Classics tour to Sicily by air: 5 days, 4 nights
The island Sicily gives pupils a unique opportunity to learn from a range of ancient Phoenician, Greek and Roman sites. Other durations are available – speak to one of our expert travel advisors who will guide you through the options.
Similar tours
Suggested itinerary
Day one
- Arrival at Palermo airport and transfer to hotel
- Dinner and overnight in Palermo area
Day two
- Full day visit Segesta & Selinunte
- Transfer to your hotel in Agrigento area, dinner and overnight
Day three
- Full day visit to Valley of the Temples in Agrigento
- Roman Villa in Piazza Armerina
- Transfer to your hotel in Giardini Naxos area
Day four
- Full day to Syracuse
- Return to your hotel and overnight
Day five
- Transfer to Catania airport
- Return to UK
Tour gallery
Excursion Locator Map
Excursion Ideas
Syracuse
Subject range: History, Classics
What you’ll experience: Syracuse is rich in Greek history and at one time was the largest city in the world. A guided tour takes you to the archaeological park containing a large Greek theatre, a Roman amphitheatre and ancient quarries. Groups can also visit the Ear of Dionysius and Archimedes’ tomb.
Select says: A beautiful city with a long and varied history from Greco-Roman times to today. Syracuse was the birthplace of the mathematician and engineer Archimedes.Giardini Naxos
Subject range: History, Classics
What you’ll experience: This location includes many churches and an archaeological park in which you can relax while taking in the atmosphere.
Select says: This is a popular little tourist town with excellent views and a busy seafront as well as the historical sites.
Piazza Armerina
Subject range: History, Classics
What you’ll experience: The town is famous for its Roman mosaics in the magnificent open-air museum Villa Romana del Casale which dates from the 4th Century AD.
Select says: Another Unesco listed building, Piazza Armerina gives a sense of the Roman history of the island.Agrigento - Valley of the Temples
Subject range: History, Classics
What you’ll experience: At one time the fourth-largest city in the known world, we know this area today as the Valley of the Temples where we find the remains of seven 5th and 6th century Greek temples. A museum among the remains of Roman and Hellenistic ruins gives an insight into the archeology of the area and contains one of the giant telamones from the temple of Zeus.
Select says: The Unesco-listed Valley of the Temples is a special experience and is Sicily’s most popular historical tourist site
Selinunte
Subject range: History, Classics
What you’ll experience: Selinunte dates from 628BC and was one of the most important Greek colonies. There are impressive ruins, notably Greek temples, and one has been reconstructed. The quarries at Rocca di Cusa show us how the stone for the temples was cut. You can also see an acropolis and agora.
Select says: Having been left in ruins for about 200 years following an attack by Carthage, it is now a place where you can learn about the rich history here.
Segesta
Subject range: History, Classics
What you’ll experience: This is an excellent Greek archaeological site at which you can find a Greek Doric temple built 2500 years ago by the Greeks and the Elymians. A well-preserved semi-circular Hellenistic theatre on Monte Barbaro can be reached via a short shuttle bus ride.
Select says: You are cloaked in this town’s long history as you explore the archaeological remains. A tremendous experience.Palermo
Subject range: History, Classics
What you’ll experience: One of the main urban locations in Sicily, this beautiful and historic city dates from the Greco-Roman period and was a major influence in the area for the last 200 years. The Norman Palatine Chapel mosaics and the Byzantine Monreale Cathedral give us insights into the classical period. You can also visit the Archaeological Museum.
Select says: Find the history of the classical civilisation within this modern context.
Classics trip to Sicily by air: 5 days, 4 nights Accommodation
Hotel Athenaeum
Location: Palermo
Capacity: 80
Albergo Athenaeum is a modern hotel located opposite the University of Palermo campus, a few minutes from the old town and the famous Ballarò market.
Rooms: Single, double or triple rooms located on six floors, all with en-suite facilities.
Facilities: Restaurant, Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.
Hotel Baia degli Dei
Location: Giardini Naxos
Capacity: 47
Located by the sea in the beautiful Bay of Recanati, Giardini Naxos, just a few kilometres from Taormina. You can see Mount Etna from the hotel (the highest volcano in Europe) and the Mediterranean Sea.
Rooms: En-suite facilities. Rooms have a balcony or terrace.
Facilities: Restaurant, air conditioning, restaurant, hall equipped with spacious lounge bar, TV room.
Hotel Tre Torri
Location: Agrigento
Capacity: 118
Located a 5 minutes’ walk from Villaggio Mosè centre, the Tre Torri Hotel offers classic rooms with air conditioning and modern Italian furniture. The Valley of the Temples is just 1.9 miles away.
Rooms: All with en-suite facilities.
Facilities: Free WiFi, restaurant serving traditional Sicilian cuisine, air-conditioned dining room overlooking the sun terrace and swimming pool, free gym, ping pong table and a TV room.
Links to Learning
Learning areas:
KS4
OCR Ancient History J151, J051
- The origins of Rome: The kings, 753–508 BC
- Hannibal’s invasion and defeat, 218–146 BC
- The Hellenistic world 323–133 BC
OCR Classical Civilisation J280, J080
- City life in the classical world
- Community life in the classical world
- Culture and society in the classical world
OCR Greek J292
- Demonstrate an understanding of the cultural, historical and literary context in which the literature was composed
- Select, analyse and evaluate evidence to draw informed conclusions and make a reasoned, evidence-based response to the material studied.
- Use a range of ancient sources including literary, inscriptional and archaeological
- Identify aspects of content, culture, social practices and values, as appropriate to the sources studied
OCR Latin J282
- Demonstrate an understanding of the cultural, historical and literary context in which the literature was composed
- Select, analyse and evaluate evidence to draw informed conclusions and make a reasoned, evidence-based response to the material studied.
- Use a range of ancient sources including literary, inscriptional and archaeological
- Identify aspects of content, culture, social practices and values, as appropriate to the sources studied
AQA Classical Civilisation 4020
- Greece and Rome: stories and histories
- Greece and Rome: drama and life
- Greece and Rome: an evaluative study
KS5
AQA Classical Civilisation 2020
- Greek architecture and sculpture
- Roman architecture and town planning
- Greek tragedy
- Roman epic
- Women in Athens and Rome
- Menander and Plautus – society and values
- The life and times of Cicero – history and politics
- Athenian Imperialism
- The Second Punic War
OCR Ancient Greek H444
- Understand and appreciate the literary context from which the set texts have been taken by reading an appropriate selection of ancient literature in English translation
- Understand and appreciate, as appropriate, the social, cultural and historical contexts for the set texts, their authors and audiences
- Demonstrate appropriate historical and/or cultural knowledge when necessary for the understanding or evaluation of a given phrase, sentence or passage
OCR Classical Civilisation
- Art and architecture in the Greek World
- Comic drama in the Ancient World
- Greek history: conflict and culture
- Roman history: the use and abuse of power
- Roman society and thought
- Greek tragedy in its context
- Greek historians
- City life in Roman Italy
OCR Latin H443
- Understand and appreciate the literary context from which the set texts have been taken by reading an appropriate selection of ancient literature in English translation
- Understand and appreciate, as appropriate, the social, cultural and historical contexts for the set texts, their authors and audiences
- Demonstrate appropriate historical and/or cultural knowledge when necessary for the understanding or evaluation of a given phrase, sentence or passage
