SELF DRIVE FROM PALERMO

8 days / 7 nights


DAY 1

Arrival - Palermo airport

Arrival at Palermo airport . Drive to the city center and overnight in the hotel.

DAY 2

Palermo - Monreale

Palermo, capital of the Sicily, lies on the  Tyrrhenian coast at the foot of Monte Pellegrino. the best way to visit the town is to walk through the old city, rich of magnificent Byzantine, Arab-Norman and Baroque buildings. Visit  the church "San Giovanni degli Eremiti",  the Norman Palace with the Palatine Chapel, the finest and most harmonious example of Norman art in Sicily. Admire the Cathedral with  the royal  tombs. We suggest you to do a street food tasting of : "arancine" (fried rice balls), "sfincione" (tipical pizza with onion) and "panelle", (fried chick pea fritters) . Drive to  Monreale to visit  the cathedral  with the golden mosaics and the Benedictines Cloister, considered the finest example of the Norman architecture in Sicily. Time for a break and why not for a typical sicilian “Cannoli”.  We suggest you to visit the botanical garden of Palermo (an open-air museum about 200years old with various species of tropical and subtropical flora in Sicily, europe and the Mediterranean region). Return to the hotel and overnight.

DAY 3

Segesta - Erice - Selinunte - Sciacca - Agrigento

Departure to Segesta, an important Elymian site. Visit the archaeological area with an outstanding Doric temple, located on the Monte Barbaro, overlooks  the Gulf of Castellamare. The journey continue in Erice, a medieval town on the top of  Monte San Giuliano. Stroll  through the winding lanes, inner courtyards and cobbled streets, Visit the  Norman Castle   where you can admire a beautiful view of Trapani .  Proceed to  Selinunte founded in the 2nd half of the 7th century B.C by Greek settlers. Visit  the archaeological area and drive to Agrigento.  After dinner, a fascinated experience would be to admire the illuminated Valley of Temples with its suggestive atmosphere at night. Overnight in the hotel.

DAY 4

Agrigento - Piazza Armerina - Siracusa

In the morning you will visit Agrigento, this city is famous for its magnificent archaeological, world-known heritages. Visit  the Valley of Temples (the Doric Temple of Juno standing in a dominant position,the elegant, harmonious and solemn Temple of the Concordia  in a perfect state of conservation and known as one of the greatest and the most important expressions of the Greek culture). The Temple of Hercules was the first construction of the Agrigento's Doric temples,  it dates back to the end of the 6th century B.C . Visit “La scala dei Turchi” with its beautiful white stones.Departure to Piazza Armerina to visit , The Villa  Romana del Casale (UNESCO HERITAGE) famous in the  world for its splendid mosaic floors, that show the Romans life.  Lunch in Piazza Armerina. Arrival at the hotel in Siracusa. Overnight in the hotel. 

DAY 5

Siracusa-Taormina area

After breakfast discover the archeological park (one of the most important of the Magna Graecia).  During the visit you will see the Greek Theatre, the Hieron II's altar, the Roman Amphitheatre and the Ear of Dionysius. Take your car and drive towards the oldest part of the city called "Ortigia Island", with its Temple of Apollo and traces of the great   Temple of Athena, nowadays part of the Cathedral. Don’t miss the Aretusa fountain with its legendary secret. Visit the Cassibile’s gorges. Take your car and drive towards Taormina. Overnight in the hotel. 

DAY 6

Etna - Taormina

Enjoy your breakfast and  drive to the Mount Etna. It is the highest active volcano in Europe. It used to be called "Mongibello" from the Arab name "Ghebehel", meaning "a beautiful mount". Visit of the extinct craters Silvestri at 1.900 Mt. Possibility to go up to 2.900 Mt. with cablecar and a jeep in order to try the most unforgetable experience, and admire a stunning panorama. In the afternoon, proceed to Taormina, (among a myriad of prickly pear cactus) with a breath-taking view of the majestic Mt.Etna with towns clinging to its slopes. Taormina used to be called "pearl of Sicily" for its characteristic streets and for its Greek theatre of the 3rd century B.C. We suggest you to try the typical “granita” , close the Theatre.  Return to the hotel. Overnight.

DAY 7

Taormina - Randazzo - Troina - Nicosia- Cefalù - Palermo area

Today you will have a fantastic experience in the unknown part of Sicily. The itinerary is rich of nature and scenery.You will cross typical Sicilian villages like Piedimonte Etneo,  Linguaglossa, Passopisciaro and Rovitello   on your way to Randazzo. This area is also  rich in  wine’s yards.  This area is renowned for the production of Etna's wine from grapes called Nerello Mascalese. First stop is the medieval town of Randazzo, where you can admire the Cathedral  in  Lava stone. Time for a break and enjoy a typical pistachio and almond sweet tasting.Continuation towards Cesarò, and arrive to Troina a typical small sicilian town. Drive towards Cerami, and arrive to Nicosia a typical example of medieval village . We advise you to visit Enna where you can find the Castello di Lombardia. Our itinerary continue towards Mistretta, staging post, to reach the highway. Arrive in Cefalù, dominated by the small headlike-shaped promontory “Rocca”, visit of the Arabic-Norman cathedral of the 12th century and its beautiful historical center. We suggest you to drink glass of wine in a unique place to admire an amazing Cefalù seaside view . Take your car and drive toward Palermo. Overnight in the hotel in Palermo area.

DAY 8

Deoarture - Palermo airport

After breakfast, ( It depends on your departure flight time), you might have time for your last visit of the city. Departure to the airport of Palermo. Go to the terminal and have a nice flight back home!