Sicily - what to add after tour ends

I believe the tour no longer goes to Ragusa, so I'd spend time there and also visit the other Baroque towns of Noto, Modica and Scicli. You'd probably enjoy some extra time in Siracusa.

I hope you'll have some extra time in Palermo at the beginning of the trip as well. There's a great deal to see there and the tour allows an evening and a day, during which part of the time is spent at Monreale.

You could go to the interior of the SE to the towns of Ragusa, Modica and Noto. If you're beach people and the weather is fine, you could continue further to Marina di Ragusa, which is where my Sicilian cousin took her family when they wanted a beach day.

If you're not averse to driving, it's an easy 1hr 40 min drive from Catania to Ragusa. And Ragusa has easily accessible, free parking at the base of the old town.

In addition to the Baroque cities, more time on Ortigia Island would be a good way to wind down and relax before flying home.

After such a fast paced tour I think a few days hanging out in Ortigia would be great, and transport is easy. Noto makes a very easy day trip from there via bus, so you can play it by ear. Ortigia is small, but I could not get tired of wandering its streets. Depending on the tour itinerary, it might make sense to ditch out a day early.

I would echo the advice of others who recommend more time in the Baroque towns. We ended a tour (2014) in Taormina and took the train to Ortigia. We spent 4 magical nights and did a day trip to Noto, Ragusa and Modica. We took a train back to Catania the night before flying home. There is also good bus service as well.

Another suggestion: Since your tour ends in Catania you might consider a few days in the Aeolian islands (Lipari). We are planning to revisit Sicily next year. We are looking at the Milazzo ferry route. From what I understand the boat crossing operates up to 15 times a day. We will look at a direct bus link from Catania. Whatever you choose it will be a nice way to have a few extra days to relax before heading home.

I concur with heading back to Ortigia and seeing more. It’s fascinating and lots of nooks and crannies to explore. There is regular public bus service from Siracusa to Noto which is a good day trip. You definitely don’t need to spend extra time in Catania with Siracusa just down the road.

I spent 2 weeks traveling through Sicily this summer. I would definitely go back to Ortigia island in Siricusa. I spent 3 nights there and plenty to see and very good place to relax--no traffic, great restaurants, 2 small beaches, very pretty. One other highlight for the area was the night I spent in Modica. Smaller and less people than Ragusa or Noto. I found the people very friendly and great place to wonder around. Enjoyed staying at Palazzo Failia and dinner at Caperto was fantastic.

I flew to Malta when I left Sicily. That is a gem itself.