Art & History Abroad Tours
Ancient Sicily
Few places in the Mediterranean have absorbed so many cultures—and preserved them so clearly—as Sicily. For over three thousand years the island stood at the centre of ancient sea routes, drawing settlers, traders, and conquerors whose buildings and beliefs still shape the landscape today. Greek temples rise above almond groves, Phoenician harbours lie quiet in coastal lagoons, and medieval cities rest firmly on ancient foundations.
This journey traces Sicily’s historical arc from west to east, beginning in Palermo and moving through some of the island’s most important archaeological regions. We visit the great classical sites of Segesta, Selinunte, Agrigento, Morgantina, and Syracuse, alongside museums that bring their histories into sharp focus. Time is also given to later periods, where Norman, Byzantine, and Baroque monuments reveal how the ancient world continued to influence Sicily long after antiquity.
what’s included
At A Glance
Meet Your Expert Guide
Dr Jamie Sewell
Jamie is a classical archaeologist with fifteen years’ experience supervising excavations in Britain, Germany, Romania and Italy, including Pompeii and Sicily. He holds a doctorate in Classical Archaeology and has published widely on towns in Hellenistic Italy and the wider Mediterranean.
Having lectured at Durham and Humboldt universities, Jamie also brings more than twenty years’ experience as a guide across Europe and North Africa. A master storyteller, he combines archaeological evidence with the human life of ancient cities, bringing streets, temples and public spaces vividly into focus.
itinerary & excursions
Your Itinerary
Explore this incredible tour in detail and discover what makes each day so special. Below, you’ll find a full day-by-day breakdown of your journey, from the moment you arrive to your final farewell. Learn more about the highlights you’ll experience, the unforgettable places you’ll visit, and the unique moments that bring each destination to life. Whether you’re drawn by rich history, stunning landscapes or unforgettable cultural encounters, this itinerary gives you everything you need to picture your adventure and look forward to every step of the way.
Day 1: Arrival in Palermo and Sicily’s Mediterranean Crossroads
Depart London Gatwick for Palermo then transfer by coach to our hotel for a two-night stay.
Evening welcome drink, dinner with wine, and talk from your tour lecturer, Dr Jamie Sewell: ‘Sicily: Crossroads of the Mediterranean’.
Day 2: Palermo’s Archaeology and Norman-Byzantine Churches
Today is devoted to Palermo, whose historical centre is a living record of Mediterranean civilisation. We begin at the Archaeological Museum, Sicily’s principal archaeological collection, housing material from prehistoric times through the Roman period, including sculpture, inscriptions, and architectural fragments that chart the island’s ancient development.
A short walk brings us to the Norman churches of San Cataldo and Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio (La Martorana), masterpieces of the twelfth century. Their austere exteriors conceal interiors rich in Byzantine mosaics. At the Oratorio del Rosario di Santa Cita, we see Giacomo Serpotta’s extraordinary stucco work—an exuberant Baroque counterpoint to the medieval architecture seen earlier.
We conclude at Palermo Cathedral, a monument continuously reshaped since its foundation in the twelfth century. Its structure reflects successive rulers’ ambitions, from Norman kings to Spanish viceroys.
Day 3: Segesta, Mozia and Western Sicily’s Ancient Routes
Leaving Palermo, we travel west to Segesta, one of the most compelling sites of classical Sicily. The unfinished Doric temple, dramatically poised on a hilltop, stands as a testament to the Elymians.
Nearby, the theatre demonstrates how architecture was designed with the surrounding landscape in mind. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we continue to the Stagnone Lagoon at Marsala and cross by small boat to Mozia, once a thriving Phoenician trading colony. Now preserved as an archaeological island, Mozia retains the remains of harbours, sanctuaries, and houses that speak of Sicily’s earliest maritime networks. The island museum houses the celebrated marble statue known as the Youth of Mozia, a rare masterpiece from the Punic world.
We then continue to Marsala for dinner with wine.
Day 4: Marsala, Roman Ship Museum and Selinunte
Our morning begins at the Museo Archeologico Baglio Anselmi, home to the remains of a first‑century BCE Roman ship, discovered just offshore. The museum provides an insight into ancient naval warfare and the strategic importance of western Sicily.
After lunch, we visit Selinunte, one of the largest archaeological parks in Europe. Founded by Greek colonists in the seventh century BCE, the vast site contains multiple sanctuaries and monumental temples, dramatically positioned between sea and plain. The scale of the ruins conveys the former wealth and ambition of this ancient city, destroyed in the late fifth century BCE.
We continue eastward to San Leone.
Day 5: Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples
Today is dedicated to Agrigento; here we explore the Valley of the Temples, where a series of remarkably preserved Doric temples line the ancient processional route. The Temple of Concordia, in particular, is one of the best‑preserved Greek temples anywhere in the world.
Beyond the main ridge, we examine lesser‑visited excavation areas and urban remains that reveal how the ancient city was organised. The day concludes at the Regional Archaeological Museum.
Day 6: Piazza Armerina, Villa Romana del Casale and Morgantina
Travelling inland, we reach Piazza Armerina and the Villa Romana del Casale, a late Roman elite residence famed for its mosaic floors. These vivid scenes of hunting, mythology, and daily life provide an insight into aristocratic life in the fourth century CE.
After lunch, we visit Morgantina, an important Greek city continuously occupied from the Bronze Age to Roman times. The excavated agora, houses, sanctuary, and theatre illustrate the structure of a Hellenistic city, while many artefacts recovered here are now displayed in Sicilian museums. We continue to Syracuse.
Day 7: Ancient Syracuse and Ortygia
Syracuse, founded by Corinthian Greeks in the eighth century BCE, was one of the greatest cities of the ancient Mediterranean. We begin at the Neapolis Archaeological Park, home to the Greek theatre, Roman amphitheatre, and the vast limestone quarries known as the Latomie. The Greek theatre, substantially rebuilt under Hieron II, remains a defining monument of classical architecture.
The visit is complemented by the Paolo Orsi Archaeological Museum, which houses an exceptional chronological collection from prehistoric Sicily through the Roman period. In the afternoon, we explore Ortygia, the historic heart of Syracuse, on foot.
Time is allowed to appreciate its ancient street plan, cathedral square, and layers of Greek, medieval, and Baroque architecture. Farewell dinner tonight.
Day 8: Departure from Catania
Transfer to Catania Airport for our return flight to London Gatwick
Availability
Choose Your Departure
HOTELS
Tour Accommodation
NH Collection Palermo Palazzo Sitano, Palermo – 2 nights
Located in Palermo’s atmospheric Kalsa district, just a short stroll from the waterfront and the city’s baroque landmarks, this four-star hotel occupies a sensitively restored 18th‑century palazzo that once belonged to Sicilian nobility. The building offers a mix of original features—arched courtyards, stone staircases and decorative flourishes—while its interiors have been updated with the polished, contemporary comfort. Facilities include a wellness area with sauna and steam room, a small fitness space, bar and restaurant, along with comfortable bedrooms with all modern amenities.
Hotel Website
Hotel President, Marsala – 1 night
Hotel President offers a relaxed and practical base just a short distance from the historic centre and the region’s celebrated salt flats and vineyards. Designed with a contemporary, functional feel, the hotel centres around a generous outdoor pool and sun terrace, alongside a restaurant, and bar. Guest rooms are spacious and simply styled, with a clean, modern finish, and come with air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, TV, minibar, and hairdryer.
Hotel Website
Hotel Costazzurra Museum & Spa, San Leone – 2 nights
This four-star hotel is located in the seaside quarter of San Leone, just a short walk from the Mediterranean and a short drive from Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples. The hotel is classed as an “archaeo-hotel,” housing the private Gaipa collection—an eclectic array of artefacts spanning Magna Grecia, Egypt and Rome. Facilities include a spa, outdoor swimming pool with sun terrace, private beach access, restaurant, and bar. Rooms are comfortable and classically styled, offering air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, minibar, safe and hairdryer.
Hotel Website
Grand Hotel Villa Politi, Syracuse – 2 nights
Occupying a striking position on the edge of Syracuse within the ancient Latomie dei Cappuccini—a series of atmospheric stone quarries dating back over 2,500 years—Grand Hotel Villa Politi is one of the city’s most characterful historic stays. This elegant late‑19th‑century palace, enhanced with early 20th‑century Liberty-style flourishes, has welcomed notable guests over the decades, including Winston Churchill, and retains a sense of grandeur amid its cliffside setting overlooking the Ionian Sea. The hotel is set just outside the historic centre, within easy reach of Ortigia and the archaeological park, and is surrounded by gardens and natural rock formations. Facilities include classic style bedrooms, a large outdoor swimming pool with sun terrace, a restaurant, and the Winston Lounge Bar, along with a private rocky beachfront area.
Hotel Website
our regular tours
Mobility Information
This tour has a demanding fitness rating and is designed for travellers who enjoy a more active pace of exploration. While it is not a walking holiday, you should expect busy days with extended periods on your feet and visits where conditions may be more varied. These may include uneven terrain, cobbled streets, archaeological sites, steep paths, steps, stairs, limited handrails or fewer opportunities to sit and rest.
A good level of fitness and mobility will help you enjoy the full experience of the itinerary. Please read the day-by-day itinerary carefully, as we highlight specific practical details wherever possible. This may include notes about ground conditions, stairs, walking distances, coach access or sites where lifts are not available.
If you have any questions about whether this tour is suitable for you, please contact our team before booking. We are always happy to talk through the itinerary and help you make the right choice.
Your questions answered
Tour FAQ
If you have a question, we are more than happy to answer it via email or phone, but you may find your answer below more quickly.
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