What's the ideal length for a tour starting in Palermo to fully experience Sicily?

An 8-10 day tour from Palermo gives travelers enough time to see Sicily's main attractions without feeling rushed. This timeline lets you explore key sites like Monreale Cathedral Mount Etna and the Aeolian Islands at a comfortable pace. As one TourRadar traveler noted: "The 10-day itinerary was perfect to see all the highlights without feeling rushed and our guide Lino made the experience exceptional."

What's the typical travel time from Palermo to popular destinations?

Key travel times from Palermo by coach include a 30-minute ride to Monreale 1 hour to Cefalù 2.5 hours to Mount Etna and 3 hours to Taormina. The coaches provide air conditioning and regular rest stops. One TourRadar traveler mentioned: "The drive times were very manageable and our guide made great stops along the way."

What are the most common starting locations for tours within Palermo?

Tours in Palermo start from three main spots: the Palazzo dei Normanni and Cappella Palatina complex the historic Mercato del Capo area and the Quattro Canti intersection. The Hotel Mercure Palermo Centro often serves as a meeting point while food-focused tours begin at the Ballaro or Capo markets. As one TourRadar traveler notes: "The places we visited were all fantastic especially starting from the historic center with its stunning architecture and lively markets."

What unique cultural experiences can I expect in the first days of tours starting from Palermo?

The first days in Palermo often include visits to the gold-adorned Cappella Palatina food tastings at local markets and hands-on cooking classes. Many tours take you through the Arab-Norman Cathedral and the Byzantine Church of Martorana. A TourRadar traveler shared: "The street food tour in Palermo's markets was an incredible way to start - our guide explained all the unique Sicilian specialties and let us sample everything from arancini to cannoli."

What are the best side trips available from Palermo in the first few days of tours?

Early tour days often feature trips to nearby attractions: Monreale's Norman Cathedral takes 30 minutes to reach the beach town of Mondello is 15 minutes away and the medieval town of Cefalù sits an hour from Palermo. One TourRadar reviewer noted: "The day trip to Monreale from Palermo was breathtaking - the cathedral's mosaics were incredible and offered a perfect contrast to Palermo's busy streets."

How far is the transfer from Palermo Airport to the city center hotels?

The airport transfer covers 32km and takes 45-60 minutes to reach central Palermo hotels. Tour operators typically arrange direct transport to properties like the Mercure Palermo Centro or Hotel Plaza Opera. A TourRadar traveler mentioned: "The transfer was smooth and well-organized taking us directly to our hotel in central Palermo."

Sicily Tours from Palermo

An adventure starting in Palermo is a great way to see Sicily. We have 64 tours that range from 4 days up to 14 days. The most popular time for tours from Palermo is May, which has the most tour departures.

10 best Sicily tours from Palermo

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Explorer
Sicilian Secrets - Mini Tour of Sicily 5 days
4.6 (28 traveler reviews)
"Great overview of Sicily in a few days. Highly recommend."
Sheryl, traveled in May
Duration
5 days
Destinations
Palermo, Monreale, Cefalu, Catania, Mount Etna, Taormina
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English
Operator
Dimensione Sicilia - Dimsi Incoming Operator Srl
From
US$1,232per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
Journey of Charming Sicily - 10 Days
2.5 (2 traveler reviews)
Duration
10 days
Destinations
Palermo, Monreale, Cefalu, Catania, Mount Etna, Taormina,Syracuse,Island of Ortigia,Noto,Ragusa,Modica,Piazza Armerina,Agrigento,Marsala,Erice,Segesta+10 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English, Italian,Spanish+1 more
Operator
Click Tours
36% Off
From $3,540
US$2,266per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Food & Culinary
Sicily Food & Wine
4.8 (6 traveler reviews)
"I felt very safe and I didn't have to worry about the details. I would definitely like to explore other tour options."
NORMA, traveled in October
Duration
8 days
Destinations
Palermo, Trapani, Marsala, Agrigento, Ragusa, Noto, Syracuse,Mount Etna,Taormina,Catania+3 more
Age Range
Ages 16+
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English
Operator
Exodus Adventure Travels
5% Off
From $3,523
US$3,345per person
Price based on Shared Room
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Explorer
MINI TOUR OF SICILY from PALERMO TO CATANIA
4.3 (4 traveler reviews)
"Simple and valuable."
Sara, traveled in June
Duration
5 days
Destinations
Palermo, Monreale, Cefalu, Catania, Mount Etna, Taormina
Age Range
Ages 20+
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English
Operator
Soleto Travel
5% Off
From
US$1,487per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
Sicily and Its Isles (Palermo to Taormina) (2025)
4.6 (29 traveler reviews)
"Great timing of busy and leisure times, good communication."
James, traveled in May
Duration
14 days
Destinations
Palermo, Marsala, Agrigento, Cefalu, Aeolian Islands,Salina,Taormina+2 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English
Operator
Collette
6% Off
From $5,499
US$5,149per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
Sicily & Aeolian Islands Discovery
4.0 (1 traveler review)
Duration
9 days
Destinations
Palermo, Monreale, Cefalu, Catania, Taormina, Milazzo,Lipari,Salina,Vulcano,Panarea Island,Stromboli+5 more
Age Range
Ages 13+
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English
Operator
Omega Tours
6% Off
From
US$2,474per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
Sicilian Secrets – Tour of Sicily & Aeolian Islands
4.5 (8 traveler reviews)
"This is my second Holiday with Dimensione Sicilia and won't be the last!"
Leonardo, traveled in April
Duration
9 days
Destinations
Palermo, Monreale, Cefalu, Catania, Mount Etna, Taormina,Lipari,Salina,Panarea Island,Stromboli+4 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English
Operator
Dimensione Sicilia - Dimsi Incoming Operator Srl
6% Off
From
US$2,351per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
Private Tour of Sicily from Palermo to Palermo
4.4 (7 traveler reviews)
"The concept, content, and delivery of the tour were excellent! The places and sites visited were well selected and planned."
Mary, traveled in October
Duration
8 days
Destinations
Palermo, Cefalu, Piazza Armerina, Catania, Mount Etna,Taormina,Syracuse,Noto,Ragusa,Modica,Agrigento,Selinunte,Marsala,Monreale+9 more
Age Range
Ages 18+
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English
Operator
Soleto Travel
20% Off
From $3,858
US$3,087per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
Tour of Sicily and Aeolian Islands - from Palermo
3.0 (2 traveler reviews)
"A perfect blend of cultural tours in Sicily and natural beauty of the splendid Aeolian Islands."
Placido, traveled in February
Duration
9 days
Destinations
Palermo, Monreale, Cefalu, Catania, Mount Etna, Lipari,Taormina,Panarea Island,Vulcano,Stromboli,Milazzo+5 more
Age Range
Ages 18+
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English
Operator
Soleto Travel
20% Off
From $2,463
US$1,970per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
Sicily, From Palermo to Catania Private Tour
4.3 (6 traveler reviews)
"The hotels offered were wonderful especially the Baglio della luna in Agrigento and the Politeama in Palermo."
Rosalyne, traveled in October
Duration
6 days
Destinations
Palermo, Monreale, Erice, Marsala, Agrigento,Piazza Armerina,Catania,Mount Etna,Taormina+4 more
Age Range
Ages 14+
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English
Operator
Soleto Travel
20% Off
From $2,791
US$2,233per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Handpicked adventures loved by our team
TourRadar Curated
Explorer
Sicilian Secrets - Tour of Sicily 10 days from Palermo
4.2 (37 traveler reviews)
"We had an amazing time on our tour. Alessio as our guide and Pino as our driver were both amazing."
Anna, traveled in September
Duration
10 days
Destinations
Palermo, Monreale, Cefalu, Catania, Mount Etna, Taormina,Syracuse,Noto,Ragusa,Modica,Piazza Armerina,Agrigento,Marsala,Erice,Segesta+9 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English, Italian,Spanish+1 more
Operator
Dimensione Sicilia - Dimsi Incoming Operator Srl
20% Off
From
US$2,379per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
New Tour of Sicily from Palermo 10 Days
4.1 (68 traveler reviews)
"The coach driver and guides were very good."
MICHAEL, traveled in April
Duration
10 days
Destinations
Palermo, Monreale, Cefalu, Catania, Mount Etna, Taormina,Syracuse,Noto,Ragusa,Modica,Piazza Armerina,Agrigento,Marsala,Erice,Segesta+9 more
Age Range
Ages 14+
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English
Operator
Soleto Travel
20% Off
From $2,675
US$2,140per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
Sicily Explorer: 11 Days from Palermo to Palermo, Self-Drive
5.0 (4 traveler reviews)
"The breathtaking landscapes and the rich, authentic Sicilian cuisine make for an unforgettable experience."
Lucas, traveled in May
Duration
11 days
Destinations
Palermo, Taormina, Mount Etna, Syracuse, Noto, Ragusa,Modica,Agrigento+2 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English
Operator
TUI Italia
15% Off
From $2,236
US$1,901per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
Magical Sicily - 7 Days
4.1 (8 traveler reviews)
"I enjoyed all of our tours."
Lael, traveled in April
Duration
7 days
Destinations
Palermo, Monreale, Erice, Marsala, Agrigento, Ragusa, Noto,Mount Etna,Taormina+2 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English
Operator
Click Tours
36% Off
From $3,090
US$1,978per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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In-depth Cultural
SICILY: The Best of... 7 days / 6 nights
5.0 (2 traveler reviews)
"Hotels & meals were great. Very enjoyable & great value for money."
Jill, traveled in October
Duration
7 days
Destinations
Palermo, Erice, Marsala, Agrigento, Ragusa, Noto, Syracuse,Taormina+1 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
Sicily South Italy
Operated in
English
Operator
Carrani Tours
36% Off
From
US$1,854per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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