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BILL ABBOTT
Sicily is a sun-drenched world all its own, with a fascinating
3,000-year-old history and a flourishing blend of cultures.
On this captivating island, we’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, we’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 / Coastal Nature Reserve /
Monreale / Cefalú Our exploration of Segesta’s stunning,
well-preserved Greek temple is followed by a cove-to-cove hike
above the turquoise sea at either the Monte Cofano or Zingaro
nature reserves. A hike through vineyards and fruit orchards
ends at a welcoming agriturismo, where we lunch on regional
specialties. Monreale’s 12th century
cathedral is one of Europe’s medieval
treasures, and we see its dazzling
collection of gilded Greek and
Byzantine mosaics. From the seaside
town of Cefalú, we head to the
Madonie Mountains, the “true” Sicily
of tiny mountain villages, farms, and
shepherds, for a hike through oak,
maple, and holly woodlands.
Days 5-8 Piazza Armerina /
Pantalica Gorge / Siracusa
We view the extraordinary Roman-
African mosaics of the Villa Romana
del Casale near Piazza Armerina,
then enjoy wine tasting at our
agriturismo and a cooking class
(we’ll savor the results at dinner!).
A hike in the Pantalica Gorge
reveals thousands of Neolithic
tombs carved into the canyon walls,
and in Siracusa, once a very powerful
city-state, we explore breathtaking
Greek and Roman ruins.
Days 9-11 Mt. Etna / Taormina
On Mt. Etna, we travel by cable
car and 4WD bus to 9,500 feet,
where our hike leads across
extraordinary lava landscapes.
Taormina is perched high above
two sweeping bays, and we explore
the town’s palazzi-lined streets and
3rd century BC Greek amphitheater,
still in use for concerts today.
Depart on Day 11.
BILL ABBOTT
GREEK AND ROMAN RUINS, COASTAL AND MOUNTAIN HIKES
HIGHLIGHTS
• Hike the spectacular trails of a coastal
reserve, the mountain gorge of Pantalica,
and the lavascapes of 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 13-23, 2018 Sep 7-17
May 11-21 Oct 6-16
Jun 2-12
TRIP COST
$5395 (11-15 members)
$5895 (4-10 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, 1 day hike to
10,000 feet (Mt. Etna), van support, team
of up to 3 Trip Leaders
Built in the 5th century BC, Segesta is one of the most inspiring Doric temples in the world.
PHOTO: LEON WERDINGER
ON OUR WEBSITE
Explore and hike the dramatic
volcanic isles of Stromboli,
Vulcano, Lipari, and tiny Panarea,
as well as fiery Mt. Etna.
Sep 24-Oct 4, 2018. From $5395.