Palermo, cloisters of S. Giovanni degli Eremiti, watercolour by W.W. Collins, publ. 1911.

Cultural tours in Sicily

Our small group tours of Sicily take you further and deeper. Whether it’s on a private tour of Palermo’s Palatine Chapel or a guided walk on Etna with an expert vulcanologist, you will be fully immersed in dazzling cultural inheritance.

Browse Sicily tours by theme

Exploring Sicily on a cultural tour

Every wave of Mediterranean civilisation has washed across this island and mixed with those that came before. At Segesta we see how the local Elymians aped the style of the incoming Greeks - and half-built their own Doric temple. In Palermo, intricate Islamic ceilings abut glittering Christian mosaics, while the sprawling remains of the Villa Romana del Casale remind us just how prosperous life could be amidst Sicily’s agricultural abundance.

Our expert lecturers breathe life, light and colour into every scene. Whether we’re exploring Noto’s Baroque piazzas, sipping Marsala wine or wandering the glittering island of Ortigia - where the sea seems to sparkle at the end of every street - we can expect a giddy mix of landscape, history, archaeology and art.

Expert speakers

Spotlight on Sicily

Segesta

Set in an unspoilt hilly landscape, the almost complete but fascinatingly unfinished fifth-century temple at Segesta was built by indigenous, if thoroughly Hellenised, Sicilians. On an adjacent hill is a spectacularly sited theatre with views to the sea.

Visited on: 'Civilisations of Sicily'

Cefalù

Cefalù is charming small coastal town dominated by a massive Norman cathedral on the slopes behind, which contains outstanding mosaics. The art gallery of the Museo Mandralisca has a painting by the enigmatic 15th-century Antonello da Messina.

Visited on: 'Sicily: from the Greeks to the Baroque'

San Giovanni degli Eremiti

S. Giovanni degli Eremiti is a Norman church with five cupolas and a charming garden. The cathedral, a building of many periods, has grand royal and imperial tombs.

Visited on: 'Palermo Revealed'

Why travel with us?

Leading expertise

Since 1988 we have been the most influential organisation in the field of cultural travel. Our expert speakers are a key ingredient in our tours. Academics, curators and researchers, they are selected not only for their knowledge but also for their ability to communicate clearly and engagingly to a lay audience.

Privileged access

Special arrangements are a feature of our tours – for admission to places not generally open to travellers, for access outside public hours, for private concerts and extraordinary events. In innumerable ways, we lift our clients’ experience far above standards which are regarded as normal for tourists.

Small groups

Most of our tours run with between 10 and 24 participants. Our travellers are self-selected by common interests and an endorsement of our ethos, and you are highly likely to find yourself among link-minded companions.

Value for money

The price includes nearly everything, not only the major ingredients such as hotel, the costs of the lecturer and manager but also tips and drinks with meals. You can secure your booking today with a 15% deposit. We provide full financial protection for our package holidays.

Reviews

Wonderful

A wonderful trip with a fabulous lecturer, John Burt, and a kind, attentive tour manager, Marion. The music was divine, and the other guests made for truly delightful company.

Mrs Phipps

15/06/2026

Tuscany and Umbria

The week long walking tour to Tuscany and Umbria was excellent with the perfect balance between up to five mile walks, Italian scenery, culture, food and wine.

NGH

04/06/2026

I have enjoyed 7 tours with MRT

I have enjoyed seven tours with Martin Randall Travel. They have all been excellent, meticulously planned and organised to the last detail, and enable...

Mary

29/05/2026

The gold standard for cultural tours

MRT is the gold standard for cultural tours. The inclusion of an expert lecturer automatically filters a group of like-minded albeit eclectic folk; it...

Emma

19/05/2026

The expert lecturer adds huge value

This was my fifth Martin Randall Travel trip. They have all been good. The key difference with these tours is the fact that there is an expert lecture...

Janet

USA

18/04/26

You really get looked after

You really get looked after on a MRT tour. Everything is arranged to make the holiday so enjoyable: transport, entry to museums all sorted without fus...

Diana

27/04/2026

One of the very best for cultural and history tours

One of the very best for cultural and history tours. I have traveled multiple times with Martin Randall and am consistently extremely impressed by the...

Eileen

USA

10/02/2026

Egypt for those wanting to know more

I recently was one of 22 people joining Martin Randall for its inaugural trip to Egypt. The lecturer, a UK-based educator and specialist in Near Easte...

TravelerNOW

USA

16/01/2026

Uniformly excellent tours and adventures

Martin Randall is a top level, and top quality operator. They do what they promise, and usually much more. I travel alone, and I note how open, well b...

Nostromo

13/11/25

Holidays - always with that special something

Martin Randall Travel (MRT) are the best because they provide their customers with carefully designed and tested itineraries. These often feature spec...

Roger

13/11/2025

A cruise down the Rhine with classical music concerts every night

Martin Randall leaves nothing to chance - everything is planned and of the highest quality, but there is always room for a little individuality as well.

biscuit attorney

13/11/2025

Everything we expected and more

The annual calendar of tours offers a huge range. In any year it is difficult to decide where - there is so much on offer. We wish we had more ti me t...

Peter

13/11/25

Entertaining and Educational

All the staff from Martin Randall are knowledgeable, friendly and efficient. There are few problems but, should they occur, they handle them well. I feel they offer good value for money.

17/11/25

An Italian art lover's dream

Martin Randall Travel is a thoroughly professional cultural tour operator: all arrangements are impeccably organised, tours are well researched, lectu...

16/11/25

Cotswold Choral Festival

As always, Martin Randall had created a perfectly designed itinerary and executed it in an extremely well organised manner, despite it being a very complex event.

Rosalind

14/11/25

Read all reviews