Immersive Southern Italy and Sicily Tour: Food, Culture, and History

View of the Arc de Triomphe of Constantine and the Colosseum, Rome

What to expect on this itinerary

During this immersive 8-day vacation, you will discover the rich history, lively culture, and delicious cuisine of the area. Picturesque towns and stunning landscapes can be found throughout southern Italy and Sicily. Exclusive tours and private tastings will be enjoyed at every destination as you indulge in la dolce vita during this unforgettable vacation.

Countries Visited

Italy

Places Visited

Rome, Naples, Salerno, Palermo (City), Agrigento

Suggested Duration

8 Days

Customizable Itinerary

Expand All
Day 1

Rome – The Legendary Colosseum

Your 8-day trip will begin when you land at Fiumicino Airport in Rome. Upon your arrival, a driver will greet and transfer you to your accommodation, where you will have time to settle in and relax. When you are ready, your guide will lead you on an intriguing tour of the Colosseum. The ancient Colosseum is perhaps one of the most admired landmarks of Italy. The age-old amphitheater dates back to the first century, and you may find yourself imagining being a spectator at one of the epic battles of the gladiators. After your tour of the Colosseum concludes, you can explore more of the city at your own pace.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Tour
Day 2

Naples – Pizza-Making Course

Day 3

Salerno – Explore the Ruins of Pompeii

Day 4

Palermo – Ferry Ride to Sicily

Day 5

Palermo – Private Food Tour

Day 6

Palermo – Historical City Tour

Day 7

Agrigento – The Valley of the Temples

Day 8

Agrigento – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Discover the famous Colosseum, which will allow you to travel back in time to ancient Rome and bring the gladiator battles to life
  • Visit Montecassino Abbey, where you will learn about its intriguing history and marvel at its many preserved details
  • Indulge in the world-renowned pizza of Naples during a pizza-making class at an authentic pizzeria
  • Explore the city of Pompeii during an engaging walking tour around the remains
  • Immerse yourself in the cuisine of Sicily as you discover the delicious flavors of Palermo
  • Uncover the historic highlights of Palermo, including the stunning Palermo Cathedral and Palace of the Normans
  • Journey around the ruins of the Valley of the Temples as you stroll through the history of Agrigento

Detailed Description

An exploration of the food, culture, and history of Southern Italy and Sicily is an immersive experience. Your 8-day journey will begin when you land at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport. Your introduction to the city will come when you embark on a private tour of the legendary Colosseum. The next morning, you will transfer to Naples. Along the way, you will stop in Cassino for a guided tour of the Montecassino Abbey, which dates back to the first century. An evening pizza-making class in Naples, which is the birthplace of pizza, will be a memorable and tasty way to explore the cuisine of the city.

The next morning, you will transfer to the coastal city of Salerno. The ancient city of Pompeii will be a great place to stop and explore to break up the journey. The endless excavations and preserved pieces of history will be awe-inspiring, and you will feel as though you have been transported back in time. The next day, you will ride the ferry to the island of Sicily. The ferry will have wonderful accommodations, and you will enjoy dinner onboard before arriving in the capital city of Palermo later that evening.

The following day, you will discover the city’s cuisine during a private food tour. As you stop at various culinary destinations with your guide, you will learn about traditional Sicilian dishes and sample multiple specialties. A discovery of the fascinating history of Palermo will be in store the following day, and you will tour the city’s historic highlights, including the Palermo Cathedral and Palace of the Normans. The next morning you will transfer to your final destination of Agrigento. Upon your arrival, you embark on a private tour of the Valley of the Temples, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After one last night, a private transfer will lead you to Palermo Airport the next morning for the flight home.

Starting Price

$3,600 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 3939 reviews

Italy, Malta Trip Review: City Tour, 20 Days

I was very pleased with the entire planning of the trip. The communication with Zicasso's tour company was excellent. The meals that were pre-arranged by them were fantastic and we probably would not have found them on our own.

See more

Greece, Italy Travel Review: Rome, Athens, Santorini, Local Cuisine, 14-Night Trip

Our trip was absolutely amazing! This was the trip of a lifetime. Zicasso and our trip planner were incredible. He was repeatedly helpful, offering personalized attention to our needs. He booked amazing tours for us and seemed to really grasp what we wanted. Everything was incredible.

See more

Italy Vacation Review: Ravenna, Padua, History, Art, Scrovegni Chapel, 13 Days

It was a great pleasure working with Zicasso's tour agency. Our travel designer and her staff were attentive to the kind of trip we wanted and planned a great itinerary. The hotels, restaurants, and drivers were all top-notch. For us, the acid test was the quality of the guides, and they excelled there as well. We would happily have them plan another trip for us.

See more

Italy Tour Review: Ravenna, Verona, Rimini, Scrovegni Chapel, Private Tours, History, 12 Nights

My husband and I had a great time on our trip to the northeast Adriatic Coast of Italy. We have very specific tastes as far as where we like to stay and the private tours we like to have during the trip. Zicasso's travel company did a great job, giving us fantastic hotels, and all of our tour guides were top-notch.

See more

Greece, Italy Tour Review: Rome, Athens, Paros, Milos, Naxos, Vatican, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Food Tour, Catamaran Ride, Sunset Cruise, 11 Nights

The trip of a lifetime–thanks to Zicasso's travel company!

We recently had the absolute best travel experience of our lives, and it’s all thanks to the incredible team at this travel company. Words can hardly capture how grateful we are for the magic they created for our trip to Greece.

We were headed to a friend’s wedding on Paros and trying to plan the logistics ourselves quickly became overwhelming; figuring out how to get there, what to do, and where to stay felt impossible. That’s when my husband found this company and, from the very first interaction, we knew we were in good hands. They took the time to really get to know us, what we enjoy, our travel style, our budget, and how hands-on we wanted them to be.

After a few thoughtful conversations and a video call, they crafted multiple itinerary options tailored exactly to our preferences. In the end, we landed on a perfect blend of history, fun, and relaxation. They even helped us work everything around the wedding, ensuring we didn’t miss a thing.

We started our journey in Athens, landing early in the morning and diving straight into the day. Then came one of the highlights of the trip—meeting our travel agent in person. She met us with the warmest welcome, walked us through our itinerary, personally showed us around the city, and gave amazing recommendations for food and shopping. Her kindness, energy, and passion for hospitality were contagious.

But what truly set this company apart was their level of care and communication. Throughout our entire trip, they were just a WhatsApp message away. They proactively checked in before every activity, sent us all the necessary contacts for transport and tours, and made sure we felt supported every step of the way. Every place we stayed at was breathtaking. From Athens to Paros, Milos, and Naxos, each hotel was more stunning than the last. Immaculate rooms, beachfront views, and hosts that treated us like family. The breakfasts were absolutely mouthwatering and gave us the perfect start to each adventure-filled day.

Beyond the wedding festivities, our itinerary included food tours, temple visits, an unforgettable catamaran tour, and a dreamy sunset cruise. Every single moment felt like a dream. The islands are incredibly safe, perfect for solo travelers or a girls’ getaway, and the views? Just… wow!

And the food! I cannot emphasize this enough: the food was out of this world. Every meal was a delight—fresh, flavorful, authentic, and somehow we left feeling better than when we arrived (even after eating three generous meals a day, with snacks in between!). Pure magic.

I’m already counting the seconds until we can go back. This trip exceeded every expectation we had and gave us memories we’ll treasure forever.

To top off this unforgettable trip, we decided to spend a few days in Rome—and the travel company helped with that too! It was the perfect ending to our adventure. We explored the Vatican, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon. Every site was awe-inspiring and the city’s energy was just electric. Rome was the cherry on top of a journey we will never forget.

To the entire team—thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the most unforgettable adventure of our lives. We wouldn’t dream of traveling to Greece again without you.

See more

Italy Trip Review: Matera, Puglia, Locorotondo, Lecce, Salento, Ostuni, Otranto, Galatina, Boat Ride, Hiking, Wine Tasting, Cheese Experience, Countryside, 17 Nights

My husband and I had utilized the services of Zicasso for prior journeys to Italy, Southeast Asia, and Australia/New Zealand. For our recent trip to Matera and Puglia, I requested an agency located in Italy that specializes in travel to Italy. We selected a company that was on a magazine’s A-list of travel advisors.

Our travel consultant listened to and respected my requests for certain activities (private food, historical and boat tours, wine tastings, cheese making) and types of accommodations (properties that offered a shaded area to relax and read). She also emailed answers to my numerous detail-oriented questions (the curse of having personally worked as a tour guide). She sent a lovely gift to our first hotel and called halfway through our vacation to check in with us. Communication via text with WhatsApp was convenient and used frequently. Most importantly, when we had a problem with one of our accommodations, she followed up (even after our trip had ended) and graciously offered some compensation.

See more

Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

30,000+ Verified Traveler Reviews