Arrive in Sicily with added comfort and peace of mind through a personalized airport welcome service at Palermo Airport. Upon arrival, meet your private airport assistant either in the arrivals hall or, where permitted, at the aircraft finger. Following any required passport control procedures for international arrivals, your assistant will escort you to the baggage carousel and accompany you onward to the airport rental car area.

Take to the road with ease as you explore Sicily’s vibrant cities and diverse landscapes. A premium category vehicle has been reserved in your name, offering a comfortable and stylish way to travel between cultural landmarks, countryside retreats, and coastal escapes. Should you wish to upgrade, your Destination Expert will be happy to assist.

A Welcome Package will be provided and will include any relevant documents or tickets required for your trip.

Slip into Palermo at your own pace with time for a relaxed, self-guided wander through its vibrant streets. Layers of Greek, Roman, Arab, and Norman influence reveal themselves in sunlit piazzas, bustling markets, and intricate facades, shaping the city’s unmistakable rhythm and character. Your final travel documents include curated suggestions from Kensington Tours Destination Experts to guide your exploration.

Explore Sicily on a full-day journey through Palermo and Monreale, where rich history, layered cultures, and bold culinary traditions come to life. Join your private English-speaking guide and drive to experience a city that once inspired Goethe with its unforgettable beauty. Stroll baroque streets and lively markets, where centuries of influence unfold through architecture, music, and everyday rhythm. Pause to sample iconic Sicilian street food amid the buzz of a traditional market, then enjoy time at leisure for lunch. Continue to Monreale to visit its UNESCO-listed cathedral, a masterpiece of Norman-Arab design famed for its dazzling mosaics and serene cloister, bringing your day to a spectacular close. Kindly note: Modest attire is required to enter the Monreale Cathedral. Please ensure shoulders and knees are covered.

Set within the historic Palazzo Gangi in Palermo’s Kalsa district, this elegant restaurant pairs a storied setting with refined Sicilian cuisine that blends tradition with modern technique. Expect thoughtfully composed dishes rooted in local ingredients, complemented by an exceptional wine cellar of over 600 labels. Kindly note this is a confirmed reservation only; all food and beverage charges are payable directly at the restaurant.

Depart Palermo and drive south on the SS188 to Corleone, about 50 minutes through rolling countryside. Visit the CIDMA Anti-Mafia Museum in Piazza Falcone e Borsellino for a compelling look at Sicily’s modern history, allowing around 45 minutes before continuing to the coast, approximately 55 minutes to Scala dei Turchi. Explore the striking white marl cliffs above the turquoise sea, with time for a swim and a relaxed lunch at a seafront restaurant in Realmonte.

Continue 15 minutes to the Valley of the Temples near Agrigento, arriving in the late afternoon when the light softens and the ancient stone glows. A private guided visit with an archaeologist brings the Temple of Concordia, the Temple of Juno, and the surrounding site to life.

Prepare to stand before some of the ancient world’s most breathtaking ruins. The Valley of the Temples is Sicily at its grandest, where 2,500-year-old Greek temples rise from the landscape with striking clarity and power. With your private driver and expert guide, explore Agrigento’s UNESCO-listed Archaeological Park, home to some of the best-preserved remains of antiquity. Along the Via Sacra, encounter its three highlights: the hilltop Temple of Juno, the remarkably intact Temple of Concordia, and the commanding Temple of Hercules.

La Terrazza degli Dei at Villa Athena pairs refined Sicilian cuisine with one of Italy’s most iconic views, overlooking the Temple of Concordia and Juno. Seasonal menus highlight the region’s finest ingredients, thoughtfully reinterpreted to reflect local tradition in an elegant, atmospheric setting. Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly for dinner when the temples are illuminated. Kindly note this is a confirmed reservation only; all food and beverage charges are payable directly at the restaurant.

Drive from Villa Athena north to Piazza Armerina — around one hour fifteen minutes inland through the Sicilian interior. The Villa Romana del Casale sits just outside town: a 4th-century Roman hunting villa whose floor mosaics are the finest and most extensive in the world, a UNESCO site that stops even seasoned travellers in their tracks. A private guided tour does it justice; allow two hours. Lunch in Piazza Armerina at Trattoria La Ruota — unfussy, traditional and very good.

Modica, around one hour twenty minutes on the SP9 and SS115. Arrive by 10am before the coach parties. The morning is spent at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto (est. 1880), Sicily's oldest chocolate shop on the Corso Umberto I, for a private tasting of the cold-process ancient chocolate the city has been making the same way for four hundred years. Lunch in Modica: Ristorante Accursio on Via Grimaldi is the best table in town.

From Piazza Armerina, continue one hour fifteen minutes south to Modica — arrive mid-afternoon for a private tasting at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto (est. 1880), Sicily's oldest chocolate shop on the Corso Umberto I, where chocolate is still made cold-process without sugar in the manner the Aztecs taught the Spanish. Continue 20 minutes northwest to Ragusa Ibla; park in the upper town at Piazza Pola and walk down into the lower baroque town below the dome of San Giorgio.

The Michelin-starred Ristorante Locanda Don Serafino offers an intimate and refined dining experience where historic surroundings meet contemporary Sicilian cuisine. Chef Vincenzo Candiano’s tasting menus reinterpret local flavors with creativity and precision, complemented by an exceptional wine cellar. Advance reservations are essential due to limited seating and high demand, with bookings recommended 4–6 weeks ahead. Kindly note this is a confirmed reservation only; all food and beverage charges are payable directly at the restaurant.

Drive from Eremo della Giubiliana east to Syracuse — one hour on the SP60 and E45, for an afternoon private guided tour of Syracuse and Ortigia.

Ancient theatres, Baroque beauty, and seaside charm come together on this private half-day journey through Syracuse and Ortigia. With your private driver and expert guide, explore the Neapolis Archaeological Park, from the Greek Theater to the Ear of Dionysius, before continuing to Ortigia’s sunlit lanes and lively piazzas. Visit the UNESCO-listed Duomo, built around the Temple of Athena, and pause at the Fountain of Arethusa as your guide brings Sicily’s layered past to life. Return to your hotel by private transfer.

Drive north from Grand Hotel Ortigia in Syracuse toward Mount Etna, approximately 1 hour 20 minutes via the A18 for your E-bike adventure on the volcano’s slopes. Once finished, continue toward Taormina, descending through Etna’s lava fields to the coast before joining the A18 northbound.

Volcanic landscapes and sweeping coastal views set the tone for this private e-bike adventure on Mount Etna. From a high-altitude refuge, follow expertly guided routes across rugged lava fields and winding mountain trails, with the e-bike allowing you to cover more ground while staying fully immersed in the experience. Along the way, learn about Etna’s ever-changing geology and resilient flora before ending on a high note with a food and wine tasting at a local winery, celebrating the flavors shaped by this remarkable terrain. Kindly note: Please dress appropriately. Conditions can shift quickly, and cooler temperatures or breezes are common, especially near Mount Etna.

The Michelin-starred Otto Geleng at San Domenico Palace offers a refined and deeply atmospheric dining experience overlooking the Bay of Naxos and Mount Etna. With just a handful of tables, the setting feels exclusive and romantic, while Chef Roberto Toro’s tasting menus reinterpret Sicilian and Mediterranean flavors with precision and creativity. Advance reservations are essential due to extremely limited seating and high demand. Kindly note this is a confirmed reservation only; all food and beverage charges are payable directly at the restaurant.

Warm stone beneath your feet, the scent of citrus in the air, and the low hum of cafÉ chatter set the mood as you wander through Taormina’s storybook streets. Spend time along Corso Umberto, where elegant piazzas open unexpectedly between medieval facades, boutiques spill out with ceramics and linens, and shaded terraces invite lingering stops for espresso or granita. Duck down narrow lanes framed by bougainvillea, admire wrought-iron balconies and hidden courtyards, and pause often to take in postcard-perfect views that appear at every turn. This self guided experience is all about savoring the town itself at an unhurried pace, perfect for browsing, people watching, and soaking up Taormina’s timeless atmosphere.

Descend from Taormina town to MazzarÒ Beach via the short cable car ride and set out along the coast at your own pace. From here, a two-hour boat excursion to the Isola Bella Nature Reserve and nearby sea caves offers a scenic way to explore the shoreline. Your hotel concierge can assist with arrangements; advance booking is recommended, particularly in peak season.A final loop of the main Corso Umberto I in the late afternoon before dinner at Il Ciclope, also on the Corso — a long-standing local institution, no Michelin star, excellent pasta and grilled swordfish, and exactly the right register for a last evening on the island.

Depart the hotel for the 45-minute drive from Taormina south on the A18 to Catania Airport.

Your journey winds down as you make your way to the designated rental car drop-off point and return your vehicle, marking a smooth and easy end to your self-drive experience.

Discover history, majesty and serenity at Rocco Forte Villa Igiea, a turn-of-the-century palace boasting a prized location on the perimeter of vivid Palermo, the foot of Mount Pellegrino, and overlooking the Gulf of Palermo. A long-loved seaside-meets-city sanctuary for royalty, dignitaries, and Hollywood luminaries, trace their paths through tiered villa gardens that sweep down to the port and out to the Tyrrhenian Sea, or inward to Palermo’s bustling markets and Baroque palaces. Furnished with classic antiques and lavish fabrics, each of Villa Igiea’s 66 rooms and suites is fresh, light, and unquestionably Sicilian. Locally crafted elements pay homage to the villa’s extraordinary setting, with classic parquet and exquisite marble maintaining cool temperatures in the warmest of summers. Dine on-site, while balmy sea breezes sweep in from the azure Gulf, a refreshing reminder of the villa’s island location. All this establishes Villa Igiea as the final word in Palermo's coastal glamor.

Welcome to Villa Athena, where luxury reaches its pinnacle in the heart of the Archaeological Park of the Valley of the Temples. This illustrious hotel is not just a residence; it's an 18th-century masterpiece, a living testament to classical opulence. Stepping into guestrooms, be enveloped in a luminous ambiance that exudes originality. Refined furnishings grace every corner, embodying the epitome of elegance. Impeccable service is not just a commitment; it's a warm and inviting embrace, extending a friendly welcome that ensures each desire is met with grace. Prepare the senses for an exquisite culinary journey at the hotel's restaurant, where delectable cuisine is paired with views that sweep across millennia-old temples and the enchanting surroundings of the hotel. The Villa Athena Spa stands as a sanctuary of refined wellness, where relaxation flourishes. Here, immerse yourself in a tranquil realm, where pampering treatments, fragrant showers, Jacuzzis, and steam baths await to rejuvenate your body and soul.

Eremo della Giubiliana a charming hotel set in a historical residence, a few kilometers south of Ragusa, is surrounded by pristine nature, carob forests, and stone walls. Historic thick white stone walls surround and protect the courtyards and inner structure. Guest rooms are delicately restored friars' cells, and offer all the amenities needed for a comfortable stay. The hotel’s cuisine is initially based around the sophisticated recipes of the nobility of the Hyblean Highlands and the produce of the NifosÌ arable farm, which evolved in 2009 into the Don Eusebio Restaurant. Enjoy pampering treatments at The Asphodelus wellness area at the Eremo, located in the most exclusive area of the park, in front of the archeological site tracing back to the V-III century B.C.

Grand Hotel Ortigia is a historic hotel set at the entrance to the island of Ortigia, Syracuse's UNESCO-listed old town. Housed in a beautifully preserved late 19th-century Liberty-style building, the hotel blends elegant period architecture with classic contemporary interiors. Its 56 rooms and suites provide a comfortable base within easy walking distance of Ortigia's Baroque landmarks, waterfront promenades, restaurants, and cafÉs. With a panoramic rooftop restaurant overlooking the Gulf of Syracuse, a wellness spa, and seasonal private beach access, the hotel is particularly well suited to couples and those seeking a character-filled stay.

Set high in the rocky hills on the east coast of Sicily, Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo has long been known as one of Italy’s most glamorous retreats. The first hotel to be built in Taormina, it sits in the most perfect location, directly in front of the Greek Theatre, as sweeping views of the coastline and majestic Mount Etna stretch out beyond. Guestrooms combine elegance and tranquility, and many offer stunning views of the hotel’s surroundings. Let Sicily come to you as you admire its gardens, savor sensational local cuisine at the Restaurant, where its incomparable location is complemented by a sensational menu of Sicilian and Mediterranean cuisine. The Pool Restaurant offers a snack bar, perfect for light bites throughout the day, and guests can relax out on the Literary Terrace & Bar where generations of celebrated guests have gathered in the sun. The hotel’s Wellness Center lets guests experience precious moments of complete relaxation, and includes a fitness center, and swimming pool.