10 days · Italy
Highlights of Southern Italy & Sicily
From AED 8,150per person, twin share
Ten days across sun-soaked southern Italy, from Rome to Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, Alberobello and Sicily.
- Duration
- 10 Days / 9 Nights
- Route
- Starts and ends in Rome
- Country
- Italy
- Activity level
- Moderate (3 of 5)
- A new place most nights across 10 days, with a long coach day either side of the Sicily ferry crossing and guided walking tours
- Accommodation
- 3- and 4-star hotels for 8 nights, plus a night in a twin cabin on the overnight ferry to Naples
- Meals
- 9 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 3 dinners
- Group
- Group tour, up to 51
- Guide
- English-speaking tour leader throughout, plus local guides in several cities
- Transport
- Air-conditioned coach & ferry
- Best time to go
- Runs March to October, skipping August: mild spring, warm summer and a pleasant early autumn, with the most heat in Sicily
Tour overview
This Southern Italy tour starts with the wonders of ancient Rome and the ruins of Pompeii. Then come the Amalfi Coast, the ancient cave city of Matera and the Trulli houses of Alberobello, before Sicily. There are free days on the Amalfi Coast, in Taormina and in Palermo.
Highlights
- An orientation tour of Rome
- Welcome dinner in Rome
- Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano
- The ancient ruins of Pompeii
- Matera, an ancient cave city
- Alberobello, famous for its conical houses
- A ferry crossing from mainland Italy to Sicily
- Taormina, a hilltop town in Sicily
Show all 13 highlightsShow fewer highlights
- Dinner in Taormina
- Syracuse, a historic Sicilian city
- The Valley of the Temples
- Cefalù, home to Italy’s finest beaches
- A walking tour of Palermo
See the journey come to life
Route and hotels
Where the tour goes and where you sleep, night by night.
Rome
1 night · Day 1
BV Oly Hotel
Pompeii
Day 2 · on the way
Amalfi Coast
Day 2 · on the way
Salerno
2 nights · Days 2–3
Grand Hotel Salerno
Amalfi Coast
Day 4 · on the way
Matera
Day 4 · on the way
Alberobello
1 night · Day 4
Hotel Ara Solis
Taormina
2 nights · Days 5–6
Hotel Kennedy
Show all 15 stopsShow fewer stops
Syracuse
Day 7 · on the way
Agrigento
1 night · Day 7
Hotel Dioscuri Bay Palace
Cefalù
Day 8 · on the way
Palermo
1 night · Day 8
Hotel Villa D'Amato en Palermo
Overnight ferry, Palermo to Naples
1 night · Day 9
Grandi Navi Veloci S.p.A
Naples
Day 10 · on the way
Rome
Day 10 · end
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Start of tour in Rome
Dinner included
In Rome, you meet your fellow travellers while your tour leader runs through the itinerary ahead. An orientation tour of the city follows, with some free time afterwards. Alternatively, the optional excursion is the Vatican Museums Guided Tour, which lets you see the masterpieces held in the Vatican. In the evening, the whole group meets for a welcome dinner together at a local restaurant.
Included
- Orientation tour of Rome: the Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Spanish Steps.
- Welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
Optional extras
- Vatican Museums Guided Tour · AED 365 per person
- Overnight
- Rome
- Hotel
- BV Oly Hotel
Day 2
Rome – Pompeii – Amalfi Coast
Breakfast and lunch included
On the way to the Amalfi Coast, you stop at Pompeii, in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, for a guided tour of this UNESCO-listed archaeological site, followed by an included lunch. The coach then continues to tonight’s hotel in Salerno, where you can join the optional excursion to the Salerno Cathedral and the Old Town before an authentic Italian dinner.
Included
- Guided tour of the ruins of Pompeii in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius.
- Lunch included en route.
Optional extras
- An Evening in Salerno · AED 255 per person
- Travel
- Rome → Salerno by coach, stopping at Pompeii.
- Overnight
- Salerno
- Hotel
- Grand Hotel Salerno
Day 3
Amalfi Coast: Free Day
Breakfast includedSalerno is a good base for the Amalfi Coast and its coastal scenery. The optional excursion visits the towns of Positano and Amalfi, where you can take in the views, walk along their lively streets, sit down for lunch, before visiting a limoncello factory and a paper museum.
Included
- Free day to explore the Amalfi Coast at your own pace.
Optional extras
- Highlights of the Amalfi Coast · AED 470 per person
- Overnight
- Salerno
- Hotel
- Grand Hotel Salerno
Day 4
Amalfi Coast – Matera – Alberobello
Breakfast includedThe tour explores Apulia, the southern Italian region, stopping first in Matera, an ancient cave city known as la Città Sotterranea, the Subterranean City. Matera is known for its cave neighbourhoods, the Sassi. From there, the coach continues to Alberobello to see its trulli houses. There is time to find somewhere for dinner this evening, then it is back to the hotel.
Included
- Visit Matera, the cave-dwelling city known as the Sassi.
- See Alberobello’s whitewashed trulli houses.
- Travel
- Salerno → Alberobello by coach, stopping in Matera.
- Overnight
- Alberobello
- Hotel
- Hotel Ara Solis
Day 5
Alberobello – Taormina
Breakfast and dinner included
The coach follows the coast along the Ionian Sea this morning, then takes a ferry across to Sicily, home to Mount Etna. From the port, it continues towards Taormina, where there is free time in this hilltop town. In the evening, an included dinner in Taormina completes the Sicilian leg of the tour.
Included
- Ferry crossing from the mainland to Sicily.
- Dinner in Taormina.
- Travel
- Alberobello → Taormina by coach and ferry, crossing to Sicily.
- Overnight
- Taormina
- Hotel
- Hotel Kennedy
Day 6
Taormina: Free Day
Breakfast includedYou have a free day in Taormina, with the optional day trip to Mount Etna among the choices. You can walk on the volcanic ash and learn about the volcano from local guides, then have a meal of local produce at a wine bar. Alternatively, you might spend the day on the beach, swimming in Taormina’s clear waters.
Included
- Free day in Taormina.
Optional extras
- Mount Etna Day Trip · AED 595 per person
- Overnight
- Taormina
- Hotel
- Hotel Kennedy
Day 7
Taormina – Syracuse – Agrigento
Breakfast included
The coach crosses Sicily today and stops in Syracuse, an ancient Greek town with a good food market, making it a fitting spot for lunch. Later, it continues to Agrigento, known for the Valle dei Templi, the Valley of the Temples, where Magna Grecia’s art and architecture can be seen on a sunset tour led by an expert local guide.
Included
- Visit Syracuse: Greek remains, cobbled lanes and a lively food market.
- Guided tour of the Valley of the Temples at sunset.
- Travel
- Taormina → Agrigento by coach, stopping in Syracuse.
- Overnight
- Agrigento
- Hotel
- Hotel Dioscuri Bay Palace
Day 8
Agrigento – Cefalù – Palermo
Breakfast and dinner included
This morning, the coach drives to Cefalù, a historic town with some of Italy’s best beaches, where you have free time, or you can join an optional tour with a local guide that comes with lunch at a local restaurant. Next stop is Palermo, where a walking tour takes in highlights such as the Piazza Indipendenza, Porta Nuova and the Cathedral of Palermo. Dinner is included this evening.
Included
- Free time in Cefalù, known for its beaches.
- Guided walking tour of Palermo: the Cathedral and Piazza Indipendenza.
- Dinner in Palermo.
Optional extras
- Scenic Cefalù: Guided tour & lunch · AED 255 per person
- Travel
- Agrigento → Palermo by coach, stopping in Cefalù.
- Overnight
- Palermo
- Hotel
- Hotel Villa D'Amato en Palermo
Day 9
Palermo: Free Day
Breakfast included
Sicily’s capital is yours to explore on this free day. To discover the city’s many hidden sides, join the Hidden Palermo optional excursion, taking in its churches, varied architecture and art. Palermo is known for its cuisine and sweet treats, worth trying during your free day. In the evening, you board an overnight ferry heading back to the Italian mainland.
Included
- Free time in Palermo before the evening ferry to Naples.
Optional extras
- Hidden Palermo · AED 170 per person
- Travel
- Palermo → Naples by overnight ferry.
- Overnight
- Palermo-Naples Ferry
- Hotel
- Grandi Navi Veloci S.p.A
Day 10
End of tour in Rome
Breakfast includedYou arrive in Naples this morning, then continue on the coach back to Rome, where the tour comes to an end. Note that ferry times can differ through the year, so take this into account when you book your outbound flight. You might instead stay an extra night in Rome before heading home from Italy.
- Travel
- Naples → Rome by coach.
Dates & prices
Prices per person, sharing a double or twin room. A single room costs the supplement shown.
13 dates
Sat 13 Mar – Mon 22 Mar 2027
Available
AED 9,255
Single room +AED 6,315
Sat 10 Apr – Mon 19 Apr 2027
Available
AED 9,620
Single room +AED 6,315
Sat 8 May – Mon 17 May 2027
Available
AED 10,035
Single room +AED 6,315
Sat 22 May – Mon 31 May 2027
Available
AED 10,035
Single room +AED 6,315
Sat 5 Jun – Mon 14 Jun 2027
Available
AED 10,035
Single room +AED 6,315
Sat 19 Jun – Mon 28 Jun 2027
Available
AED 8,885
Single room +AED 6,315
Sat 3 Jul – Mon 12 Jul 2027
Available
AED 8,885
Single room +AED 6,315
Sat 17 Jul – Mon 26 Jul 2027
Available
AED 8,885
Single room +AED 6,315
Sat 4 Sept – Mon 13 Sept 2027
Available
AED 9,850
Single room +AED 6,315
Sat 11 Sept – Mon 20 Sept 2027
AvailableBest price
AED 8,150
Single room +AED 6,315
Show all 13 datesShow fewer dates
Sat 18 Sept – Mon 27 Sept 2027
Available
AED 9,850
Single room +AED 6,315
Sat 25 Sept – Mon 4 Oct 2027
Available
AED 8,150
Single room +AED 6,315
Sat 2 Oct – Mon 11 Oct 2027
Available
AED 9,620
Single room +AED 6,315
What’s included
Included
- 8 nights in mostly 3-star and 4-star hotels, in twin rooms with a private bathroom
- A room to yourself for a single supplement, subject to availability
- 1 night on the ferry in a shared twin cabin with a private bathroom
- 9 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 3 dinners, with a vegetarian option at every meal on request
- A modern coach with air conditioning, reclining seats and a toilet
- Overnight ferry from Palermo to Naples
- Public transport the tour uses, except on free days
- Guided from start to finish
Not included
- Flights to the start of the tour and home from the end: we can book them from Dubai
- Travel insurance: take out a policy that suits your trip
Optional extras
Excursions and upgrades you can add to the tour. Prices are per person.
Vatican Museums Guided Tour
Day 1AED 365per personA tour through the Vatican Museums with a local guide, including the Sistine Chapel, with skip-the-line entry. Book at least 35 days before the tour starts: tickets are in high demand and this booking cannot be refunded. The Catholic Jubilee may affect opening hours. €85. Book it before the tour: add it to your booking notes.
See day 1 in the itineraryAn Evening in Salerno
Day 2AED 255per personA visit to Salerno Cathedral, dedicated to the city’s patron saint San Matteo, followed by a walk through the historic centre, including the Fontana dei Pesci fountain in Piazza Sedile del Campo. The evening ends with dinner along the waterfront, looking out over the Amalfi Coast at sunset. €60, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 2 in the itineraryHighlights of the Amalfi Coast
Day 3AED 470per personA ferry trip from Salerno to Positano, with a guided walk through its narrow streets and free time to look around, then on to Amalfi for lunch at a local restaurant, a walk through the town and a limoncello tasting. €110, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 3 in the itineraryMount Etna Day Trip
Day 6AED 595per personA day trip to an active volcano, Mount Etna, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Travel by funicular and then 4x4 to the upper slopes with local guides, who cover the volcano’s geology and history, before an included Sicilian lunch with wine and olive oil tasting. €140, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 6 in the itineraryScenic Cefalù: Guided tour & lunch
Day 8AED 255per personA guided walking tour of Cefalù starting at the Capo Cefalù Lighthouse, taking in the Cathedral of Cefalù and its Byzantine mosaics, followed by a three-course Sicilian lunch. Vegetarian options are available. €60, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 8 in the itineraryHidden Palermo
Day 9AED 170per personA walk through some of Palermo’s lesser-known sights, including the Steri Palace in Piazza Marina, the Oratory of San Lorenzo, the Church of San Francesco and the Martorana Church, ending with a tasting of traditional Sicilian sweets. €40, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 9 in the itinerary
To add an extra, mention it in your booking notes, and we confirm it with your seats before you pay. Some are booked with your tour leader on the day instead: their description says so.
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Good to know
Practical details to read before you travel.
Passport & visas
Italy is in the Schengen area, so one Schengen visa covers the whole tour. If you join the optional Vatican Museums tour on day 1, no extra visa is needed either: Vatican City has open borders with Schengen.
UAE passport holders don’t need a visa for stays of up to 90 days, but will need the EU’s new ETIAS travel authorisation once it starts: we can tell you where it stands when you book. Most other nationalities living in the UAE need a Schengen visa. You can apply up to six months before you travel, and appointments in Dubai fill up quickly before the summer, so start early.
Your passport must be valid for at least three months after you leave the Schengen area, and have been issued within the last ten years. Our visa team handles Schengen applications: ask us when you book.
Flights and timings
Flights to and from Rome aren’t included. Check-in at the tour hotel is from 10am on day 1.
A domestic overnight ferry from Palermo to Naples is included near the end of the tour, and the coach then returns to Rome on day 10. Ferry times vary by season, so check with us before you book your flight home.
Our team can book your flights from Dubai to match.
Meals and dietary needs
9 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 3 dinners are included, mostly on travel days. Free time on the other days is yours to choose your own restaurant.
Tell us about any dietary needs, halal included, when you book, and we pass them on before the tour.
Money
Italy uses the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including small shops and cafes, so a card without foreign transaction fees is the easiest way to pay. Keep a little cash for markets and tips.
Optional extras booked on tour are paid to your tour leader in cash or by card, in the currency shown.
Weather and packing
This tour runs March to October, skipping the peak heat of August: mild Mediterranean spring, warm summer and a pleasant early autumn, with the most heat and humidity in Sicily. Pack light clothing, sun protection, comfortable shoes for cobbled streets and hill towns, and something to cover your shoulders and knees for churches.
The overnight ferry to Naples
On day 9, the tour boards an overnight ferry from Palermo to Naples. Your cabin is a twin room with a private bathroom, included in the price.
Keep a change of clothes and anything you need for the evening in a small bag, since the coach continues straight on to Rome the next morning.
Plan your trip
Our Dubai team arranges what goes around the tour, so it is booked in one place.
Visas
One Schengen visa covers the Schengen countries on this route. Our visa team in Dubai applies for UAE residents once the tour is booked.
Flights
Flights are not included. We can book them with the tour: Dubai to Rome and back. Tick “Flights” when you book and we quote them with your confirmation.
Pay in instalments
Split the cost with Tabby or Tamara, or over 3 to 12 months on a UAE bank credit card for bookings from AED 1,000.
Book this tour
Book in a minute. Your seats are held as soon as you book; you name the other travellers and pay once we have confirmed them.
Questions before you book? Our support team is on WhatsApp +971 4 589 0001.
Questions about this tour
What will my days look like?
Days are full. Most start with breakfast, then the main sights with a local guide or your tour leader. Afternoons often leave free time to wander, stop for a coffee or join an optional extra. Expect a fair amount of walking: some days mean two or three hours on your feet, so bring comfortable shoes.
Who will I be travelling with?
Travellers from all over the world, of different ages and backgrounds, who share a wish to see more. Up to 51 people share this tour, and most know each other’s names within a few days.
What are the hotels like?
Mostly 3 and 4 star, all clean, comfortable and well located, with private en-suite bathrooms. They are chosen so you sleep well and are ready for the next day. The destinations come first, but the hotels are never an afterthought.
How active is this tour?
You carry your own luggage, sometimes up hotel stairs. Some walking tours run for up to three hours, and a few sites have plenty of steps. The itinerary and the activity level at the top of this page show whether the pace suits you.
How do optional extras work?
Optional extras run in the tour’s free time, and your tour leader tells you what is on offer as the tour goes. Some are booked with your tour leader on the day. Others sell in advance and must be bought before the tour starts: to add one of those, mention it in your booking notes and we confirm it with your seats. Each extra in the Optional extras section says which way it is booked.
Will I have time to explore on my own?
Yes. The itinerary builds in free time to wander at your own pace, and your tour leader can point you to the places that suit you, so you are never left to work it all out alone.
What support do I have while I’m on tour?
Your tour leader travels with you from start to finish. They know the places most visitors miss, can suggest a restaurant before you ask, and deal with whatever crops up on the way. Transport and hotels are all arranged for you.
There is also an emergency number staffed 24 hours a day, and our team in Dubai is there to help.
How do I book Highlights of Southern Italy & Sicily?
Press Book now, choose a date, your travellers and rooms, and give your name, email and mobile. We hold your seats and email your booking reference straight away; you then add each traveller as their passport shows on your booking page. Our Dubai team confirms the seats with the tour operator, then emails you a secure payment link. Nothing is charged when you book.
When do I pay?
Once the tour operator confirms your seats. We email you a secure payment link for the total in AED, and your booking is complete when it is paid. To pay in instalments, say so in your booking notes.
Is the price per person?
Yes. Prices are per person sharing a double or twin room. Travelling alone? A single room costs the supplement shown next to each date.
Are flights included?
Only when the tour lists them under what is included. We can book flights from the UAE to the start city and home from the end city with your tour.
Do I need a visa?
That depends on your passport and the countries on the route. Our visa team arranges Schengen and other visas for UAE residents, and can apply for yours once the tour is booked.
Payment plans
Take the trip now. Pay for it in pieces.
Every booking qualifies, from holidays and tours to visas. Spread it over 3 to 12 months at 0% on a credit card plan, or with Tabby or Tamara; some banks add a one-time processing fee.
- Credit card plans from AED 1,000
- Tabby and Tamara, no minimum
- Terms from 3 to 12 months
Find your bank’s plan
Credit cards, from AED 1,000
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