Jo Piazza's Sicily: The Sicilian Inheritance on Tour
Sicily is not a backdrop. It is a character — ancient, layered, and impossible to forget. Jo Piazza's The Sicilian Inheritance takes readers deep into its landscapes, its secrets, and the women who shaped it across generations. This journey follows those footsteps.
Over seven days, Novel Travels traces the real places behind the novel — from the aristocratic palaces of Palermo to the temples of Agrigento, from the fishing villages of the northwest coast to the hilltop towns where Sicily's most complicated history lives. With Jo's own notes as our guide and the book as our companion, every stop carries the weight of the story.
This is not a sightseeing tour. It is an immersive journey into a novel you love.
CHAPTER 1
ARRIVAL: DINING WITH ROYALTY
Begin your Sicilian journey with a welcome dinner at Palazzo Arone dei Baroni di Valentino, an aristocratic residence in the heart of Palermo's historic center. The dining hall was originally created for a noble wedding — precious porcelains, fine paintings, and the particular grandeur of a city that has always known how to live beautifully. It is exactly the kind of room The Sicilian Inheritance was written for.
CHAPTER 2
PALERMO
Explore the vibrant, complicated capital of Sicily. The Quattro Canti at the heart of the old city. The No Mafia Memorial, which holds some of the island's darkest and most important history. The Convent of the Capuchin Friars, where the extraordinary preservation of bodies offers a glimpse into Sicily's deeply particular relationship with death and memory. Palermo is a city of layers — and we will peel them back slowly.
CHAPTER 3
MONREALE AND CORLEONE
A morning at Monreale Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site whose golden mosaics are among the most breathtaking in the world. In the afternoon, drive to Corleone — not the Godfather myth, but the real town, with its own complex and fascinating history. Lunch at a local trattoria and a visit to the house museum that tells the story of Corleone's aristocratic past.
CHAPTER 4
PALERMO MARKETS AND LEISURE
An immersive morning at the Ballarò Market — one of the oldest and most authentic street markets in Europe, alive with color, noise, and the extraordinary street food Sicily does better than anywhere. The afternoon is yours.
CHAPTER 5
Scopello and the Zingaro Nature Reserve
Drive west to Scopello, a village of cobblestone streets and ancient tuna fishing traps where the sea is impossibly blue. Walk the coast of the Zingaro Nature Reserve before heading south toward Agrigento.
CHAPTER 6
Verdura and Caltabellotta
A morning at the beach before climbing to Caltabellotta, a hilltop village near Verdura Resort with panoramic views across the southern coast. The pace here is slow and deliberate — exactly right for a group traveling with books in hand.
CHAPTER 7
Verdura and Caltabellotta
End where Sicily's story begins — the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, one of the finest examples of ancient Greek architecture in the world. The Temple of Concordia. The Temple of Juno. The Temple of Hercules. Then to Scala dei Turchi at sunset, the white limestone cliff that looks like something from another world entirely.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Private guided tours at all destinations
Hand-picked luxury accommodation
Private transport throughout Sicily
All breakfasts and select meals as noted
Limited to 12 travelers to ensure an intimate, personal experience
Interested in joining this journey?
This tour is in development. Reach out to express your interest and be the first to know when dates are announced.