SCHEDULE OF THE DAY:

9 AM: Breakfast, drive to Taormina,

10 AM: Park on the Mazzaro parking at the bottom of the cable car and take the cable car up.

10 AM - 11:30 PM: Tour Antico Teatro Greco!!! It is over 2,000 years old. There is a coffee shop with desserts on the very top with views to make you feel like a god/dess!

11 :30 AM - 1 PM - Lunch on the main street at Trattoria da Nino, then gelato in Bam Bar!

1 PM - 3 PM: Sightseeing, shopping, strolling, enjoying Taormina and its spectacular views, public garden (it's a must visit) and boutique feel

3 PM - 7 PM - OPTIONAL: Go back to the hotel to rest and change for dinner! It will be a late night!

7-7:30 PM  Drive back to Taormina and park at the same parking.

7:30 PM - 9 PM  Dinner in Taormina - book in advance by calling or dropping in during the day. 

9:30 PM - 11 PM: Opera at Teatro Nazarena!

11 PM - Take the gondola down & drive to the hotel

SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY:

9 AM - 10 AM: Breakfast

10 AM - 11 AM: Travel to Mount Etna, put Silvestri Craters on Google Maps

11 AM - 1 PM: SIGHTSEEING ON ETNA

1. Drive to the Silvestri Craters. It's a beautiful road trip on the slopes of the volcano with amazing views! Park on the nearby parking lot. Walk on top of the non-active craters, it is so accessible! Enjoy the views!

2. OPTIONAL: Drive or walk to the cable car Funivia Etna. Take the cable car to the highest point, where there is a coffee bar. 

3. NOTE: The restaurant at the bottom of the cable car is not bad at all. It is busy and service may be hectic but it's great if you need a snack/drinks or feeling peckish. Save some space to eat full lunch when you go to the winery.

1 PM - 1:30 PM: Drive to Tenuta Papale Winery

1:30 PM - 3:30 PM: 

1. Park inside. Meet owner Guiseppe and his staff who will be waiting for you. 

2. Tour the winery of Tenuta Papale, Lunch and wine tasting at the winery, walk in the vineyard. You can see Etna when you look back and you can see Catania at the bottom, the Ionian Sea and all the way to Siracusa!

3. Cost is 30 euro pp including the lunch. There is lots of local artisanal cheese, salumi, Sicilian cous-cous and bread. 

4. For presents, in addition to wine, you can purchase olive oil that they also produce.

4 PM - 5 PM: Drive back to accommodation
5 PM - LATE: Free time for the evening, dinner in Taormina.

DAILY SCHEDULE:

MORNING  & AFTERNOON

Your day off to lay on the beach club, or to go shopping outside Taormina during the day.

EVENING

I suggest you finish exploring the area by dining at a Michelin Star restaurant for dinner!

 Here are some suggestions to consider:

BEACH CLUBS on ISOLA BELLA & NEIGHBOURING BELMOND HOTEL:

Beach clubs in Taormina near Isola Bella are often overcrowded and overpriced. You will have to go down  and then back up steep stairs to reach the beaches. Lidos (beach clubs) charge about 60-100 euro for 2 chairs and an umbrella. Facing Isola Bella, there is the regular Mendolia Beach club and the La Plage Resort, which is higher end.

It will be at least 200-250 euro for the day at the beach club at the Belmond at Villa Sant'Andrea but service is amazing, it is located at the neighboring bay. 

Your beach club at the hotel is also a great option if you are looking to relax.

ISOLA BELLA: 

If you feel like going down and then up some steep stairs, please visit Isola Bella. It is a gorgeous park with a museum inside of a former private residence. You will have to park at the same parking lot and then walk there. Bring a bathing suit. 

Please note: it's super rocky, from small pebbles to big boulders. It is not the most comfortable to swim, entering and exiting the water is a challenge. But entering the island and visiting the museum is a great walk with lovely views. Cost is 3 euro pp.

SHOPPING IN A MALL/OUTLET OUTSIDE TAORMINA:

Check the list on Google maps!

Sicilia Outlet Village - it is an hour drive from your hotel in Taormina. It is brand new and very high-end, with restaurants and well manicured landscape

Mall Centro Commerciale Centro Sicilia in Misterbianco, near Catania. They have Primark, H&M as well as some mid-range Italian brands.

BEST VALUE FOR MONEY 1-STAR MICHELIN RESTAURANT

If you end up shopping and you are closer to Catania, dine at Zash Ristorante in Riposto on the way back - it has a very cool location on the slopes of Mt Etna and they do farm to table. It's around 100-130 euro per person for the tasting menu, not counting drinks, tax included. Book a day in advance at least.

If you are close to Taormina in the evening, dine at La Capinera for the best views of Isola Bella. Again, book the day before by calling.

8 AM - 9 AM: Breakfast

10 AM: Checkout

10 AM - 11 AM: Travel south to Siracusa, park just outside the island of Ortigia at the parking lot named Parcheggio Molo Sant'Antonio

11 PM - 2 PM: From the parking, cross the bridge on foot and explore Oritigia, eat lunch at the market, sightsee, etc. Locations to explore:

- First to go Papyrus Boat Excursions stand to buy tickets and see when is the next boat trip that suits your schedule. You can hop in to do the boat tour immediately or later after you explore Ortigia, it is up to you. It's located close to the entrance of Ortigia after the bridge: https://maps.app.goo.gl/NLkHkvb9gd2NmuTX6

- Make your way to the Syracuse Cathedral on the main piazza

- From there, my advice is to walk the cute streets of Ortigia, exploring shops and restaurants and places of interest along the way. Depending on what you feel like seeing, you can choose from visiting:

- Ceramic shop for Sicilian style souvenirs 

- Chiesa di San Filippo Apostolo where you can tour 3 levels underground to explore history - WWII catacombs, Roman water cisterns, Jewish baths & at the bottom level: tunnels built by the Greeks over 2800 years ago! 

- Siracusa Museum of Sicilian Puppets -  in an old palace with a collection of marionettes, props & tools, plus daily short performances, a tradition dating back 200 years before cinema was invented as a way to entertain the masses.

- Archimede & Leonardo da Vinci Museum - Museum presenting interactive models of scientific inventions by Leonardo da Vinci & Archimedes, who was born and worked in Ortigia and calculated the mathematical  π  here.

- Fountain of Diana - a must see in Ortigia, based on the original entrance built by the Greeks!

- Temple of Apollo - dating to 600 BCE, built by the Greeks.

- Mitoraj Sculpture at the courtyard of Castello Maniace. It is a new contemporary art installation at the far end of the island but it is magnificent, with views of the sea.

Lunch Options in Ortigia:

- Visit the farmer's and fish market that has been there for over 1000s of years. It is next to the Temple of Apollo. Best lunch is at Fratelli Burgio, featuring amazing panini, cheese and local and Italian cured meats, cool cocktails and excellent service in English! Trying some fresh seafood delicacies from the nearby stalls is also an amazing Sicilian experience.

- To eat lunch in one of the oldest and most popular Sicilian restaurants on the island, go to Ristorante Don Camillo. Reserve a table from their profile on Google Maps, it is also very busy!

- If you want to eat some pasta in a regular Sicilian trattoria before you take the boat tour, then go to the restaurant next to the Papyrus Boat Stand at the port. They have seaviews, make great seafood pasta and fried seafood and they also have good gelato and coffee. It is called Aranblu

- If you feel like just having a snack, Sicily Fish & Chips makes great fried seafood and other Sicilian snacks.

TBD: 2 PM - 3 PM: Take a City boat tour of Ortigia with Papyrus Boat Tour, visit the local caves and see the island from the sea!

4 PM - 4:30 PM- Drive to Noto, check in at Baglio Genovesi

5 PM - 7 PM - Rest, sleep, relax by the pool

8 PM - Stroll in Noto main street and dinner

NOTE ON PARKING IN NOTO:

Noto is famous for terrible traffic and steep narrow cobble streets from the 17th century so please don't try to park inside the city. We always leave the car on the outskirts of town and then walk 5 mins to the main street. The main street in Noto is only pedestrian. Ask the hotel for suggestions too, but here are mine:

- Parcheggio Limoneto - it is the closest to Baglio Genovesi, and 5 min walk to the main street. It will be a paid parking but prices are very affordable, 5 euro for the day or 1 euro per hour usually. I highly recommend trying to park here first as it is the furthest away from where the tourists enter on the other end of the city.

- There are 2 parking lots here on via Cavour on the other end of the city, closer to the main pedestrian street door entrance Porta Reale, but they are always busy. Maybe in September the situation will be better. The street is one way so you will have to go around if they are full.

- Parking on the street in the outskirts is always an option. Look for signs to see if you have to pay or not. Blue stripe on the street means it is paid parking, you need to pay at a parking meter nearby or from the Easypark app. White stripe or no stripe is free parking. Yellow stripe is residential parking.

DINING OPTIONS IN NOTO:

Gagliardi Hotel Rooftop - for amazing views of Noto and great for aperitivo drinks!

Cafe Sicilia - Netflix famous cafe bar, famous for its amazing gelato, desserts and everything Sicilian almond, coming from their own farm. Try the almond 'soup'!

Manna Noto - My fabourite in Noto! it is located in Lido di Noto, a short drive to the beach area. It is inside an old renovated Baglio, located at thecourtyard. It's absolutely beautiful, modern and Sicilian. Food and service is great. Book in advance by calling them, they speak English. Plenty of parking inside. Save it for your last night in Noto, for example.

I CROCIFERI - it's the coolest bar/club inside a palazzo! DJ sets, cool vibes, great vibes! They have early dinner so you can also go dine there earlier and then the music starts.

Nache - one of the best restaurants in Noto, run by the Dimarco family. Music from an old vynil turntable. Adorable al fresco dining.

Retablo - elegant atmosphere, traditional Sicilian dishes with modern feel

Dammuso -  Dammuso is a very popular Noto restaurant, and deservedly so. The head chef is the mother of Crocifisso's restaurant owner Chef Marco.

Sabbinirica Bistro - The cellar is full of the best natural and bio-dynamic Sicilian wines, and it is one of my first choices for a glass of something special.  

Sabbinirica à putìa d'ercole - famous for its panini

Geranio Cucina Siciliana a Km 0 - amazing pasta and great pizza, all products come from their farm!

Casa Rossa - very close to Baglio Genovesi, Casa Rossa, meaning Red House, is a super rustic restaurant locate just out of town. It my favorite spot for midweek lunch (not open in the evenings) and love their Sicilian salsiccia or sausage and bisteca or steak and its incredible value. Super authentic Sicilian!

VIVA IL BISTRO - by famous Chef Viviana Varese from Milano, owned by San Corrado Resort, expect high-end and high-quality.

Norma Bistro - all Italian celebrities go there for some reason! If you pick the right night, there will be a DJ and a party atmosphere, with customers dancing on the street and Norma the owner leading the way. 

Le Quattro Sorelle Palmeri Ristorante - very elegant restaurant with great food

Pizzeria Casamata - to try great pizza in Noto, traditional rustic feel

Arancina Planet Rosticceria Palermitana - to try authentic Sicilian Arancini and other Sicilian street food, check opening hours.

Panificio Lievito Madre - great local bakery

Crocifisso -  1 star Michelin in Noto, elegant albeit spare design inside. I haven't tried it yet so I can't tell you if it's worth it or not. from 80-120 euro/pp for the tasting menus.

SHOPPING IN NOTO:

Santagatha Pozzilei - Concept Store: it is inside a former church, I can't tell you how beautiful it is! They carry all the latest and coolest Italian brands from Milano.

Ortigia Sicilia - it is a very famous Sicilian brand, they sell perfumes, essential oils, scarves, candles, house cosmetics. Great quality and branding.

A'mare Noto -  favourite fashion store in Noto, owned by Moni, a cheeky English lady

Spazio Noto -  is a tiny art boutique that always has something fresh and a little different on display, owned by Paolo.

Venerabili Ragazze is a home furnishings store full of beautiful items to adorn your home. 

Sicania Handmade is a tanner with wallets, purses, bags, belts etc. What I love is that they are willing to make products to order in the design, leather, colour, and size of your choosing, and they add initials or particular words to make your gift really unique.

SIGHTSEEING IN NOTO

Trenino Barocco - take the baroque train that takes you on a 30 min tour of the street of Noto, where they share some history and music and you can see Noto without having to climb the streets! 5 euro/pp

Palazzo Nicolaci  -  Baroque former residence of a wealthy family with ornate decor & posh furnishings on display. You MUST see the balconies from the outside.

Bell Tower - climb the bell tower of the church of San Carlo on the main street. It is only 3 euro/pp and you have to climb only 1 or 2 floors, up to you. The views of the Cathedral across are worth the climb. 

Cattedrale di Noto - from the 18th century, featuring a giant dome and baroque architecture inside

Porta Reale - the historical entrance to Noto

8 AM - 9 AM: Breakfast in villa

9 AM - 10 AM: Travel to Ragusa Ibla

10 AM -2 PM: Explore Ragusa Ibla & Lunch

Park here at the Parcheggio Repubblica

Walk towards the Chiesa delle Santissime anime del Purgatorio , marvel the pink facade of Palazzo Consentini and then make your way to see the main cathedral and piazza Duomo Di San Giorgio. If feeling like climbing stairs, take the stairs to the left of the cathedral to climb to the terrace above the cathedral for amazing views of Ragusa and the mountains.

Dining options:

Duomo Ristorante - 2 star Michelin by Ciccio Sultano

Officina 31 - great views of the cathedral, great for snack or aperitivo

Trattoria La Bettola - traditional Sicilian trattoria with a courtyard. Solid lunch.

Shopping: 

The main street following down from the cathedral is the touristy shopping area with souvenir, jewelry, clothing, etc shops. 

2 PM - 2:30 PM: Walk back to the parking and drive to Modica

Park on the main street blue stripe parking in front of Teatro Garibaldi or near there. Pay by coins/card at the meter or by the Easypark app. there is a period in the afternoon when parking is for free. 

Walk towards one of the most beautiful cathedrals Duomo di San Pietro.  Inside it is also beautiful to explore. If you feel like having snacks and or afternoon drinks, visit Radici by Chef Accursio, who also runs the Accursio Michelin Star restaurant next door. Radici is right under the amazing Cathedral of St Pietro so that'll be your view!

Right in front, Antica Dolceria Bonajuto is the oldest chocolate factory in Modica. Go inside and ask for samples before buying some traditional chocolates. See if they have the tour at 4-5 PM and if they have space for you to join, if you like. Great for chocolate souvenirs from Sicily! They have a mini exhibition explaining how cocoa came from Mexico and the Aztecs when Sicily and Mexico were under occupation at the same time from Spain! 

Walk towards the Trenino Barocco. Modica is very steep set on two hills and it's a must that you take the train to show you around. It's a fantastic experience to see the city from different heights and explore all the baroque heritage of Modica. If you are interested after, you can climb the stairs from the main street all the way up to the main cathedral of St Giorgio to see it from the inside.

SHOP in MODICA:

Calabrese Argenti Traditinal Sicilian Red Coral Jewelry

Colori del Sole: beautiful textiles, souvenirs, homeware and jewelry Sicilian brand

EVENING:

Take the car and drive to the viewpoint Belvedere di San Benedeto to enjoy magnificent views of Modica from one of its highest points. 

Dine next door for dinner at HDM Ostaria ora musica RARO - best terrace ever with the best views of Modica. 

Or, if you want to try the 1-Star Michelin restaurant Accursio , stay in the centre. The Host Duel is a friend and speaks English. Say Hi to him from us! 

If you dine downtown, n the way out, don't miss the viewpoint above!

8 AM - 9 AM: Breakfast

9 AM - 12 PM: Relax by the pool or drive to San Lorenzo Beach to experience sandy beaches. Agua Beach Lido is the nicest in the area if you want to rent lounge chairs and umbrella.

12 PM -2:30 PM : Visit the charming fishing village of Marzamemi

Park here, its 5 euro for the whole time: Parcheggio Centro

Make your way to the piazza Antico Borgo dei Pescatori

Places to eat:

Most popular and insta-famous: Taverna La Cialoma 

Seaviews at the old Tonnara: La Balata

Must try gelato. Ask for Gelato con brioche. Try the ricotta with caramelized figs gelato: Don Peppinu

Right in front the gelato place, go visit the tuna factory & shop Campisi

3 PM - 4 PM: Drive to Scicli, about 30-40 min ride.

4 PM - 6 PM: Explore the centre of Scicli on foot, park on the street in the blue lanes again. 

Shop for suits and men's clothing at Narciso Fashion Store

See the Church of St Ignatius of Loyola, then Palazzo Beneventano, make your way towards Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo and if you have time, explore the Museum of Costumes to see what type of things people wore in the baroque times!

6 PM: Drive to Villa Sacarena

6 PM- 8 PM: Drinks, cooking class & dinner with Chef Alessandro and the rest of the group!

9 PM - 10 PM: Drive back to Noto

8 AM - 9:30 AM: Breakfast

10:30 AM - 12 PM: Drive to Catania Airport. it's about 1 h & 30 mins to get there.

12:00 PM - drop off car, tbc