Sicily tours: guided or on your own?
Most Sicily tours fall into four groups: volcano excursions, archaeological day trips, city and food walks, and boat trips to the islands. This page does not list operators or tour prices, which change with the season and the date. It helps you decide which type fits your trip and what to check in a tour description.
Distances explain why many visitors book a guide. Palermo to Agrigento is 129 km (2 h 17 by road, about 2 hours by train), Palermo to Catania 207 km (2 h 42), and Palermo to the port of Milazzo, where the Aeolian ferries leave, 198 km (2 h 29). The figures below show what some of these days cost when you organise them yourself. All prices are adult full prices for 2026.
Types of Sicily tours compared
What each type is good for and what to check before you book.
| Type | Best for | Check before booking |
|---|---|---|
| Etna excursion | Visitors based in Catania or Taormina | Meeting point, hiking shoes, what the ticket covers |
| Valley of the Temples day trip | Visitors without a car | Whether the €14 park ticket and the €3 surcharge (until 31 October 2026) are included, time on site |
| Palermo and Monreale walk or food tour | Short stays in Palermo | Meeting point, whether the €8 cloister and the Palatine Chapel are included |
| Cefalù day trip | One free day from Palermo | Guide at the cathedral, which has no guide service of its own |
| Boat trip | Islands and coast | Departure port, season and landing fees; near Zingaro only authorised excursion boats may come within 100 m of the shore |
| Private tour with driver | Families and small groups | Flexible start, who pays the entrance tickets |
The volcano has its own guide, which covers Etna, UNESCO-listed since 2013, in detail. Boat trips to the Aeolian Islands start from Milazzo, those to the Egadi Islands from Trapani.
Our picks: tours compared
A volcano, the temples and a food tour.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Guided summit hike on Mount Etna
A volcano guide, helmet and insurance. The cable car or 4x4 for the higher options costs extra: €54 to 3,000 m, €82 to 3,400 m per adult.
Check availability →
Palermo street food walk with a local guide
Two and a half hours through markets and the centre with tastings.
Check availability →
Valley of the Temples skip-the-line guided tour
Two hours with a certified local guide and priority entry. The official ticket alone costs €14, plus €3 until 31 October 2026.
Check availability →Sicily tours and day trips
Etna excursions, temple day trips, boat trips and food tours across Sicily, with live prices and availability.
What the same day costs on your own
Train fares, tickets and parking added up, per person.
Cefalù from Palermo
Return train €14.20 (2 × €7.10), cathedral Rosso route €13 and the Rocca €5 make €32.20. The train takes 39 to 59 minutes each way.
Cefalù guide →Agrigento from Palermo
Return train €22.80 (2 × €11.40), Valley of the Temples €14 (plus €3 until 31 October) and an audioguide €5 make €41.80 to €44.80. Allow 2 to 2 h 18 each way. The Scala dei Turchi adds €6.
Valley of the Temples guide →Monreale from Palermo
The cathedral is free and the cloister costs €8. By car it is 10 km (16 minutes).
Zingaro from Palermo
The train to Castellammare del Golfo costs €7.90 each way and the reserve €5. The station is not at the entrance, so plan the last leg before you go.
Erice from Trapani
The cable car is €15 return. If you drive, parking at the lower station is €5 for 3 hours.
Trapani and Erice guide →Lipari from Milazzo
Hydrofoils start at about €16 each way. A landing fee is added, and the archaeological museum costs €7.
Aeolian Islands guide →When a tour is worth it
The honest trade-offs.
Long distances
Agrigento is 2 hours from Palermo each way, and the train runs 13 times Monday to Friday, 10 times on Saturday and 6 times on Sunday. A guided day trip removes the planning.
Places that need arranging
The Scala dei Turchi needs an email reservation and card payment. In winter the hydrofoil from Palermo to the Aeolian Islands runs on Monday and Friday only. A tour handles this for you.
Driving yourself
Palermo's old town is a restricted traffic zone, with fines of €81 to €164 reported, sent first to the hire company. Visitors' vehicles are barred from several Aeolian islands in summer, and motorway tolls reach €10.40 on the A20.
When going alone wins
Cefalù and Monreale are short, cheap hops from Palermo. The train fare and tickets are small, so a guide is the main reason to book there.
Plan the rest of your trip
Useful pages before you decide.
Things to do in Sicily
Fifteen experiences with 2026 prices and opening hours.
Sicily itinerary
A route for 7 to 10 days with driving times between the main towns.
Palermo and Catania airports
Buses, trains and car hire, and the motorway tolls.
Where to stay
Palermo, the west, the southeast or the east: which base suits your trip.
Sicily tours: frequently asked questions
Are entrance tickets included in a tour?
It depends on the tour. Read the description and look for the park or museum ticket. For the Valley of the Temples that means €14 in 2026, plus €3 until 31 October.
Is a tour cheaper than going alone?
Compare the package with the costs on this page. A day in Cefalù from Palermo costs €32.20 on your own. A tour adds a guide and transport, and the price should reflect that.
Can I visit Etna on a tour?
Yes. Etna excursions are among the most common day trips from Catania and Taormina. Check the meeting point and what the ticket covers.
Do boat trips run all year?
Timetables shrink in winter. The Aeolian winter timetable began on 1 October and the Egadi one on 12 October. Check the schedule for your date.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Look for a free cancellation or rebooking rule. The Scala dei Turchi closes in rain, high wind or a weather warning, and boats depend on the sea.