SICILY · DAY TRIPS
Good day trips fill up weeks ahead; the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Small-group Mount Etna day trip from Catania with hotel pickup, guided crater walk near 2,000m, lava cave visit, and cantucci wine tasting.
“We had a really nice trip with a great guide. The tour was perfectly planned and we had some really nice views.”
8-hour shared-van trip from Palermo to Segesta, Nubia, Trapani salt pans, and Erice. Greek ruins, medieval town, sea views.
“Great day trip but for me I’d happily sacrifice the time travelling to and looking at the salt pans for more time in Erice. A bit of a pointless part of a great trip.”
Full-day Etna and Alcantara Gorges tour with an easy crater hike, a lava cave visit, included lunch, and time to swim in the canyon.
“Our guide Maya was very knowledgable, the organisation was first class and the lunch was delicious - I would not hesitate to recommend this trip to anyone wanting to learn more about Mount Etna and visit the Alcantara Gorges”
A half-day escape from Palermo to Monreale’s jaw-dropping Duomo mosaics and the seaside charm of Cefalù, with scenic coastal driving.
“Our guide Sergio was warm and friendly! He was one of the best!”
Palermo to Agrigento temples and Scala dei Turchi in one day, with comfy transport, timed breaks, and 2 hours exploring the Valley.
“Agrigento is worth visiting 👍🏻 The time 2,5 hours is good time slot for normal walk like me. I was happy that it is not less than 2,5 hours. We were happy that we were again with Mario. Very polite, very safe driving, no stress, not talkative, always attentive to all of us. Profi 👍🏻. As Intermezzo, we sang during the driving back 😅 it was fun ☺️”
Day trip by boat from Milazzo to Lipari and Vulcano, with town time, black-sand swimming, and volcanic scenery for about $60.
“Amazing trip, we had the opportunity to look around lipari and swim on the black sand beach at vulcano. Bring snorkels if you have them!”
Mt Etna hike and lava cave plus Taormina village time from Catania. Small group, cave gear and tastings included, cable car extra.
“Exhilarating trip up mountain Etna. We chose the e-bike option as this was quite unique. We had a lovely lunch with wine tasting followed by a Taormina visit. Here we had 2 hours which was just about enough time to gain a taster for the town. We recommend visiting the Amphitheater- lovely views. Our tour guide Salvo, was amazing. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Great tour!”
Etna from Catania in a small group: Sapienza hike, lava cave kit, and farm tasting, with pickup. Optional cable car upgrade.
“Incredible day with our guide Salvo, he was fantastic and great fun throughout. His knowledge of mt etna was incredible as was his ability to switch between languages. We decided on the quad bike tour which was amazing fun as someone that’s never driven a quad bike before and would fully recommend this to anyone wanting to try. The tasting session at the restaurant was also delicious and authentic. Thanks Salvo! Forza italia”
Day trip from Taormina to Mount Etna: coach, cable car, and jeep to the upper craters, with guided geology and summit views.
“Good enough trip but would of been better with more information available at booking i.e one of the pick up points was right outside our hotel but we had to walk up to Taormina in the morning via the steps without this knowledge. There could of also been more time at the activity, at least 1 hour more it describes it as a full day but we got picked back up at 1:30 pm Being on Etna was a great experience. You do need a moderate degree of fitness to visit the craters. This is not a shorts and plimsols activity like I saw many wearing, it is snowy currently…”
Full-day trip from Palermo to Mount Etna and Taormina, with Etna’s funicular access to 2,500m and a timed stroll in town.
“Etna was natural and beautiful and a bit of a challenge scaling, but well worth the effort . Toarmina was beautiful and the Amphitheatre is a real treasure. However the was made really great due to our guide and driver, Michael. He was very friendly, informative and gave good advice and tips about both parts of the trip. He was very punctual and gave us plenty of time and notice st Rach stop. Nothing was too much trouble and his conversation was also a nice distraction . Can’t give more praise fora great experience, Thanks Michael. From the Liverpool family”
From Taormina to Etna, taste four Gambino wines with Sicilian cheeses and aperitivo, plus village time, on a 5-hour tour.
“The tour was informative. A beautiful part of Sicily. We tried 4 different types of wine. 2 Etna and 2 from their winery in another part of Sicily. They were generous with the wine tasting. The food pairing of cheese and antipasti was also good. Really good value for money and would definitely recommend- a must do excursion.”
Cruise from Milazzo to Lipari and Vulcano for Lipari old-town wandering, sea cliff views, and sulphur-warm bathing in a timed 9-hour day trip.
“This was not exactly at guide, but was excellent transportation! The boats run like clockwork so be sure to get there 10 minutes early.”
Day cruise from Taormina to Panarea and Stromboli, with time to wander, swim, and watch Sciara del Fuoco eruptions from the sea.
“Good tour, however a couple of minor concerns. First being after paying for the tour and on the bus, we were advised that their was an additional 5 euro per person. This was not set out previously. Second was the ferry was packed and we were like sardines. I would hate to have been an older traveller. There were people leaving their bags across seats and children sprawling and taking up space. If I’m paying for a tour, I expect to st least get a seat. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we were priveleged to see Stromboli erupt 5 times”
Palermo to Agrigento in one day, with Valley of the Temples time and a short stop for Scala dei Turchi cliff photos.
“It would have been better if we were allowed more time at the Valley of the Temples. We were allowed 2 hours, which included standing in line to get tickets to go inside. Maybe modify the trip to include tickets.”
A 5-hour Mount Etna half-day with door-to-door pickup, crater walks, photo stops, and a honey-focused tasting, with optional cable car.
“A wonderful trip, Orazio is a wonderful person, he explains everything, you listen to him with great interest, I highly recommend it!!!”
Every kind of day out on the island, and the best of each.
