Sicily for Solo Travellers

Fly into Palermo, Sicily’s capital, where you’ll travel to Sciacca on the south coast of the island. This clifftop port town is known for its fishing heritage and thermal spas. Here, you’ll stay at the 5-star Mangia’s Torre del Barone Resort for four nights and enjoy a welcome cocktail and dinner with your fellow travelling companions.
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After breakfast, take a scenic drive along the area’s salt road towards the coastal town of Marsala, once an important trading port. On the way, you’ll pass vast pink-and-white-hued salt pans which draw exotic birds such as flamingos, surrounded by windmills. Stop at a Salt Museum to learn about the region’s history of salt production.

The town of Marsala, with its Baroque buildings and marble paving, is also famous for its namesake sweet dessert wines, made from fortified brandy with regional grapes and typically used in cooking. You’ll get to sample some of these wines at a historic cellar, detecting flavours such as caramel and tamarind. Afterwards, return to the hotel for a free afternoon to either relax by the pool or further explore the town before dinner.
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Today you’ll get a taste of Sicily’s ancient history with a visit to the Valley of the Temples, just south of Agrigento, where you’ll discover the remains of the former city of Akragas, founded by the Greeks. The archeological site has some of the best-preserved temples outside of Greece, which has earned it UNESCO status.

You’ll see eight temples built between 510 and 430 BCE, built to honour Greek gods like Hercules, Zeus and Demeter. Don’t miss the imposing temple of Concordia on top of the ridge, as well as Byzantine tombs surrounded by hundred-year-old olive trees. Afterwards, take a stroll along the beach or take a dip in the hotel pool before dinner.
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This morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast followed by a cooking class led by a local, where you’ll learn how to make fresh, authentic Italian pasta. After kneading the dough, enjoy an aperitif while it rests, before learning how to mould up to five different pasta shapes. Then relax while the cook makes you a plate of Pasta alla Norma, a Sicilian dish of fried eggplant, tomato sauce and ricotta.

The afternoon is yours to spend as you please. Take advantage of your hotel’s stellar facilities; head to the thermal centre for a spa session (payable locally), relax by the pool or enjoy drinks by the sea at the beach club. If you’re feeling active, have a game of tennis or boules with your fellow travellers, or try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding. This evening, sip a drink at one of the hotel’s panoramic terrace bars before dinner.
(B, D)

Today travel northeast to Trapani, a former Spanish harbour and vital trading hub thanks to its abundant coral, tuna and key position on the peninsula. Explore the old town with its narrow lanes, stopping to watch locals trade at the fish market, admire the rose window at the Church of Sant-Agostino and visit the Ligny Tower, one of the town’s five defensive towers.

Continue to the 12th-century village of Erice, which is perched 750 metres above sea level on Mount Erice, overlooking Trapani. This walled medieval hub has over 60 churches, including the Norman-style Chiesa di San Martino, and two castles, Pepoli and Venus. You’ll have free time to explore before continuing to Palermo. Here, you’ll spend 3 nights in the 4-star Splendid Hotel La Torre in Mondello, a seaside town on the outskirts of Palermo.
(B)

Start the day by exploring Sicily’s capital and its sought-after cuisine. On foot, you’ll visit some of Palermo’s popular markets like Ballarò, Vucciria and Capo, which have Arabic roots and a souk-like feel with stalls lining narrow streets, piled high with goods. You’ll also stop at restaurants loved by locals and sample the city’s typical street food such as arancini, granita (Sicilian sorbet) and cannoli.

Next, journey just southwest of the city to Monreale, a Norman cathedral built in the 12th century that’s UNESCO-listed for its impressive Byzantine mosaics. These intricate biblical artworks contain solid gold and are Italy’s largest mosaics, spanning over 6,400 square metres. You can also examine the Benedictine cloister with its Romanesque arches before returning to your hotel.
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Your final full day in Sicily begins with a trip to the picture-perfect harbour town of Cefalù. Beloved by Italian tourists and filmmakers, the former fishing village showcases a mix of Greek, Roman and Arabic influences, its main square home to a UNESCO-protected cathedral known for its Sicilian Romanesque architecture. Stroll along the town’s crescent-shaped sandy beach and have lunch at a local restaurant.

Afterwards, you’ll spend a free afternoon in Palermo. Continue exploring the city independently, having coffee or gelato in buzzing squares like the Quattro Canti with its grand Pretoria Fountain, or visit the Teatro Massimo in the Piazza Verdi. Alternatively, enjoy your hotel’s three salt-water pools and sea access.
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Today your Sicilian adventure comes to an end. After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the airport in time for your homebound flight.
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