Treasures of Sicily

After you enroll, we’ll ask you to provide or update your personal information and preferences, which includes your health information, lodging and meal preferences for your program.

A passport is required for this program. It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

This information about travel documents pertains to participants holding U.S. passports. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

United States citizens don’t need a visa for any of the countries you’ll be visiting. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

For additional health information, please visit the CDC page for Italy at wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/italy In Italy, pharmacies are easy to spot by the illuminated green cross. Start there for minor health needs—pharmacists can provide basic medical advice, recommend over-the-counter remedies, and tell you when to see a doctor. Most pharmacies accept both cash and cards. In the hot, humid lowlands (especially parts of Tuscany and the Veneto), mosquitoes—including the tiger mosquito—are common. Take precautions: use repellent (DEET, picaridin/icaridin, or IR3535), wear light long sleeves and pants at dusk and dawn, and keep windows closed whenever possible. Window screens are not standard in Italy, so take extra care. Plug-in mosquito repellents are widely used; you can usually request one from the hotel front desk. Smoking is banned in indoor public places and on public transport. Many cities and venues also restrict smoking in some outdoor areas. Look for posted signs and follow local rules.

If Road Scholar is arranging your air travel to and from the program, and you travel on the scheduled start and end dates, you’ll receive free round-trip transfers from the airport to the hotel.

Arrival day is on November 8, 2027

Meet the group at Excelsior Palace Hotel in Taormina

Start of Trip:  2:00 p.m. hotel check-in; 5:30 p.m. Welcome Reception; 7:30 p.m. Welcome Dinner.

Getting to the site: To reach Taormina on your own, there are two options: A) Taxi fares direct from the airport to the hotel, a distance of 40 miles, is approximately €100. B) Etna Trasporti buses (www.etnatrasporti.it) run hourly from Catania Airport to Taormina. Purchase a one-way ticket to Taormina from the kiosk or the driver at the airport. The ride takes about an hour and 15 minutes. Buses leave every hour from 7:00 a.m. to 7:45 p.m., with reduced service on Sundays and holidays. The fare is €7 per person, including luggage. When you arrive at the bus station in Taormina, take a taxi to the hotel; the hotel is less than two miles from the bus terminal.

Getting to the site by train or bus: Bus service from Catania Airport to Taormina is provided by Etna Trasporti; the website is www.etnatrasporti.it.

Your trip ends on: Sunday, November 21, 2027 in Departure at Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa

End of Trip: 10:00 a.m. after breakfast; 11:00 a.m. hotel check-out.

Getting to the airport: To reach Palermo Airport on your own, a taxi is the most convenient public transportation. The fare to Palermo Airport, around 23 miles from the hotel, is approximately €50; a taxi can accommodate up to four passengers with luggage.

Information if you are purchasing your own airfare: Participants who have not purchased airfare through Road Scholar are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements to the first site at the beginning of the program, as well as from the last site at the end of the program. The Information Packet Road Scholar sends in advance of the program includes details needed to make your transfer arrangements. If you wish to purchase airfare through Road Scholar, please call (800) 241-1404. Please note: In the unlikely event Road Scholar must make changes to the program's arrival or departure details, we will notify all participants as soon as possible. Participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare are protected against airline change fees; however, anyone who has not purchased Road Scholar airfare will be required to make their own adjustments and may incur fees imposed by the airline.