Top Sicily Seasonal & Special Occasions

Spend an evening immersed in Sicilian cuisine and culture on this 2.5-hour walking tour of Taormina. Led by a local guide, travel to the city’s top spots to sample fresh fish, bruschetta, sweet Sicilian cakes, and other regional specialties. Complement your dishes with a glass of Prosecco, red and white wine, and Italian liqueur. As you walk and taste, learn more about the city's culinary history from your guide.

Mount Etna is Europe's largest active volcano, but you don’t have to climb the mighty peak to experience the natural wonder. On this full-day tour from Taormina, hike through the ancient woodlands and lava caves of Mt Etna; indulge in a Sicilian-style lunch and wine tasting; and explore the Alcantara Gorge. Hotel pickup and drop-off is included.

Indulge your love of food and wine on this all-day tour of the Etna countryside. After a convenient hotel pickup, learn about the region’s history and culture from a local guide as you cruise through scenic Sicilian villages. Stop at a family-run winery, a picturesque farmhouse with delicious food, and a pastry bar. Enjoy wine tastings and samples of local cheeses, salumi, and pastas included in the tour price.

Discover the excellent food and wine of Syracuse on a 2.5-hour walking tour in Ortygia, the historic old city center. Your knowledgeable local guide takes you to three family-owned eateries to taste a variety of authentic dishes such as appetizers, fresh fish and pastries, accompanied by samples of wine and liquor. You’ll also pass landmarks including the Piazza San Rocco, Piazza del Duomo, Santa Lucia church, Piazza San Giuseppe and the Piazza Archimede with its stunning Fountain of Diana, providing another experience of Sicily’s rich culture.

Get up close and personal with some of Sicily’s most beautiful scenery—and enjoy generous samples of wine and local delicacies—on this half-day tour from Cefalù. After your afternoon departure, you’ll head to the ruggedly beautiful Madonie Mountains. First, visit a medieval abbey that’s renowned for its wine production; you’ll tour its cellars, learn how wine is made, and enjoy several glasses and small snacks. Then, head to the hilltop town of Castelbuono, where you can stroll the medieval streets and enjoy a tasting at a pastry shop.

See why Taormina earned the nickname ‘the Pearl of the Ionian’ while exploring its picturesque coastline from the water. On this half-day boat tour, get the best perspective of dramatic sea caves, the Grotta Azurra and Capo Taormino as your captain navigates along the rocky shore and through spectacular bays. Splash into the crystal-clear waters for a swim, and enjoy a fresh seafood lunch with views of the Isola Bella island nature reserve.

Discover the Aeolian Archipelago on this day trip to the islands of Stromboli and Panarea from Taormina. Journey to each island by motorboat, exploring the local shops at your leisure or taking a cool dip in the sea. Afterward, cruise around Stromboli to see the island’s volcano. Keep your eyes peeled for the crater of Sciara del Fuoco, known to light up the sky with its jet-like eruptions. After a full day of touring the UNESCO-listed islands, return to Taormina.

Spend your afternoon sailing—and swimming—along the Coast of the Cyclops. The 10-passenger yacht offers a small-group experience, allowing for anyone to learn the basics of sailing. Help to steer the boat if you’d like, and dive in at Ulysses’ Grotto. Toast your Catania sailing trip with a glass of provided Prosecco and a Sicilian aperitif. Bonus: booking this tour supports a non-profit mission to promote sustainable life at sea.

Explore Mount Etna during the most dazzling time of day with this sunset Jeep tour. Set off in the afternoon to take in the Valle del Bove and lunar landscapes of the lava and ash fields on the slopes of Europe’s highest active volcano. Discover side craters and extinguished lava flows, don a helmet and headlamp to venture into a lava tube, and admire the bird's-eye view at sunset.

Sicily is home to a unique cuisine, different from mainland Italy and often hard to access without the knowledge of a local. With this Sicilian cooking class, enjoy an exclusive glimpse into Palermo’s culinary traditions by exploring one of the city’s oldest markets with a local and then preparing classic dishes at a family-run cooking school. Make four courses and sample what you’ve created during a celebratory meal.

Observe dolphins in the Gulf of Catania safely and sustainably with this low-impact tour. Set off with a crew of specialized skippers and marine biologists to learn about the local dolphin population and watch them frolicking in the open waters off Sicily. This tour abides by the international agreement for the conservation of cetaceans and is certified as eco-friendly, so you’ll get close enough to snap photos without disturbing the animals.

The historic towns of Taormina and Castelmola are two of the most scenic in eastern Sicily, and with this tour you can visit both without the hassle of public transportation or the stress of navigating the island’s twisting roads. Take in the highlights of Taormina at your own pace and relax over lunch, then head to Castelmola to enjoy the sweeping views over the coastline from its medieval center.

While your ship is in Messina, see more of Sicily on a half-day trip to Taormina. Take a guided tour of this historical city, including a stroll along Corso Umberto, once an ancient Roman street, and a visit to the Greco-Roman Theater. Plus, sample Sicilian delicacies, admire views of Mt. Etna and Giardini-Naxos bay from Castelmola, and on return to Messina, check out this ancient port’s highlights. Port and Taormina pickup and drop-off included.

Taste your way through the bustling markets and piazzas of Catania on a mouth-watering, half-day culinary tour. Visit fish markets, bakeries, bars and stalls to sample the best Sicilian street food with a local guide. Try regional specialties like ‘arancini’ (stuffed fried rice balls), fizzy drinks, ‘cipollata’ (bacon-wrapped onions), ‘zibibbio’ wine and decadent cannoli. Learn what makes Sicilian cuisine unique from the rest of Italy while discovering some of Catania’s cultural treasures.

Marvel over the geological wonders of Mount Etna, then visit the elegant resort town of Taormina on this action-packed full-day tour from Catania. Soak up the dramatic scenery of Europe’s highest active volcano as you visit the hilltop resort of Refugio Sapienza; As an alternative to trekking, you can catch the cable car to the 9,514-foot (2,900-meter) peak of Mount Etna (optional) and explore a natural lava cave. After exploring the lava cave, have a delicious tasting of the local products such as honey, oil and wine. On the way to Taormina, you will stop and see the beautiful "Isola Bella” from above. Then spend the afternoon enjoying your free time in Taormina, among medieval churches, ancient Greek theater, and lively shopping district.

Enhance your sightseeing experience of Sicily on an enriching full-day excursion to Erice and Segesta from Palermo. Delight in the medieval majesty of Erice, a walled town that reigns over the picturesque harbor of Trapani. Delve into historical wonders of Segesta at the archeological site, marveling at the unfinished temple and absorbing sweeping vistas of Sicily’s sun-drenched valleys and undulating hills.

Snack your way through the streets of Palermo on this Sicilian food tour. Explore backstreet markets and food stalls specializing in local delicacies like stuffed rice balls and chickpea fritters as your guide fills you in on local history, culture. Plus, this small-group tour has a limited number of participants for a more personalized experience.

Mt. Etna is the most striking sight in eastern Sicily, but visiting Europe’s largest active volcano on your own is challenging. With this tour, leave puzzling out the logistics to the experts and explore the volcanic peak via off-road vehicle. Cross lava fields and old-growth forests, stop to take in the views, and learn about the history of the volcano and its native flora and fauna from your guide.

Explore Mount Etna, the world's most active stratovolcano, on this small-group hiking tour from Catania. Travel in a 4x4 vehicle or minivan to reach a departure point for a moderate hike through Mount Etna's moon-like landscape in the Valley del Bove depression, including a lava tube exploration, and the Silvestri craters. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Catania included.

Explore Europe's highest active volcano with this Jeep tour on Mount Etna. Join a nature guide and head up to about 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) to discover lava flows and extinct craters, plus take in the views over the Caldera del Valle del Bove. Then don a helmet and headlamp and venture into a lava tube to better to learn how lava flows are formed and cool.

Explore the southeastern coast of Sicily on a day trip to Syracuse from Taormina. Led by a professional guide, see the impressive collection of ancient Roman and Greek ruins, soak up scenic views of the water and learn the rich history behind the city from your guide. Visit the archaeological site of Parco Archeologico della Neapolis (own expense) and spend the afternoon discovering Ortygia, Syracuse’s island neighborhood.

Catania has a world of offerings for travelers: UNESCO World Heritage sites, fascinating history, street markets, and a cuisine that is the envy of the Mediterranean. It can be a challenge to pack it all in one day, but this private half-day walking tour—which pairs the city’s top sights with traditional street food and wine—allows you to do just that. Upgrade to end the tour with a wine and food tasting at a local restaurant.

Reaching Palermo from Taormina by public transportation can be time-consuming. Shave hours off your trip with this private transfer that includes pickup at your Taormina hotel or the Giardini Naxos port and drop-off at your final destination in Palermo. Leave the driving to a professional and relax on board an air-conditioned minivan with bottled water provided.

Spend a day exploring the ancient sights of the Valley of the Temples with this day trip from Palermo. Travel to Agrigento for a quick coffee break (own expense) before visiting the fascinating site for a 1-hour tour. See the temples of Hera, Concordia and Apollo. Take a midday break for lunch (own expense) before stopping at the archaeology museum for a 1-hour self-guided visit.