"To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything."

Wild Western Sicily / 1 week

Pre-arrival
Palermo 2 nights, including a guided tour of town

Post-Departure
3 nights lazy sea resort life, hotel right by the sea, half board included

Combine with: Eastern Sicily, Aeolian islands

7 nights accommodation, all meals, local guide every day, tour leader, all visits and entrance fees.

  • Walk this UNESCO World Heritage Site and enjoy unforgettable views of this corner of Paradise

  • Explore Trapani and Erice

  • Visit Segesta and Selinunte

  • Taste Marsala

  • Hike the Zingaro Nature Reserve

Tour Description

Sicily has been a crossroad for all ancient civilizations. 

The island’s west attracted the Greek, the Phoenicians, the Romans, the Normans and the Spanish. 

The west offers rich fish ground, ancient old saltpans, perfect hills for wine and olive cultivation. Marsala wine is also a local produce. 

No more an off-the-beaten-track destination, this part of the island offers a wide range of things to do.

 From some of Europe’s most beautiful beaches, to ancient ruins and dramatic mountain sites and a unique local cuisine, western Sicily offers it all.

Detailed itinerary

DAY 1 - Arrival Day

Arrive at Palermo airport and transfer to your hotel Orientation briefing and welcome stroll and aperitivo! 

Dinner and overnight

DAY 2 - Segesta and Mt. Barbaro

This is the best-preserved Doric temple in the world with a stunning Greek theatre (still used for summer plays). The main reason to visit Segesta is to see a single amazing temple in a lonely field, the Tempio di Segesta. Beautiful walk around the area, always with the temple in sight from different perspectives.

DAY 3 - Mt. Cofano Natural Reserve

Mt. Cofano is a promontory with rocky pinnacles on the highest areas, steep coastal walls, the southern slopes soft enough to walk along them. If you approach from the south, the mountain seems to be very uninviting with rocky land. Heading on, scenery changes completely. Lovely little beaches with crystal clear waters. A fine walking day in a beautiful area.

DAY 4 - Marsala and Salt pans

The coast from Trapani to Marsala is lined with dazzling white salt pans — a nature reserve populated by migratory birds, and the sight of the vast white stretches of rock salt against a blue skyline broken by red-and-white stone windmills is spectacular. The tiny island of Mozia is as close as you’ll get to Carthaginian civilization without crossing over to Carthage. Enjoy a Marsala tasting and a visit of the elegant historic centre of Marsala.

DAY 5 - Mighty Selinunte

Mighty Selinunte has the largest extension of Greek ruins in Europe, including Greece itself. A day spent wandering around Selinunte’s archaeological park (Parco Archeologico Selinunte) is a must on any trip to Sicily. Vast, it’s also a fabulous place to relax. After the visit of the site, walk along the coastline of Southern Sicily.

DAY 6 - Zingaro Natural Reserve

Scopello is the town that marks the beginning of some of the best beaches and coastlines in Sicily, with hidden coves and alternating sand and pebble shores. In this stretch of land, the Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro was the first designated wildlife area in Sicily, covering nearly 1,600 hectares (3,954 acres) and 4 miles of coastline. Enjoy a day out there.

DAY 7 - The town of Erice

The capital of Western Sicily has a peculiar sickle shape stretching out to sea and its shoreline is dotted with centuries-old tuna processing plants that are a testament to its vibrant fishing industry. The local cuisine is influenced by the region’s proximity to North Africa and Trapani is famed for its couscous. Explore Trapani and Erice today. Erice is one Sicily’s most spectacular hill towns with creeping hillside alleys, stone buildings, silent charm and powerful associations. Every street and piazza is a delight.

DAY 8 - Departure

Transfer to Palermo airport for departure.