Sicily: Agrigento, Marsala & The Isle of Mozia - Walking Tour

We rendezvous at Palermo for the short journey to our hotel on the quayside at Bonagia, with time to wander around this historic fishing village before we gather for an Introductory Talk and Welcome Dinner.

We take a boat from our hotel across the waters to the Nature Reserve Park of Monte Cofano to hike around the promontory, on footpaths once trodden by pirates, and immerse ourselves in the wild and rugged beauty of this unspoilt coastline. After lunch, we drive to Erice for a walking tour of this thoroughly medieval walled mountain town, dramatically perched 750 metres above the sea. Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs and Normans have all occupied this “impregnable” fortress which, today, is simply one of the most stunning towns in the Mediterranean. Descending by cable car, to Trapani, we return to our hotel with time for a swim in the pool before dinner in a local trattoria.

We drive to the small town of San Vito lo Capo and spend the morning walking the coastal path of the Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve, where wild flowers abound and only the haunting clang of the goats’ bells and the breaking of the waves on the shore disturb the silence. Here many species of birds nest and breed and we may even see the rare Bonelli’s Eagle. We lunch in the tiny, delightful village of Scopello. Later, we drive to Marsala and celebrate our arrival in this most famous of wine towns with a visit to the renowned Florio winery to see how the eponymous fortified wine is made and to taste it for ourselves.

This morning we board our private launch to spend time on the Stagnone Islands, off the coast of Marsala. We see the windmills standing guard over the saltpans as we reach Isola Grande for our first walking excursion. Then to the Isle of Mozia, where the ruins of the ancient Phoenician settlement are much in evidence. In the tiny museum, we see the magnificent 5th century marble sculpture of Il Giovinetto – and we meet the curator who found it. After a picnic lunch, we return to the mainland with time for shopping, a visit to the Cathedral or the famous Tapestry Museum, or indulging in cannoli in one of the fashionable cafes of Marsala. Dinner at a local ristorante.

Segesta and Selinunte are the two great 5th century cities whose rivalry led to all-out war. Today we visit the first, Segesta, where we will see the great Doric Temple and the Theatre dating from the 3rd century BC – two of the most stunningly sited Classical monuments in the world. The temple is situated on the edge of a deep ravine and, by contrast, the magnificently preserved theatre occupies a prominent position near the summit of Monte Barbaro with far-reaching views across the Gulf of Castellamare to distant mountains. Our walk is in the rolling hills in the footsteps of those who, for centuries, have beaten a path to this unique site.

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Marsala and transfer along the coast for our morning walk. We will visit the enormous ruins of the temples at Selinunte, another of the most impressive archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. Excavations have uncovered extensive ruins, but experts now believe that the destruction was caused by earthquakes rather than by armies. The remains of five temples litter the fortified acropolis, while the ruins of three more, bearing massive Doric columns, lie on a hill to the east. After lunch, we continue to Agrigento, where the highlight will be a walking tour of one of the magnificent Valley of the Temples, dedicated to Juno, Concord, Hercules, Jupiter, and the Dioscures. We gather for cocktails before our Farewell Dinner in our hotel, with its unforgettable views of the Concordia Temple illuminated against the night sky. 

We return to Palermo and say “arrivederci” to those leaving us.

Those staying on for our second week of Sicilian Discovery will continue to Cefalu for dinner (on own) and overnight in our seafront hotel, within easy walking distance of the old town and numerous restaurants of this lovely old fishing port.