Exclusive Sicily Tour of Ancient and Contemporary Charm

Your guide will escort you on a private tour of the colorful and fresh food market in the morning. Here, the aromas of fresh bread and fried rice balls often fill the air. Typical treats available at the market include radiant pomegranates, bright red peppers, and flash-fried calamari.

You will continue to Monreale, which is a 12th-century Norman cathedral that is decorated with more than 68,243 square feet of shimmering Byzantine mosaics that tell stories from the Old and New Testaments. Your private tour will showcase the monastery’s secluded position, which is captured in the pristine cloister of 228 double columns and capitals.

Your guide will meet you in your hotel’s lobby to take you on a private tour through the famous markets of Palermo in search of fresh and seasonal ingredients. The aroma of basil will fill the streets before you arrive at a private home kitchen inside an 18th-century building.

Your chef will act as your instructor, helping you to prepare an authentic four-course meal of classic Sicilian dishes. The scents of garlic and tomato citrus will stem from the typical sauce of Pasta alla Norma, and the sweet flavor of citrus and chocolate will accompany the creamy center of homemade cannoli.

After breakfast, your driver will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to Segesta, which is a wonderful archaeological site that will transport you back to the 5th-century BC. Your guide will lead you on a secluded path during your private tour of the ancient civilization, highlighting a preserved Greek theater and stunning Doric temple.

The temple rises out of the fields of colorful wildflowers with 36 giant columns that create unique musical notes on windy days. You will then continue to your luxurious accommodation in Marsala. The charming streets are paved in marble, and elegant Baroque architecture decorates the graceful piazzas.

Your private tour of Marsala will also have delicious wine tasting through the city’s historic cellars. The Museo Archeologico Baglio Anselmi displays the remains of a reconstructed Carthaginian warship alongside ancient cargo, which dates back to the 3rd century BC. The vast gardens possess ruins of a 3rd-century AD Roman villa that overlooks an ancient road. You will continue in the seclusion of hidden cellars, where your guide will offer you samples of five wines paired with classic Sicilian cuisine. The scent of blackberries, nutmeg, and licorice will drift from the red hues of your glass to give way to a silky texture.

This morning, your driver will take you to the picture-perfect salt mines of Trapani. The local tradition extracts the salt from the water in large, isolated pans beneath charming windmills that were once used for grinding salt and pumping water from one tank to another.

The warm and humid air supports the nature reserve, and bird species, such as avocets, thrive amid the scent of the briny sea. The Nubia windmill inside the reserve displays artifacts dedicated to the work and history of the salt workers, such as their tools and ancient roots that are connected to the Normans.

The center of Trapani’s Old Town winds with a compelling labyrinth of majestic palaces and ancient churches. The central boulevard has a relaxing ambiance that is absent of cars and crowds. Your guide will pick you up from your hotel and treat you to a private tour of the historic center, which is home to over 100 beautiful churches and regal places that overlook the ancient stone-paved streets. Anime Sante del Purgatorio Church possesses 20 life-sized wooden effigies that represent the story of the Passion of Christ. The Moorish detail of the Palazzo Riccio di Morano embodies the city’s rich cultural diversity and is connected to the Spanish Baroque.

The day will be at your leisure to explore the beauty of land and sea by visiting three small islands of the Egadi, which is a gorgeous archipelago that is known for its crystal clear waters and hidden grottos. The islands have acted as a stronghold since the 3rd century BC. The Grotto del Genovese sits at the base of a coastal cliff and stands 2,296 feet above sea level. The water will splash against the rugged base as your guide leads you into the cave to find Neolithic drawings that feature bulls, horses, men, and tuna.

The streets of Erice evoke a sense of charm, tradition, beauty, and wonder. The village rests atop Mount Erice at 2,460 feet above sea level and offers a sweeping view of nearby Trapani. Churches and palaces line the main boulevard with the facade of the Church of San Martino representing the Norman influence. The quadrangular bell tower of Santa Maria Assunta contains embellished mullioned windows that were once used as defenses, and the Venus Castle was built with materials from the former Temple of Venus. The castle gardens offer an open space from which you can enjoy an extraordinary panorama.

Your driver will transfer you to Castellammare, where the quiet harbor overlooks the ruins of a Saracen castle and gold-sand beaches. The day will be yours to bask in the beauty of the Sicilian coastline, where the turquoise water beautifully juxtaposes the backdrop of the craggy mountains. The seaside hamlet of Scopello will immerse you in a fantastical ambiance that emerges from an 18th-century manor house with high walls and giant gates. The white facades glint against the smooth stone streets and wind through town. The serene piazza will fill with the scent of espresso and offer access to the neighboring Zingaro Nature Reserve.

The morning light will wash over the 15th-century stone church that resembles a fortress with walls of more than eight feet thick. The dramatic structure was built over a humble 4th-century church that was dedicated to the town’s patron saint. Your private transfer will meet you in the hotel lobby after breakfast and escort you to Palermo’s Falcone Borsellino Airport for your flight home. By the time you depart, this vacation will unveil to you the secrets of Western Sicily.