The Wild West of Sicily
May 15th - 25th , 2024
To do Sicily right takes time. It is such a treasure trove of amazing antiquity, incredible sights, delightful food and warm hearted people. That is why I am offering a tour this year that focuses on The Wild West of Sicily - the lesser known, the more off the beaten path, some might even say the "real" Sicily. The Wild West tour of Sicily that I've planned for us embodies Sicily's Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman and Byzantine heritage. We will walk through ruins left 2,500 years ago when the Carthaginians destroyed the powerful Greek city of Selinunte. We'll visit the Phoenician island of Mozia and delight in Sicily's "David". We'll see windmills from medieval times used to extract salt from the sea. We'll enjoy wonderful pastries from original recipes nuns from noble families would make in their cloistered convent. We'll taste Marsala wine, cook a Sicilian meal and stroll and shop in some of Sicily's most charming towns. We lodge in a small village by the sea, experience city living and enjoy the pleasure of staying in a farm estate surrounded by nature. We travel in a small, intimate group of no more than sixteen people. I hope you'll join me and my assistant for the fun and unforgettable experiences I have in store. Enjoy: 10 nights/11 days exploring
Cost per person: $4,550 per person (based on double occupancy) A few spots remain for this exciting tour! Included: Lodging, private transportation, all tours and admissions, a wine and Marsala tasting experience, a Sicilian cooking lesson, all meals except for 2 dinners and 4 lunches. Also included is an encounter with a coral artisan considered by UNESCO one of Sicily’s national treasures in addition to spending an afternoon at Palermo’s famous Mondello beach and swimming in the Tyrhennian Sea. |
"To have seen Italy without seeing Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all - For Sicily is the key to everything!" - Goethe |
Our itinerary
Tuesday, May 14
WELCOME TO SICILY! Arrive in Palermo the day before the tour begins. Check into your hotel.
Relax. We meet up with our group for a welcome drink in the evening.
WELCOME TO SICILY! Arrive in Palermo the day before the tour begins. Check into your hotel.
Relax. We meet up with our group for a welcome drink in the evening.
Day One | Wednesday, May 15
Get ready for a street food tour of Palermo. Not only will you taste traditional Sicilian treats but you’ll learn how the impact of the civilizations that invaded Sicily influenced its cuisine. From food for your belly to food for your soul. Get ready to visit Italy’s largest opera house and the site of the last scene in the movie, Godfather III. |
Day Two | Thursday, May 16
Cefalù - a fisherman's village where a most beautiful cathedral was built according to legend after a storm at sea brought the Norman King Roger and his men to safety. We will enjoy a guided visit of the town and have a wonderful lunch by the sea. The afternoon is free to roam and shop. |
Day Three | Friday, May 17
Monreale - The cathedral of Santa Maria La Nuova in Monreale overlooking the Conca d’Oro (The Golden Shell) will dazzle you with its golden mosaics commissioned by King William II in 1174. Two and a half tons of gold leaf gleam from the masterpieces of art that embody an Arab/Norman/Byzantine Heritage in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will then enjoy the peace of the adjoining monastery’s cloistered garden with its sculptured columns where no two are alike, before we have lunch. Our afternoon is spent at Mondello, Palermo’s seaside beach, where you can take a dip in the Tyrrhenian Sea or walk along its shore and enjoy a famous Sicilian ice cream brioche. We will enjoy sea-view dining at the four-star Splendid La Torre Hotel with breaktaking views. |
Day Four | Saturday, May 18
Corleone - Today we venture inland to Corleone, which means “Lionhearted.” Made famous from the movie The Godfather, we learn about the Mafia and how Sicily has fought back since the terrible assassinations of two chief prosecutors, Borsellino & Falcone in the 90s. The Anti-Mafia museum tells the story. After lunch we will visit the olive groves of Galardo, the organic olive oil farm which exports its products to Charlottesville among other places and meet Orsola who will guide us through a tasting of her extra virgin organic olive oil. |
Day Five | Sunday, May 19
Segesta & Scopello - We check out of our hotel in Palermo today and head west to the ancient temple of Segesta built around 420 BC in its evocative remote setting and learn its story from our guide. The amphitheatre, set much higher and able to accommodate as many as 4,000 spectators, provides a breathtaking view of the Gulf of Castellamare. We will have a leisurely lunch in a country setting before making our way to Scopello where we will check into our hotel and get acquainted with our surroundings. |
Day Six | Monday, May 20
Erice - The mountain top walled medieval city of Erice is our destination today. Its roots go back to the original Elymian peoples, present even before the Phoenicians arrived to build a temple to their goddess Astarte. After our guided tour and lunch, there is free time to wander, shop and sample some of Maria Grammatica’s famous marzipan fruit or cannoli. Her story was made famous in the book Bitter Almonds by American author Mary Taylor Simeti. |
Day Seven | Tuesday, May 21
Trapani - This morning we don aprons and learn how to cook authentic Sicilian food. After enjoying the fruits of our labor with a wonderful meal, we are introduced to a master coral craftsman, who has been recognized by UNESCO as part of our World Heritage. Platimiro Fiorenza started working in his father’s workshop at the age of seven and because he has dedicated his entire life to preserving this centuries-old craft he has been recognized as one of Sicily’s Human Treasures. |
Day Eight | Wednesday, May 22
Marsala & Mozia- We start our day with a guided tour of the Florio Cellars in Marsala made famous for their fortified marsala wine. The winery was founded in 1832 and has been continuously in production up to now. We’ll also enjoy a tasting of their wine and combined gastronomic nibbles. We head to the island of Mozia for lunch and to meet the Charioteer. Mozia was a Phoenician settlement that dates back to the 8th century BC. The Charioteer, a marble Classic Greek statue, found buried on the island on October 1979, is dramatic for its age and its depiction. Dating back to as early as the 460s BC, it shows a virile young man with an amazingly refined body traditionally wearing the garment of a charioteer. |
Day Nine | Thursday, May 23
Selinunte & Mazzara del Vallo - Today we see before us the ruins of civilizations when we visit Selinunte, destroyed the first time by the Carthaginians in 409 BC and then finally in 250 BC when it was left uninhabited till today. Selinunte is considered the “largest and most imposing archeological park in all of Europe.” For lunch we experience Sicily’s Arabic impact in Mazzara del Vallo and enjoy strolling in the afternoon through its city center known as the Kasbah with its unique Arab architectural influences. |
Day Ten | Friday, May 24
Scopello - Our last day is spent in Scopello as a free day. You can explore one of the most important and oldest tuna fisheries in Scopello which dates to the 13th century. Or you can take a gentle hike in the Zingaro National Reserve. There are many coastal paths from Scopello where you can come upon enchanting and untouched blue coves to enjoy the natural flora and fauna of this rugged corner of Sicily. The village also has many shops to make any last minute purchases. Our last dinner will be spent together remembering the amazing experiences we’ve shared over the past 10 days. |
Day Eleven | Saturday, May 25
The Day of Departure. We say goodbye to Sicily’s Wild West. People will return home or fly off to other places, carrying with them rich memories of a place that is unique and filled with great hospitality, beauty, amazing food, wonderful people and with newly made friends. Depending on your flight times, we will help organize whatever size vehicle that is needed for
your transfer to Palermo airport, which is an hour away.
The Day of Departure. We say goodbye to Sicily’s Wild West. People will return home or fly off to other places, carrying with them rich memories of a place that is unique and filled with great hospitality, beauty, amazing food, wonderful people and with newly made friends. Depending on your flight times, we will help organize whatever size vehicle that is needed for
your transfer to Palermo airport, which is an hour away.