La Dolce Vita Wine Tours

Sicilian Saunter

Hiking Sicily’s Western Shores

Trip Notes:

Hiking Level of Difficulty

In terms of trails, this is our easiest hiking tour. However, there is van support just on one day, so the rest of the time you must be prepared to go the distance! The surfaces we walk are relative easy: One day, we’re on a country road; another day, it’s a coastal trail that hugs the seashore in a nature preserve; another hike is on paths that wind through an archaeological park; and still another is on a flat island. The most challenging hike is on Marettima, a rocky island; here the trail is halfway up the hillside and runs parallel to the sea, following the contours of the coastal hills. There is some up and down, but nothing too difficult.

Airport

Palermo (known as both Falcone-Borsellino Airport and Punta Raisi Airport), located 22 miles west of the city

Pre-tour

Plan to land in Palermo a day before the tour begins; that’s necessary to be at our starting point on time. To get from the airport to the city, you can take a cab (the easiest option) or public transportation (train or city bus). For your pre-tour hotel, one possibility is the 4-star Politeama Palace Hotel, where we meet on Day 1. This is located in the city center, facing the Teatro Politeama, so there are many other hotels in the vicinity. For other options, email us or consult a good hotel search engine, such as TripAdvisor.com or Venere.com.

Meeting point

In front of the Politeama Palace Hotel at 9:30 A.M.

Departure day

On our final day, we’ll shuttle you to the Palermo airport by 11:30 A.M.

Italian train schedule

Click here for the Trenitalia schedule in English. Be aware that the schedule is posted only several months in advance, so if you’re looking for long-range dates, try something sooner, just to get an idea of departure frequency and trip length.

Trip extensions

DISCOVER SICILY focuses on the western side of the island, where the major historic wine regions are located. The eastern side of Sicily, however, is where you’ll find many of Sicily’s most famous archaeological sites. Thus, if you wish to spend some extra time in Sicily pre or post-tour, you could easily devote 4 to 5 days to touring this area by car. (Public transportation leaves much to be desired here.) Pick up your rental car at the airport, then do a loop trip, covering sites such as the following:

Caltagirone, a town founded by the Arabs and famous for its ceramics (caltagirone means land of vases in Arabic)

Piazza Armerina and Villa Romana del Casale, a Roman patrician Roman residence with sophisticated and well-preserved floor mosaics

Taormina holds one of the most celebrated ruins in Sicily: the Greek theater, on a summit overlooking the sea. (Concerts and theatrical performances are still held here.)

Mt. Etna, the highest and most active volcano in the world. Hiking excursions are available up the 11,000’ slope, which the Greeks believed to be Vulcan’s home. (Visit Etna from your base in Taormina.)

Siracusa, a Greek colony with many ancient ruins, including the largest open theater in Europe; also famous for its Sicilian Baroque architecture

Return to Palermo

Italian train schedule

Click here for the Trenitalia schedule in English. Be aware that the schedule is posted just a few months in advance, so if you’re looking for long-range dates, try something sooner, if only to get an idea of departure frequency and trip length.

Weather

When packing, check check www.weather.com. Go to “Palermo, Italy” to get a general idea of temperatures and forecast. In mid-September, expect summer weather, with daytime temperatures averaging 85º and nighttime 70º.

Reading

Articles by La Dolce Vita Wine Tours cofounder Patricia Thomson:
"Marsala: Meditate on This"