The experience
Get ready for a fascinating overview of western Sicily, a land that has lived an intense life, full of historical events that extend from the eighth century BC to the present day. Our itinerary will take you through a territory that tells millenary stories, embracing Punic-Greek architecture, Arab-Norman art, Sicilian Baroque and the elegance of Art Nouveau.
We start our journey from Marsala, a town that holds an intriguing history. Here, it is not the Sicilians, but a group of enterprising Englishmen, who arrived on the island in 1806, who mark an era. Arriving in Sicily to counter the French influence during the reign of Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, these English discovered a wonderful island, rich in natural beauty and unexplored potential.
From this meeting of cultures comes the production of the famous Marsala wine, a sweet fortified nectar that has conquered the world. At the same time, the British developed the cultivation of salt, with its scenic windmills, and transformed tuna fishing, an ancient ritual, into a thriving industry.
Our itinerary culminates in Favignana, the pearl of the Egadi archipelago. This enchanting island will welcome you with its white beaches and crystal clear waters, a paradise on earth that enchants visitors with its unspoiled beauty.
Along the way, we’ll stop at some of Sicily’s most significant archaeological sites. We will visit Segesta, with its majestic Doric temple and perfectly preserved Greek theater. Mozia, an island museum that houses precious Phoenician artifacts, will offer you a glimpse into ancient civilization.
Continuing the journey, we will enter the medieval period with a visit to Erice, a charming village perched on a mountain, whose stone-paved streets and ancient churches will transport you to a distant era. We will end in Trapani, a city famous for its coral processing and for its seafaring traditions.
This tour will offer you a total immersion in the culture, history and natural beauty of western Sicily, an unforgettable experience that will leave you wanting to return again and again
Shortly
Tour
Arrival in the morning in Marsala, a delightful coastal town that tells a thousand-year-old history. Founded in the fourth century BC by a community of Carthaginians who fled from Motya following a bitter battle, the ancient Lilybaeum was built on an impregnable promontory, later conquered in 830 AD by the Arabs who changed its name to Marsala, the port of Allah.
Modern Marsala experienced a period of great splendour in the mid-1700s when far-sighted English entrepreneurs such as Whitaker, Ingham and Woodhouse, followed closely by the more famous Florio family, gave life to the sweet wine of the same name.
The first part of our visit is dedicated to the exploration of ancient Lilybaeum, an interesting archaeological park that also houses an important museum with the only surviving Punic ship and the evocative “Cave of the Sibyl” in the church of San Giovanni Battista, carved into the rock and characterized by the presence of a spring, probably used by the first Christian community for baptismal rites. At the end we will visit the Hypogeum of Crispia Salvia.
In the afternoon visit of the town, the main street and the cathedral dedicated to St. Thomas Beckett, English bishop of Canterbury, whose cult came here with the first Norman domination of the eleventh century.
At the end, dinner in a typical restaurant, return to the hotel and overnight stay in Marsala.
In the morning, transfer to the pier, the small and characteristic port, from which we will reach the island of Mozia. The name of this particular archaeological site is closely linked to the name of the English Whitaker family, in particular to the eccentric Pip, who fell in love with the place and was passionate about archaeology, and decided to buy the island to carry out archaeological excavations. Pip is also the founder of the Antiquarium, where he and his wife Tina collected all the artifacts. The beautiful marble statue of the Young Man also comes from Mozia.
At the end of the visit, return to the mainland and visit the Salt Museum, where we will find the ancient tools for extracting salt. The production of salt is a long tradition in this part of Sicily, and the extraction takes place right in the nearby salt pans, wonderful especially at sunset, when the water is tinged with pink, an experience that alone is worth the trip! There will be a tasting of typical products and local wines.
In the afternoon return to the hotel, dinner in a restaurant with typical products and overnight stay in Marsala
In the morning transfer to Trapani, the ancient Drepanon, the “sickle” that, according to mythology, Ceres lost during her race riding a chariot pulled by winged snakes.
The day will be entirely dedicated to the discovery of Trapani, located in the westernmost part of Sicily. With an insider guide we will visit the main monuments of the city, its fortified walls, ramparts, domes and mills. We will also discover the most authentic aspects of Trapani that in the past have made it important and famous. We will visit, in fact, the workshop of one of the last artisans, or rather, artists, who have dedicated themselves for centuries to the processing of coral, and we will also have the opportunity to “incocciare” the couscous, the traditional dish of Trapani: originally from North Africa, it is an exquisite dish based on semolina, here, by tradition, superbly elaborated in the fish variant.
At the end of the day full of authentic experiences, dinner in the ancient Tonnara di Bonagia, from which you can enjoy a magnificent sunset over the sea.
Overnight at the hotel in Trapani.
Immediately after breakfast, transfer to the port, from where we will reach Favignana, the largest of the islands in the Egadi archipelago. The fame of Favignana, in addition to its natural beauty, dates back to the Florio family, in particular to Ignazio and Franca Florio. An ancient family of Calabrian origin, it moved to Palermo at the end of the 1700s, and – during the 1800s – was the protagonist of an extraordinary economic rise until it became, in the second half of the century, one of the first Italian industrial families to enter the inner circle of the high international financial elite. In Favignana we will visit the ancient Florio tuna fishery, restored and transformed into an interesting museum dedicated to traditional tuna fishing, and we will walk looking at the blue of the sea.
In the afternoon return to the mainland, dinner and overnight stay in Trapani.
After breakfast, transfer to the airport and end of our services.
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