Spring in Secret Sicily 2027
April 10–19 · Max 12 Guests
Spring in Secret Sicily
Pique your curiosity of what’s beyond the checklist.
Dates
April 10–19, 2027
Duration
10 Days · 9 Nights
with Palermo Prelude
April 6-10, 2027
Group Size
Max 12 Guests
Why this trip?
This is a sojourn designed for inquisitive travelers who want to explore Sicily’s hidden corners and understand its heartbeat.
Experience Sicily invites you to experience the island at a gentler, more intimate pace. With a 10-day home base in beautiful Siracusa, you’ll discover Eastern Sicily through its ancient sites, dramatic landscapes, vibrant food traditions, and the warmth of the people who make this land unforgettable.
Spring in Secret Sicily is designed to go beyond sightseeing. It offers a deeper encounter with Sicily through expert guidance, exceptional local cuisine, meaningful cultural exchange, and a carefully balanced rhythm of exploration and ease.
Begin your Sicilian adventure with an optional five-day Palermo prelude, where diverse history, lively markets, striking architecture, and the city’s unmistakable energy create a vivid introduction to the island before continuing east to Siracusa.
What sets us apart?
An intimate encounter with Sicily
☀️
Siracusa & Ortigia
Wander UNESCO-listed Siracusa and the island of Ortigia, where ancient ruins, sea views, and atmospheric streets set the tone for the journey.
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Etna & Wine Country
Explore Mount Etna’s north slope, then taste the island through a remarkable winery tour and lunch in the volcano’s rich landscape.
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Heritage Towns
Discover Morgantina, Aidone, Caltagirone, Scicli, and Modica — a route through ancient history, ceramics, baroque streets, and traditional craftsmanship.
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Nature, Food & Festa
Experience off-the-beaten-path villages and wild landscapes through local traditions, and a hands-on cooking lesson.
An Optional Pre-Tour Package
Palermo Prelude
5D4N Double Occupancy: $2,150; Single Occupancy: $975
Day 1 | 6 April
Transfer from Palermo Airport, Orientation, and Welcome Dinner as a group
Day 2 | 7 April
Led by an expert, local guide, explore the market, culture, and street food in Palermo, before touring UNESCO recognized Monreale Cathedral
Day 3 | 8 April
Tour the temple of Segesta and dine on farm in the Trapani province countryside
Day 4 | 9 April
Visit the fishing village of Porticello, where you’ll eat fresh seafood for lunch, followed by time to wander the Medieval alleys of Cefalù
Day 5 | 10 April
Travel East through ancient Himera and Enna to begin your Spring in Secret Sicily journey…
What’s included?
All transportation, accommodations, guides, activities and excursions,
4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 1 dinner, and most tips
Your 10-day Sojourn
Every day is thoughtfully paced, rich in experience, spacious enough to breathe. Here’s what awaits you.
Day 1
Saturday, April 10
CATANIA AIRPORT → SIRACUSA
Arrival & Welcome Dinner
Arrive in eastern Sicily and settle into your boutique suites. In the evening, gather with the group for a welcome dinner, the first taste of Sicily’s warmth, hospitality, and regional cuisine.
Day 2
Sunday, April 11
SIRACUSA • ORTIGA
Ancient Siracusa
Discover Siracusa’s archaeological heritage with a guided visit to the Paolo Orsi Museum, then spend time exploring Ortigia’s historic streets, sea views, and layered beauty.
Day 3
Monday, April 12
ETNA NORTH SLOPE
Mount Etna and Wine
Head to the north slope of Mount Etna for a day of volcanic landscapes, crater views, and wine country scenery. Visit a cantina for tasting and lunch.
Day 4
Tuesday, April 13
SICILI • MODICA
Limestone and Chocolate
Tour two UNESCO recognized towns of the “Stone Garden,” Scicli and Modica, where ancient canyons collide with tradition, architecture, and chocolate.
Day 5
Wednesday, April 14
MORGANTINA • AIDONE
Encounter the Goddesses
Travel inland for a deeper look at ancient Greek and Roman history at Morgantina and Aidone with an expert archaeologist. In the late afternoon, enjoy leisure time in Caltagirone, where ceramic traditions and Baroque character reveal another side of Sicily.
Day 6
Thursday, April 15
SIRACUSA PROVINCE
A Day with the Locals
Spend the day in a village, where local life takes center stage. Shop with le signore (the ladies). Stand shoulder to shoulder drinking espresso with the regulars. Get your hands in the dough as you make fresh pasta with a local mamma during a cooking lesson featuring traditional recipes.
Day 7
Friday, April 16
ISPICA • VENDICARI
Sweeping Piazzas and Wild Beauty
Explore the hidden elegance of Ragusa Province with a walking tour of Ispica and shared moments at lunch. In the afternoon, feel the fresh breeze on your face during a gentle hike through Vendicari Nature Preserve, amid the coastal pathways and bird sanctuary.
Day 8
Saturday, April 17
RAMACCA
Artichoke Festival
Explore the town of Ramacca during its annual artichoke celebration. Known for the prized “Ramacchese violet” artichoke, the town breaks into a culinary showcase each April. Take part in the festivities of folklore, music and good food!
Day 9
Sunday, April 18
NOTO COUNTRYSIDE
Cycle through Town
Start the day with an e-bike ride through the backroads of Noto. This day balances local flavor, personal exploration, and an active way to experience the Sicilian countryside. Your afternoon will be punctuated with some free time in baroque Noto.
Day 10
Monday, April 19
SIRACUSA → CATANIA AIRPORT
The Secret Send-Off
Enjoy your final breakfast before checking out of your Siracusa hotel and transferring to Catania Airport. If time allows, savor a final cappuccino before a group transfer to Catania Airport.
Your trusted Tour Leader…
Allison Scola
EXPERIENCE SICILY’S OWNER AND CURATOR
It’s Allison’s passion to build bridges between Americans and the island she loves. Before founding Experience Sicily in 2013, she spent nearly 20 years in marketing and communications, and as a performing artist — she brings that storyteller’s eye to every tour she leads, peeling back Sicily’s layers to reveal what the guidebooks always miss: the human warmth, the ancient rhythms, the feeling of a place alive with its own particular genius.
Named an expert at the 2019 New York Times Travel Show, Allison is also the creator of the legendary Cannoli Crawl. She limits every group to 12 guests so everyone moves through Sicily with flexibility and ease.
What’s included?
EXPERIENCES
- Expertly guided cultural visits and experiences, including Siracusa, Mount Etna, Morgantina, Aidone, Caltagirone, Scicli, Modica, Ispica, and Vendicari.
- Culinary experiences including winery tasting with lunch, local trattoria meals, farmhouse dining, dairy specialties, and a hands-on cooking lesson.
- Meaningful access to local life, traditions, the natural world, and community-based experiences curated by Experience Sicily.
MEALS & STAY
- 9 nights accommodations
- All breakfasts (9 total, if time allows)
- 7 lunches
- 2 dinners
LOGISTICS
- All ground transportation & private drivers
- All entrance fees & activity costs
- Fully escorted
- Small group (max 12 guests)
- Most gratuities for included services
Not included:
International flights, travel insurance,
8 independent meals, personal spending
No doubts or worries…
Frequently Asked Questions
How physically demanding is the trip?
We rate this as active. There will be walking on uneven ancient cobblestones, a mildly-paced bike ride on electric bikes, and a coastal hike in nature. Still, we rate it as “soft adventure.” If you can walk for three to four hours comfortably, you will be perfectly able to enjoy every experience.
Is this trip for solo travelers?
Solo travelers make up a significant part of every Experience Sicily group. The intimate group size and the shared experiences create genuine connection very quickly. We encourage solo travelers to join us because you won’t feel solo after the first day.
What are the accommodations like?
We stay in carefully chosen boutique hotels and agriturismi that reflect the character and beauty of each location. Comfortable, charming, and with plenty of atmosphere — not generic chains. Rooms are air-conditioned doubles or singles (supplements apply for single travelers) with ensuite private bathrooms.
What if I have dietary restrictions?
Sicilian cuisine is wonderfully flexible! There’s an abundance of extraordinary vegetarian, gluten-flexible, and allergen-conscious dishes rooted in the island’s traditions. Please let us know your needs when you book and we’ll ensure every included meal works beautifully for you.
Is travel insurance required?
We strongly encourage all guests to purchase comprehensive travel insurance including trip cancellation, interruption, and medical coverage. Travel insurance is not included in the tour price. We’re happy to recommend providers if you need guidance.
What others are saying
From past Secret Sicily trips
“Our time in Sicily with Allison was magical. The tour was incredibly well-planned and executed, and we didn’t have a single bad day. As a family, we always appreciated how Allison made our young daughter feel included in the group’s activities and took her needs into consideration, and she had a terrific time on the tours and excursions. She swam in the Mediterranean and Ionian seas, lit candles in 14th Century churches, learned Italian, and most of all made new friends in ways she never had before.
The local guides were informative and generous with their knowledge, and we felt welcome as members of the family in Licodia Eubea. On our last night the town came out to teach us to make pasta and have a dance party!
On a more personal note, Allison helped us find members of our extended family in a nearby town from which my husband’s grandfather emigrated. Connecting with that heritage meant the world to us and now we have an entire world where we feel at home. This trip was life-changing. I highly recommend it for families or for anyone wanting to discover this wonderful part of the world. We will be returning as soon as we can!”
— Allison
“If you’re planning to visit Sicily and are looking for a tour operator with experience, extensive knowledge and passion for her mother country. You have come to the right place. We have traveled extensively over the years and worked with some of the best travel tour operators. Allison of Experience Sicily is at the top of the list. We just returned from an amazing trip and its because of Allison and her expertise that it was a trip that will remain in our memory as one of our best.
We ate great food, swam in the Mediterranean and Ionian seas, visited ancient cities, sampled Sicilian wines, learned to make pasta and a had a history lesson along the way. Allison, not only has a love of Sicily, but her extensive knowledge of this beautiful island and her attention to every little detail, made us feel like family. Learning the history of this island has given us a deeper appreciation of its people and our family’s heritage. I would highly recommend , that if you are planning a trip to Sicily and want to learn about its people, its culture and its history, you travel with Allison. No one will give the the experiences that she will. ”
— Andrew and Lila
Additional Information About Experience Sicily’s Small Group Tours
- You can find our Terms & Conditions for Small Group Tours here.
- The boutique nature of this itinerary means that it is subject to change as we get closer to departure. Our objective is to include activities and events that are tailored to our guests’ interests. Therefore, in most cases, changes will enhance your experience, as it is our mission to provide you with the most memorable experience in Sicily.
- Details about our accommodations will be released once you have paid in full. All information will be emailed to you about 30 days before departure. A complete, printed trip packet with preparation information will be sent via post.
- Sicily is a large region that requires significant driving. It is also very mountainous and, as a result, has many winding roads. We have designed the itinerary to break up the driving as much as possible, but on some days, long drives will be necessary. If you suffer from motion sickness, please bring motion-sickness medication with you. Please alert Allison Scola as to what will make you most comfortable.
- You must be in good physical health to enjoy this tour. Although we will not be engaging in physically rigorous excursions, there is a significant amount of walking on various surfaces and types of terrain as well as standing for extended periods of time, especially at archaeological sites. NB Slower travelers may have to self-elect to refrain from various activities so not to inhibit the rest of the group’s enjoyment. If you require a cane or similar instrument to walk, please alert Allison Scola prior to registering for the tour.
- Please inform us in advance regarding any dietary restrictions, food allergies, physical limitations, and other personal concerns.
- Photographs or, in some cases, videos of participants of Experience Sicily may be used for educational and promotional purposes by Experience Sicily. Participants expressly consent to this manner of promotional use when reservations are completed.
- Experience Sicily appreciates constructive criticism and feedback. If you have any suggestions or issues while on the tour, please approach Allison Scola privately to discuss thoughts and solutions.
Spring in Secret Sicily
Space is intentionally limited. If you feel the pull, trust it, and reach out to hold your place before the list closes.