Best of Italy and Sicily – August 7 to October 30, 2025 (15 Days) - From £3,336

Europe Italy
OVERVIEW
Ancient history and fabulous food are the cornerstones of this colourful journey through Italy and Sicily. You’ll enjoy local seafood in Sicily, follow the shadow of Mount Etna and admire the Leaning Tower in Pisa’s Square of Miracles.
EXPERIENCES
Agrigento: A Local Specialist will lead you through the magnificent remains of the Greek colony in the Valley in the Temples. See the massive Temple of Concord and clifftop Temple of Juno.

Assisi: With a Local Specialist, find out why the Basilica of St. Francis is considered to be one of the crowning artistic achievements of 13th-century Europe.

Capri: Join a Local Specialist for a guided walk through Capri’s elegant lanes and vibrant squares. Hear how this island has long attracted artists, writers and Hollywood icons. Visit historic landmarks and local boutiques, and discover how generations of islanders have lived alongside the glamour, from Roman emperors to the jet-set names of the 1950s and beyond.

Cinque Terre: Led by your Local Specialist, visit this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site, tucked away on the mountainous Italian Riviera coastline. Admire the charming fishing villages and perhaps snap some memorable pictures.

Florence: Join a Local Specialist to view the Multi-coloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, adorned by Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise. Visit the political heart of the city, Signoria Square.

Palermo: Discover the Sicilian capital with your Local Specialist. See Pretoria Square and the 16th-century fountain. View the composite architectural styles of the Palermo Cathedral and visit the Cathedral of Monreale.

Palermo: Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for an introductory orientation of Palermo's highlights.

Pisa: During an orientation, your Travel Director will show you the baptistery, cathedral and the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Pompeii: Walk with a Local Specialist through the cobbled streets of this ill-fated town, frozen in time since the 1st century.

Rome: Discover ancient treasures of Rome with a Local Specialist. See Circus Maximus and visit the mighty Colosseum, which bears witness to the limitless courage of the gladiators.

Rome: Experience Rome through the eyes of a local, as a passionate Roman guides you past the city's most iconic sites.
DEPARTURE DATES AND PRICES
Tour
Departs		 Tour
Returns		 Starting From
(price per person)		 Definite Departure
What's this?		 Book Now!
28/08/2025 11/09/2025 £3,591 Book
04/09/2025 18/09/2025 £3,846 Book
11/09/2025 25/09/2025 £3,846 Book
18/09/2025 02/10/2025 £3,846 Book
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ACCOMMODATION
DAY 1: Mercure Centro - Meals: Dinner
DAY 2: Mercure Centro - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 3: Dioscuri Bay Palace - Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 4: Caesar Palace Giardini Naxos - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 5: Caesar Palace Giardini Naxos - Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 6: Grand Vesuvio Sorrento - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 7: Grand Vesuvio Sorrento - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 8: Grand Tiberio - Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 9: Grand Tiberio - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 10: Cristallo - Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 11: Firenze & Continentale La Spezia - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 12: FH55 Grand Hotel Mediterraneo - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 13: Le Boulevard Lido - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 14: Le Boulevard Lido - Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
WHAT'S INCLUDED
  • All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
  • All porterage and restaurant gratuities
  • An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
  • Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
  • Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
  • Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
  • Ferry across the Straits of Messina to mainland Italy
  • Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
  • Must-see sightseeing
  • On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilised
  • Optional Experiences and free time
  • Return cruise to the Isle of Capri
ITINERARY

The multicultural capital of Palermo is the launchpad for your journey across Sicily and Italy. You’ll have some free time before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travellers for dinner and orientation of the city’s attractions, so why not head straight out to explore its fascinating streets on your own?

Join your Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour, which includes the Teatro Massimo and the old 'La Cala' harbour. Later, travel to Monreale on the slopes of Monte Caputo, overlooking the almond, olive and orange groves of La Conca d'Oro. Here you’ll visit the 12th-century Norman Cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

Take it easy this morning or explore further on the Optional Experience taking in different views of the city. Later, journey onwards to Agrigento to tour the impressive Greek Valley of the Temples, dating back to the 6th century BC, with a Local Specialist. This evening, dinner is served at your hotel.

Travel through the vineyards of the southern hills towards the seaside resort of Taormina, your home for the next two nights. Enjoy spectacular vistas and a taste of la dolce vita in this hillside town, with some free time on arrival.

Spend the day relaxing at your chic Sicilian resort. Dive into the warm Mediterranean waters, shop for exquisite hand-painted ceramics on Corso Umberto or indulge in a mulberry granita. Consider joining an Optional Experience to Savoca, the village made famous by ‘The Godfather', and Europe's most active volcano - Mount Etna. This evening, join a Be My Guest experience hosted at a beautiful family owned Sicilian lemon farm overlooking Mount Etna.

Today we cross the Strait of Messina to mainland Italy by ferry, driving north through rustic Calabria and past Salerno to your hotel in Sorrento where you’ll spend the next two nights. Tonight perhaps consider an Optional Experience to explore the famous culinary culture of Southern Italy.

Cruise to the Isle of Capri where you’ll enjoy a guided walking tour of Capri town with a Local Specialist. Window-shop along Via Camerelle and watch the beautiful people in the Piazzetta before returning to Sorrento. This afternoon perhaps consider a drive along the famed Amalfi Coast to Positano, a true Mediterranean gem. You will have the evening at leisure to indulge in a little limoncello in one of Sorrento's many cafes.

2025 marks a Jubilee Year, a momentous Roman Catholic event celebrated every 25 years, turning Rome into a centre of celebration. As festivities unfold, itineraries may be adjusted to ensure you make the most of your time as you visit the Eternal City.This morning, explore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed ruins of Pompeii, where a Local Specialist will guide you on an immersive walking tour. Once lost to the world, the city's rediscovery in the 18th century uncovered a time capsule of remarkably well-preserved ruins, offering a fascinating glimpse into the daily life of a Roman city centuries ago. Afterward, journey north along the stunning coastline, heading toward the iconic 'Eternal City' of Rome. In the evening, indulge in the rich flavours of Rome as you savour a selection of signature Roman dishes, each offering a taste of the city's culinary heritage.

Rome was once the capital of the world and is a city with an irrepressible spirit. Join your Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour, admire the grand exterior of Saint Peter's Basilica. From the Vatican City cross the Tiber river and in Ancient Rome see the Circus Maximus and enjoy a visit to the mighty Colosseum. View the Trevi Fountain on an optional experience discovering piazzas and fountains of Rome with a Local Specialist this afternoon. Spend the rest of the day exploring the city your way.

Today, drive north to the mystical medieval hilltop town of Assisi, most famous for being the birthplace of St. Francis. Join a Local Specialist  for a tour of the Basilica of St. Francis to view its magnificent frescoes and carvings.

We venture to Pisa to visit the Square of Miracles and view the Leaning Tower that bears this city's name. A short drive north takes us to La Spezia, known as the 'Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea'. Tonight is free to explore as you wish.

Join a Local Specialist to visit Cinque Terre, a series of centuries-old seaside villages clinging impossibly to rugged cliffs that plunge into the Ligurian Sea. Continue later to Florence, once a vibrant republic under the rule of the dynamic Medici family, whose love for art and antiquities created one of the world's most cultural cities. Tonight perhaps consider dinner in the famed Tuscan Hills.

The magnificent marble Duomo, Santa Croce Basilica, Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria feature on your walking tour with a Local Specialist through Florence's historic streets. Later, journey north to Venice, the 'Queen of the Adriatic'.

Embark on an orientation cruise by private launch to the gateway of Venice, St. Mark's Square, which Napoleon once called the 'drawing room of Europe'. See the Doge's Palace, St. Mark's Basilica and the Bridge of Sighs, where prisoners would have one last look at their beloved city before facing imprisonment. Next, witness the centuries-old craft of glassblowing. Your unforgettable MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience helps keep alive this delicate tradition for which Venice is justifiably famous, and you’ll watch in awe as masters of their craft shape molten glass into the exquisite pieces that adorn homes all over the world. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore more of the sights or consider an Optional Experience, navigating the city's elegant canals aboard a traditional gondola. Tonight, join your fellow travellers for dinner and toast to shared memories that will linger long after the evening ends.

For now, it's a fond ciao Venezia as you say goodbye to new friends and prepare to depart for your journey home.
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