THE WONDERS OF SICILY
+ Optional Add-on
Matera & Alberobello
“To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the key to everything!''
~ Goethe
SICILY HIGHLIGHTS
April 1-8, 2026
8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS FROM $4,570 PER PERSON –
LIMITED TO 12 GUESTS
(includes in-Sicily group transportation, all very highly ranked 3-star and 4-star hotels,
all group tours, escort for entire tour, and much more . . .)
8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS FROM $4,570 PER PERSON –
LIMITED TO 12 GUESTS
(includes in-Sicily group transportation, all very highly ranked 3-star and 4-star hotels,
all group tours, escort for entire tour, and much more . . .)
Taormina & Mt. Etna
Taormina is situated on Sicily's north-eastern coast at an elevation of about 700 feet. The views from there are fabulous – including the beautiful Mediterranean coastline and Mt. Etna! Our tour of Taormina includes the magnificent Ancient Greek Odeon (theater) and the 12th-14th century Palazzo Corvaja. We'll also have an exclusive cooking class with a local chef; we'll shop for fresh seasonal ingredients at the Taormina market, make traditional appetizers plus first and second courses, and sample the dishes we’ve prepared over lunch, paired with local wines.
We'll also visit nearby Mt. Etna – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and Europe’s largest. Its fertile volcanic soils support extensive agriculture, with vineyards and orchards spread across the lower slopes of the mountain. So after our tour, we'll have a group lunch with wine tasting right there on Mt. Etna.
Taormina is situated on Sicily's north-eastern coast at an elevation of about 700 feet. The views from there are fabulous – including the beautiful Mediterranean coastline and Mt. Etna! Our tour of Taormina includes the magnificent Ancient Greek Odeon (theater) and the 12th-14th century Palazzo Corvaja. We'll also have an exclusive cooking class with a local chef; we'll shop for fresh seasonal ingredients at the Taormina market, make traditional appetizers plus first and second courses, and sample the dishes we’ve prepared over lunch, paired with local wines.
We'll also visit nearby Mt. Etna – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and Europe’s largest. Its fertile volcanic soils support extensive agriculture, with vineyards and orchards spread across the lower slopes of the mountain. So after our tour, we'll have a group lunch with wine tasting right there on Mt. Etna.
(Click photos to enlarge.)
Piazza Armerina & Agrigento
Transferring from Taormina to Agrigento, we'll pause at Piazza Armerina for a private guided tour of the 4th-century C.E. Villa Romana del Casale, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. This villa is famous for the richness and quality of the mosaics that decorate almost every room.
Then, on to Agrigento, founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century B.C.E. We'll be here to visit the Valley of the Temples. With the remains of seven Doric temples, it's one of the most outstanding examples of ancient Greek art and architecture of Magna Graecia and is yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site
Transferring from Taormina to Agrigento, we'll pause at Piazza Armerina for a private guided tour of the 4th-century C.E. Villa Romana del Casale, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. This villa is famous for the richness and quality of the mosaics that decorate almost every room.
Then, on to Agrigento, founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century B.C.E. We'll be here to visit the Valley of the Temples. With the remains of seven Doric temples, it's one of the most outstanding examples of ancient Greek art and architecture of Magna Graecia and is yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site
(Click photos to enlarge.)
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Palermo
Palermo was founded by the Phoenicians in the 8th century B.C.E. and subsequently ruled by Carthage, ancient Greek colonists, ancient Rome, the medieval Arab Emirate, French Normans and Angevins, Spaniards, and so on, and so on . . . And these cultures have all left their imprint on Sicily's capital city.
We probably can't recapture all 28 centuries of history and culture in 3½ days, so we'll do our best to give you some in-depth tastings. Highlights of our time in Palermo will include a walking tour of the city's historic city center, including the Quattro Canti, the Port of Palermo, the Mercato di Ballarò, and street food.
We'll also visit dazzling aristocratic palaces, Palermo Cathedral (begun by the Normans in 1185), and the Palatine Chapel (a mixture of Byzantine, Norman, and Fatimid Arabic architectural styles, highlighting the tricultural state of Sicily during the 12th century). Indeed, the Palatine Chapel, yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Palermo's artistic gems, with magnificent mosaics and Arabic-style decorations that are among the most beautiful in the world.
Palermo was founded by the Phoenicians in the 8th century B.C.E. and subsequently ruled by Carthage, ancient Greek colonists, ancient Rome, the medieval Arab Emirate, French Normans and Angevins, Spaniards, and so on, and so on . . . And these cultures have all left their imprint on Sicily's capital city.
We probably can't recapture all 28 centuries of history and culture in 3½ days, so we'll do our best to give you some in-depth tastings. Highlights of our time in Palermo will include a walking tour of the city's historic city center, including the Quattro Canti, the Port of Palermo, the Mercato di Ballarò, and street food.
We'll also visit dazzling aristocratic palaces, Palermo Cathedral (begun by the Normans in 1185), and the Palatine Chapel (a mixture of Byzantine, Norman, and Fatimid Arabic architectural styles, highlighting the tricultural state of Sicily during the 12th century). Indeed, the Palatine Chapel, yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Palermo's artistic gems, with magnificent mosaics and Arabic-style decorations that are among the most beautiful in the world.
(Click photos to enlarge.)
Matera (Basilicata Region)
& Alberobello (Puglia Region)
An Optional Add-on
April 8-12, 2026
5 DAYS/4 NIGHTS FROM $3,200 PER PERSON –
LIMITED TO 10 GUESTS
5 DAYS/4 NIGHTS FROM $3,200 PER PERSON –
LIMITED TO 10 GUESTS
Matera
Matera is one of the most unusual towns anywhere in the world. Located in Italy’s Basilicata region, the town dates back two millennia, having evolved from a troglodyte settlement that originated in the 10th millennium B.C.E. (the Paleolithic Age). The rock-cut urban core of Matera is known as the "Sassi di Matera". (The “Sassi” are the habitations dug into the calcareous rock originating in the troglodyte settlement and now thought to be among the first ever human settlements in what is now Italy).
Matera is one of the most unusual towns anywhere in the world. Located in Italy’s Basilicata region, the town dates back two millennia, having evolved from a troglodyte settlement that originated in the 10th millennium B.C.E. (the Paleolithic Age). The rock-cut urban core of Matera is known as the "Sassi di Matera". (The “Sassi” are the habitations dug into the calcareous rock originating in the troglodyte settlement and now thought to be among the first ever human settlements in what is now Italy).
Alberobello
Alberobello is a must visit in the Apulia region. The town is characterized by its trulli, small dwellings built of dry stone and with unique conical roofs. It’s believed that these buildings were first constructed back in the mid-14th century. They were originally used as shelters, storage huts, and homes; today they’re mostly homes and shops. You’ll enjoy a leisurely visit here and spending a night in a trulli hotel.
Alberobello is a must visit in the Apulia region. The town is characterized by its trulli, small dwellings built of dry stone and with unique conical roofs. It’s believed that these buildings were first constructed back in the mid-14th century. They were originally used as shelters, storage huts, and homes; today they’re mostly homes and shops. You’ll enjoy a leisurely visit here and spending a night in a trulli hotel.
(Click photos to enlarge.)
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Dan Lesnick is as good as it gets for small, expert led tours in Italy. We travelled with Dan twice and each time experienced tours that were above our expectations in choice of accommodations, selection of sites to see, and expert guidance on history, language, art, culture and cuisine.
Nashville, TN |
N.b. All guided tours, events, and transportation
on Italy Adagio tours are private unless stated otherwise.
on Italy Adagio tours are private unless stated otherwise.
