DAY 1: DEPARTURE > PALERMO
Departure with scheduled ITA Airways flights to Palermo – transfer to the city – street food lunch on your own - we suggest taking the opportunity to taste typical Palermo street food such as panelle, crocchè (or cazzilli), boiled octopus, pani ca’ meusa, rice arancini, and sfincion - guided visit of Palermo (Piazza Verdi, Palazzo dei Normanni with the Palatine Chapel – internal visit –, Cathedral – internal visit –, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Church of the Martorana, Massimo Theatre, and the characteristic Ballarò Market, the oldest in the city) - dinner at the hotel – after dinner, Palermo by night, walking tour with tour leader – overnight stay.
DAY 2: MONREALE & CEFALU’ km.160
Breakfast at the hotel – full-day guided excursion - morning visit of Monreale (Cathedral with its famous mosaics and the Benedictine Cloister, UNESCO World Heritage Site – optional visit to the Diocesan Museum located in the Archbishop’s Palace, housing artworks representing the faith and devotion of the local population – visit to the northern transept of the Cathedral which preservs the most extensive example of Norman mosaic floor art, including the royal tombs of Margaret of Navarre and her sons Henry and Roger) - lunch in a typical restaurant - afternoon visit of Cefalù (picturesque town on the Tyrrhenian coast, surrounded by greenery and dominated by a rock with the stunning 12th-century Norman Cathedral – UNESCO World Heritage Site, internal visit –, historic center with remains of the 13th-century Osterio Magno and the Medieval Washhouse) - return to hotel – dinner – free evening – tour leader at guests’ disposal - overnight stay.
DAY 3: SEGESTA – NUBIA “the salt pans” – WINE TASTING – ERICE ”the ancient charm of a medieval village” km.200
Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Segesta – guided visit of the archaeological area built in the 5th century BC by the Elymians (the Doric temple, a very important spot for those who love architecture, and the 2nd-century BC Greek theater carved into the rock, a remarkable architectural gem) – we will then continue to Nubia, where salt pans and windmills create a unique landscape with spectacular light reflections and colors depending on the evaporation cycle. Inside the characteristic Dutch-style windmill, home to the Salt Museum, ancient tools used for salt harvesting are preserved - then, immersed in the vineyards of Baglio Soria Resort & Wine Experience, we will have a light lunch with wine tasting from the prestigious Firriato wineries - a sensory food-and-wine journey will allow us to experience the vitality of the territory - afternoon guided visit of Erice, an ancient medieval village rich in artisan shops, decorated ceramics, handmade carpets, and traditional almond-based pastries - the historic center features a typical urban layout, with small squares and narrow, winding streets lined with beautiful courtyards – internal visit of the Cathedral - tasting of traditional pastries at the historic Maria Grammatico pastry shop - arrival at the hotel in Mazara del Vallo – dinner at the hotel – after dinner walking tour with tour leader – overnight stay.
DAY 4: SALEMI “The hidden Sicily, the museum complex including the Mafia Museum & SELINUNTE km. 120
Breakfast at the hotel – morning guided visit of the Selinunte archaeological area – we will then continue to Salemi – guided visit of a “hidden Sicily,” less known but rich in history and traditions - the village is crowned by a Norman-Swabian castle and surrounded by vineyards and hills. Its Arab-style urban layout features squares, courtyards, churches, and historic buildings - visit of the museum complex, including the Mafia Museum - lunch at a farm stay – return to the hotel – dinner at the hotel – after dinner walking tour with tour leader - overnight stay.
DAY 5: MOZIA & MARSALA km. 70
Breakfast at the hotel – full-day guided excursion - morning visit of the lush island of Mozia (remains of an ancient Phoenician city from the 8th century BC, destroyed in 397 BC by Dionysius of Syracuse; surrounded by salt pans, windmills, and vineyards – we will then continue to Marsala, the most important wine-producing area in Sicily – visit to a winery to discover the secrets of the famous Marsala wine - visit of the prestigious Pellegrino wineries and gourmet lunch with food-and-wine pairing - here sight, smell, and taste will allow us to uncover the secrets and traditions of a timeless land - afternoon guided visit of Marsala’s picturesque historic center with Spanish palaces, churches, and monuments - return to the hotel in Mazara – dinner at the renowned seafood restaurant “Da Marmoreo” to savor the exquisite fish from Italy’s most important fishing fleet – overnight stay.
DAY 6: EGADI ISLANDS – FAVIGNANA & LEVANZO
Breakfast at the hotel – transfer to Trapani port – private speedboat excursion to the island of Favignana - Visit of the town (Palazzo Florio – external visit- and the ancient tuna fishery) - visit of the former Florio factory, where tuna processing began in the late 19th century. This visit offers a journey that is as exciting as it is unique into the ancient tuna-fishing tradition that has always shaped life in the Egadi Islands - boat tour continues along caves and coves with a swimming stop - light lunch on board (rustic appetizer, Mediterranean pasta, seasonal fruit) – we will then head to Levanzo – short visit of the village – swimming stop at Cala Minnola – return to Trapani and to the hotel – dinner at the hotel – free evening – tour leader at guest’s disposal - overnight stay.
DAY 7: FAVARA - AGRIGENTO “Valley of the Temples” km. 290
Breakfast at the hotel – departure to Favara for a cooking class experience with Annalisa Pompeo, a Sicilian cuisine expert, to prepare a traditional three-course menu to be enjoyed in a vintage 1950s-style setting - afterwards guided excursion to Agrigento - visit of the Valley of the Temples (UNESCO World Heritage Site), the largest archaeological area in Italy (Temple of Concordia, Temple of Juno, Temple of Jupiter, Temple of Castor and Pollux, Temple of Hercules). - return to the hotel – dinner at the hotel – tour leader at guests’ disposal - overnight stay.
DAY 8: MAZARA DEL VALLO “la Rocca” – PALERMO > RETURN km. 290
Breakfast at the hotel – guided visit of Mazara del Vallo, ancient village of Western Sicily (characteristic canal harbor that hosts Italy’s largest fishing fleet, historic center with Arab-Norman architecture, Renaissance and Baroque churches, internal visit of the Church of Sant’Egidio inside the Museum of the Dancing Satyr, with the bronze statue of the “Dancing Satyr” which is now famous all over the world - tasting lunch with DOC wine, featuring seafood crudités including the famous Mazara red prawns and the traditional Trapanese fish couscous in one of the best 50 places in the world to taste fresh shellfish and crustaceans, very high-quality products from the Canal of Sicily - transfer to Palermo airport – return to Rome with scheduled ITA Airways flight.
Please Note: The program may be subject to changes due to weather and sea conditions. Motorboat excursions may undergo minor variations and/or changes in the order of visits.
