Wilderness-Travel-2017-Catalog

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FOR MORE DETAILS ON OUR EUROPEAN TRIPS, VISIT 35
Sicily is a sun-drenched world all its own,
with a fascinating 3,000-year-old history
and flourishing traditional culture. On this
captivating island, you’ll hike coastal trails
above a turquoise sea, explore ancient Greek
ruins in Siracusa and Taormina, and head
into Sicily’s wild inland mountains, a pastoral
world of tiny farms and villages. Our
adventures include a breathtaking hike on
Mt. Etna, the rock tombs of the Pantalica
Gorge, and the phenomenal mosaics of the
Villa Romana del Casale. Along the way,
you’ll feast on fragrant cuisine infused with a
tangy mélange of flavors—wonderful frutti di
mare, arancini, caponata. This is Sicily!
Days 1-4 Palermo / Segesta / Zingaro Nature
Reserve / Monreale / Cefalú Our exploration
of Segesta’s stunning Greek temple is followed
by a cove-to-cove hike above isolated beaches
at Zingaro Nature Reserve. After a hike through
vineyards and fruit orchards, we visit Monreale’s
12th century cathedral, one of Europe’s medieval
treasures, to see its dazzling Greek and Byzantine
mosaics. From the seaside town of Cefalú, we
head to the Madonie Mountains, where Sicily’s
deeply rustic culture still thrives, for a hike
through oak, maple, and holly woodlands.
Days 5-8 Piazza Armerina / Pantalica Gorge /
Siracusa View the extraordinary mosaics of the
Villa Romana del Casale, then enjoy a cooking
class and wine tasting at a local winery. A hike
in the Pantalica Gorge reveals thousands of
rock-hewn Neolithic tombs adorning the canyon
walls, and in Siracusa, we explore breathtaking
Greek and Roman ruins on foot.
Days 9-11 Mt. Etna / Taormina Our hike
on Mt. Etna leads across extraordinary lava
landscapes, and in Taormina, perched high
above two sweeping bays, we explore the
town’s palazzi-lined streets and 3rd century BC
Greek amphitheater, still in use today for
concerts. Depart on Day 11.
Our intriguing journey explores Sicily’s vibrant cultures and extraordinary
heritage. PHOTO: CHAD EHLERS
ALESSANDRO SAFFO
LEON WERDINGER
HIGHLIGHTS
• Hike the spectacular coastal trails of
Zingaro Nature Reserve, the mountain
gorge of Pantalica, and on fiery Mt. Etna
• Explore Neolithic rock tombs, the gilded
mosaics of Monreale, Norman cathedrals,
the Greek temple of Segesta
• Discover seaside Cefalú, the ancient
amphitheater of picturesque Taormina,
amazing mosaics of Villa Romana del
Casale, a World Heritage Site
• Delight in Sicily’s unique cuisine, fresh
from the land and sea
• Overnights in fine hotels and a charming
agriturismo
DETAILS
• 11-day trip begins in Palermo and ends
in Catania
• 10 nights small inns and hotels
• All meals included except 1 lunch and
4 dinners
DATES
Apr 14-24, 2017
May 13-23
Jun 3-13
Sep 9-19
Sep 23-Oct 3
Oct 7-17
TRIP COST
$5395 (11-15 members)
$5895 (6-10 members)
Single supplement: $890
TRIP LEVEL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A mix of moderate walks and hikes, some
steep trails, 2-4 hours a day, altitudes up
to 10,000 feet, van support, team of up to
3 Trip Leaders