GuardTrailsItaly · May
Off the beaten track
Off-the-Beaten-Path Sicani & Hidden Baroque
Less-visited places, with one or two classics all the same.
An original exploration of Sicily's interior, featuring the dramatic Sicani Mountains, the ancient Byzantine heritage of Sutera, and the lesser-known Baroque gem of Palazzolo Acreide.
- days10
- bases6
- stages7
- nights9
- transfer days4
- stage to stage802 km
- at the wheel, day by day12 h 09
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
An off-the-beaten-path exploration of Sicani mountains and hidden Baroque gems.
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 : Scopello | TransferZingaro South Gate & Scopello | Road 1 h 15 | |
| Day3 | Evening base : Scopello | Day on siteZingaro South Gate & Scopello | — | |
| Day4 | Evening base : Cammarata | TransferSicani Mountains & Cammarata | Road 2 h 41 | |
| Day5 | Evening base : Cammarata | Day excursionByzantine Heritage of Sutera | Road 54 min | |
| Day6 | Evening base : Palazzolo Acreide | TransferHidden Baroque of Palazzolo Acreide | Road 3 h 21 | |
| Day7 | Evening base : Palazzolo Acreide | Day on siteHidden Baroque of Palazzolo Acreide | — | |
| Day8 | Evening base : Randazzo | TransferMount Etna North Slopes | Road 2 h 06 | |
| 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
This route visits remote villages where English is less widely spoken and tourist infrastructure is simpler than on the coast.
Places it did not keep
Valley of the Temples · Syracuse · Taormina
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 · Scopello
Zingaro South Gate & Scopello
We sleep at Villa delle Anfore, 3.1 km away
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 2Zingaro South Gate & Scopello · night in Scopello7 h planned · 1 h 15 on the roadSee the day →
- Day 3AT BASEZingaro South Gate & Scopello · night in Scopello6 h plannedSee the day →
Stage 3 · Cammarata
Sicani Mountains & Cammarata
We sleep at Valateddi, 400 m away
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 4TRANSFERSicani Mountains & Cammarata · night in Cammarata5 h planned · 2 h 41 on the roadSee the day →
Stage 4 · Sutera
Byzantine Heritage of Sutera
Day trip from Cammarata · no night here · climate favourable
- Day 5EXCURSIONfrom Cammarata → Byzantine Heritage of Sutera7 h 30 planned · 54 min on the roadSee the day →
Stage 5 · Palazzolo Acreide
Hidden Baroque of Palazzolo Acreide
We sleep in Palazzolo Acreide, 1.1 km from the place visited
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 6TRANSFERHidden Baroque of Palazzolo Acreide · night in Palazzolo Acreide4 h 30 planned · 3 h 21 on the roadSee the day →
- Day 7AT BASEHidden Baroque of Palazzolo Acreide · night in Palazzolo Acreide8 h plannedSee the day →
Stage 6 · Randazzo
Mount Etna North Slopes
We sleep at Rifugio Giovannino Sapienza, 5.6 km away
1 night · sleeping at Rifugio Giovannino Sapienza, 20 km from Randazzo · climate cold
- Day 8Mount Etna North Slopes · night at Rifugio Giovannino Sapienza, 20 km from Randazzo5 h 30 planned · 2 h 06 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
€1,220 to €1,898 per person
€122 to €190 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 North 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 →