How many days do you need in Palermo & Catania?
- Most travelers spend 7-8 days in Palermo and Catania combined
- Visiting Palermo and Catania in 5 or 6 days is possible, but it will feel rushed
- With 9 or more days, most travelers choose to add more stops to their trip
- The most common extensions are Taormina, Agrigento, and Ragusa
How Many Days to Spend in Sicily
Recommended Itineraries for Palermo & Catania
Recommended Itinerary for 1 Week
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Palermo | Palermo |
| Day 2 | Guided Tour of Palermo, Visit Monreale | Palermo |
| Day 3 | Drive to Catania, Visit Agrigento | Catania |
| Day 4 | Day Trip to Ragusa Ibla, Modica & Scicli | Catania |
| Day 5 | Day Trip to Syracuse & Guided Tour | Catania |
| Day 6 | Day Trip to Taormina, Guided Mount Etna Hike | Catania |
| Day 7 | Depart |
Discover Sicily's highlights with this quick 7-day self-drive itinerary. Starting in the regional capital of Palermo, you'll spend time discovering the Norman-Byzantine Monreale Cathedral before cutting across the island to explore the Greek temple ruins of Agrigento. Cap off the trip with four nights in Catania, the perfect access point to the Sicilian-Baroque cities of Ragusa Ibla, Modica, and Scicli, as well as the historic Syracuse and the elegant seaside town of Taormina. Read more
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Extended Itineraries
1-Week Itinerary Including Taormina
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Palermo, Evening Guided Tour | Palermo |
| Day 2 | Palermo Segway Tour & Cooking Class | Palermo |
| Day 3 | Transfer to Taormina | Taormina |
| Day 4 | Mount Etna Tour | Taormina |
| Day 5 | Transfer to Catania, Self-Guided Exploration | Catania |
| Day 6 | Catania Walking Food Tour | Catania |
| Day 7 | Depart |
This seven-day highlights itinerary is perfect for travelers on a time crunch. Start in Palermo, voted in 2015 by Forbes as the European capital of street food, to explore Sicily's vibrant culture and history. Visit a variety of churches, from an Italo-Albanian Catholic Church to the 12th-century Monreale Cathedral, and learn how to prepare a 4-course Sicilian meal. Continue to sophisticated Taormina to explore the arts and hike to the top of Mount Etna. End your trip in Catania to see Baroque architecture and cool off with refreshing watermelon granitas. Read more
2-Week Itinerary Including Syracuse & Taormina
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Palermo, Evening Guided Tour | Palermo |
| Day 2 | Palermo Segway Tour & Cooking Class | Palermo |
| Day 3 | Free Day in Palermo | Palermo |
| Day 4 | Palermo Catacombs & Monreale Cathedral | Palermo |
| Day 5 | Transfer to Syracuse, Afternoon Ortygia Tour | Syracuse |
| Day 6 | Free Day in Syracuse | Syracuse |
| Day 7 | Transfer to Taormina, Afternoon City Tour | Taormina |
| Day 8 | Mount Etna Tour | Taormina |
| Day 9 | Three Etna Wineries Tour | Taormina |
| Day 10 | Free Day in Taormina | Taormina |
| Day 11 | Transfer to Catania, Self-Guided Exploration | Catania |
| Day 12 | Catania Walking Food Tour | Catania |
| Day 13 | Free Day in Catania | Catania |
| Day 14 | Depart |
If you have two weeks and a thirst for Sicilian sunshine, delicious street food, and fascinating culture, then this is the trip for you. Spend four days exploring Palermo's diverse history, shopping at bustling markets, and relaxing on sunny beaches. Visit Syracuse—home city of mathematician Archimedes—and explore the Old Town of Ortygia, then head to Taormina to hike Mount Etna and catch a performance at the ancient Greek Theater. End your trip with a street food tour and sunny views of the Ionian Sea in Catania. Read more
How to travel between Palermo & Catania
The cities of Palermo and Catania, both located in Sicily, are approximately 131 miles (212 km) apart. Palermo, Sicily's largest city, is on the northwest side of the island, by the Gulf of Palermo, while Catania is on the eastern side, on the coast of the Ionian Sea. The quickest way to get from Palermo to Catania would be via rental car or private transfer, which takes about 2.5 hours. Read more
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