West Sicily Tour 6 days

Sicily is one of my favourite regions!

It  really has a lot to offer in terms of culture, beautiful landscapes and pristine water!

More over the inhabitants  are so friendly and nice that you would never leave!

Here is a one week itinerary through the West part of the region:

Palermo 3 days

You can easily  reach Palermo by air, landing at the Falcone and Borsellino airport.

As this city has a lot to discover you won’t regret to spend at least 3 days in this beautiful place!

In summer you can even spend more days, as the Mondello beach is really amazing,  a place where you lay down and enjoy the sun and  the clear water.

The city is a synthesis of many centuries of history with Norman, Baroque, Arab architecture where all the influences coexist very well  making a unique city and a masterpiece of styles.

What to do in Palermo?

Visit:

- Local Markets  such as Vucciria,  the most famous and ancient one,  Ballarò, Il Capo, Mercato delle Pulci  and Lattarini  and hear all the vendors selling out loud vegetables, fruits, fish and so on…

- Monreale Cathedral, a magnificent example of the Byzantine art of mosaic

- The Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia, Patron of Palermo, at the top of  Mount Pellegrino.

If you are a good walker  you can walk to the top, otherwise better to reach it  by car. When at the top, ( it is a bit of a climb) you can admire this Sanctuary overlooking the city.

- The Very impressive Duomo in the city centre also called the Primatial Metropolitan Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Mary of the Assumption, since 2015 Unesco Heritage

- Teatro Massimo, third in size after the Opéra in Paris and the Vienna State Opera Theater, boasts one of the most imposing facades in Europe.

- Norman Palace   (IX century) the most ancient royal residence in Europe, once the seat of the sovereigns of Sicily and of emperors  Frederick II of Swabia  and Conrad IV. Unesco Heritage.

- The Botanical Garden, a big natural area where you can find unusual plants and be hugged by a giant Ficus Macrophylla.

- The centre of the city is a vibrant oasis where to experience Sicilian food.Try the Focacceria of San Francesco.

You will be amazed about how much this city has to offer!

Day 4  San Vito lo Capo / Erice

San Vito lo Capo is a small town in the Trapani province west of Palermo. In September  there is a big Cous Cous festival where you can taste a lot of different types of Cous Cous recipes and the Town is full of people enjoying the food and the beach!

The town is quite small and  from spring to summer is very vibrant and well worth a visit.

Otherwise we suggest to head for the beautiful medieval town of Erice where you could also spend the night in some B&B  and the day after visit this impressive town perched at 751 meters above sea level.

Overnight  in San Vito lo Capo or  Erice

Day 5  Marsala/ Selinunte

Salt Pans and  the Natural Reserve of the Stagnone Islands

This Lagoon is situated along the way from Trapani to Marsala. It’s a unique territory where  the “salt road” offers some ideas where to stay and visit the area;  Enjoy the experiences and activities inside the "Ettore and  Infersa" salt pans; Visit  Infersa Windmill and the museum  with the multimedia path;  Moreover  visit the Lunga Island  where you can be hosted as well in one of their rooms with  view on the salt pans

Then in the afternoon experience one of the best sites in Sicily: Selinunte  

Selinunte was an ancient Greek city located on the southwest coast of Sicily; today it is the largest archaeological park in Europe.

This year 2018 other traces have been found of a Greek city dating back to 4000 years ago in the Selinunte Park!

Overnight in Selinunte

Day 6 Agrigento 

The next  day discover another  place where the ancient Greek culture developed, the Valley of the Temples where a big Greek city  was established, concluding the vast migratory movement from Greece to the West.

Overnight in Agrigento.