Spend your day in fishing villages, castles, and piazzas — crisscrossing Ancient Greek and Roman origins.

Hop into a comfy coach and hightail it (leisurely ride) to Catania's most impressive landmarks. You'll drive down the "Cyclops Riviera," whose massive sea stones were said to have been thrown at Odysseus after he blinded the Cyclops in The Odyssey. You'll see an 11th-century Norman castle, the maritime village of Aci Trezza, and wander the gorgeous city of Acireale, whose famed granita provided the sweet foundations behind Italy's renowned gelato and sorbetto.

Energy Level

Duration

4 Hours

Type

RELAXING

Accessible

Shore Thing Highlights

Landmarks include Persephone’s Fountain, Piazza Stesicoro (with famed Bellini monument), remains of the Roman Amphitheater, and more
See the fortified, 11th-century Norman castle in Aci Castello, and the maritime village of Aci Trezza
See the great shoals of basalt rock at Aci Trezza — stones hurled at Odysseus by the blinded Cyclops in The Odyssey
In Acireale, make sure to try granita — a refreshing, semi-frozen dessert and a predecessor to Italian ice cream

Need to know

Please be aware this Shore Thing is not wheelchair accessible
Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
Sailors should expect to walk over cobblestones, uneven pavement, and/or narrow streets

Experience shores the Virgin way

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Select tour bookings to help social charities
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Modify/cancel up to 48hrs before where applicable
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Be first ashore in all our ports of call
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Our partners are licensed and insured
Transparent Pricing
No hidden costs, all-inclusive Shore Thing prices
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Pre-voyage to onboard assistance, always there
Stress-Free Returns
Ship will wait for you in the event of a delay
Convenient Collection
Convenience of one location to shop for your calls

Shore Things are fully refundable to the original form of payment. However, please note that Shore Things are only fully refundable if they are canceled within 48 hours prior to the booked Shore Thing taking place, unless stated otherwise in a specific Shore Thing 'Need to Know' section. If you fail to either (a) cancel within 48 hours of the booked Shore Thing (or alternative time period as may be stated in a specific Shore Thing 'Need to Know' section), or (b) show up for a booked Shore Thing, you will be charged for 100% of the Shore Thing price.

If you make a cancellation prior to the first day of your voyage and within 48 hours (unless otherwise stated in the tour details) of your Shore Thing, you will be refunded to the original form of payment after midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the day of cancellation.

If you make another purchase prior to midnight EST, after canceling a booking eligible for a refund, the credit from the canceled booking will be applied to your new booking. Therefore, you’ll only be charged for the price difference between the canceled and new experience. If you have remaining temporary credit left on your account after you’ve made another experience purchase, the remaining credit will be refunded to your original form of payment after midnight EST.

If you cancel a Shore Thing during your voyage and are eligible for a refund, a credit will be applied to your folio and not to your original form of payment.

Shore Things departure times and/or meeting locations are subject to change. We will make every effort to notify Sailors in advance via the Sailor App of any tour departure and/or meeting changes.

Sicily's Great Cities on the Sea

Spend your day in fishing villages, castles, and piazzas — crisscrossing Ancient Greek and Roman origins.

Shore Thing Highlights

Need to know

Experience shores the Virgin way

Our Shore Things Policies