⏰ Times are typical/approximate. Gate1 publishes the day, not exact clock times.
Confirm precise pickup & return at the Sep 9, 6 PM orientation. · 📷 Photos are tucked into
collapsible drawers — tap to open on your phone; they stay hidden when you print.
Day-by-Day
08Tue
Depart USA
Overnight transatlantic flight
all day
In transit. Rest up — Sicily tomorrow.
09Wed
Arrive Catania
Catania · Night 1 of 4
on arrival
Airport transfer to hotel
6:00 PM
Group orientation — confirm all tour times here
eve
Free evening
🍽️ Me Cumpari Turiddu (iconic vintage Sicilian) · Osteria Antica Marina (in the fish market, since 1968 — book ahead)
Photos — Catania
10Thu
Catania + Taormina
Catania · walking tour & Ionian jewel
9:00–12:00
Catania walking tour (included) — Duomo, Via Etnea, Baroque center
~1:30–6:30
Taormina (booked optional) — Greek Theatre, Corso Umberto, Isola Bella view
eve
Free evening in Catania
🍽️ Scirocco Sicilian Fish Lab (top street food in Italy) or seafood at the Pescheria
Photos — Taormina
11Fri
Syracuse
Catania · ancient Greek Sicily
~8:30–2/3
Syracuse (booked optional) — Ortigia old town, Greek Theatre, Neapolis park, Duomo, Fonte Aretusa
late PM
Free afternoon
📸 La Pescheria fish market, Piazza del Duomo, Via Etnea stroll
eve
Free evening
🍽️ Cutilisci — lava-rock seaside dinner at San Giovanni Li Cuti
Photos — Syracuse / Ortigia
12Sat
🎬 Godfather Private Day
Catania · our own guide — replaces Mt. Etna
~8:30 AM
Private pickup at Catania hotel
morning
Savoca — Bar Vitelli (the proposal) & Church of San Nicolò (the wedding), medieval hill village
midday
Forza d'Agro — medieval town used across all three films
lunch
Winery lunch
🍷 Murgo — Tenuta San Michele (Etna estate) · or Bar Vitelli granita stop
afternoon
Castello degli Schiavi — the Apollonia car-bomb villa — then back to Catania
eve
Last night in Catania, free
🍽️ Save Me Cumpari Turiddu for tonight if not done
Photos — Godfather villages
13Sun
Catania → Agrigento → Marsala
Travel day · Marsala · Night 1 of 3
day
Valley of the Temples (UNESCO) + lunch included, then continue west to Marsala
eve
First evening in Marsala
🌅 Sunset at the Stagnone salt pans · 🍽️ Le Lumie or I Picciotti di Garibaldi (famous fish couscous)
Photos — Agrigento & Marsala
14Mon
Marsala + Mozia
Marsala · old town & Phoenician island
morning
Marsala walking tour (included) — Baroque old town
afternoon
Mozia / Motya boat (booked optional) — Phoenician island in the lagoon
late PM
Free
🍷 Cantine Florio historic wine cellars + tasting (Garibaldi stopped here — reserve ahead)
eve
Free evening
🍽️ Osteria Le Radici or Osteria Siciliando — old-town Sicilian
Photos — Mozia & the lagoon
15Tue
Erice + Farewell Dinner
Marsala · medieval mountaintop town
day
Erice (booked optional) — cobbled streets, Norman & Venus castles, panoramic coast views
🍰 Pasticceria Maria Grammatico — legendary almond pastries
eve
Gate1 farewell dinner (included)
Photos — Erice
16Wed
Depart from Palermo
Transfer to Palermo airport
AM
Transfer to airport
if time
Optional Monreale Cathedral stop — golden Norman mosaics near the airport road (confirm with driver if flight allows)
Free-Time at a Glance
Open blocks
Where you're free
- Most evenings — Catania (Wed–Sat), Marsala (Sun–Tue)
- Fri late afternoon — Ortigia / old Catania
- Mon late afternoon — Cantine Florio or salt-pan sunset
- Sun evening — first night in Marsala
- Days 3 & 8 are fuller — lighter on free time
Dining & Scenic Shortlist
Catania · Sep 9–12
🍽️ Eat
- Me Cumpari Turiddu — iconic vintage Sicilian
- Osteria Antica Marina — seafood in the fish market (1968)
- Scirocco Fish Lab — top-rated street food
- Cutilisci — lava-rock seaside lunch
Catania · scenic
📸 See
- La Pescheria fish market (closed Sun)
- Piazza del Duomo & Cathedral
- Via Etnea promenade
East coast · on tour
🏛️ Greek Sicily
- Taormina — Greek Theatre, Isola Bella
- Syracuse — Ortigia, Neapolis park, Duomo
- Agrigento — Valley of the Temples
Marsala / Trapani · Sep 13–15
🍷 Eat & sip
- Cantine Florio — historic Marsala-wine cellars
- Le Lumie — garden & sunset near the salt pans
- I Picciotti di Garibaldi — celebrated fish couscous
- Osteria Le Radici / Siciliando — old-town tables
West · scenic
📸 See
- Saline dello Stagnone salt pans & windmills
- Mozia island
- Erice — medieval streets & castle views
🧳 Know Before You Go
Weather · mid-Sep
☀️ Warm & sunny
- Days ~82–88°F, lots of sun
- Cooler nights — a 15°C drop is normal
- Layer a light sweater for evenings
- Small umbrella / light rain shell, just in case
Swimming
🏊 Free-time only
- No tour has scheduled swim time
- Sea still warm — ~75–79°F
- Best dips: Taormina (Isola Bella, Mazzarò), Catania La Plaja, evenings
- Pack swimsuits + water shoes (beaches are rocky)
Footwear & walking
👟 Comfy shoes a must
- Cobblestones + uphill: Savoca, Forza d'Agro, Erice, Ortigia
- Uneven volcanic ground at the Valley of the Temples
- Broken-in walking shoes / sneakers
Churches & sites
⛪ Modest cover
- Covered shoulders & knees for the wedding church + cathedrals
- Pack a light scarf / shawl or layer
- Erice mountaintop — windier & cooler, bring a layer
Sun & day bag
🎒 Daily carry
- Sunscreen, sunglasses, hat
- Refillable water bottle
- Small crossbody bag (watch for pickpockets in markets)
Practical
🔌 Don't forget
- EU Type-F/L plug adapter, 230V
- Some cash — small spots are card-shy
- Dressier outfit for the farewell dinner
- Any meds + a comfy layer for the long flight
🎬 The Godfather Day — Quick Spec
Format
Fully private
- Our party only — no shared group
- Catania hotel pickup, A/C vehicle, ~6–7 hrs
- Booked via our trusted Italy guide (Prestelli as fallback)
- Reference price: Viator ~$330pp · GetYourGuide ~$800/party
Must-see sites
Non-negotiable
- Bar Vitelli, Savoca — the proposal
- Church of San Nicolò, Savoca — the wedding
- Forza d'Agro — all three films
- Castello degli Schiavi — the car-bomb villa
Lunch
Memorable only
- 1st choice: Murgo Etna winery estate lunch
- Alt: historic sea-view terrace in Savoca
- Granita stop at Bar Vitelli either way