Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to the Grand Hotel des Etrangers, Siracusa, Sicily
Facts in brief
Official star rating 5
Location On the seafront in the historic island of Ortigia opposite the Arethusa spring and gardens
Annual opening 2 April to 9 November
Closest airport Catania
Distance from airport About an hour from Catania
Closest railway station Siracusa
Distance from railway station About 15 minutes by car
Hotel facilities and services
Restaurant, rooftop bar and lounge, breakfast room, laundry service, dry cleaning service, in-room massage service, 24/7 concierge service, room service 24/7
Complimentary
Wi-Fi
Out and about nearby
Siracusa with its outstanding Greek and Roman remains, archaeological museum, catacombs, Fountain of Arethusa, the baroque town of Ragusa Ibla, with the beaches of Marina di Ragusa, Piazza Armerina (3rd century Roman villa with superb mosaics) and Agrigento (Valley of the Temples and birthplace of Luigi Pirandello).
We particularly loved the Hotel del Sogno on Lake Garda for its character, beauty and amazing views. Great service too from the reception staff. Also they gave us great recommendations for restaurants.Mr and Mrs S, June 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Comfort room for 5 nights
From about
£1,770
Holiday Code EXH664
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to the Grand Hotel des Etrangers, Siracusa, Sicily
At the beginning of the 20th century, when the Grand Hotel des Etrangers opened its doors from its present building, its proprietor Engelke Zunke wrote ‘First-class house, situated in the best and quietest part, facing the great Harbour and the Beautiful Public Garden’. He proclaimed that the hotel had electric lights, heating, and private bathrooms. Cook’s coupons were accepted. Before this the historic mansion on this site was a lodging house for foreign travellers who descended upon Siracusa on their Grand Tour to marvel at the remains of the ancient Greek civilisation that was so abundant in Siracusa. The current building dates from 1906 and was constructed in Sicilian Liberty and neo-classical style. The Grand Hotel des Etrangers does enjoy a privileged location on the waterfront on the historic island of Ortigia but with views across the gardens of Arethusa to the sea. In its refurbishment over the years great effort has been taken to maintain a balance between tradition and modernity. Features from the building’s history from the early 20th century have been preserved including parquet floors, marble fireplaces and pieces of antique furniture. The 68 bedrooms are located on four floors, and some have a French balcony or patio and sea views. The Clou lounge bar and gourmet restaurant at the top of the hotel enjoy panoramic views of the sea. Here is served an original reinterpretation of the Sicilian culinary tradition The wine cellar holds a wide selection of the very best Sicilian wines as well as a selection from the rest of Italy and further afield. There is outdoor seating, and the rooftop terrace is just the place to savour an aperitif as the sun sets across the bay. Breakfast, too, is served in a light and airy space with views to the sea and a wall of greenery. Sicilian fruits and sweet pastries are regular items. From the Grand Hotel des Etrangers you are at liberty to wander the seafront of this historic site and to explore the architectural and historical gems that Ortigia holds.
Room descriptions
The Grand Hotel des Etrangers has 68 rooms, all with air-conditioning, private bath or shower and WC, safety deposit box, free Wi-Fi, flat screen TV, bathrobe, mini-bar, bathroom amenities, courtesy tray, bottled water, alarm clock, direct dial telephone. Some rooms have a French balcony or patio and views of the sea.
We particularly loved the Hotel del Sogno on Lake Garda for its character, beauty and amazing views. Great service too from the reception staff. Also they gave us great recommendations for restaurants.Mr and Mrs S, June 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Comfort room for 5 nights
From about
£1,770
Holiday Code EXH664
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to the Grand Hotel des Etrangers, Siracusa, Sicily
The journey and how you get there
For a holiday to the Grand Hotel des Etrangers in Siracusa, our clients fly to Catania which is about an hour’s drive from Siracusa and then have a pre-booked private car transfer or a hire-car for use during the holiday.
Additional information
Children: Children up to the age of 2 in a cot are free of charge.
Special offers
Call to make your booking and save an extra £50 per adult Call us instead of emailing us when you are thinking of booking a holiday and save an extra £50 per adult (in addition to any special offers that might be available). We want to talk to you to discuss your requirements and a phone call is usually the best way for you to define what you want enabling us to respond more accurately. We want to talk to you and you save an extra £50 per adult.
Stay 7 nights and pay for 5 Book 7 nights and get 2 nights for free. This offer is valid for stays between the following dates: 3 April 2025 to 8 November 2025. It is valid only for Suite, Borgia Suite, Presidential Suite, Imperial Suite. It is not combinable with other special offers. Conditions/restrictions may apply.
Stay 4 nights and pay for 3 Book 4 nights and get the last night for free. This offer is valid for stays between the following dates: 3 April 2025 to 8 November 2025. It is valid only for Suite. It is not combinable with other special offers. Conditions/restrictions may apply.
We particularly loved the Hotel del Sogno on Lake Garda for its character, beauty and amazing views. Great service too from the reception staff. Also they gave us great recommendations for restaurants.Mr and Mrs S, June 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Comfort room for 5 nights
From about
£1,770
Holiday Code EXH664
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to the Grand Hotel des Etrangers, Siracusa, Sicily
About Sicily
An Expressions tailor-made holiday in Sicily allows visitors to discover a unique and captivating island. The rich tapestry of Mediterranean history can be witnessed on the southerly island of Sicily, fascinating not only for its amazing blend of cultures including Greek, Arab, Byzantine and Norman and its architectural treasures which reflect these influences but also for its breath-taking scenery of coast, parched mountains and fertile groves of almonds, oranges, lemons and olives. The people are proud and independent, reserved but sincere and helpful. Traditions thrive to an extent that the atmosphere of Sicily is unrecognisable in the context of other parts of Italy further north. The towns and villages are contrasting with picture postcard scenes of mediaeval labyrinthine alleyways adorned by wrought-iron balconies and baskets of flowers or severe dilapidation punctuated by grand Baroque or austere Norman cathedrals and churches. Additionally, there are of course some of the most important sites of the ancient Greek world such as the temples at Agrigento, the theatre at Taormina and numerous relics at Siracusa, reputedly one of the most beautiful cities of the Greek world. High above the island looms Mount Etna, one of the largest volcanoes in the world and an awe-inspiring sight. Off the north coast of Sicily, the beautiful Aeolian Islands offer escape and remoteness, natural scenery and a startling light, a sleepy way of life and romantic isolation. A holiday in Sicily appeals for those who want typical rest and relaxation with cultural activities at hand, and for those who want to be more adventurous and experience more of this captivating island.
Highlights of Sicily
An ascent of Mount Etna, partly by car and then further on foot (guides available) through the luxuriant vegetation which includes oranges and lemons, bougainvillaea and poinsettias and then higher up the groves of walnuts, cherries, almonds, pistachios and vines. Palermo is known for its street markets, especially Vucciria and Ballaro, where traders and hawkers, pickpockets and shoppers converge amongst narrow streets and stalls of wares. See the traditional costumes and dialect of Piana degli Albanesi, where Albanians settled in the 15th Century. Revel in the splendid site of Taormina above the sea with views to Etna. Local crafts include cork, ceramics, honey, embroidery, raffia. Enjoy the calm and remoteness of the Aeolian Islands with their clear waters, beautiful scenery and peaceful way of life. Enjoy the gardens of the Villa Giulia in Palermo and the Public Gardens in Taormina.
Cultural highlights of Sicily
Palermo contains some of the greatest Arab-Norman buildings in existence - San Giovanni degli Eremiti, the Palazzo Reale with its striking Cappella Palatina and La Martorana. Monreale outside Palermo is the greatest work of Norman architecture in Sicily and contains beautiful 12th and 13th Century mosaics and cloisters. The Doric temples of the 5th Century BC in the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. Cefalu has the `Portrait of a Man` by Antonello da Messina, dating from 1465 in its Museo Mandralisca.
Festivals in Sicily
Many Sicilian local festivals are linked to Saints’ Days. A few of the most well-known festivals generally include Carnival celebrations in Taormina and Acireale. Easter is celebrated especially in Trapani, Marsala and Piana degli Albanesi. Messina celebrates Ferragosto on the 15th August with a firework display over the Straits. The Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore takes place in Agrigento in the first and second weeks of February to celebrate the almond blossom. Taormina Arte is a summer festival of music, cinema, ballet and theatre, held in the Greek theatre. The Palio dei Normanni takes place in Piazza Armeria in August.
Gastronomy in Sicily
The gastronomy of Sicily, like much of the culture of the island, has been heavily influenced by its history. Cuscus is a Sicilian version of couscous, and marzipan features heavily in sweets. Local produce includes citrus fruits, almonds, capers, olives, peppers and fish. Local specialities include Maccheroni con le sarde (pasta with sardines, fennel, raisins, pine nuts and saffron), Pesce spada (grilled sword fish), 'alla Siciliana' with capers, red peppers and herbs. Cassata is a popular dessert made with ricotta, candied fruit and pistachios and Cannoli are almond biscuits stuffed with ricotta. Sicily produces a variety of red and white wines including Corvo di Salaparuta and Etna, Marsala and Malvasia.
