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Sicily Carousel and Aeolian Islands Tour 2026
Scenic Journeys

Sicily Carousel and Aeolian Islands Tour 2026

A 12-day Sicily and Aeolian Islands journey from Catania, combining UNESCO treasures, wine and food experiences, Mount Etna, and island cruising
Duration 12 Days
Cities & Towns Visited 16
Group Size Max. 20 Guests
Next Departure 29 August 2026
From Price $5,099 AUD
At a Glance

Tour Essentials

Duration
12 Days
Group Size
Max. 20 Guests
Departing
Catania
Accommodation
11 nights in 4-star accommodation across Sicily, Taormina and Lipari
Meals

11 breakfasts plus included dinners and tastings, including street food lunch and winery experiences

Locations Visited
Catania, Siracusa, Ragusa, Agrigento, Marsala, Erice, Monreale, Palermo, Cefalù, Taormina, Mount Etna, Milazzo, Lipari, Panarea, Stromboli, Salina

Tour Details

This 12-day small group tour is an English-only summer itinerary that combines a fully escorted Sicily “carousel” with an independent Aeolian Islands stay. You’ll start in Catania, with Sicily escorted throughout, then continue to the Aeolian Islands where the touring becomes more independent (no tour escort), before returning to Catania to conclude.

Across Sicily, the route is designed around the island’s headline cultural and landscape highlights: Baroque towns, ancient Greek heritage, dramatic coastal scenery, and the volcanic landscapes of Mount Etna. Experiences are a major feature of this tour, with multiple tastings and meals included—such as street food in Siracusa, a cellar visit and wine tasting in Marsala, and an Etna winery tasting paired with local produce.

The Aeolian portion is centred on Lipari, with included shared boat mini-cruises to Panarea and Stromboli (including views of the “Sciara del Fuoco” at dusk) and to Salina, plus a taxi tour of Lipari. Please note that island operations can be affected by sea conditions, so exact plans may adjust based on weather.

Inclusions

  • 11 nights’ accommodation in 4-star hotels
  • Welcome drink on Day 1
  • Hotel board: 11 breakfasts + 3 dinners
  • Mineral water at hotel meals (as specified)
  • Street food lunch in Siracusa with a glass of wine
  • Light lunch en route to Monreale
  • Ragusa cheese and Sicilian products tasting/light lunch with water and wine
  • Almond pastries tasting in Erice
  • Marsala cellar visit with wine tasting/light dinner
  • Mount Etna cellar visit with wine tasting
  • Shared boat mini-cruises from Lipari to Panarea & Stromboli, and to Salina (no guide included)
  • Taxi tour of Lipari
  • Hydrofoil transfers Milazzo ↔ Lipari and related port/hotel transfers as listed
  • Transfers by minivan on the touring days as listed
  • Deluxe motor coach with Wi‑Fi (or minivan for smaller groups, as specified)
  • English-speaking tour escort (excluded on Aeolian Islands portion)
  • Local guides where necessary
  • Whispers kit for groups over 10 passengers
  • Porterage at hotels (excluded on Aeolian Islands portion)
  • Staff assistance
  • Entrance fees

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 (Saturday): Catania

Independent arrival at hotel in Catania, accommodation.

Welcome drink and dinner at hotel and overnight.

Day 2 (Sunday): Catania – Siracusa (Street Food Lunch) – Catania

After a buffet breakfast, departure to Syracuse: visit the World Heritage Site “Neapolis”. The visit of this archaeological area includes the famous Greek theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre, the Latomie of Paradise and the “Dyionisios Ear”.

Continue to the island of Ortigia, the small baroque old city centre of Siracusa; Visit of the beautiful Cathedral, which is built upon the site of the Doric Temple of Minerva, the legendary Arethusa’s Fountain, and the Temple of Apollo. We will enjoy a “street food” light lunch in the centre of Ortigia.

Afternoon at disposal to stroll through the streets of the centre and for shopping. Return to your hotel in Catania. Free evening at your disposal to experience the city and its nightlife and to dine in one of the typical restaurants in the city centre.

Overnight.

Day 3 (Monday): Catania (Fish Market) – Ragusa (Tasting Of Sicilian Cheese And Other Specialties /Light Lunch)

After a buffet breakfast, departure for a nice walk in Catania, stroll through the city centre and visit the famous fish market “A PISCARIA”, one of the largest fish markets in Sicily. As old as the city itself, it’s a great way to experience the abundant fishing and seafood culture of Sicily, with a very special and authentic atmosphere.

Depart to Ragusa, renowned for its cheese production; Stop for a tasting of artisan cheeses and sicilian specialties (light lunch). We will enjoy an enchanting panoramic tour of the historical centre “Ibla” by the “Baroque train”. We’ll admire its stunning baroque palaces and churches; together with other seven cities in the Val di Noto, Ragusa is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We will continue to the reserved hotel.

Free time at disposal to relax at the swimming pool or at the Spa.

Dinner in hotel and Overnight

Day 4 (Tuesday): Ragusa – Agrigento – Marsala (Wine Tasting And Overnight In A Wine Resort)

After a buffet breakfast, departure to Agrigento, a hillside town famous for its magnificent Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; visit of the Valley, including the Temple of Concordia, which is in almost perfectly preserved condition, the temples of Juno and Heracles. Free time at disposal for lunch. In the afternoon we’ll proceed to Marsala a city on the western coast famous for its production of sweet Sicilian wine.

Arrival at Baglio Donnafranca, a perfectly restored nineteenth-century baglio, in the Marsala countryside, on the hills in front of the the Egadi Islands. The baglio was a property of Florio family. Here we will have the opportunity to visit the cellar and learn all about winemaking. At the end of the tour, we wil enjoy a wine tasting and light dinner at susnset.

Overnight.

Day 5 (Wednesday): Marsala –Salt Route- Erice (Taste Of Traditional Pastries) – Monreale – Palermo

After a buffet breakfast, departure to Erice, via the spectacular “Salt Route”, a road flanked by the salt pans, windmills, and the “salt houses” where they still extract the sea salt as the Phoenicians.

Arrival in Erice, on the top of a hill overlooking the Trapani and the Egadi Islands: walk through its tiny and characteristic streets, the winding lanes and, inner courtyards and stop for biscuit tasting.

Departure to Monreale, light lunch with local specialties on the way. Arrival in Monreale, situated on a hill, few kms far from Palermo in panoramic position. Visit of the Cathedral, one of the most beautiful monuments in the world with its Moorish architecture, housing very fine mosaics representing a complete cycle of the Old and New Testaments in Arab-Norman style. Proceed to Palermo.

Accomodation at hotel and free time at disposal for shopping and dinner.

Overnight.

Day 6 (Thursday): Palermo– Cefalu’ – Messina - Taormina

After a buffet breakfast walking tour of Palermo, the capital of Sicily. We will start our visit by walking along Corso Vittorio Emanuele to reach “I Quattro Canti di Città” Piazza Pretoria, Piazza Bellini. We will visit the Cathedral, one of the most important architectural monuments. We will then reach one of the most famous and historical markets of Palermo to experience the authenticity of this wonderful and colourful city.

Continue to Cefalù, a former fishing village, now a charming coastal town. Enjoy a walk to the city centre and down main street to reach the Arab-Norman Cathedral and the medieval washhouse built in the rock.

Free time at disposal to explore the town and shopping. Lunch on your own. Proceed to Taormina through the coastal road passing through Messina from where we’ll have the chance to admire the suggestive scenery of the Strait of Messina. Accomodation at your hotel and free time at disposal for dinner.

Overnight.

Day 7 (Friday): Taormina – Mt. Etna (Wine Tasting) – Taormina

After a buffet breakfast, excursion to Mount Etna, the highest active Volcano in Europe. We will reach a height of 1800 metres to visit the Sylvester Craters where we’ll enjoy a spectacular panorama over the Ionian Sea. Stop at a local winery on the eastern slopes of Etna and visit a prestigious cellar. We will have the opportunity to taste different local wines accompanied by local cheese and cold cuts.

In the afternoon back to Taormina, charming city called “the pearl of the Ionian Sea”: enjoy time at leisure for shopping or walking through its tiny streets. Possibility to visit the Greek Roman Theatre on your own.

Free time for dinner and overnight.

Day 8 (Saturday): Taormina – Milazzo – Lipari

After buffet breakfast, departure -without guide- to Milazzo. Boarding at the port of Milazzo for Lipari by hydrofoil. Arrival on the island of Lipari, the largest of the Aeolian archipelago. Transfer to the hotel and free time to visit the delightful village of Lipari.

Lunch on your own; in the afternoon, taxi tour of the island of Lipari.

Free time for dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 9 (Sunday): Lipari–Panarea– Stromboli – Lipari

After a buffet breakfast, morning at disposal and lunch at your own. Late in the morning departure by boat to Panarea and Stromboli. First stop in Panarea where it will be possible to visit the small village with a pleasant walk along the streets among the white Aeolian-style houses.

Then continue with the boat to Stromboli, the island, defined as the wildest island because it seems to preserve its bond with nature and with the volcano, called by the locals “Iddu”; free tme to visit.

Once back on the boat, you will continue until you reach the “Sciara del fuoco”, a ridge of the crater from where the lava descends. From the boat it will also be possible to witness the evocative eruptions of the volcano that follow one another with intervals of about fifteen minutes.

Return to Lipari in the evening and overnight.

Day 10 (Monday): Lipari – Salina – Lipari

After a buffet breakfast in hotel, departure by boat to Salina.

After a stop in the center of S. Marina, continue by boat to circumnavigate the island, swim in Pollara, the beach of the famous film “Il Postino”.

Free time for lunch.

Continue to Lingua where there is a Salt Lake from where salt was extracted in ancient times (hence the name of the island). Return to Lipari in the afternoon. Free time at disposal for shopping and dinner.

Overnight.

Day 11 (Tuesday): Lipari – Catania

After breakfast, transfer to the port of Lipari, and boarding on the hydrofoil for Milazzo.

Transfer to Catania, arrival at the hotel and accommodation.

Lunch and dinner on your own; afternoon at your disposal in Catania.

Overnight in Hotel

Day 12 (Wednesday): Tour Ends

After buffet breakfast, end of the tour.

Tour Highlights

  • Small group touring (max. 20 guests), English-only departures
  • Sicily escorted tour with an independent Aeolian Islands stay
  • Street food lunch in Siracusa with a glass of wine
  • Ragusa tasting of Sicilian cheese and regional products (light lunch)
  • Marsala cellar visit with wine tasting and light dinner
  • Mount Etna excursion with winery visit and tastings
  • Shared boat mini-cruises from Lipari to Panarea & Stromboli, and to Salina
  • Lipari taxi tour and time to explore the islands
  • Included entrance fees and local guides where necessary

Accommodation

A well-paced mix of 4-star hotels across Sicily, plus a 4-star base on Lipari, chosen to support the route and included experiences.

Typical hotels may include:

  • Catania: Katane Hotel (4-star)
  • Ragusa: Poggio del Sole Resort (4-star)
  • Marsala: Baglio Donna Franca Wine Resort
  • Palermo: Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa (4-star)
  • Taormina: Hotel Splendid (4-star) and/or Hotel Caparena (4-star)
  • Lipari: Gattopardo (4-star)

The listed hotels indicate the expected standard of accommodation. Specific properties may vary based on availability, but any alternatives will be of a comparable quality.

Tour Notes

Physical Requirements

Moderate: mix of guided walking, uneven historic streets, boat excursions and steps; comfortable shoes recommended.

Exclusions

  • Transfers in/out
  • City tax (payable directly at hotels)
  • Beverages (except water at hotel meals where specified)
  • Anything not clearly specified under “Inclusions”
  • Optional supplements/extras, including:
    • Add local guide for boat excursion ($699 AUD)
    • Lipari hotel/port transfers ($59 AUD pp each way)
    • Cooking class in Lipari ($333 AUD pp)
    • Sunset wine tasting in Lipari ($145 AUD pp)
    • Walking tour in Catania ($200 AUD)

General Notes

  • Departures are Saturdays from Catania
  • Sicily is fully escorted; Aeolian Islands stay is independent (no escort)
  • Aeolian operations are weather-dependent; plans may change with wind/tides

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation fees:

  • 100% penalty from 2 days before departure and for no-shows
  • 80% from 3–7 days before the tour
  • 40% from 8–14 days before the tour
  • 20% from 15–30 days before the tour

Cancellations

For information related to cancellations and any associated costs, please refer to our Terms & Conditions.

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