Escursioni - (en) in Sicilia

There are many areas of woodland around Santa Ninfa, including the Mount Finestrelle nature reserve. Inside the reserve, you can visit the Ethno-Anthropological Museum and enjoy the natural setting, complete with barbecues, tables and toilet facilities. In the local area, you can also take guided tours of the Santa Ninfa Cave Nature Reserve, a protected site managed by Legambiente. The visit to the Sicani tombs is also a must. We continue to Gibellina and Camporeale (visit to a winery with tastings). Return to Selinunte.

The ride takes you across the nature reserve and to the sea. A delightful excursion in a natural setting. We stop for refreshments at a well-known farm holiday centre. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon. This trip is aimed at people who already know how to ride. If you have never been on a horse, you could always enjoy a ride at the stables associated with Ettore Viaggi

Departure to Syracuse, the most beautiful and largest Greek cities in Sicily. Visit the Greek Theater, the Latomie, the Ear of Dionysius and later on the island of Ortigia with the Fountain of Arethusa, the Cathedral and the Archiepiscopal's Palace. Lunch at the restaurant. In the afternoon we continue to Noto of ancient origin. The city was destroyed by an earthquake in 1963 and rebuilt with baroque canons urban style using the limestone of the country. Artists have recreated the charming and unique scenery that we can see today on the palaces, the churches and other civilian buildings that adorn the city. We will visit the Port Royal, City Hall, the Cathedral and the monuments surrounding the square. Free time in city center. Going back to the hotel.

Visit the city of Gibellina, a unique example in Italy of environmental art, a space where architects, sculptors and painters have experienced an outpost of "modern", through which give new life and momentum to the lost hopes. It is divided into two cities, Gibellina new and Gibellina Old, due to a violent earthquake that struck the Belice area in the January 15, 1968. Gibellina, agricultural center of medieval origin, was completely destroyed. There was nothing to do but rebuild. They spent long and difficult years but, in the end, a few kilometers from the past, we began to plan the future. And so here arise, the great star, a symbol of good luck and rebirth, created by Pietro Consagra: already visible from far away, it serves as a door to the new city. The city was founded on idea of a garden city, made of big streets and open spaces, with elliptical and spinning plan. Inside, scattered everywhere, there are examples of art and modern architecture: the System Thermes e Purini squares, the Secret Garden of Venice, the Meeting of Consagra, the Spherical Church of Quaroni, Counterpoint and Melotti Sequences, the Labyrinth of Franchina, the Sacrario to Caduti of Uncini, the Scultura of Rotella and many others. Most famous of all is the giant Cretto designed by Alberto Burri: For the time will not erase the memory of what was, a white cement flow, whose slits correspond to the road layout of the old Gibellina, immortalized the past. It continues with a visit to the Museo della Mafia of Salemi, another characteristic town in the Belice valley.

Segesta fu fondata dagli Elimi, popolo sconosciuto di nomadi arrivato sull’Isola dall’Asia nel XII secolo a.C. L’unica testimonianza della presenza di questo popolo sul nostro pianeta, è il magnifico Tempio che permane da più di 25 secoli, tra il cielo e le campagne circostanti, e che né l’uomo e né la natura potranno mai distruggere.
A Segesta visiteremo il Teatro, sul Monte che raggiungeremo con le navette locali. Si prosegue verso Marsala dove si visiterà una delle cantine più antiche con una reputazione internazionale soprattutto per il suo Liquore « Marsala ». Dopo il pranzo si proseguirà per le Saline di Marsala, dominate dai Mulini e dalle isolette dello Stagnone. Infine visita della cittadina medievale di Erice, un piccolo borgo, che conserva intatto il suo stile medievale e la sua storia, con la Chiesa Madre, le sue viuzze arabe che giungono al Castello di Venere, dove un panorama mozzafiato mostra la provincia di Trapani.

Agrigento was the second centre of Greek power in Sicily. Set amongst olive and almond trees, the Valley of the Temples is one of the best preserved archaeological sites in the world. Agrigento is famous for the myth of Heracles, and its magnificent monuments date back over 25 centuries. Our walk will conclude with the vast Temple of Juno, built after the defeat of the Carthaginians to prove the greatness of Greek Sicily to the rest of the world. We will visit the archaeological museum, packed with an amazing variety of objects found at Agrigento: vases, statues and sarcophagi of international significance. We return to the hotel for lunch.

A trip which takes you across Sicily, exploring all its natural wonder. You will have the chance to see the great variety of landscapes that the largest island in the Mediterranean has to offer. We travel from the south-west to the north, and from the centre to the east coast; where Mount Etna, the symbol of the island, towers 3360 metres into the sky. Our first stop is at 1800 metres, from where you have the option of ascending to 2900 metres, to experience all the immensity and power of nature (locally operated cable car and 4 x 4, payable extra). We have lunch in a restaurant at the foot of Etna, and then continue to Taormina: Sicily's greatest gem and site of one of the most beautiful Greco-Roman theatres. The theatre is among the most impressive in Sicily, both in terms of its location and its panoramic vista. Free time to explore the old streets of Taormina. Return to hotel in the evening.

We leave for the Port of Castellammare, and board a motor vessel for the cruise. If you are looking for crystal clear water and a beautiful setting, you will want to explore the coast of Castellammare and San Vito Lo Capo. Visit to the most famous places on the coast: Cala Bianca, the Caves of Palummi, Guidaloca, the Faraglioni (stacks) and the Scopello Tunnery. A truly breathtaking spectacle: you can admire the beauty of the Zingaro Reserve with its seven coves and thousands of varieties of dwarf palms. You can take a dip in the clear water of the Zingaro coves. We stop at San Vito, where you can visit the coastal town with its typical Mediterranean colours and enjoy relaxing on the beach. A pause at the "Faraglioni di Scopello" (Scolpello Stacks), where you can have a swim, go scuba diving and take photos of "La Tonnara": one of the most attractive and characteristic Sicilian Tunneries. Return to the hotel in the evening.

A one-day cruise, on board a a typical Marsala-style boat, exploring two beautiful islands in the Egadi archipelago: Favignana and Levanzo. We will stop at times during the cruise to bathe in the wonderful coves that typify the coastline of the island, such as Cala Azzurra, Cala Rossa and Cala Minnola. From the small ports on the two islands, you can also explore the little village streets. We recommend an interesting visit to the former premises of the Florio Tunnery at Favignana,recently restored and turned into a museum. We advise you to bring a mask and flippers to admire the seabed, with its rich variety of marine flora and fauna. Spaghetti meal on board the boat, with Mediterranean produce and fresh fruit. Return to the port of Marsala and transfer to Hotel.

The sea off San Vito Lo Capo is perfect for scuba diving. The deep waters with their many shoals are just a few hundred metres from the coast and present a beautiful spectacle, ideal for underwater photos. ln some places, you only need to go out 40 metres to find the first fronds of red coral: small and of no commercial value, but much admired by photographers.
For those practising spearfishing, the Faro shoal (with depths of 4 to 30 metres) offers exciting possibilities (white bream and croaker are the most common catches).

Palermo is the product of many different layers of culture and artistic creation, expressed in the wonderful architecture of its monuments, which tell the story of the whole island. Our excursion will begin in the heart of the Sicilian capital, where we will visit the Palatine Chapel and beautiful Norman Palace, and go on a scenic city tour (Quattro Canti, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Teatro Massimo, Teatro Politeama). Lunch at a restaurant. We continue for Monreale, to visit the famous 12th-century Cathedral and its treasures. Lunch at a restaurant.

We leave for the ancient Greek city of Selinunte, one of the largest and most impressive archaeological parks in Europe; situated on a promontory overlooking the sea, between Marsala and Agrigento. First inhabited by the Sicanians and then by the Phoenicians, it was a Greek colony from the middle (or end) of the 6th century B.C. A visit to the site gives you a unique insight into the history of Magna Grecia. We continue to the Cusa Quarries, from where the stone was extracted to build the magnificent temples of Selinunte. We return to the hotel for lunch.