10 days, 9 nights
Think Sicily is all volcano? Maybe at one point it was, but not anymore. Join us on this 10 day tour of the western landscape—including a day trip to the small island of Favignana—where the only shadows cast are yours as you soak in the wondrous sites, sounds and flavors of ancient temples, enchanting seaside villages, secluded beaches and some of the best wines found anywhere in the world. This is the landscape of Sicily: rich, wild, varied, a jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring excursion into a world unlike any other. You will leave having truly discovered what Goethe meant when he wrote about the island: “To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything.”
Tour Highlights
Discover authentic Sicily and fall enchanted by local customs while surrounded by the splendor and beauty of Western Sicily.
· Taste foods and wines made with recipes generations old. Experience the terroir of this region with a visit to the vineyards of Menfi, declared the Italian Wine City for 2023
· Visit the city near the stars, in Erice, where Aphrodite protected sea and seafarers while sitting in her temple 750m above the Tyrrhenian Sea.
· Splendor in the unspoiled trails of the Nature Riserve of Lo Zingaro and witness the 600+ species of plants and 40+ species of birds that nest and mate there.
· Fall enchanted with the coastal town of Scopello and discover how the fisheries of the area were a major part of the economy.
· Admire the beauty and splendor of Favignana, nicknamed the Butterfly, by visiting unspoiled coves with deep blue green waters.
· Go back in time and relive ancient history with a walk through the ruins of Segesta-Calatafimi
Cost & Booking
$4,500 per person, double occupancy (Single Occupancy Supplement $575). Land only. 10 days, 9 nights. This includes all transfers and transportation to and from Palermo Airport as well as transportation to all touring destinations. This will also include most meals, all fees and tickets, most tips.
Limited to 7 people or fewer
This tour represents the places and foods that we love, the hidden and unknown parts of Sicily, which is how we are able to get such an affordable rate. Affordability in Sicily doesn’t mean substandard. You will fall in love with the places we will show you!
If your travel allows and you’d like to see more touristy spots, we’re happy to make suggestions. We are also able to plan and execute a tour for just you and up to six of your family or friends! Just give us the dates and a budget and we will take care of the rest. Check out our other traveler services.
Your deadline for participation is June 27, 2024. Register and pay in full via bank transfer by May 28, 2024 and receive $300 off the price of the tour. Just send us a message in the “contact” page. We will send additional, more detailed information to all who want to participate.
To secure your spot, a $1,000 deposit is required. This is the land only portion of your tour. You must secure and book all your own flights.
REGISTER TODAY
Contact Franca by email at sicilyconnect@gmail.com or call 919-614-5319 to learn more.
Detailed Itinerary
Your accommodations will be in Agriturismi (when possible). [The word agriturismo is a combination of the words agricoltura (agriculture) and tourismo (tourism). It is effectively a farm designed to also receive guests, whether for food (lunch and dinner), holiday accommodation, or a combination of the two. The food prepared on these sites are mostly made from the raw materials that the farm produces. We will be arranging for all breakfasts and most dinners. Lunches may not be included due to traveling/transfer from place to place. Where possible, we arrange for lunches as well.
Day 1 – Pick up from airport in Palermo, then travel to agriturismo property, get settled, relax get acclimated and, weather permitting, go for a swim.
Day 2 – Erice – Located at 750m (2460 ft) above sea level, Aphrodite sat at the Venus Ericina shrine during mythical times in one of the most important shrines in the Mediterranean. From the top of this rocky peak the goddess protected the sea and seafarers. We will visit Venus’s Castle, rebuilt on the site of the ancient Temple of Venus, as well as the Chiesa Madre and Giardini del Balio. We will roam the streets, do some shopping in the local artisan shops and enjoy the local fare. Lunch on your own
Day 3 – Segesta – Following breakfast, we head to some of the most moving remains of the ancient city of Segesta. Like Erice, its roots date back to the 13th Century BCE. This temple dates back to the period of a prosperous alliance with Athens, but it was never finished. Following a lunch, we’ll head to the Calaltafimi. Its castle (Castella Eufemio) gained fame as the site of the first victory of Garibaldi’s forces during the Unification of Italy.
Day 4 – Scopello – We head to the picture-perfect seaside village of Scopello for a visit to the baglio (former country estate) in the center of this hamlet. The old Tonnara (used for the commercial fishing of tuna back in the day) is now a museum.
Day 5 – Put on your hiking shoes and prepare yourself for an outdoor day. The Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro is the first nature reserve to be established in Sicily, in 1980, after a successful protest to prevent a coastal road from being constructed from Scopello to San Vito Lo Capo (American author Mary Simeti’s On Persephone’s Island outlines her participation, as well as many other experiences, in this monumental event). The trail is dotted with small ‘museums’ that feature the traditional crafts and customs of the area. The Riserva is home to some 600 species of plants and 40 species of birds nest and mate here. We will hike approximately 7km along an unspoiled stretch of the coastline. We will enjoy a picnic lunch in one of the pristine coves of the Riserva. (or San Vito Lo Capo)
Day 6 – Favignana – Today we head to one of the Egadi Islands by hydrofoil. When we arrive on the island, we will ride bikes through the island. Favignana was once a tuna center, turned prison, but now enjoys a new life as a tourist destination. Nicknamed “la farfalla” (the butterfly) because of its lopsided shape, the island is cinched at its ‘waist’ by a tunnel that connects the eastern and western parts of the island. We will visit the Palazzo Florio, the former home of an entrepreneur who revitalized the fisheries of the island.
Day 7 – Today we bask in the dolce far niente of Wine Tasting. Entellano Colletti OR Mandradossa Wineries. We’ll spend the day tasting wine from the region near Menfi, named the Italian Wine City for 2023.
Day 8 - Menfi and its world renown beaches!
Day 9 - We’ll visit the small town of Sambuca, voted in 2016 as the Borghi di Borghi, villages of villages, of all of Italy.
Day 10 – Goodbye to Western Sicily. Departure from Agriturismo. Transfer to Palermo Airport.
