Day 1 – Giardini Naxos

Join your tour group at the hotel.

Day 2 – Taormina

After a leisurely start, we’ll head off to Taormina. This pretty town perches on the clifftops just above Giardini Naxos – have a look down from one of the viewpoints and you might even spot our hotel. A local guide will take us on a walking tour of the town, introducing us to the highlights (and a few hidden gems as well). It’s a great way to get your bearings and work out what you might like to come back and see more of during the rest of the week.

Day 3 – Giardini Naxos

You’ve got the day to yourself. Take it easy at the hotel, or spend some time exploring Giardini Naxos. If you fancy heading back up to Taormina, the bus stop is a five-minute walk from the hotel. Go for lunch at a trattoria hidden in the backstreets or maybe treat yourself to a fruity granita (Sicilian-style sorbet), traditionally enjoyed with a flaky brioche pastry. The buzzing Corso Umberto I is Taormina’s main street, running between the town’s two gates, Porta Messina and Porta Catania. It’s lined with designer boutiques and gift shops displaying handmade lace, colourful artworks and Sicilian delicacies. After you’ve had a wander, relax in Piazza IX Aprile, with its checkerboard floor, baroque church and Etna views; or in the pretty Villa Comunale gardens. For a flavour of Sicily’s Greek history (and more fantastic views), the Teatro Antico di Taormina is well worth a visit.

Day 4 – Radicepura Garden Festival – Acireale

The botanical gardens at Radicepura play host to a biennial festival that celebrates garden design and landscape architecture. We’ll spend the morning enjoying a guided tour around some of the beautifully created gardens. Admire all sorts of Mediterranean plants and flowers, breathe in the scent of herbs and fruit trees, and look out for the quirky artworks dotted throughout. While we’re here, we’ll pause for a tasting experience of some locally produced drinks. After free time in nearby Acireale, a baroque town set on a hillside, our route back to Giardini Naxos takes us via the seaside town of Aci Castello, where you’ll have time for a wander and perhaps an espresso at one of the cafés.

Day 5 – Giardini Naxos

Enjoy another free day today, or join us for an optional trip to Mount Etna. As well as stepping on the crunchy, cooled lava of this mighty volcano, you’ll enjoy lunch and a volcanic wine tasting at a local winery. Then you’ll visit a local beekeeper and taste their delicious honey.

Day 6 – Syracuse

Today, we’ll journey down the coast towards Syracuse. We’ll make our way to Ortigia, the old part of the city and one of Sicily’s loveliest spots. Set on an island that juts out into the Ionian Sea, it was first settled by the Greeks some 2,700 years ago. A local guide will lead us through the maze of narrow streets, lined with countless cafés, restaurants and – of course – gelaterias. We’ll emerge onto Piazza del Duomo, edged by beautiful baroque palazzi all carved from creamy local limestone. As the name suggests, the square’s centrepiece is its Duomo – our guide will show us its treasures. After some free time, we’ll enjoy a harbour boat trip to allow us to admire Ortigia from the water.

Day 7 – Giardini Naxos

Your final full day in Sicily is at leisure. Relax by the pool or on the beach, or go for a stroll along the seafront. Alternatively, catch the bus up to Taormina to pick up a few last-minute souvenirs and gifts – maybe a bottle of Etna wine or a colourfully painted ceramic plate.

Day 8 – Giardini Naxos

Say goodbye to your tour group for your onward travel.