GuardTrailsItaly · May
As you asked
Nature Parks & Baroque Heritage
The route that sticks closest to what you asked for.
A journey combining the coastal beauty of Zingaro, the forested peaks of the Madonie, and the refined Baroque architecture of Scicli.
- days10
- bases7
- stages7
- nights9
- transfer days5
- stage to stage936 km
- at the wheel, day by day12 h 47
Who this itinerary is for
This itinerary suits a traveller looking for: a trip in May, getting around by car, sleeping in hotels, a museum or cultural visit, a village stroll, days of walking, kayak or canoe, a town walk (2 h), easy cycling, via ferrata, wildlife watching and a park or garden.
The area
A journey through Sicilian nature parks and Baroque heritage.
The map
Loading the map…
The days at a glance
One line per day: where you sleep, what the day is, the road, and how its time is split.
| Day | Evening base | The day | Road | Time of the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day1 | Evening base : Palermo | ArrivalPalermo, arrival | Road 49 min | |
| Day2 | Evening base : San Vito Lo Capo | TransferZingaro North Gate & San Vito | Road 1 h 15 | |
| Day3 | Evening base : San Vito Lo Capo | Day on siteZingaro North Gate & San Vito | — | |
| Day4 | Evening base : Castelbuono | TransferMadonie Mountains & Castelbuono | Road 2 h 41 | |
| Day5 | Evening base : Piazza Armerina | TransferRoman Mosaics of Piazza Armerina | Road 2 h 16 | |
| Day6 | Evening base : Scicli | TransferBaroque Elegance of Scicli | Road 2 h 08 | |
| Day7 | Evening base : Scicli | Day on siteBaroque Elegance of Scicli | — | |
| Day8 | Evening base : Zafferana Etnea | TransferMount Etna East Slopes | Road 2 h 35 | |
| Day9 | Evening base : Catania | TransferCatania, departure | Road 51 min | |
| Day10 | — | DepartureCatania, departure | Road 12 min |
- programme
- road
- free time
12.0 h usable every day
Good to know
What it leaves aside
By including the inland Madonie mountains, this route requires driving across the central hilly interior of the island.
Places it did not keep
Valley of the Temples · Syracuse
Getting there
Fly to Falcone–Borsellino Airport (PMO), 49 min by road from the start.
Fly home from Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), 12 min by road from the end.
Train home from Catania Centrale, 3 min by road from the end.
The rental car is returned at Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, not where you pick it up: allow for a one-way drop-off fee.
Where you sleep
You can find a variety of accommodations ranging from boutique hotels and guesthouses in the city to rural farm stays and mountain huts in the surrounding areas, though booking well in advance is essential during the peak summer season.
Safety
Italy: no warning from the UK authorities (FCDO). Advice of 2026-11-03 · Official advice
Check before booking and before taking out insurance: the advice may have changed since.
Why this version, the cost in detail and the sources are on the method page. Read the method →
When, and for how long
How long?
10 days: what you ask for, the minimum the area needs and the length kept all coincide.
Travelling in May.
The climate — May
- Daily high, 1 day in 4 is hotter
- 24 °C
- Daily high, 1 day in 20 is hotter
- 25 °C
- Unfavourable day
- 11%
- Windy day
- 4%
Rain, wind and temperature are measured over the 8 h in the middle of the day, on a historical baseline of 55 observations (Open-Meteo). It is a measuring window, not the length of your day: each day of the programme counts 12 h of usable time.
The itinerary, day by day
7 stages over 10 days, in the order of the days. A stage appears on the day you first reach it: you sleep several nights at some, and a day trip leaves from your base and brings you back to it. Each day has its own page.
Every day of this trip has 12 h of usable time. Room to breathe — we have not padded these days to fill them: the free time left is part of the trip.
- Day 1ARRIVALPalermo, arrival · night in Palermo3 h planned · 49 min on the roadSee the day →
Stage 2 · San Vito Lo Capo
Zingaro North Gate & San Vito
We sleep at Villa delle Anfore, 3.1 km away
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 2Zingaro North Gate & San Vito · night in San Vito Lo Capo5 h planned · 1 h 15 on the roadSee the day →
- Day 3AT BASEZingaro North Gate & San Vito · night in San Vito Lo Capo8 h plannedSee the day →
Stage 3 · Castelbuono
Madonie Mountains & Castelbuono
We sleep at Hotel Milocca, 2.6 km away
1 night · climate favourable
- Day 4TRANSFERMadonie Mountains & Castelbuono · night in Castelbuono5 h planned · 2 h 41 on the roadSee the day →
Stage 4 · Piazza Armerina
Roman Mosaics of Piazza Armerina
We sleep at Trinacria, 800 m away
1 night · climate favourable
- Day 5Roman Mosaics of Piazza Armerina · night in Piazza Armerina4 h 30 planned · 2 h 16 on the roadSee the day →
- Day 6Baroque Elegance of Scicli · night in Scicli4 h planned · 2 h 08 on the roadSee the day →
- Day 7AT BASEBaroque Elegance of Scicli · night in Scicli7 h plannedSee the day →
Stage 6 · Zafferana Etnea
Mount Etna East Slopes
We sleep at Rifugio Giovannino Sapienza, 5.6 km away
1 night · climate cold
- Day 8TRANSFERMount Etna East Slopes · night in Zafferana Etnea5 h 30 planned · 2 h 35 on the roadSee the day →
- Day 9TRANSFERCatania, departure · night in Catania2 h planned · 51 min on the roadSee the day →
- Day 10DEPARTURECatania, departure · end of the trip2 h 30 planned · 12 min on the roadSee the day →
What it costs, roughly
€1,221 to €1,892 per person
€122 to €189 per day
Based on: 2 people.
The cost estimate and the availability of accommodation, transport and activities are as of 30 October 2026: prices and availability change over time.
Where the money goes, and how this figure is obtained →To check
1 point to look at before booking.
D8Check opening times and crowds for this season — Mount Etna East Slopes
Volcanic activity or high-altitude snow can restrict access to the summit craters of Mount Etna.
The method
Why this version, what sets it apart from the others, the cost in detail, the interest of the places, the automatic review and the sources.
Read the method →