Three- and four-star hotels

On this Sicily trip, we use three- and four-star hotels. Some have been chosen for their warm hospitality and typically Sicilian character and others for their convenient location. They are often near the historic centres we visit so we can easily explore the towns in the evenings or during our free time. Below are the hotels normally used.

Upgrade to a higher category of room throughout the itinerary – speak to your sales representative for more details.

Palermo: B&B Hotel Quattro Canti (nights 1-2)



Our first stop is Quattro Canti, a three-star hotel in the historic centre of Palermo. For foodies, the highlight may well be the rooftop restaurant, which serves Italian cuisine with views over the city.

Marsala: Villa Favorita bungalow (night 3)



In Marsala, we stay at the Villa Favorita resort (above). The Villa Favorita resort was built by wine entrepreneur Salvatore Amodeo in 1860 and we typically stay in igloo-style accommodations within the property. There’s also a pool with loungers, plus plenty of green space to wander.

Agrigento: Hotel della Valle (night 4)



After visiting the Valley of the Temples, we head to the nearby Hotel della Valle. Relax post-exploration with a dip in the pool or dine together in one of the two restaurants, which serve a mixture of Sicilian and international cuisines.

Ragusa: Hotel Mediterraneo or Hotel Barocco (night 5)



In Ragusa, we either stay at Hotel Mediterraneo (above) or Hotel Barocco, depending on availability. The former is a modern hotel within a few minutes’ walk of Ragusa Ibla (the old town); it has a restaurant-bar serving Mediterranean cuisine. The latter is within Ragusa Ibla and has a restaurant-pizzeria.

Catania area: B&B Hotel Catania City Center (nights 6-7)



We spend our final two nights at the modern Hotel Catania. It’s well placed for our activities, and, when we’re not out exploring, it has a lobby shop for food and drink.

All breakfasts, two wine tastings, one cookery class/lunch and four produce tastings (three of which are also considered lunch) are included.

Sicilian cuisine is a melting pot of all the different cultures that have occupied the island, from the Arabs to the Normans. The island itself is incredibly fertile, enjoying an ideal climate for the cultivation of produce, such as olives, oranges, lemons, aubergines (eggplants), tomatoes, pistachios, almonds and grapes; not to mention all the seafood, tuna and swordfish caught right off the coast. The result? A cuisine that’s fresh, varied and delicious. Sicilian wines are also superb and known to be strong and syrupy, such as marsala and moscato. Here are some of the regional specialities we recommend trying during this trip:

Caponata: A tasty salad made with aubergines, olives, capers and celery, makes a great appetizer.
Sfincione: A local form of pizza made with tomatoes, onions and (sometimes) anchovies. Prepared on a thick bread and more likely found in a bakery than in a pizzeria.
Pane e pannelle: A favourite street food of Palermo, panelle (chickpea fritters) are served between bread, like a sandwich.
Arancini (also known as arancine): Fried rice balls stuffed with meat or cheese.
Pani câ mèusa: The name literally means bread with spleen, but don’t let that put you off. It is a delicious speciality of Palermo.
Cannoli: Tubular fried dough filled with sweetened ricotta (made from sheep’s milk).
Cassata siciliana: A sponge cake soaked in liqueur, the slices layered with sweetened ricotta, and the whole cake covered in almond paste andicing. It is also studded with candied fruits and other goodies.
Pasta alla Norma: Made with fried aubergine, tomatoes, basil and salted ricotta.
Pasta with pistachio pesto.
Pasta con le sarde: Sardines are popular in Sicily, so it’s common to see them as a topping for pasta. One common variety is bucatini with sardines, fennel, saffron, pine nuts and raisins.
Frutta martorana: Other places call this marzipan, but in Sicily the almond paste is moulded into little, incredibly realistic fruits, hence fruits of Martora, or frutta martorana.
Granita: The perfect summer refreshment, granita, originally from Sicily, is now found all over Italy. It’s crushed ice with sugar and fresh fruit, simple but delicious.
Involtini di pesce spada: Rolls of thinly sliced swordfish stuffed with pine nuts, raisins, breadcrumbs, anchovy fillets, orange juice and lemon juice, eggs and grated pecorino.
Tonno e spada affumicata: Smoked tuna and swordfish shaved paper thin and layered on a plate. These can be accented with shaved fennel and oranges, or olives and sun-dried tomatoes, or can be served with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and good-quality crusty bread.

— Comfortable walking shoes
— Small backpack for camera
— Sunscreen
— Hat
— Sunglasses
— Waterproofs
— Long trousers (pants) and closed walking shoes with sturdy soles for the walking excursion on Mount Etna
— Water bottle: As appropriate, our tour leader will point out where we can refill our bottles with safe drinking water, so remember to bring refillable water bottles and keep hydrated during the day. Many hotels keep potable water in tanks, so it is not advisable to drink it.

An Exodus local leader is available throughout the week to help with your orientation and to make sure everything runs smoothly. Due to Italian legislation, tour leaders are not allowed to guide groups in some cities, museums and churches. Local licenced guides will accompany the group in Agrigento and Villa Romana del Casale/Piazza Armerina. You are free to sightsee with the tour leader or at your own pace in all other towns.

— Combine cuisine and culture on a culinary adventure through Sicily
— Wander through colourful markets and try the unique street food of Palermo
— Enjoy a hands-on cookery class with a local chef in Erice
— Sample a variety of local specialities on produce and wine tastings
— Visit a renowned wine cellar on Mount Etna before a walk on the slopes
— Explore unique heritage sites and baroque cities, including Agrigento and Noto

Key information
Start hotel: B&B Hotel Quattro Canti, Via Vittorio Emanuele, 291 , 90133 Palermo
Phone: +39 091 332082
Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time today. There will be a welcome briefing at the start hotel around 6pm this evening.
Airport: Palermo Airport (PMO)
Getting to the start hotel
The start hotel is approximately 40 minutes’ drive from the airport. Your options for this journey are:

Take an Exodus transfer

Exodus provides one group arrival transfer from the airport, which is timed to coincide with the arrival of a chosen flight from London, UK. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the group arrival transfer times or to arrange a private transfer.

Make your own way

You can reach the start hotel relatively easily using public transport. Book the bus service operated by Prestia e Comande (www.prestiaecomande.it), which runs every 30 minutes. The approximate journey time to Palermo city centre is 45 minutes and a one-way ticket is €6.50 when bought online. The shuttle bus stops in Via Roma (by the Rinascente department store - the penultimate stop before the bus terminal at the railway station). B&B Hotel Quattro Canti is only a 10-minute walk from this stop. Alternatively, if you prefer to travel in more comfort, we can arrange a private pick-up transfer on arrival. Please contact your sales representative prior to departure for a quote and to book this service.

If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.
Catching your return flight
There’s a group departure transfer to Catania Airport that's scheduled to align with a flight to London, UK. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative transfer.

— Travel insurance
— Single accommodation (available on request)
— Visa or vaccinations
— City taxes (approx. €10-15)

— Comfortable walking shoes
— Small backpack for camera
— Sunscreen
— Hat
— Sunglasses
— Waterproofs
— Long trousers (pants) and closed walking shoes with sturdy soles for the walking excursion on Mount Etna
— Water bottle: As appropriate, our tour leader will point out where we can refill our bottles with safe drinking water, so remember to bring refillable water bottles and keep hydrated during the day. Many hotels keep potable water in tanks, so it is not advisable to drink it.

— Accommodation: 1 Superior night (hotel), 6 Classic nights (hotels)
— Travel by air-conditioned private minibus
— Group normally 6 to 18, plus leader. Minimum age: 16

For the meals not included, allow €8-€20 for lunch and €30-€45 for dinner. The exact amount spent depends entirely on the type of restaurant visited and the menu chosen.

Local taxes: Many Italian cities have introduced a tourist tax for non-residents. The local administration oversees the tax, which will be collected by the accommodation provider at check-in or check-out. This fee varies depending on the hotel category, the season and number of days of stay. It is usually between €1 and €4 per person per night. For this trip, please allow approximately €15 for the week.

Entrance tickets: In some sites we visit, you must purchase an entrance ticket to go inside. Below are the latest prices.

— Valley of the Temples, Agrigento: €17
— Villa Romana del Casale, Piazza Armerina: €14

Optional excursions

— Etna summit craters by cable car (or snow cat if required due to the weather): €80 (or €95 by snow cat)

Our local staff are paid fairly for their work. Most wish to tip their guides in appreciation of their help and friendliness. This, of course, is in no way compulsory and depends on the service received. For this trip we recommend a starting point of €35 per person per week for the leader, €10 per person per week for the driver and €5 per person for each local guide.

We use a private air-conditioned minibus for all transfers and excursions allowing us to enjoy comfortable, flexible and stress-free journeys.

This trip is graded Activity Level 1 (Easy), meaning it is suitable for everyone in good health and fitness. For more information on our trip gradings please visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

This is a very relaxing week where you can enjoy excellent regional gastronomy while visiting the most important heritage sites and towns in Sicily. All the transfers are by private air-conditioned vehicle. Due to the distance covered during the week, some of the drives are quite long but should never exceed four hours (including stops). Due to traffic restrictions in a lot of the historic centres visited, you may have to carry your suitcase over cobbled pavements, although the bus will leave you as close to your hotel as possible. When this is not possible, a porterage service is provided, which has been included in the cost of the trip. Please be aware that some hotels don’t have a lift.

Sicily can reach the high 30Cs (around 100F) from June to September. The excursion on Mount Etna is on foot and we walk for up to one hour on hilly terrain of old dried lava, rocky ash and sand. The walking isn’t too strenuous and is done at a leisurely pace.

Sicily has a pleasant climate year-round with plenty of sunshine and warm/hot temperatures. Summer has daily sunshine with temperatures reaching 30C-35C (86F-95F). The earlier and later departures are likely to be cooler with a slightly higher chance of rain. In late summer, there is the possibility of heavy thunderstorms, but these are usually short-lived.