|
 SIT Package Highlights include:
• Private English speaking tour leader for 8 days
• 2 nights Palermo, 2 nights Taormina, 1 night Montalbano in good 4 Star
hotels; 2 nights Segesta in a beautiful agriturismo
• Meals: 7 breakfasts, 5 dinners (good restaurants!), 1 warm lunch, 1 picnic
lunch, 1 wine tasting
• All private & public transfers as indicated throughout the entire itinerary
• Entrance fees of all sites along the itinerary
• Special activities as outlined in the day by day itinerary
• Guest experts for special places; 24/24 h local assistance
• Luggage transport; All gratuities for baggage, porters & hotel service
The price does not includeDeparture taxes; Visas; Travel Insurance; Drinks and meals not mentioned in
the itinerary; Optional additional tours or activities; Tips; Items of a personal
nature
Level of difficultyMostly easy walks, but with some walking uphill, sometimes on paths with
rough surfaces. On most days shortcuts are possible (as well as occasional
extensions). A high standard of fitness is not necessary but you should be
able to walk for up to 4 hours a day in hot sun on dusty or stony tracks.
Dates &prices per person from15 April to 22 April
- Double $2683 Single supplement $397
06 May to 13 May, 24 June to 01 July, 6 September to 23 September
- Double $2841 Single supplement $397
14 October to 21 October
- Double $2683 Single supplement $397
|
|
A complete ‘full-immersion’ sightseeing & walking tour across Sicily.
Discover the intriguing cities of Palermo, Erice & Cefalù, full of pleasant
surprises. Be amazed by the immense cultural heritage, ranging from
Greek temples to Norman & Arab architecture. Visit still pristine and
quiet nature reserves, Zingaro, Mt. Etna and the Alcantara canyon.
Day 1 - PalermoToday you arrive in the bustling city of Palermo. After settling in our beautiful, recently restored hotel, in the heart of the historical centre, you could go for a short stroll through the colourful streets, soaking up its atmosphere, or visit a museum. Towards the end of the afternoon we meet our tour leader and the rest of the group for a welcome cocktail.
After a brief introduction of the tour, we will go for a short walk through the heart of Palermo, touching on some of the ‘highlights’, but also through some lively (but safe!) neighbourhoods, where you can find Greek, Roman and medieval buildings. The walk takes you through quiet parks and the seashore, away from the hectic street life. In the evening we dine in a very nice restaurant close to our hotel.
Day 2 - Monreale, Palermo
Today we start an amazing walk through the old heart of Palermo, admiring some of its main monuments, like the cathedral, a wonderful mix of styles and the so-called ‘Quattro Canti’. But we will also stroll through authentic neighbourhoods, like the Kalsa, and enjoying some of its colourful markets, like its famous ‘Vucciria’ fish market and the Ballarò market. Of course we pay a visit to the ‘Palace of the Normans’, with its stunning mosaics in the Palatine Chapel. We can have our lunch in a nice place in the historical centre. Then, our private minibus picks us up and takes us to nearby Monreale, perhaps after an optional visit of ‘La Cuba’, one of Sicily’s most intriguing monuments. Monreale is situated in a panoramic position above Palermo, with good views over the city and the sea. Here we take our time to visit its stunning cathedral, defined as ‘one of the wonders of the medieval world’ and we climb onto its roof top. Then we have some time for a stroll and a drink in the village itself, before returning to Palermo. In the evening we are free to choose from a large choice of restaurants, ranging from simple pizzeria’s to exclusive restaurants.
Total walking time: around 4 hours.
Approximate walking distance: 8 km. Total driving time today: around 1 hour.
Day 3 - Segesta, Scopello, the ‘Zingaro’ Nature reserve
Today we have a relaxed walk in one of Sicily’s oldest nature reserves, the wonderful Riserva dello Zingaro. First we travel to the charming small village of Scopello, at the entrance of the nature reserve, where we can drink a coffee or enjoy a local cake. Then we start a great day walk, first through the pristine landscape of the higher hills, overlooking the Mediterranean, and then down to the coast. We have a picnic lunch with local speciailties, somewhere on a nice beach and perhaps go for a swim. Then we follow the beautiful coastal path back to Scopello, along several small inlets and some great viewpoints. After some relaxation -and perhaps a last swim- we visit the beautiful ‘Tonnara’, an ancient tuna fish processing plant, featured in many movies. From there we either walk back to Scopello, where we can enjoy an ‘aperitivo’ or we can do this in the nearby, very picturesque Castellammare del Golfo. After a drink here, towards the end of the afternoon we visit the Greek temples of Segesta, deemed to be the ‘most romantic’ of all Greek temples. Certainly a walk here in the late afternoon is a beautiful experience. From the great Greek theatre of Segesta we can already spot our next accommodation, a beautiful ‘agriturismo’, at the foot of the mountain of Segesta, where we’ll stay for the next two nights.
Total walking time: around 4 hours. Total driving time today: around 2.5 hours.
Day 4 - Western Sicily
Monte Cofano, Trapani & Erice, Today we discover something more of the western part of Sicily, the closest to northern Africa and therefore full of exotic influences. We first walk around the headland of Monte Cofano, starting with a visit to the small town of Custonaci, whose church has been a major goal of pilgrimages for many centuries. Here we are welcomed by the President of the local ‘Pro Loco’, who will guide us during the day. From Custonaci we then walk down, along the marble quarries to the famous Grotto of Mangiapane, where every year a ‘Living Nativity’ is set up, and where the centuries old rural history is kept alive. Then we take a great coastal walk around the headland, being picked up at the seashore. Then have a great lunch in a local restaurant, based on local specialties and travel to Trapani (optional short visit). From Trapani we travel by cable car up to the city of Erice, with some amazing views over the Mediterranean and the islands in front of Trapani. In Erice we have a beautiful walk. Towards the end of the afternoon our private bus picks us up here, to bring us back to our beautiful ‘agriturismo’, where we will have yet another great meal tonight.
Total walking time: around 3-4 hours. Total driving time today: around 2 hours.
Day 5 - Cefalù, Madonie Park, Tyndaris, Montalbano EliconaToday we leave the western part of Sicily and travel along the northern coast to the beautiful small town of Cefalù, one of the pearls of northern Sicily. Here we are left at its ‘Rocca’, the mountain top with the ruins of its castle and medieval fortifications, high above the old city centre. We can make a wonderful short walk, past some amazing viewpoints. Then we walk back down into the old town, and discover its charming narrow alleys, as well as the imposing Norman cathedral. After lunch – and maybe some time for a swim – we continue our travel along the north coast and stop at Tindari. Here we pay a short visit to the sanctuary, one of the most important places of worship in Sicily, before a visit to the intriguing ruins of the old Greek city of Tyndaris, where we take a wonderful afternoon walk in the middle of the ruins, overlooking the Mediterranean. Perhaps we can continue our walk down to the coast. We walk along spectacular sand formations and green-blue lakes, before returning to our bus. Then we head inland to the charming medieval town of Montalbano, dominated by its impressive castle, listed as one of the hundred most beautiful small towns of Italy. We settle in a wonderful hotel, overlooking the coast and the Aeolian Islands.
Total walking time: around 2.5 hours; approx. walking distance: 7.5 km.
Total driving time: around 3 hours.
Day 6 - Mt Etna, Alcantara Canyon, Taormina
After breakfast a private minibus picks us up from our base for a full day visit to Mt Etna. First we drive into the valley of the Alcantara River, irrigated by a complex system of basins and canals, dating back to the times of the Arab domination of Sicily. We make a first stop at the unique canyon cut through an ancient lava flow of Mount Etna. Here we take a short & easy walk through a pleasant terraced landscape of orchards and fruit trees, with many strange lava formations, sculpted by the Alcantara river, and it may be possible to dive into one of the ‘gurne’, or natural ‘swimming pools’. Then we travel to the charming little town of Linguaglossa, where we can enjoy a typical ‘granita’ or a wonderful almond/pistachio cake from this area. Then the journey goes up, along the scenic Via ‘MareNeve’, the road of the sea and snow. We will admire the most recent lava flows, some of which date back only a few years, reminding us of the fact that the Etna is still an active volcano! We take a short walk on one of these recent lava flows, with a visit to some of the spots where the lava burst out. This really gives us the feeling of the immense forces still working below us. We walk on to the Sartorius Mountains, a completely different landscape, where we take a walk, partly through the forest, partly over older lava flows, ending at a mountain hut with spectacular views over the Strait of Messina.Here our bus picks us up again and we drive back down, to stop in one of the best known wine estates on the slopes of Etna. We take the opportunity to taste a few wines, accompanied by some local specialties. Towards the end of the afternoon we then travel on to our next base, the wonderful resort town of Taormina, situated in one of the most dramatic spots of the whole Mediterranean.
Total walking time: around 3 hours; approx. walking distance: 7.5 km.
Total driving time: around 2.5 hours.
Day 7 - Taormina, Castelmola, Isola Bella
After breakfast we visit the charming hilltop town of Castelmola, a small fortified city, from where we enjoy stunning views over the surrounding area, the city of Taormina, Mt Etna and the Mediterranean Sea. After a stroll through its medieval streets, an optional visit to the castle and maybe a drink on one of the terraces, we walk on, down to Taormina, along a beautiful panoramic footpath. Through pleasant agricultural landscape, with breathtaking views of the coastline and glorious Etna, we reach the charming Taormina, one of Italy’s foremost resort towns.The Greek influence is noticeable in the architecture and wandering the back streets is a great way to transport you back in time to the days when this part of Italy remained a stronghold for their Aegean neighbours. With picturesque ruins and the backdrop of Etna, views are grand to say the least. Here we take a short walk through the charming small streets of town, its gardens and of course we visit the world famous Greek/Roman theatre and the cathedral. The afternoon is at leisure, so plenty of time for another stroll along Taormina’s main boulevard, with its many beautiful shops, or to have a drink in the shade of an oleander tree, or return to the hotel and enjoy its panoramic swimming pool.Those who want can go for a walk down to the sea, which we reach in front of the beautiful Isola Bella (what’s in a name!). Here we have time for a swim, relax at the beach and a drink in the Mediterranean sun. In the late afternoon we then take the cable car back up to town.
Total walking time: around 3,5-4,5 hours; approx. walking distance: 9-11 km.
Day 8 - Taormina
This morning after breakfast, our journey ends. We can opt to spend some more time in Taormina, or take part in a journey to the spectacular south-eastern part of Sicily.There are (shuttle) buses to Catania (airport) at walking distance from the hotel. A transfer back to either Palermo (or to Catania/airport) can be arranged at any time.
|
