Evening restaurants and stone buildings in Marzamemi, south-east Sicily
Eastern Sicily self-drive holiday

Mount Etna, the Val di Noto and Siracusa

A well-paced self-drive journey combining Etna-side countryside, the Baroque south-east and a final sea-facing stay in Siracusa, with enough time in each place to explore without constantly moving.

Duration 14 nights
Travel style Self-drive
Accommodation rhythm 5 nights · 5 nights · 4 nights
Price guide From £3,250 pp
Holiday overview

A considered route through eastern Sicily

This journey uses three contrasting bases to open up eastern Sicily without turning the holiday into a constant sequence of arrivals and departures. Longer stays near Mount Etna and in the Val di Noto allow time for independent exploring, while four nights in Siracusa provide a more atmospheric, sea-facing conclusion close to Ortigia.

Price guide

14 nights from £3,250 per person

Based on two people sharing and including the principal land arrangements shown below. The final price will depend on your travel dates, hotel availability and preferred room categories.

What’s included

Your land-only holiday arrangements

  • 14 nights’ carefully selected accommodation
  • Breakfast each morning
  • Fully comprehensive car hire
  • Personal route planning and support from ExpertoItaly
Why this holiday works

A self-drive route with time to explore properly

Eastern Sicily rewards travellers who have the freedom to explore beyond the principal towns. This route provides that independence while keeping the pace measured, with three bases chosen for their different settings and practical access to the surrounding area.

Best for

Curious, independent travellers

Particularly well suited to couples and grown-up travellers interested in culture, scenery, food and wine, with space for quieter afternoons by the pool or sea.

Pacing

Longer stays, fewer interruptions

Five-night stays in the first two areas reduce unnecessary packing and allow day trips to be balanced with time at the hotels. Siracusa then provides a distinct four-night conclusion.

Transport

A car where it adds real value

Self-driving gives easier access to Etna, wine country, Baroque towns, nature reserves and smaller coastal places, without shaping each day around fixed public transport.

Route contrast

Countryside, culture and the sea

The journey moves from Etna’s volcanic landscapes to the open countryside of the Val di Noto, before finishing beside the Ionian Sea within easy reach of Ortigia.

Where you stay

Three stays with distinct roles in the journey

The accommodation sequence supports the rhythm of the route: a polished base between Mount Etna and the coast, a quieter countryside stay for exploring the Baroque south-east, and a personal sea-facing conclusion in Siracusa.

Donna Carmela Resort near Mount Etna in eastern Sicily
Etna countryside · 5 nights

Donna Carmela Resort

Donna Carmela gives the journey a calm and comfortable beginning between Mount Etna and the Ionian coast. Five nights provide time for the volcano, wine country and nearby coastal places, while the gardens, pool and restaurant make returning to the hotel part of the experience rather than simply the end of a day out.

Why it fits
  • Botanical resort setting with Mediterranean gardens
  • Well placed between Mount Etna and the Ionian coast
  • Pool, food and polished service after exploring
Masseria della Volpe in the countryside near Noto
Val di Noto countryside · 5 nights

Masseria della Volpe

Masseria della Volpe places the middle stage of the holiday in open countryside, giving you practical access to Noto, Modica, Ragusa, Vendicari and the south-east coast. The longer stay allows cultural days and coastal outings to be balanced with quieter time by the pool.

Why it fits
  • Refined countryside base for the Baroque south-east
  • Large pool, gardens and open Sicilian landscape
  • Good self-drive access to towns, coast and nature reserves
La Giuggiulena overlooking the Ionian Sea in Siracusa
Siracusa seafront · 4 nights

La Giuggiulena

La Giuggiulena gives the final four nights a more intimate, sea-facing character while keeping Ortigia within easy reach. After the wider landscapes and driving days of the first two stays, it provides a gentler conclusion shaped by personal hosting, terraces and direct contact with the Ionian Sea.

Why it fits
  • Sea-facing rooms and terraces above the Ionian Sea
  • Personal hosting from Sabrina and Claudia
  • Breakfast by the water and direct sea access
Holiday ideas

Other ways to experience Sicily

This eastern Sicily route is one way to explore the island. These alternative journeys offer different combinations of city culture, wine country, coast and island life, including both self-drive and carefully arranged car-free travel.

Aeolian Islands coastal scenery on a car-free Sicily holiday
Car-free Sicily

Palermo, Salina and Taormina

14 nights | Rail, ferry and private transfers | City, island and coast

A different rhythm from the self-drive route, combining Palermo’s culture with a settled Aeolian island stay and an elegant coastal conclusion in Taormina.

View this holiday →
San Vito Lo Capo and the western Sicily coastline
Western Sicily self-drive

Palermo, Menfi and San Vito Lo Capo

14 nights | Self-drive | City, wine country and coast

A journey focused entirely on western Sicily, moving from Palermo’s history to Menfi’s vineyards before finishing with relaxed coastal days near San Vito Lo Capo.

View this holiday →
Route map

From Mount Etna to the Val di Noto and Siracusa

The route moves gradually south through eastern Sicily, beginning between Mount Etna and the Ionian coast, continuing into the countryside near Noto, and finishing beside the sea in Siracusa. The sequence keeps driving manageable while giving each area enough time to feel distinct.

The map shows the broad route rather than a fixed daily schedule. Exact directions, arrival arrangements and suggested stops are shaped around your flights, dates and preferred pace.

Plan this journey

Shape this eastern Sicily holiday around you

This is a sample route rather than a fixed package. We can adjust the balance between Mount Etna, the Val di Noto and Siracusa around your dates, interests, preferred hotel style and the pace you want from the holiday.

Adapt the journey

Change the balance, not simply the dates

We can alter the number of nights, hotel categories, room choices and route order, or add private guiding, food and wine experiences and extra time by the sea.

What to tell us

Your dates, priorities and preferred pace

Share your likely travel dates, departure airport, room requirements and the places or experiences that matter most. It is also helpful to know how active or relaxed you want the journey to feel.

What happens next

A route designed around your plans

We will review the logistics, hotel availability and suitable combinations before discussing a tailored route and clear land-only price with you.

Your enquiry

Start planning your eastern Sicily holiday

Tell us as much or as little as you know at this stage. We can help refine the route, pacing and accommodation choices from there.

(Places, who’s travelling, special occasions, interests, anything you'd like me to know)