Self-Launched Mini Tour of Sicily: Palermo to Catania
5 days · Sicily
Soleto Travel charges £1,120
No-markup version: ~£355 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Soleto Travel's 5-day Palermo-to-Catania mini tour of Sicily. Same headline sights — Monreale's golden mosaics, Palermo's Arab-Norman churches, Cefalù's Norman cathedral, Catania's baroque centre, Mount Etna's Silvestri craters and Taormina's Greek theatre — but booked independently using regional trains, SAIS buses, local guides via GetYourGuide and hostel/guesthouse stays. Approximate costs, based on shoulder-season budget traveller rates.
Day-by-day
Arrive Palermo — old town orientation
Palermo
Fly into Palermo Falcone-Borsellino and take the Prestia e Comandè bus to the city centre (~£6, 50 min) or the Trinacria Express train to Palermo Centrale (~£6). Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse near Via Maqueda/Teatro Massimo. Walk the Quattro Canti, Pretoria Square fountain and Teatro Massimo exterior, then wander the Ballarò street market at dusk. Optional: Monreale day-pass preview or an evening street-food walk booked on GetYourGuide (~£25).
🚌Airport bus Prestia e Comandè ~£6, or Trinacria Express train ~£6; walking in town
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, central Palermo (£25-35)
- →Quattro Canti and Pretoria Square
- →Teatro Massimo exterior
- →Ballarò street market
Monreale & Palermo's Arab-Norman gems
Palermo
Take AMAT bus 389 or the shuttle from Piazza Indipendenza up to Monreale (~£1.50 each way) to see the cathedral's gold mosaics and the cloister (combined ticket ~£10). Back in Palermo, buy the Arab-Norman UNESCO circuit ticket (~£12-15) covering Cappella Palatina, Martorana (Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio) and San Cataldo, plus Palermo Cathedral rooftops (~£8). Self-guided audio tours are downloadable, or join a small-group GetYourGuide walking tour (~£30). Grab a sfincione or pane e panelle from a bakery for lunch (~£5).
🚌AMAT bus 389 to Monreale ~£3 return; walking/urban buses in Palermo ~£3
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, central Palermo (£25-35)
- →Monreale Cathedral and Cloister
- →Cappella Palatina
- →Martorana Church
- →Palermo Cathedral rooftop
- →Street food tasting at a local bakery
Cefalù en route to Catania
Cefalù / Catania
Take the regional train from Palermo to Cefalù (~£7, 45-60 min) and walk 10 minutes to the Norman Cathedral to see the Christ Pantocrator mosaic (free entry, small fee for cloister). Optional Mandralisca Museum (~£5). Stop for granita con brioche at a historic bar (~£4). Then continue by train Cefalù → Palermo → Catania or take the direct Cefalù–Messina–Catania regional route (total ~£18-22, 4-5 hrs). Alternatively hop the SAIS bus. Evening stroll through Catania's baroque centre: Duomo, Liotru fountain, Via dei Crociferi and Piazza Università.
🚌Regional trains Palermo–Cefalù–Catania ~£25-29 total; walking in Catania
🛏Hostel or budget B&B in Catania old town (£25-35)
- →Cefalù Norman Cathedral
- →Mandralisca Museum (optional)
- →Granita and brioche tasting
- →Catania Duomo and Via dei Crociferi
Mount Etna and Taormina
Mount Etna / Taormina
Join a shared Etna excursion from Catania booked on GetYourGuide (~£55-70) covering Rifugio Sapienza, the Silvestri Craters and a honey/regional produce tasting at a beekeeping farm; or DIY: AST bus from Catania to Rifugio Sapienza (~£8 return) and pay the cable car + 4x4 up to 2,900 m (~£55). In the afternoon continue by AST/Interbus to Taormina (~£5) for the Greek Theatre (~£10) and views over Giardini Naxos and the Riviera dei Ciclopi. Return to Catania by bus or train (~£5).
🚌Shared tour minibus or AST buses ~£15-25 total
🛏Hostel or budget B&B in Catania old town (£25-35)
- →Catania Pescheria fish market
- →Mount Etna and Crateri Silvestri
- →Honey tasting at beekeeping farm
- →Taormina Greek Theatre
- →Riviera dei Ciclopi viewpoint
Catania market, then depart
Catania
Early breakfast, then mooch through La Pescheria fish market and the Fera 'o Luni produce market for arancini (~£4). Alibus 457 goes from Catania Centrale to Fontanarossa Airport in ~20 min (~£2-4); trains also run from Catania Centrale. If your flight is later, a quick GetYourGuide Catania baroque walking tour (~£20) fits in before departure.
🚌Alibus 457 to Catania Airport ~£3
🛏None (departure day)
- →La Pescheria fish market
- →Arancini tasting
- →Optional baroque walking tour
Self-launched vs. Soleto Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Soleto Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£355 | £1,120 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £765 per person (68%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Soleto Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£355
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Mini Tour of Sicily: Palermo to Catania cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £355 per person for 5 days in Sicily. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Soleto Travel?+
Yes — Soleto Travel charges around £1,120 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £355 — a saving of roughly £765 (68%) per person.
How long is the Sicily trip?+
This itinerary runs 5 days, covering 5 day-by-day stops through Sicily.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, foodie, budget trip through Sicily, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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