Top Syracuse Historical Tours

Mount Etna is a prominent feature of Sicily’s landscape and this full-day tour takes you on a tour of the active volcano as well as the town of Taormina. Reach the 6,200-foot (1,900-meter) mark at the Silvestri Craters and learn about the unique fauna and flora that thrives off the volcanic soils. Then, take a walking tour of the hilltop town of Taormina with free time to shop.

Explore the tallest vocano in Europe during this full-day private expedition to Sicily’s iconic Mt. Etna. Enjoy comfortable, climate-controlled transfers, with door-to-door pickup and drop-off from your hotel. Tour itineraries can be adapted to participants, with excursions to lower or upper craters. A panoramic picnic lunch is offered at an additional cost.

Sicily is home to some of the most spectacular Greek and Roman archaeological sites in Italy, but visiting on your own means navigating the island’s confusing rural roads. With this tour, reach Villa Romana Del Casale in Piazza Armerina and the Valley of Temples in Agrigento with a private driver for a stress-free jaunt through ancient history, taking in these remarkable ruins at your own pace.

Discover the many UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Noto Valley during this full-day tour from Syracuse. Explore the Baroque-style towns of Ragusa and Scicli, taste the famous Modica chocolate made from an ancient recipe, and discover the rich history of the region from your guide. A light lunch and round-trip transport from Syracuse are included.

Discover the excellent food and wine of Syracuse on a 2.5-hour walking tour in Ortygia, the historic old city center. Your knowledgeable local guide takes you to three family-owned eateries to taste a variety of authentic dishes such as appetizers, fresh fish and pastries, accompanied by samples of wine and liquor. You’ll also pass landmarks including the Piazza San Rocco, Piazza del Duomo, Santa Lucia church, Piazza San Giuseppe and the Piazza Archimede with its stunning Fountain of Diana, providing another experience of Sicily’s rich culture.

Some history-focused group walking tours can feel impersonal and rushed. Enjoy an intimate experience on this private walking tour of the small island of Ortygia in the historic center of Syracuse. As you walk from the ancient Greek Temple of Apollo to the Arethusa Fountain and through the Jewish Quarter, your guide reveals the rich history of the ancient city.

To discover the Baroque beauty secrets, enjoy an incredible full-day adventure, dedicated to the exploration of three fascinating UNESCO heritage sites: Ragusa Ibla, Modica and Noto. Our driver escort will be available for you, to allow you to enjoy this private tour. The first stop of the tour will be Ragusa Ibla: old and Baroque city where you can admire numerous eighteenth-century churches and buildings on which important sculptors and architects have worked. Another jewel of the Sicilian Baroque: Modica. You will visit the town and you can live a real journey into the tradition of Sicilian cuisine (the lunch is optional). We will head towards the capital of Baroque: Noto. You will visit the Cathedral of San Nicolò, whose construction began at the end of 1600 and the most important building which is Palazzo Ducezio, seat of the town hall, built in 1700.  A few steps away there is Via Nicolaci, famous throughout the world for the Infiorata.

This tour is a great pick for travelers keen to experience local life and traditions in Sicily, away from tourist hotspots. Don’t worry about driving—as bus transportation is included, directly to the pretty fishing village of Marzamemi. Here, a local guide can reveal more about artisan food—including a place where “tuna bottarga” is produced. The trip also visits Portopalo to see Castle Tafuri and an ancient tuna station.

Visit three jewels of southeastern Sicily in half a day on this private tour from Syracuse. After hotel pickup from Syracuse, Catania, or Taormina, head first to Noto, a small town built almost entirely in the Sicilian Baroque style. Then, visit the Villa del Tellaro, home to stunning ancient Roman mosaics, and Marzamemi, a traditional 17th-century fishing village.

Escape the hustle and bustle of Catania and discover the great Mount Etna on this full-day excursion. Alongside a private guide, head to the southern slope of the volcano and explore the lava flows and craters. Then, head to Taormina for a guided tour of the city center and free time to explore. End your day in the medieval village of Castelmola and stop to taste the special almond wine.

Ortigia is home to the top sights in Syracuse, but getting around the maze-like island district can be confusing. Make the most of your day with this private tour that covers the top sights on foot in just a few hours, leaving you time for a private boat tour to admire the city and its coastline from the water. Enjoy a spread of Sicilian delicacies and wine while you take in the view.

Escape the hustle and bustle of Catania and venture to nearby Sicilian towns on this full-day excursion. Alongside a private guide, enjoy guided tours of the towns of Ragusa, Modica, and Scicli and visit several points of interest. Some highlights include the baroque architecture of Ragusa, a chocolate tasting, and the Chiafura Archaeological Park.

Taormina and Castelmola are two of eastern Sicily’s top destinations, but the logistics of touring by public transportation can be tedious. On this private tour, save hours with hotel pickup and transportation directly from Syracuse. Enjoy a private walking tour of Taormina to marvel at its Greek Theater and other highlights before heading to the village of Castelmola. Stroll the medieval lanes, stopping at the landmark bar for a sample of almond wine.

Explore Noto without the hassle of planning on a private tour with round-trip transport from the doorstep of your Syracuse accommodation. Your guide, who ensures you never get lost, offers an inside perspective and wealth of stories about the town’s rich history and culture. Enjoy your guide's full attention and plenty of time for questions at each stop on the itinerary, from Porta Reale to San Carlo Church.

Sicily With Us is a leading company in the sector of Guided Tours in Sicily and Private Transfers from / to airports to all destinations on the island.

You will start the tour from Syracuse and head towards Ragusa Ibla. Once in the heart of the Ragusan town, you will visit the places that served as the backdrop for the fiction, such as: the Giardino Ibleo, the square of Vigata and the characteristic Cathedral of San Giorgio. Leaving Ragusa Ibla, immersed in a vast expanse full of carob and olive trees, you will see the Castle of Donnafugata: from its terrace you will enjoy a breathtaking view and the different scenes from the fiction can only resurface in your mind. Once in Punta Secca, you will admire Montalbano's house, after a walk along the seafront, you will also have some free time to taste the typical products of this area. Before returning to Syracuse, Scicli will be waiting for you, a real jewel of Sicilian Baroque art. Between the visit to the Palazzo del Municipio (the room of the Quaestor of Montelusa) and the one to Palazzo Iacono (the Police Headquarters of Montelusa) you cannot help but imagine yourself inside the fiction.

Spend a day immersed in nature during this private tour to the Vendicari Nature Reserve in Sicily. Located right on the water, the reserve is teeming with stunning views and local wildlife. Visit the small fishing village of Marzamemi to see the ruins of Tonnara and enjoy a traditional Sicilian lunch before moving on to the baroque city of Noto for a quick city tour.

The first stage of the tour will be Noto, the beautiful Baroque city, full of important historic buildings all built with local stone, with a golden color tending towards pink. You will enter through Porta Reale, the gate to the city, and then continue with a walk along the main street overlooked by the cathedral of San Nicolò, whose construction began at the end of the 1600s. You will be fascinated by the most important building in the city, Palazzo Ducezio, seat of the town hall, and by Via Nicolaci, famous all over the world for its Infiorata. This will be followed by a visit to Portopalo di Capo Passero, a seaside village at the extreme southern tip of Sicily, which offers spectacular sea views and acts as a watershed between the Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Then Marzamemi awaits you: you will reach the heart of the village to relax in the square overlooked by the palace of the Prince of Villadorata, built in 1752 in sandstone.

The "Etna Tour from Syracuse" experience will begin with the pick-up at the structure that hosts you. Once you reach the Rifugio Sapienza (1920 meters above sea level), you will have two opportunities: you can choose whether to go for a simple trekking along one of the Paths of the Etna Park, up to 2000 meters or, alternatively, you can choose the "Etna high altitude" option . In this second case, with extra costs to be paid locally, you will reach an altitude of 2504 meters using the Etna cableway and with special 4×4 off-road vehicles, you will reach an altitude of 2900 meters above sea level. After leaving the Sapienza Refuge, the tour will continue in Zafferana Etnea: the city of honey. Here, you can  taste typical local products and discover the secrets of honey processing.

Thanks to this tour - which will allow you to visit two pearls of the island - you will be able to discover the essence of Sicily. You will start the tour with an independent trek along the paths of the Etna Park and once finished you will stop in Zafferana Etnea, the city of honey: here you will be able to taste the excellent local honey. Soon after, you will leave for the beautiful Taormina. Situated on a promontory, from here you can enjoy splendid panoramic views; there are two entrances, which lead to the city center: Porta Catania and Porta Messina. Along the medieval streets of Taormina, every corner smells of Sicily: you can taste typical foods, buy typical Sicilian souvenirs and observe the beauty of the sea. You can choose whether to independently visit the Ancient Theater, the main monument of the city, and the Villa Comunale, inspired by English gardens and home to a remarkable variety of exotic plants.

This tour is ideal for travelers interested in Sicilian wildlife. Visit the peaceful Vendicari Nature Reserve with a naturalist guide who helps you spot birds—flamingos, storks, and herons migration through the area—and takes you to some of Sicily’s least-frequented beaches. Then, visit Noto, the limestone-colored village that is a masterwork of baroque architecture. Plus, get round-trip transportation from your hotel in Syracuse in a luxury car.