Slow Travel to Western Sicily's Hidden Gems

Cost

$5020, based on double occupancy. A limited number of single rooms are available at an additional cost: $400 . If you are willing to share but we are unable to pair you with a same-gender roommate, you will not be charged the single supplement

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Activity Level

We walk 2-5 miles a day, typically over uneven surfaces, climb and descend stairs sometimes. You may have to roll or carry your own luggage, possibly up and down stairs to your room. Please wear comfortable walking shoes. Sometimes, you may have to sleep near street noise. Bring ear plugs.

Odyssey Includes

* 11 nights lodging
* Train, bus, ferry, and vehicle transportation
* All breakfasts, meals as indicated on itinerary
* Local bilingual guides, BBO staff
* Entrance fees to museums, archeological sites
* Wine Tour

What is not included

* Round-trip airfare
* Travel insurance (recommended) that minimumly covers you for medical expenses including emergency repatriation.
* Alcoholic beverages at group meals
* optional activites/experiences
* meals not mentioned in the itinerary
* tips for local guides, drivers, etc

Itinerary

Welcome to Palermo, Sicily! Palermo is a fascinating, diverse, vibrant city, and the capital of Sicilian culture, cuisine, and architecture. Before dinner, we will venture out into the gentle chaos of the city as it unfolds into side streets. Dinner will be a time for getting to know each other, perhaps sharing some of your dreams and intentions for this odyssey to ancient Sicily. D

Palermo has a history of successfully supporting many different cultures and spiritual beliefs. Even today, it receives many refugees fleeing oppressive conditions. You will be taken on a walking tour of the cultural highlights of Palermo, including some of the lovely baroque churches. Experience the beauty of Palermo Cathedral, built in 1184 on top of a Muslim mosque. View the impressive Teatro Massimo, the third-largest opera house in Italy. Explore the mythological sculptures at the Piazza Pretoria Fountain. B

Participating in a Sicilian cooking class is one of the highlights of being in Sicily. Slow travel emerged out of the Italian movement of slow food. Learn about the importance of fresh, seasonal ingredients for a multi-course Sicilian meal. You will visit the local markets as the chef looks for local, fresh ingredients. B,L

You will learn more about Sicily at the Antonio Salinas Regional Archeological Museum, containing some of the best Punic and Greek art in the world. It tells the story of Sicily from Prehistory to the Middle Ages. Later, enjoy the 800-year-old Monastery of Saint Caterina where a shop run by 4 nuns, The Secret of the Cloister, creates sumptuous sweets, including an outstanding cannoli. B,

Day trip to Cefalu via train, a scenic 1-hour journey with views of the sea and mountains. Cefalu has sandy beaches, medieval streets with wonderful restaurants, and the 12th-century Cefalu Cathedral with Byzantine mosaics. You can choose to hike in the Rocca Archeological Park, a mountain with a Norman castle at the top as well as the ruins Temple of Diana/Artemis, the goddess of the moon and the hunt. If you choose not to hike, one of your guides will walk you through the cobblestone streets with many unique shops to explore. B

We will leave Palermo for Trapani, 1 hour journey. We will stop in the ancient village of Segesta, once the home of the indigenous Elymians of Sicily. The well-preserved Doric temple and amphitheater were constructed in 420 BC. After checking in to our lodging, we will walk through the seaside town of Trapani, view the Church of the Purgatory (where the famous Easter statues are located) and the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. B

We will stroll through the beautiful medieval hilltop village of Erice with magnificent views of the coast and Trapani. It is also the site of the Castle of Venus built by the Normans on top of the ancient Greek temple of Venus. It has numerous cafes, shops to explore, and some of the most delicious marzipan pastries. B

. We will take a 30 minute journey to Marsala, home of the famed Marsala wine that has been made since Phoenician times. You will experience a wine pairing and tour at the famed Florio Wine Vineyard. Later, we will tour the Salt Pans, B

A day journey to Selinunte, the ancient Greek city built in the 7th to 6th century BC and one of the largest archeological sites in the Mediterranean. B

Favignana - we will take a 30 minute ferry journey to Favignana. Favignana is part of the 3 lovely Egadi Islands off the northwest coast of Sicily. Favignana town has a simple, welcoming charm. The day can be a leisurely one, discovering the beaches of Cala Azzurra and Cala Rossa, some of the most beautiful in the Mediterranean. B

We'll drive 2 hours to the lovely seaside town of Mondello B

People leave at different times. Please follow the hotel guidelines about departure times. B

SAVORING WESTERN SICILY