SICILY ISLAND DISCOVERY #2
(13 days/12 nights)
DAY 1 Arrive Palermo
Arrival at Palermo Airport, transfer to the hotel by private car with driver.
Overnight in Palermo.
DAY 2 Palermo
Day free.
Overnight in Palermo.
DAY 3 Palermo/Cefalù/Palermo
Full day visit of Palermo and Cefalù, by private sedan car with English speaking guide.
In Palermo visit the 9th century Palazzo dei Normanni, seat of the Sicilian Parliament with its beautiful Palatine Chapel, the 12th century Palermo Cathedral and the Cappella Palatina with Byzantine mosaics.
Afterwards, drive 1.5 hours to Cefalù known for its Norman cathedral, a 12th-century fortress-like structure with elaborate Byzantine mosaics and soaring twin towers. Nearby, the Mandralisca Museum is home to archaeological exhibits and a picture gallery with a portrait by Antonello da Messina.
Overnight in Palermo.
DAY 4 Palermo/ Solunto /Caccamo/Palermo
In the morning departure onto Solunto (approx. 40 minutes drive), located in a beautiful position, on a slope of the promontory formed by Monte Catalfano which overlooks the sea with Capo Zafferano. Visit of the arcaeological area included.
Time at leisure for lunch, then depart onto Caccamo (approx. 40 minutes drive), by private sedan car with English speaking guide.
Visit of the Castle, one of the best preserved in Sicily, Piazza Duomo, Oratory of the SS. Sacramento, Church of the Holy Souls of Purgatory, Church of the Annunciation, Church of San Benedetto alla Badia, Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli.
In the cathedral you can admire a beautiful painting by Mattia Stomer depicting the Miracle of S. Isidoro Agricola (1641), characterized by a marked luminism, and in the chapel of the SS. Sacramento a marble altar with hard stones set, surmounted by an interesting ciborium with marble reliefs from the Gagini school.
After visit, return back to your hotel in Palermo (approx. 50 minutes drive). Overnight in Palermo.
DAY 5 Palermo/ Portella della Ginestra/ Corleone/Palermo
In the morning depart for the full day excursion, by private sedan car with English speaking guide.
Start with a 45 min drive to Portella della Ginestra, site of the massacre on May 1, 1947, where 11 people were killed and 30 wounded. The memorial site is commemorated with 11 jagged upright stones, one for each of the victims, on the spot where they fell. A memorial plaque states: “On May 1, 1947, while celebrating the working class festival and the victory of April 20, men, women and children of Piana, S. Cipirello and S. Giuseppe fell under the bullets of the Mafia and the landed barons to crush the struggle of the peasants against feudalism.”
Continue, 50 min drive, to Corleone. Several Mafia bosses have come from Corleone, including Tommy Gagliano, Jack Dragna, Giuseppe Morello, Michele Navarra, Luciano Leggio, Leoluca Bagarella, Salvatore Riina and Bernardo Provenzano. Learn about the mafia history and visit the Corleone Mafia Museum.
Time at leisure for lunch.
After visit, return back to your hotel in Palermo (approx. 1 hr 10 min drive).
Overnight in Palermo.
DAY 6 Palermo/Erice/Marsala/Trapani
In the morning, departure with your private sedan car to Erice (approx. 1 hour and 45 minutes drive), to visit this nice town with local English speaking guide.
Ancient Phoenician and Greek city, perched at 751 m height on the mountain of the same name, crowned by a triangular plateau with a terrace overlooking the sea. Here you will visit the Castle of Venus, extraordinary ruins of a castle with a 12th-century Norman fortress built on an ancient Roman temple, Porta Trapani, Torretta Pepoli, Turreted stone residence on cliff, built in 1881, with suggestive panoramic views of the sea, Cathedral dedicated to the Assumption.
After visit, time at leisure for lunch.
Early afternoon, transfer to Marsala by private car (approx. 1 hour drive), the city famous for the landing of Garibaldi and the Mille and for the production of the homonymous Marsala wine (visit with English speaking guide).
After visit, transfer to your hotel in Trapani (approx. 50 minutes drive).
Overnight in Trapani.
DAY 7 Trapani/Mothia/Salemi/Trapani
This morning a 10 min drive to visit Mothia (aka Mozia) an archaeological site covers an island, the Isola di San Pantaleo, situated in a striking location in a kind of shallow lagoon lined with the salt flats and windmills that are a characteristic of this coastline. Wear insect repellent or cover up well; the green landscape amid brackish water is prime mosquito territory.
You reach the island by ferry boat (weather permitting, otherwise you will receive refund for this service).
Out to sea you can glimpse the Egadi Islands. The island's terrain is flat and rural, and excavated stretches alternate with woodland, vineyard and field.
The ancient town, was an important colony of Carthage, the Phoenician-founded city in north Africa. The Carthaginians were crucial in the ancient history of Sicily, building, conquering and losing settlements, generally fighting (though sometimes allied) with the various Greek cities in Sicily. However, it is quite rare and exciting to see such extensive Carthaginian ruins in Italy, and so much evidence of Phoenician culture.
Start with a visit to the small museum on Mozia to gain context to the ruins. The museum's highlights include terracotta masks and funeral stele, some featuring stylized images of women in triangular skirts. The museum's greatest treasure, though, is a marble statue, the Youth of Mozia ('Giovanetto di Mozia'), also known as the Charioteer. This is a Greek work dating to the fifth century BC and is a real masterpiece.
Footpaths lead around the island's shore and across the interior, past intermittently excavated areas. There is a great deal still to be discovered at Mozia, and excavations are ongoing.
There is a small cafe on the island with outdoor tables, which serves a limited amount of food such as pastries and pizza slices.
Continue approx. 50 min drive to Salemi a small Arab village, located in the heart of the Valle del Belice, with impressive cultural sites such as the Norman castle, the Civic Museum and two important archaeological sites.
Founded in the IX century on the ruins of the ancient Halicyae village, Salemi was an Arab colony which achieved a great importance under the Norman domination when the king Ruggiero built a fortress and its castle. Like most of the villages of the area, Salemi was completely destroyed by the 1968 earthquake.
The Norman-Swabian Castle, one of the most well preserved castle in Sicily, has two watching towers; one designed with a square plan and another one built with a cylindrical shape. The Church and Jesuit College has a marvelous Baroque facade enriched by a series of column made by tuff. The Jesuit College also includes the Civic Museum which hosts important sacred works of art coming from the main churches of Salemi, destroyed by the 1968 earthquake. Here it is possible to admire charming frescos from the 1667 and some precious sculptures of the Fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The Cathedral of San Miceli is a rare example of paleo-christian church built in the second half of the IV century. The Museum of Breads, located in the Church of San Bartolomeo, displays a collection of different kind of bread baked during the main religious celebrations of the village. At the Mafia Museum learn of the history of Mafia through documents, pictures and videos about Cosa Nostra, the illegal development which spoiled the landscape of many Sicilian cities and the horrible massacres occurred over the time.
The Archaeological area of Monte Polizzo, contains the ruins of the old Halicuae city and the Archaeological site of Mokarta includes special findings of a village dating back to the XII century. If you want to discover more about the archaeological findings of this area you can visit the Fornace Santangelo where there is a permanent exhibition about the archaeological digs of Salemi.
Note: discuss with your guide your main interests as there are many sites and you have to decide depending on time.
Overnight.
DAY 8 Trapani/ /Selinunte/ Caltabellotta / Eraclea Minoa/ Agrigento
Morning departure at 8 am by private sedan car with driver and English speaking guide to Selinunte (approx. 1 hour 10 min drive) for visit of its archaeological park with the guide.
Afterwards, drive approx. 1 hour to Caltabellotta, called the city of Peace, that Peace between Angevins and Aragonese of 1302, which ended the war of the Vespers.
Visit the village of Caltabellotta. Its’ Christian roots emerge with strength due to the presence of many churches and religious buildings: Matrice Church (or Cathedral), former Church San Francesco di Paola, Sicane necropolis, sacrificial altar to the god Kronos. Not to be missed is the visit to the remains of the Castle which, situated at a height of 949 meters, offers a truly suggestive panorama and manages to bring visitors back in time.
After lunch (on own), departure to Eraclea (aka Heraclea) Minoa (approx. 40 min drive) and visit of this ancient Greek city with English speaking guide, including its archaeological excavations.
Continue approx 1 hr 10 min drive to Agrigento for overnight.
DAY 9 Agrigento/Naro/ Palma di Montechiaro / Licata/ Falconara di Sicilia /Agrigento
Depart at 8:30 am this morning for a 35 minute drive to Naro. Visit the ancient Chiaramonte Castle of Naro, Santuario di San Calogero (church) and Palazzo Gaetani Palace.
The architectural complex of Chiaramonte Castle of Naro is fully preserved. Architecturally it presents itself as an irregular rectangle with a square tower on the east corner and a half-cylindrical tower on the south, connected by walkway once used by patrols. Between the two main towers is a large body divided into two floors and divided into various rooms with an arched coverage of the main hall. A staircase leads from the living room to an embellished terrace. As a public property, the castle is currently used as an exhibition space for art and meetings.
Next drive 20 minutes to Palma di Montechiaro for visit of Montechiaro Castle, Benedictine Monastery and its beautiful panorama with Punta Bianca beach.
Afterwards, a 30 minute drive to Licata (aka Alicata). Visit the Area Archaeologica di Monte Sant’ Angelo and Castel Sant’ Angelo. Enjoy a stroll around the beautiful Marina di Cala del Sole.
Then another 16 minute drive to Falconara di Sicilia for visit of Falconara Castle, a beautiful castle overlooking the sea.
Return to Agrigento, 50 min drive, for overnight.
DAY 10 Agrigento/ Sperlinga /Nicosia /Catania
Depart at 8:30 am for the approx. 2 hour drive to Sperlinga is a little town of less than 1,000 inhabitants, famous for its medieval castle.
Continue 20 minutes further to Nicosia village. Set on four hills, this ancient mountain town was once the most important of a chain of fortified Norman towns stretching from Palermo to Messina. Modern times have been tougher, and between 1950 and 1970 nearly half the town's population emigrated. The ruins of the castle in the upper part of the town are a tangle of steep, winding cobbled streets. You will see churches and palaces, few of which are sadly shown to their full value, as well as houses carved out of the rock, reminders of the troglodyte settlements which were so common in former times, particularly in south-eastern Sicily.
Visit San Nicolo’s Cathedral, considered the most relevant example of Gothis-Norman architecture in Sicily and the 13th century Church of Santa Maria Maggiore with its huge Baraoque main entrance and its late Renaissance interior.
Enjoy a stroll around the lovely Piazza Garibaldi.
Then drive approx. 1 hr 35 min to Catania and transfer to hotel.
Overnight.
DAY 11 Catania/Taormina/Acireale/Catania
Depart at 9:30am to Taormina, arrival at approx. 10:45am.
Guided visit of Taormina, including Greek Roman Theatre with its beautiful view of the Sicilian cost.
After visit, time at leisure for lunch (not included).
2:00pm departure onto Acireale (approx. 45 minutes drive), for a short visit (Cathedral dedicated to Maria Santissima Annunziata and St. Peter and St. Paul’s Basilica in Baroque style).
4:00pm transfer back to your hotel in Catania.
DAY 12 Catania/Noto/Augusta/Catania
Depart at 9:00am to Noto, arrival at approx. 10:30am.
Guided visit of Noto, famous for the monuments and the characteristic Baroque constructions built after the earthquake of 1693, it’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After lunch (not included), depart onto Augusta (approx. 1 hour drive), for a guided visit including the best interest sites in Augusta and its Santa Croce Lighthouse.
After visit, transfer back to your hotel in Catania.
DAY 13 Catania Airport
Transfer to Catania Airport by private car with driver only.