Discover Western Sicily

Is there anything better than visiting a local? We say “Nope!” On this special journey we are going to meet many Sicilians who will share their passion and love for their homeland! In addition to introducing travelers to the known gems of western Sicily, such as the capital Palermo and the Greek temples in Agrigento, this departure centers on what we see as the most vibrant and diverse cross-section of colors, places, flavors and people in this part of the heart of the Mediterranean.

See here for more info on Sicily region.

Dates & Pricing

Minimum of 6 participants, maximum of 16, with a maximum guide-to-guest ratio of 1 to 8

DATES (7 days)
For dates, info and availability please contact us.

TOUR PRICE

Per person in double occupancy: from $3,690

Single Supplement: $690

For travel in 2021 and beyond, your tour is carbon neutral! In addition, we donate more than 1% of your trip price to food-literacy and environmental non-profits that share our values. (Details here)

Tour Highlights

Discover two UNESCO Sites: The Arab-Norman Architecture of Palermo and Monreale; The Valley of the Greek Temples of Agrigento
Experience two intangible UNESCO Cultural Heritage Sites: The Mediterranean Diet with local recipes and Sicilian chefs; The Sicilian Puppet Theater in Palermo
Visits and tastings to wine, and olive oil makers, to a pastry shop, and to a Vastedda Dop cheese maker and Slow Food Presidium
Enjoy some of the most famous wines of Italy, such as Marsala and Nero d'Avola and the lesser-known Zibibbo and Grecanico
Unwind in unique 4-star and boutique hotels that distinctively represent the local traditions
Delve into history and culture in this unique area in western Sicily with your expert Tour Leaders and plenty of local Sicilians to meet on tour
Daily walking opportunities in towns or in the countryside for a healthy lifestyle
Explore western Sicily discovering historical cities such as Palermo, Trapani and Agrigento, the towns of Erice, Marsala, and the island of Favignana
Extend your trip for two more nights with our post-tour extension to the UNESCO site of the Aeolian Islands

What's Included

6 nights of accommodations in 4-star and boutique hotels
6 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 5 dinners with either a 3- or 4-course menu
Discover western Sicily and historical cities such as Palermo, Trapani and Agrigento, the towns of Erice, Marsala, and the island of Favignana
Entry fees to the museum of salt near Trapani, museum of S. Margherita del Belice and Kolymbetra Garden near Agrigento
Entry fees & guided visit at Valley of Greek Temples near Agrigento, and tickets for puppet theater in Palermo
Guided visits of historic center of Palermo and at local food markets with tastings of local delicacies
1 visit & tasting to local winemaker in Marsala; 1 visit & tasting to historic pastry shop in Erice
Fees for ferry ride to/from Favignana and to visit former tuna fishery
1 visit and tasting to a Vastedda Dop cheesemaker near Salemi
Exposure to history, culture and local cuisine with your tour leader and local experts
Daily walking opportunities for a healthy lifestyle
Comfortable transportation by 9-seat van for all travel on tour as cited in itinerary
Bilingual, professional Tour Leaders
One group transfer to/from Palermo airport at the beginning and end of the tour
Local taxes and gratuities for luggage porters and restaurant servers during tour

What's Not Included

4 lunches and 1 dinner on your own
Alcoholic beverages at group meals (including wine and spirits)
Round-trip airfare and expenses to/from the tour
Trip cancellation, baggage loss or travel delay insurance (this optional coverage is highly recommended. See more info here)
Gratuities for your Tour Leader
Personal expenses, such as, but not limited to, phone calls, laundry, emails, snacks, gifts

Itinerary

Day 1 & 2 – Around Trapani and Favignana island

Your tour begins near Trapani and our home for the next two nights is a hotel next to the museum of salt. Here, we learn how three generations have harvested the salt by hand. The World Wildlife Fund manages this land; it’s a wonderful example of nature and industry sharing the land harmoniously.

We’ll also ferry to Favignana to visit a tuna fishery, the town and enjoy a hike in this beautiful area. Other highlights here include a visit to Trapani and a stroll in the cliff-perched hamlet of Erice topped with delicious samples from a local pastry shop.
Day 3 & 4 – Menfi area, Marsala and Agrigento

From Trapani, we continue on to Marsala for a walk in town and visit the museum of Marsala wine. Our accommodation for the next two nights is at a wine estate near Menfi, where we can enjoy a tasting and learn about the producers over a yummy 0-km ingredient dinner. Surrounded by vines and twittering birds, bask in the fresh air and sunny open countryside.

We’ll make a day trip from here to Agrigento, to visit the UNESCO site of Valley of Greek Temples and the Garden of Kolymbetra featuring a delicious picnic. Today it is also possible to stop at the Staircase of the Turks, a coast rock formation resembling an enormous staircase. Legend tells that Saracen pirates (mistook, or misremembered, as Turks) scaled it in order to attack the region.
Day 5 & 6 – Palermo

Our next two nights are spent in Palermo, the capital of Sicily. En route we stop by Santa Margherita di Belice to learn about the devastating earthquake of 1968 and then continue to meet a local cheesemaker, hear his story, and taste his products.

Palermo is over 2,700 years old and surely worth discovering with a local guide over an informative walk through the historic center. Palermo exemplifies the mosaic of cultures that have come to shape the island, and among the sites we visit here are the open-air food markets and the UNESCO Arab-Norman churches, dating to the twelfth-century and representing a blend of Western, Islamic and Byzantine architecture and ornamentation. They are a testament to how different cultures inhabiting Sicily managed to coexist peacefully.

We top our last day with a live performance to the local puppet theater, inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, in addition to the Mediterranean Diet to be enjoyed again on our final dinner to celebrate our journey in western Sicily.
Day 7 – Palermo Airport

Post-Tour Extension to Aeolian Islands

Dates and Pricing

Minimum of 6 participants, maximum of 16, with a maximum guide-to-guest ratio of 1 to 8

DATES (2 nights following our Sicily Tour)
For more info, dates and availability please contact us.

TOUR PRICE
Per person in double occupancy: from $990

Single Supplement: from $190

For travel in 2021 and beyond, your tour is carbon neutral! In addition, we donate more than 1% of your trip price to food-literacy and environmental non-profits that share our values. (Details here)
Day 1 – Lipari island

The Aeolian Islands draw their name from Greek mythology and Aeolus, God of the Winds. Today, just two of the seven islands of this volcanic archipelago still experience eruptions: Stromboli and the aptly named Vulcano. In 2000, the Aeolian Islands earned UNESCO status.

Your two-day extension begins with a transfer to Milazzo port to catch your ferry and start the exploration of the island of Lipari where our hotel is based. Enjoy lunch on your own in a romantic little piazza before checking in at your hotel.

In the afternoon feel free to join us for a hike, affording breathtaking sea views of the caldera of the nearby Vulcano island. Dinner tonight will be in a restaurant offering typical Aeolian recipes.
Day 2 – Around Salina

Start with a morning ferry ride from Lipari to the island of Salina. The tiny, charming village where we disembark is worth a look around. From here, we head inland for a hike to admire the views. If the landscape seems familiar it may be because it was featured in the film “Il Postino” that was filmed here!

One of the highlights today will be lunch featuring locally-made products, including caponata (a kind of sweet and sour cold salad of eggplants, celery, bell peppers, capers, and olives), fresh oregano, cucunci and capers (the fruit and the flower of the plant, respectively, both cured in salt), pasta and other delicacies, all served with Malvasia wine. Capers are a Slow Food Presidium, a local initiative to protect a unique food that was at risk of extinction.

After our ferry back to Lipari, we’ll share a second dinner to commemorate our delicious experience visiting and tasting this enchanting corner of Italy, the heart of the Mediterranean!
Day 3 – Catania Airport

To request the itinerary as a PDF or to ask us any questions please contact us today!