| Cost From: | $4595 |
|---|
| Length: | 9 days |
|---|
| Activity: | Hiking / Trekking, Cultural Adventures |
|---|
| Difficulty: |
|
|---|
Terrific throughout. Our guides were the absolute best. Bravissimi!Edy and Michael Dorsen
Receive our e-newsletter, sent 5-6 times a year, announcing new adventures and special offers.
The ultimate way to explore Italy—on foot! Discover jewel-like towns of the southern Tuscan countryside, from remarkable Siena to the enchanting villages of the sun-splashed Maremma, with its hidden coves and vineyards producing “super-Tuscan” wines.
Sun-drenched Sicily inhabits a world all its own, with its own hybrid language, a cuisine tangy with the spices of Africa, and a rich culture derived from a parade of Mediterranean powers. We hike on the ravishing volcano-isles of Lipari and Vulcano, on Mount Etna, and in the Madonie Mountains, where the traditional Sicily of tiny villages and family farms still exists. We fuel our hikes with catch-of-the-day and pick-of-the-garden cuisine, often a delicious blend of Arab and Italian styles. Everywhere we go, we feast our eyes on the monuments of many epochs, from atmospheric Greek and Roman temples to cathedrals with Arab-Norman facades, a testament to the multicultural heritage of one of the most gorgeous islands in the world.
$4595 (11-15 members)
$5095 (6-10 members)
Single supplement: $525
Prices are for 2010 dates
Apr 6-14, 2010 Sebastiano Leone
Nello DeLibero, Stefano Baldi
Sep 19-27, 2010 Francesco Selvaggio
Sebastiano Leone
Oct 17-25, 2010 Sebastiano Leone
Francesco Selvaggio
Reading list, click here.
We meet in Palermo and head out for a hike in the interior of the Madonie Mountains for a taste of Sicily’s deeply rustic culture, the “true” Sicily of tiny mountain villages, farms, shepherds, and fresh-made cheeses. Overnights are at the seaside resort of Cefalu.
The Aeolian Islands include dramatic Stromboli, Vulcano, Lipari, and tiny Panarea. We ferry out to Lipari, largest of the Aeolians, with its pretty harbor dominated by a 16th century castle. A beautiful coastal hike brings us around the island to the old Roman thermal baths at San Calogero, and along the way, we enjoy glorious views of Vulcano and the spiky rock formations that puncture the blue waters. We ride the hydrofoil to Vulcano—from which all volcanoes get their name—for a hike around the crater rim, with the option for a refreshing post-hike mud bath and swim.
With breathtaking panoramas of sea and sky and balconies overflowing with flowers, the hilltown of Taormina charms its visitors. The town’s main street is lined with elegant palazzi, and Etna views are spectacular. We enjoy a morning hike and afternoon wine-tasting on the slopes of majestic Etna, at over 10,500 feet the highest active volcano in Europe.
In Siracusa, whose 2,600-year-old city center, Ortygia, is set on an island, we explore a vast archaeological site of fabulous Greek, Roman, and Christian ruins and hike the Pantalica Gorge among the cave dwellings and rock tombs. Depart from Catania on Day 9.
This is the Itinerary-at-a-Glance. For the complete trip description, Download Full Trip Brochure
