Max group size: 16

Itinerary

DAY 1 
Palermo

Walk – easy, 2-4 hours, on pedestrian streets.

We meet in Palermo, one of the most vibrant and underrated cities in Italy. We’ll explore the historic center and lively streets to discover what once made this Europe’s most sophisticated and multicultural city.
Centrale Palace Hotel, Palermo

DAY 2
Archeological Park of Sagesta; Transfer to Erice

Walk – easy to moderate, 2-4 hours, along country roads and trails.

After breakfast at our hotel in Palermo, we drive towards our home for the next two nights, Erice. Along the way we stop for a walk in the Archeological Park of Segesta, with its majestic Greek theater and solitary temple set in the quiet countryside.

This afternoon we continue to Erice, a charming medieval town with cobblestone streets and enticing pastry shops.
Hotel Elimo, Erice

DAY 3 
Zingaro Nature Reserve

Walk – easy to moderate, 4-6 hours, along country roads and trails.

Today’s excursion brings us to the Zingaro Nature Reserve, four miles of pristine coastline set against steep mountains. Our walk immerses us in one of Italy’s most beautiful coastal areas, now thankfully protected from future development. Here classic Mediterranean vegetation flourishes in a profusion of yellow broom, rosemary, and capers above a turquoise sea. We explore the coastline on foot, enjoy a picnic lunch mid-day, and if the weather cooperates, swim in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Hotel Elimo, Erice

DAY 4 
Erice to Monreale

Walk – easy to moderate, 3-4 hours, along country roads and trails.

Our day starts with a walk to the small town of Monreale for lunch. We have a chance to see its mighty 12th-century cathedral, one of Europe’s medieval treasures and a fantastic blend of Norman, Arab, Byzantine, and classic elements. The cathedral has a dazzling collection of gilded mosaics by Greek and Byzantine artists and is a magnificent example of Sicilian-Norman art.

Our home for the next two nights, this “country house of the prince,” is a former Jesuit convent and the summer estate of the prince of Camporeale, located in the heart of the agricultural Iato Valley.
Casale Del Principe, Monreal

DAY 5
Madonie Mountains

Walk – easy to moderate, 3-4 hours,along country roads and trails; Afternoon free.

Our morning hike in the interior Madonie Mountains reveals Sicily’s deeply rustic culture. Interior Sicily is a completely different world, and to many Sicilians, it’s the “true” Sicily of tiny mountain villages, farms, shepherds, and fresh-made cheeses. After our morning hike in the countryside, we enjoy a picnic lunch of Sicilian specialties before returning to our inn for an afternoon at leisure.
Casale Del Principe, Monreal

DAY 6 
Iato Valley

Walk – easy to moderate, 3-4 hours, along country roads and trails.

Today further exploration on foot of the extraordinary Iato Valley brings us to the culturally rich town of Piana degli Albanesi, famous for its extra large ricotta cannoli and Greek orthodox churches.

This afternoon we spend some time getting to know the selections from the charming vineyards surrounding our hotel. Once back at our lodging for the evening, we can enjoy our hilltop location and spectacular view of the medieval village of Castelbuono.
Relais Santa Anastasia, Castelbuono

DAY 7
Cefalu

Walk – easy to moderate, 3-5 hours, along country roads and trails.

This morning our walk brings us to the town of Cefalu with its medieval streets and sea views dominated by the Norman cathedral. The spectacular mosaic-covered church is the most unexpected of all monuments in Sicily. The building is a remarkable celebration of the styles and people who came to rule the island of Sicily; the Arabs, Byzantines, Normans and Spanish have all left their mark. From the cathedral, we wander through the medieval streets of Cefalu down to the port. After lunching at a seaside trattoria, we transfer to Taormina by mid-afternoon, with just enough time for a swim before we head to dinner at a restaurant overlooking the bay.

Taormina, perched on rock cliffs overhanging the sea, is perhaps the most beautiful medieval city in Sicily. Sophisticated and charming, Taormina also has some of the most spectacular views in the world – its Greek and Roman origins, medieval streets, and magnificent position overlooking the Ionian Sea have made it a favorite destination for centuries.
Hotel Monte Tauro, Taormina

DAY 8
Mount Etna

Walk – 4-6 hours, moderate, along country roads and trails.

We drive through graceful, dusky towns built of black lava stone to the lower slopes of Mt. Etna, the powerful volcano that the locals have learned to love despite its many spectacular eruptions. Today is a highlight as we hike to the crater of Mt. Etna. Our exciting walk takes us across lava fields from the 1983 eruption, and through pine forests and shady chestnut groves. Part of our hike is strenuous because we ascend on lava ash, which can make for rough footing, and it is all uphill, but the volcanic landscape is breathtaking. At the highest point of our hike, we have views down into a huge lava-covered valley, with Etna’s main crater visible higher up to the left.

At over 10,000 feet, Mount Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe. This majestic volcano dominates much of Sicily’s eastern half and has been protected as a national park since 1987.
Hotel Monte Tauro, Taormina

DAY 9 
Departure

Morning transfer to the airport at Catania to board flights departing to the U.S.

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