Wilderness Travel 2018 Catalog of Adventures

Hiking in Sicily GREEK AND ROMAN RUINS, COASTAL AND MOUNTAIN HIKES

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. ON OUR WEBSITE VOLCANOES OF SOUTHERN ITALY 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.

BILL ABBOTT

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

Built in the 5th century BC, Segesta is one of the most inspiring Doric temples in the world. PHOTO: LEON WERDINGER

DATES Apr 13-23, 2018

Sep 7-17 Oct 6-16

May 11-21 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

BILL ABBOTT

WWW.WILDERNESSTRAVEL.COM/TRIPS/EUROPE 57