount Etna. Ascend by cable car to a height of 2,300 metres, to take in impressive views on clear days, and perhaps walk to the base of the volcano’s crater. Taormina is no less stunning, with its marbled squares and flower-decked streets lined with restaurants – perfect spots for lunch. The famous Greco-Roman theatre is cut into the mountainside. Once used for gladiatorial contests, it is now a setting for modern performances that compete for audiences’ attention with the vistas of Etna and the sea.
After a special day, return to the hotel for dinner.
On yet another memorable day, you'll have the chance to join an optional excursion to the north coast port of Milazzo. Here, you’ll step aboard a ferry for a one-hour crossing to the glorious, volcanic Aeolian Isles, which rise out of the blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Arrive on the largest island Lípari, passing Vulcano with its brooding crater, and after docking in Marina Lunga, it is a short transfer to Lípari Town to spend a couple of hours, before returning to the mainland and back to the hotel for dinner.
Unearth the treasures of one of Sicily’s most important cities today, as you make the short journey to discover Syracuse. The former centre of the Greek empire, the ancient heart of the city is on Ortigia island, upon which great temples of Apollo and Athena were built.
After a busy week’s exploration in Sicily, you’ll be free to spend the next three days under your own steam, perhaps relaxing on one of Giardini Naxos’ idyllic beaches or setting out to explore more of the island at leisure.
Those in favour of a more active day’s exploration can find ample points of interest along Sicily’s east coast, only a short bus ride from Giardini Naxos.
Spend another laid-back day in Naxos, perhaps relaxing by the poolside with a cocktail or soaking up views of the Sicilian coast from the hotel’s manicured gardens.
Your final full day in Sicily can be spent however you see fit. If you haven’t already, make sure to tick any remaining wish-list experiences off before enjoying one last Italian dinner.
This morning, after a final breakfast at the hotel, bid farewell to Sicily as you head back to the airport for your return flight to the UK.
Further Highlights
Marvel at the magnificent Byzantine mosaics of Cefalù’s 12th-century Cathedral and soak up its cultural landscape with under guidance
Travel by cable-car to the top of Etna, one of the highest volcanoes in Europe
Visit Monreale’s Benedictine monastery
Discover Taormina, a beautiful hilltop town
Unwind with three days at leisure in Giardini Naxos
What the price includes
- 10 nights’ carefully chosen mixed-board accommodation at four-star hotels in Mazzaforno (3 nights) and Giardini Naxos (7)
- 10 breakfasts and 10 dinners
- Visit to Palermo
- Sightseeing in Taormina
- Visit to the mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale
- A Mount Etna cable-car ascent
- Guided tour of Syracuse
- Return flights to Sicily
- Coach travel and transfers throughout
- Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager, apart from three-night stay in Giardini Naxos
- All mandatory local taxes and charges
Dates & Prices
Solo price
Want to spread the cost? Choose our Easy Payment Plan.
| Departure point | Departure date | Price (per person) | Availability | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham |
March 2027 - October 2027 |
from £2006.00 pp |
24 dates available |
||
| Birmingham |
31 Mar 2027
Wednesday
11 days
10 Apr 2027
Saturday
|
from £2274.00 was £2675.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
07 Apr 2027
Wednesday
11 days
17 Apr 2027
Saturday
|
from £2223.00 was £2615.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
14 Apr 2027
Wednesday
11 days
24 Apr 2027
Saturday
|
from £2261.00 was £2659.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
21 Apr 2027
Wednesday
11 days
01 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2189.00 was £2575.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
28 Apr 2027
Wednesday
11 days
08 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2215.00 was £2605.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
05 May 2027
Wednesday
11 days
15 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2359.00 was £2775.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
12 May 2027
Wednesday
11 days
22 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2291.00 was £2695.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
19 May 2027
Wednesday
11 days
29 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2291.00 was £2695.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
26 May 2027
Wednesday
11 days
05 Jun 2027
Saturday
|
from £2291.00 was £2695.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
02 Jun 2027
Wednesday
11 days
12 Jun 2027
Saturday
|
from £2465.00 was £2899.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
09 Jun 2027
Wednesday
11 days
19 Jun 2027
Saturday
|
from £2465.00 was £2899.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
16 Jun 2027
Wednesday
11 days
26 Jun 2027
Saturday
|
from £2465.00 was £2899.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
30 Jun 2027
Wednesday
11 days
10 Jul 2027
Saturday
|
from £2550.00 was £2999.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
07 Jul 2027
Wednesday
11 days
17 Jul 2027
Saturday
|
from £2609.00 was £3069.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
14 Jul 2027
Wednesday
11 days
24 Jul 2027
Saturday
|
from £2609.00 was £3069.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
21 Jul 2027
Wednesday
11 days
31 Jul 2027
Saturday
|
from £2609.00 was £3069.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
25 Aug 2027
Wednesday
11 days
04 Sep 2027
Saturday
|
from £2643.00 was £3109.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
01 Sep 2027
Wednesday
11 days
11 Sep 2027
Saturday
|
from £2524.00 was £2969.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
08 Sep 2027
Wednesday
11 days
18 Sep 2027
Saturday
|
from £2524.00 was £2969.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
15 Sep 2027
Wednesday
11 days
25 Sep 2027
Saturday
|
from £2524.00 was £2969.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
29 Sep 2027
Wednesday
11 days
09 Oct 2027
Saturday
|
from £2286.00 was £2689.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
06 Oct 2027
Wednesday
11 days
16 Oct 2027
Saturday
|
from £2082.00 was £2449.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
13 Oct 2027
Wednesday
11 days
23 Oct 2027
Saturday
|
from £2065.00 was £2429.00 |
|
||
| Birmingham |
20 Oct 2027
Wednesday
11 days
30 Oct 2027
Saturday
|
from £2006.00 was £2359.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
October 2026 - October 2027 |
from £1811.00 pp |
26 dates available |
||
| London Gatwick |
28 Oct 2026
Wednesday
11 days
07 Nov 2026
Saturday
|
Late Escape
|
from £1811.00 was £2130.00 |
|
|
| London Gatwick |
11 Nov 2026
Wednesday
11 days
21 Nov 2026
Saturday
|
Late Escape
|
from £1811.00 was £2130.00 |
|
|
| London Gatwick |
31 Mar 2027
Wednesday
11 days
10 Apr 2027
Saturday
|
from £2210.00 was £2599.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
07 Apr 2027
Wednesday
11 days
17 Apr 2027
Saturday
|
from £2147.00 was £2525.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
14 Apr 2027
Wednesday
11 days
24 Apr 2027
Saturday
|
from £2223.00 was £2615.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
21 Apr 2027
Wednesday
11 days
01 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2155.00 was £2535.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
28 Apr 2027
Wednesday
11 days
08 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2181.00 was £2565.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
05 May 2027
Wednesday
11 days
15 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2342.00 was £2755.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
12 May 2027
Wednesday
11 days
22 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2235.00 was £2629.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
19 May 2027
Wednesday
11 days
29 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2235.00 was £2629.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
26 May 2027
Wednesday
11 days
05 Jun 2027
Saturday
|
from £2269.00 was £2669.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
02 Jun 2027
Wednesday
11 days
12 Jun 2027
Saturday
|
from £2354.00 was £2769.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
09 Jun 2027
Wednesday
11 days
19 Jun 2027
Saturday
|
from £2354.00 was £2769.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
16 Jun 2027
Wednesday
11 days
26 Jun 2027
Saturday
|
from £2354.00 was £2769.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
30 Jun 2027
Wednesday
11 days
10 Jul 2027
Saturday
|
from £2439.00 was £2869.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
07 Jul 2027
Wednesday
11 days
17 Jul 2027
Saturday
|
from £2470.00 was £2905.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
14 Jul 2027
Wednesday
11 days
24 Jul 2027
Saturday
|
from £2470.00 was £2905.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
21 Jul 2027
Wednesday
11 days
31 Jul 2027
Saturday
|
from £2470.00 was £2905.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
25 Aug 2027
Wednesday
11 days
04 Sep 2027
Saturday
|
from £2521.00 was £2965.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
01 Sep 2027
Wednesday
11 days
11 Sep 2027
Saturday
|
from £2368.00 was £2785.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
08 Sep 2027
Wednesday
11 days
18 Sep 2027
Saturday
|
from £2368.00 was £2785.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
15 Sep 2027
Wednesday
11 days
25 Sep 2027
Saturday
|
from £2368.00 was £2785.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
29 Sep 2027
Wednesday
11 days
09 Oct 2027
Saturday
|
from £2130.00 was £2505.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
06 Oct 2027
Wednesday
11 days
16 Oct 2027
Saturday
|
from £2096.00 was £2465.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
13 Oct 2027
Wednesday
11 days
23 Oct 2027
Saturday
|
from £2079.00 was £2445.00 |
|
||
| London Gatwick |
20 Oct 2027
Wednesday
11 days
30 Oct 2027
Saturday
|
from £2019.00 was £2375.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
April 2027 - October 2027 |
from £2053.00 pp |
22 dates available |
||
| London Stansted |
07 Apr 2027
Wednesday
11 days
17 Apr 2027
Saturday
|
from £2053.00 was £2415.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
14 Apr 2027
Wednesday
11 days
24 Apr 2027
Saturday
|
from £2130.00 was £2505.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
21 Apr 2027
Wednesday
11 days
01 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2062.00 was £2425.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
28 Apr 2027
Wednesday
11 days
08 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2087.00 was £2455.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
05 May 2027
Wednesday
11 days
15 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2240.00 was £2635.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
12 May 2027
Wednesday
11 days
22 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2240.00 was £2635.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
19 May 2027
Wednesday
11 days
29 May 2027
Saturday
|
from £2240.00 was £2635.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
26 May 2027
Wednesday
11 days
05 Jun 2027
Saturday
|
from £2240.00 was £2635.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
02 Jun 2027
Wednesday
11 days
12 Jun 2027
Saturday
|
from £2376.00 was £2795.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
09 Jun 2027
Wednesday
11 days
19 Jun 2027
Saturday
|
from £2376.00 was £2795.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
16 Jun 2027
Wednesday
11 days
26 Jun 2027
Saturday
|
from £2376.00 was £2795.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
30 Jun 2027
Wednesday
11 days
10 Jul 2027
Saturday
|
from £2461.00 was £2895.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
07 Jul 2027
Wednesday
11 days
17 Jul 2027
Saturday
|
from £2504.00 was £2945.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
14 Jul 2027
Wednesday
11 days
24 Jul 2027
Saturday
|
from £2504.00 was £2945.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
21 Jul 2027
Wednesday
11 days
31 Jul 2027
Saturday
|
from £2504.00 was £2945.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
25 Aug 2027
Wednesday
11 days
04 Sep 2027
Saturday
|
from £2516.00 was £2959.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
01 Sep 2027
Wednesday
11 days
11 Sep 2027
Saturday
|
from £2337.00 was £2749.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
08 Sep 2027
Wednesday
11 days
18 Sep 2027
Saturday
|
from £2337.00 was £2749.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
15 Sep 2027
Wednesday
11 days
25 Sep 2027
Saturday
|
from £2337.00 was £2749.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
29 Sep 2027
Wednesday
11 days
09 Oct 2027
Saturday
|
from £2099.00 was £2469.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
06 Oct 2027
Wednesday
11 days
16 Oct 2027
Saturday
|
from £2070.00 was £2435.00 |
|
||
| London Stansted |
13 Oct 2027
Wednesday
11 days
23 Oct 2027
Saturday
|
from £2053.00 was £2415.00 |
|
Accommodation
Further information
The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately two hours and 30 minutes and approximately 45 minutes on departure.
We sometimes need to combine transfers to and from your hotel. We always try to keep any wait to a minimum, but you may be asked to wait at the airport for up to an hour, while other incoming flights arrive, before the transfer to your hotel. Similarly, we may need to transfer you back to the airport up to three hours before your flight home departs.
Guests on half-board arrangements will be served a three-course evening meal, and can expect a first course of traditional pasta or soup, a main meat or fish course accompanied by one or two types of vegetable, and a simple dessert of fruit, cake or Italian ice cream. Breakfasts will usually consist of bread rolls, jam, cereal, ham, cheese, fruit juice, tea and coffee. Menus will vary from hotel to hotel, but choice will be more limited than in a normal restaurant. In some instances, individual guests who have booked with the hotel independently may be offered a different menu from those who are staying at the hotel as part of a package tour.
An authentic dining experience in Italy can often be a bit different to the Italian food that international tourists might be used to, but it’s one of the best ways to truly appreciate the finer cultural differences of this tourist hotspot. From simpler, but more frequent, courses to regional dishes, here are some points to note when dining in Italy.
The first major difference you’re likely to notice is that the dining experience as a whole is much longer; you’ll enjoy a much more social experience than the average dinner back home with multiple smaller courses spread across a longer period of time. While each meal will be prepared to order, you may notice that dishes are served cooler than you might be used to – Italian dishes are rarely served piping hot to preserve the more delicate flavours of each ingredient and to provide a more enjoyable dining experience. The final thing to bear in mind is that it may be tricky to find Italian classics in the same form as they are at home. For instance, while Spaghetti Carbonara is a staple in historic Rome – and made traditionally using egg yolks rather than cream – you’ll often find it replaced with a wild boar ragù in Tuscany.
You will ride to a higher altitude and experience uneven ground when visiting Mount Etna and warmer clothing - a cardigan or jacket - is recommended along with stronger shoes.
If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.
The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.
Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.
Travelling to Europe
Rules may have changed since you last travelled to European Union countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The following are useful guidelines which will help you prepare for your next adventure. You do require government issued passport to travel.
Names - It is very important that all passenger names are exactly as per your passport although we do not require middle names.
Passport - Your passport must meet two requirements to travel to an EU country and to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It must be: Less than 10 years old on the day you arrive (please check the "date of issue") and valid for at least 3 months after the day you return home (please check the "expiry date").
Visa - You do not need a visa for short trips to most EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You’ll be able to stay for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period.
The EES scheme commenced on the 12th October 2025, and the phased implementation will last until 9 April 2026. From 10 April 2026, EES will be fully operational at all EU borders. - the latest information can be found at https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees/ltr
EES is a new digital border management system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, each time they cross the external borders of most European countries. Once introduced, when you go through passport control on arrival, as well as producing your passport for checking, you will also have your photograph taken and fingerprints scanned. The system will register your entry on arrival and your exit when departing. You will only need to do this on your first entry into Europe after the scheme starts.
For those travelling via Eurostar, there is a dual British and French/Belgian border in operational at St Pancras International. Therefore the EES system will be in place at the station, you will not need to be checked again on arrival at the other side. For further information please visit the https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/planning-and-booking-a-holiday/upcoming-changes-travel-europe here.
Please note: Irish passport holders or British Passport holders with an EU residency are currently excluded.
Following the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, changes have been planned which affect the eligibility of citizens of the United Kingdom to have visa free travel to the EU. ETIAS travel authorisation is a new entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of the European Union and Schengen counties.
The ETIAS system is not live yet - the latest information can be found at www.etias.com. We recommend keeping yourself updated on the planned commencement date and, once live (and if applicable to you), apply for your ETIAS in good time prior to travel.
Newmarket Holidays will not be able to undertake ETIAS applications on your behalf, so have instead instructed the services of the Travel Visa Company to provide help, should you need it. You can find more information about this service here.
Please note: ETIAS will not be required for UK citizens travelling on our UK and Ireland tours.
All mandatory local taxes and charges are included in the price of your holiday as per the itinerary. Prices for any optional excursions are listed separately. Any suggested free-time activities, attractions, meals or entertainment are not included (unless otherwise stated), and may be subject to local charges. Please note that tipping is optional and as such, is typically not included in the price of your holiday (unless otherwise stated).