Best Day Trips from Palermo

Located on the coast of Sicily, on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Palermo is the most important city of the island and also one of the main artistic and architectural centers of Italy. In addition, it is also an ideal place to use as a base for exploring other nearby destinations.

Among the best things to see and do in Palermo, an excursion to the surrounding cities is one of the most interesting alternatives. From the capital of Sicily you can take full-day tours to visit Agrigento and Escala dei Turci, Monreale and Cefalù in the Basin of Gold, the salt mines of Segesta, Erice and Trapani and the villages of Corleone and Portella della Ginestra, among other places.

The Cuenca d'Oro is the mountainous region surrounding Palermo and Monreale is the main site on the periphery, as it is noted for the Cathedral, which was the inspiration for that of the Sicilian capital and is considered one of the most important medieval churches in the world. The Cathedral is striking with its mosaics and open terraces. You can tour the town on an excursion from Palermo by private van.

In Monreale you can also visit the monastery of San Benedetto, an imposing Romanesque building decorated with mosaic-covered columns, and the main square of the town. Before continuing with the tour you can also stop for lunch in the local restaurants, which have nothing to envy to those of the best gastronomic tours of Palermo

The next stop on the tour will be in Cefalù, a seaside town that also stands out for the Cathedral and its religious monasteries and for the medieval washhouse that is located at the foot of Porta della Pescara. In Cefalù you can also lose yourself in the narrow streets, visit the old houses with balconies overlooking the sea and enjoy the local ice cream parlors.

In Cefalù you can also visit one of the best beaches in Sicily, with white sand and crystal clear waters, although the time for swimming depends on the tourist service provider and the number of visitors.

Details of interest

• Price of these excursions... They have an approximate initial cost of 110 euros per person. The final price is modified based on the number of visitors and includes round trip transfers with hotel pick up and the assistance of an expert local guide.
• Duration of these excursions... Approximately 7 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions... You will visit one of the most beautiful regions of Sicily.
• Disadvantages of these excursions... If you travel in summer you may not be able to swim at the beach of Cefalù because of the time of the excursion.

Agrigento was, in the Golden Age of Ancient Greece, one of the most important cities of the Hellenic civilization and also a central point for the Greek culture. Today, you can visit the Valley of the Temples on private full-day excursions from Palermo, to see the most famous ruins of southern Italy.

In the Valley of the Temples, which is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world, is actually an acropolis comprising a sacred area with ancient buildings of religious worship and Doric style, but also other buildings that were part of the government and administration of Agrigento. During your visit you can also enjoy the open views of the rural landscape, full of olive and almond trees.

During the same tour you can also visit the Turks' Staircase, which is located about 20 minutes from Agrigento on the coast of Punta Piccola. These natural stairs, formed in the saline cliffs, have become one of Italy's main attractions. Their name derives from the incursions of Turkish traffickers and pirates to the island of Sicily and their use of the cliffs for refuge from persecution.

This private tour in small groups of up to 8 people is ideal if you plan to travel in a group, although if you do not complete the number of visitors you can be included in another contingent. These tours usually include hotel pick-up and return transfers. If you plan to travel to Palermo in summer you can enjoy the open views of Agrigento and the best weather on the island.

Details of interest

• Price of these excursions... They have an approximate initial cost of 140 euros per person. The final price is modified based on the number of visitors and includes round-trip transfers with hotel pick-up and the assistance of an expert local guide.
• Duration of these excursions... Approximately 8 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions... You will be able to visit one of the main archaeological sites in the world.
• Disadvantages of these tours... If you travel during the winter the views from the acropolis could be very cloudy and rainy days.

If you are a fan of the mafia theme an excursion from Palermo to visit Corleone and Portella della Ginestra will be the ideal plan for you. In these shared small group tours you can visit some of the locations where The Godfather trilogy was filmed, and learn about the history of the bandit Salvatore Giuliano, in one of the best mafia tours.

In Corleone you will visit the historic center of the town, you can take a guided tour of the Mafia Museum and have time for lunch in one of the local restaurants, while tasting wines from Sicilian wineries. Then the tour will continue to some of the sites where The Godfather was filmed and where the mythical character of Vito Corleone, who is inspired by local gangsters, was brought to life.

The next stop of the tour will be in Portella della Ginestra, a small place between San Giuseppe Jato and Piana degli Albanesi that became famous when the bandit Salvatore Giuliano generated a riot during the celebrations of May 1, 1947 that ended with the death of 11 people. During your visit you can visit the memorial commemorating the victims of the uprising.

These excursions, which usually start at the Teatro Massimo, last about 5 to 6 hours, so they are compatible even with a short visit to the city. If that is your case, here is a list of activities so you can discover Palermo in 3 days.

Details of interest

• Price of these excursions... They have an approximate initial cost of 75 euros per person. The final price is modified based on the number of visitors and includes round trip transfers and the assistance of an expert local guide.
• Duration of these excursions... Approximately 5 to 6 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions... You will be able to visit some of the most famous villages in Sicily.
• Disadvantages of these excursions... The tour has a very hectic pace, not recommended for older adults and small children.

One of the most beautiful sites in the outlying areas of Palermo is in the salt pans of Segesta, a destination you can visit on these full day tours from Palermo. In Segesta you will see the theater and the Great Greek Temple, which is located on top of the hill of the city. You will also visit the salt pans surrounding the archaeological sites and take a guided tour of the town, before continuing the tour to Erice.

Erice hides one of the best kept secrets of Sicily, which consists of the ancient recipe of almond sweets, which are a favorite of children, making it an ideal and fun excursion if you plan to travel to Palermo with children. However, Erice also has to offer wines from local wineries and Sicilian lunches in restaurants located in medieval buildings.

Trapani, which is the last destination of these excursions, is the main city of western Sicily, and stands out not only for its gastronomy but also for its churches, for the picturesque port which is the center of the activities of sport boats and for the monuments built in granite. In Trapani you can also visit the salt mines and the Nubian Salt Museum.

Interesting details

• Price of these excursions... They have an approximate initial cost of 95 euros per person. The final price is modified based on the number of visitors and includes round-trip transfers with hotel pick-up and the assistance of an expert local guide.
• Duration of these excursions... Approximately 8 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions... It is the best alternative to get to know the west of the island and an ideal plan to do with children.
• Disadvantages of these excursions... The tour does not include a stop to take a bath in spite of visiting beach sites.

If you want to live an adventurous experience during your trip to Sicily you can take an excursion to Etna and Taormina from the Sicilian capital, to discover one of the main attractions of the east coast of the island. During this private tour you can transfer in a van for a full day tour that will take you on one of the best tours from Palermo.

Etna is one of the highest living volcanoes in the world and a natural wonder. During the tour you will be able to see the volcanic peak and if you want, at extra cost, you can climb to the top on your own. On the tour you will be assisted by an expert local guide and after the visit to Etna you will visit the historic town of Taormina, which is characterized by the Greek Theater, the picturesque Palazzo Corvaja and Villa Mon Pons, which is a neighborhood built on high ground.

In Taormina you can have lunch in a typical Sicilian restaurant recommended by your guide or you can choose to use the free time to explore the historic city at your own pace until the time of your return. On these excursions you will get to know the east coast of the island, which has very different landscapes from those around Palermo.

Please note that these excursions have a full day duration so it will be difficult to combine them with a short stay in the city. If that is your case here is a list of activities you can do to get to know Palermo in 2 days.

Details of interest

• Price of these excursions... They have an approximate initial cost of 155 euros per person. The final price is modified based on the number of visitors and includes round trip transfers with hotel pick up and the assistance of an expert local guide.
• Duration of these excursions... Approximately 11 hours and a half.
• Advantages of these excursions... You will get to know the changing landscapes of eastern Sicily.
• Disadvantages of these excursions... You will have to do the tour at a very intense pace, especially if you decide to climb the summit of Etna.

You can either book the tours in advance online or book them once you are in town. If you plan to visit Palermo in August or during the summer months , I recommend that you book the tours in advance to avoid selling out.

In addition, some tour providers offer discounts on pre-booking online, so you can also save money.

The answer will depend on the excursions you choose but in general you will be able to see the main sites of Sicily and some of the most interesting attractions in Italy, such as the Valley of the Temples of Agrigento, the salt mines of Segesta or the Etna volcano, which is one of the largest active volcanoes in the world.

You can also visit emblematic sites such as the village of Corleone or the site of Portella della Ginestra. In addition, if you liked the architecture of Palermo, you will also like the Cathedral and the Monastery of Monreale, since they were built in the same style as most of the buildings of the Sicilian capital.

Palermo is located on the west coast of Sicily and is generally quite far from most of the tourist towns on the island so all excursions will take you on average between 8 and 10 hours. This should be taken into account when organizing your itinerary as you will hardly be able to combine these excursions with other tours in Palermo.

Also, if you plan to visit Palermo at Christmas or during the holidays you should make sure that the transportation for the excursions runs smooth ly and that the entrance to the attractions remains unchanged, as many of the conditions change during the holidays.

You can tour the destinations on the outskirts of Palermo on your own although you will need to keep in mind that you will need to arrange for transportation and entrance fees for excursions. If you decide to rent a car you will have to drive and if you decide to travel by train or bus you will lose time, so by using a guided tour you will be able to relax and enjoy the tour.

Also keep in mind that if you rely on public transport in many cases you will not be able to complete the excursions in one day, as some destinations, such as the Etna volcano or Taormina are about 2 or 3 hours away from Palermo.