La Dolce Vita Wine Tours

Discover Sicily

A wine tour in western Sicily, from Palermo to Marsala

Trip Notes:

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 (50+ Euros) or a Prestia e Comandé bus (5.80 Euros). The latter runs frequently and makes multiple stops in town, including the Politeama Theater near our hotel (40 min) and the main train station (55 min).

For your pre-tour hotel, the most convenient choice would be to stay at the hotel we use on Day 1 (see Accommodations); we can make that reservation for you. If you prefer other options, email us for suggestions or consult a good hotel search engine, such as TripAdvisor or Venere.

Meeting point

In Palermo city center, in the lobby of our first hotel.

Departure day

Shuttle to Palermo airport by 11:30 a.m. Contact us if your flight requires an earlier arrival.

Italian train schedule

Click here for an English-language version of TrenItalia. 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

Travel insurance

This is recommended to protect you from needless loss caused by last-minute cancellations, lost luggage, and more. One source is Travelex Insurance: www.travelexinsurance.com, (800) 228-9792 (please use our compay code: 21-0043 LDV).

Weather

When packing, check www.weather.com. Go to “Palermo, Italy” to get a general idea of temperatures and forecast. In May, expect beautiful weather, with an explosion of wild flowers. Temperatures will be comfortable, averaging 75º by day and 60º at night.

Reading

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