ItalyTourTravel

Hiking Ancient Sicily

Hiking Ancient Sicily
The glorious, sun-drenched island of Sicily is a world unto itself, with a history and culture apart from the rest of Italy. In ancient times, it was a strategic crossroads between East and West, and the influences of those who conquered it over the millennia are evident in its many Hellenistic and Roman ruins, Saracen mosques and towers, and churches and castles from Norman times. Sicily also boasts an attractive landscape of citrus groves, vineyards patterned on rust-red earth, and mountainous scenery, including fiery Mount Etna (10,990').

On this insightful hiking adventure you'll see how Sicily's beautiful natural landscape melds with its rich historical past to produce a land bewitching in its diversity. Along the way you'll sample the island's complex gastronomy: a taste for agrodulce (sweet-and-sour, a legacy of the Arabs), intensely flavored local produce, and seafood cooked in dozens of delicious ways

What's Included

What's Included

• expert leadership
   
• accommodations in four- and five-star hotels
   
• meals as noted (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
   
• transfer to the Palermo airport on Day 10
   
• sightseeing as noted in the itinerary
   
• ground transportation
   
• basic medical and evacuation insurance

  What's Not
  International airfare; meals not noted in itinerary; insurance other than basic medical and evacuation insurance as noted above (we strongly recommend you purchase the supplementary trip insurance offered by Mountain Tour Company, which includes trip cancellation insurance); optional tipping to leader, guides and local staff; excess baggage charges; transfer from the airport to the hotel in Taormina on Day 2; airport taxes; and items of a personal nature (sodas, alcoholic beverages, wine with dinner, laundry, etc.).

  Air Travel Options
  Air carriers impose strict ceilings on the special fares we are permitted to offer our travelers. With so many choices of air carriers and special promotional fares through newspapers, travel agents, and the Internet, not to mention "frequent flyer" miles, we suggest you call your local travel agent or the airline directly. We'll be happy to provide you with a list of toll-free numbers for some of the major air carriers after you sign up.

  Note - Please check with us before purchasing your air tickets. We need to ensure we have enough participants to operate the trip.

  Tier Pricing
  Adventure travel works best with a small group of people. In order to operate these small groups, our trips are priced according to the number of full-price passengers on the trip. (Mountain Tour Company staff, trip doctors, and other discounted travelers are excluded from the count for this purpose.) We initially invoice you at the highest tier level price (the smallest group size we can operate). If the price drops due to an increase in group size, you will be refunded the difference.

What to Expect

Expert Leadership
Expert leadership is the key to an exciting, unforgettable experience. Our trips feature gifted leaders for whom leading trips is a true vocation. Besides showing you wonders you'd never find on your own, they make sure everything runs smoothly and safely without a hitch. They are knowledgeable about all aspects of your trip, and take great pleasure in sharing their insights with you. More than just guides, they positively elevate your experience by being teachers, companions, and the best of friends. You'll be in good hands with them every step of the way.

Silvia Giacon is currently scheduled to lead this trip. Silvia is a native Italian who lives in Venice and leads our Sicily, Tuscany, and Umbria trips. She is an architect by trade, and her knowledge of history, culture, and architecture is priceless and adds an extra dimension to the trip. When given the least amount of time, Silvia will find a way to travel. For the last 15 years, she has led tour groups throughout France and Italy.

Leader assignments will be confirmed in the Final Bulletin sent to you three weeks prior to departure.

Activity Level
Mountain Tour Company trips are designed for flexible, energetic people who like to be active and have a spirit of adventure and a positive attitude.

Although this is not a strenuous trip, we expect participants to be in good physical condition. This trip involves easy to moderate day hikes up to five hours in length. You'll be walking with only a light daypack, and since the trip is van-supported, there is some flexibility for those who do not wish to hike every day. Alternate or shorter hiking options can be arranged.

Please note - A walking stick, gloves, and warm clothing and gaiters are highly recommended for the hike on Mount Etna.

Then Leave the Rest to Us
Before you go, we provide you with extensive pre-departure information, including clothing recommendations, suggested reading lists, up-to-date health advice prepared by our consulting physician (an expert in wilderness medicine), and other details.

Why Mountain Tour Company is Your First Choice for Adventure
Mountain Tour Company is the pioneer in active adventure travel. No other adventure travel company can lay claim to that title. We were the first to take Americans trekking in Nepal, raft the wild rivers of Africa, and open up many previously inaccessible corners of the world to curious travelers. We set the standard for adventure travel and have a strong reputation for excellence that we do everything we can to maintain. Since we are the leading adventure company, we have a lot to live up to, so we make sure we provide safe, quality trips and the best customer service to our passengers.

With Mountain Tour Company, you'll see Sicily as only an insider can, with friendly, hospitable guides who know the region intimately. They'll accompany you throughout the day, lending support and insights about where you are and what you see. Their close familiarity with the local geography, history, culture and traditions (plus their entertaining stories and great jokes) are the key to a superb, informative experience-one you just can't get on your own.

Note on Itinerary
Although we will do our very best to adhere to the itinerary schedule as listed, it is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control. Please read the Limitations of Liability and Booking Conditions in the four-page Participant Information Form.

Tour Itinerary

DAY 1 ~ Travel to Sicily
Leave your hometown and fly to Catania, Sicily, arriving on Day 2.

DAY 2 ~ Taormina - Castelmona
Arrive in Catania, the ancient Greek colony of Katane, on the east side of Sicily. Transfer on your own to Taormina, called by Goethe "the greatest work of art and nature!" (Taormina is a 20-minute taxi ride from the airport.) Your trip leader will meet you at 1:30 p.m. on the terrace of the Hotel Timeo, beautifully located just under Taormina's Greek Theatre, built in the third century B.C. and the most famous monument of the complex. After a brief orientation we will tour the nearby archaeological park and take a scenic walk from the town to Castelmola, which was supposedly the Acropolis of Tauromenion (Taormina), now occupied by a medieval castle. From here we'll have fine views of the northern slopes of Mount Etna and spectacular views over Taormina Bay. We can gain even better views as we hike higher on Monte Venere (optional). Dinner and overnight at the five-star Hotel Timeo, with its grand views over Mount Etna. (3 hours hiking.)
D…Hotel Timeo

DAY 3 ~ Mount Etna hike
Today we'll take a challenging hike on Mount Etna. Etna's local name in Sicily's unique Italian?Arabic dialect is Mongibello-a combination of the Latin mons for mountain and the Arabic gebel for mountain. In 1987, Mount Etna and its surrounding slopes were protected by the establishment of Parco dell'Etna, an area of 146,000 acres, with the intent of stopping the developing city of Catania from encroaching upon Etna's slopes. Parco dell'Etna contains Etna's central craters and its lava deserts along with existing ski stations (there is winter skiing on Etna's snows). Accompanied by a specialized volcano guide, we'll hike to the Valle del Bove, on the east side of the volcano, where we will walk on recent lava flows (the result of an eruption from 1991-1993) and be fascinated by the myriad colors and shapes of the terrain. (Our itinerary will depend on weather conditions and people's hiking abilities.) Picnic lunch en route. Dinner at a farmhouse where we'll watch a demonstration of how to make fresh pasta that we'll eat later at our meal! At the end of the day we'll return to the hotel by van. (5 hours hiking.)
B,L,D…Hotel Timeo

DAY 4 ~ Anapo River Valley - Syracuse
Transfer south to the area of Pantalica, which for 500 years was the center and capital of the most important Bronze Age civilization in Sicily. From the Sortino entrance we will follow the course of the Anapo River, which over the millennia has excavated a very deep canyon. Orchards, huge ash trees, poplars, rhododendrons, and wildflowers cover the floor of the river valley, and the clear running waters of the river fall in small cascades over the rocks into little pools. We end the hike at the Anaktoron, the remains of a regal palace overlooking the valley. Continue by vehicle to Syracuse (Siracusa), first built in 734 B.C. and the site of great political, economic, and artistic magnificence by the fifth century B.C. Dinner and overnight at Le Case del Feudo, an exclusive farmhouse on the outskirts of Syracuse that is owned by the Baron of Beneventano, an old Sicilian noble family. (4 hours hiking.)
B,L,D…Le Case del Feudo

DAY 5 ~ Vendicari Natural Reserve
Possible itinerary for March and April departures (weather conditions permitting):
Take a beautiful hike through the Cava Grande del Cassible, a six-mile canyon just south of Syracuse that offers us a chance to admire the fragrant spring beauty. Our hike will end with a taste of homemade fresh ricotta cheese at the home of a local farmer. On our way back to Syracuse we will stop at the town of Noto to admire its beautiful baroque architecture and to have a glass of the famous Nero d'Avola red wine (the grape is native to Sicily). Dinner at the palazzo of the Beneventano family in Ortigia, the center of Syracuse. (4-5 hours hiking.)
B,L,D…Le Case del Feudo

Possible itinerary for October departure (weather conditions permitting):
After a short stop at the picturesque market in Syracuse to pick up our lunch, we transfer south along the coast to Vendicari, a five-mile-long untouched natural reserve lying along the rocky coast. Its sandy beach area is one of the most important migration bases in the Mediterranean: its pantani (lagoons) dry out in the summer and fill again with rainwater in the winter. Vendicari is a paradise for birdwatchers, so be sure to bring along binoculars along with your swimsuit! On our way back to Syracuse we will stop at the town of Noto to admire its beautiful baroque architecture and to have a glass of the famous Nero d'Avola red wine (the grape is native to Sicily). (4-5 hours hiking.) Dinner at the palazzo of the Beneventano family in Ortigia, the center of Syracuse.
B,L,D…Le Case del Feudo

Shorter hiking option for all departures:
For those who would like to spend more time in Syracuse in the morning (there is a lot to see!), we have the option of taking an afternoon walk to Noto Antica instead of making the all-day trip to Cava Grande del Cassible or Vendicari. Noto Antica, situated on the heart-shaped Monte Alveria plateau, is a town that was once a natural fortress; it has been in continuous use since the ninth century B.C. During the 16th century, King Ferdinand the Catholic wrote the inscription Netum ingenosa, urbs nunquam capta (Noto, clever city, never conquered by the enemies). Noto Antica was totally destroyed by an earthquake in 1693 and rebuilt on a lower hill in the baroque style. On our way back to Syracuse we will stop at the town of Noto to admire its beautiful baroque architecture and to have a glass of the famous Nero d'Avola red wine (the grape is native to Sicily). Dinner at the palazzo of the Beneventano family in Ortigia, the center of Syracuse. (1½ hours hiking.)
B,L,D…Le Case del Feudo

DAY 6 ~ Villa Casale - Agrigento
Before we leave Syracuse we'll visit its famous Greek theater and the impressive "Latomie," ancient stone quarries used later as a prison. We'll then drive to Agrigento on the southwest part of Sicily. On our way we will take a pleasant hike to the mysterious ruins of Morgantina, a Greek "Polis" on the plains of Etna that was first settled in 1300 B.C. by colonists from central Italy and absorbed by the Greeks in the eighth century B.C. The highlight of the day will be our visit to Piazza Armerina, with its most beautifully preserved Roman Villa del Casale. The villa, standing like a precious jewel in the heart of Sicily, was built during the third and fourth centuries A.D. and offers the most incredible collection of hand-wrought mosaics embellishing the floors of the imperial house.

The colorful ceramics capital of Caltagirone ("Queen of the Hills" in Arabic) is our next optional stop. We'll make a challenging-but worthy-climb up the famous "Scalinata," a stairway above the church of Santa Maria del Monte that was built in 1609 to connect the upper and lower parts of the town. Its 142 steps are elaborately decorated with exquisite antique ceramics.

We arrive in Agrigento in the mid-afternoon, just in time to enjoy sunset over the Temples Valley. Dinner in the garden of the four-star Hotel Villa Athena, an 18th-century villa located in front of the Temples Valley. (2-3 hours hiking.)
B,L,D…Hotel Villa Athena

DAY 7 ~ Agrigento - Platini River Natural Reserve
Agrigento was called "the most beautiful city of mortal men" by the Greek poet Pindar. Today we'll have a guided visit to the Temples Valley, a spectacular series of Doric temples sitting on the Rupe Athena (a hill dedicated to the goddess Athena) that gently descends toward the Mediterranean Sea. The temples were dedicated to the goddess Juno, Concordia, the mythical Hercules, and the brothers Castor and Pollux, founders of the city of Akragas, as Agrigento was called under the reign of the Greeks. In the afternoon we move west of Agrigento. From Capo Bianco we start our walk toward the ancient city of Eraclea Minoa and along the Platani River Natural Reserve. According to legend, the Cretan King Minos, in pursuit of Dedalus, set foot on Sicilian soil here and met his death. It is true that the Greeks from ancient Selinunte founded a town on the "white cape" in the sixth century B.C. The estuary of the Platani River, rich with acacia, eucalyptus, and other majestic trees, is a haven for waterfowl and migrating birds from Africa. (3½ hours hiking.) In the evening we'll ride up to the historical center of "Girgenti" (one of the ancient names for Agrigento) for a short visit and dinner on your own. Return to hotel in Agrigento for overnight. (3½ hours hiking.)
B,L…Hotel Villa Athena

DAY 8 ~ Monti Sicani - Palermo
Leaving Agrigento, we enter again the deep heart of Sicily on its western side as we continue toward Palermo. Our walk will be around Palazzo Adriano on the northern slopes of Monti Sicani, deep in the Sosio Valley. The small town and the surrounding landscape are among the most beautiful in inland Sicily. (The Sicilian film director Giuseppe Tornatore chose the village as the setting for his Oscar-winning film Cinema Paradiso.) The village is also a Mecca for paleontologists: the nearby Pietra dei Saracini and Pietra Salmone are limestone rocks that contain a wealth of fossilized fauna from the early Permian period.

Before reaching Palermo, we'll make another stop at the picturesque village of Corleone (of The Godfather fame) for a wine tasting. Continue to Palermo, the cultural, political, and economic heart of the island, for dinner and overnight at the Hotel Central Palace. (3 hours hiking.)
B,L,D…Hotel Central Palace

DAY 9 ~ Palermo - Monte Pellegrino - Monreale
In the morning we'll enjoy a guided tour of the old city. Besides the splendid example of Art Nouveau architecture, the Arabic and Norman influence is still visible in the Cathedral, the Palazzo dei Normanni, the church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti, and other monuments. Lunch on your own at the market. In the afternoon we'll take a moderate hike up Monte Pellegrino, overlooking Palermo. (Goethe called it the "most beautiful promontory of the world.") Pellegrino is a "holy" mountain: during the 12th century, Rosalia di Sinibaldo, the patron saint of Palermo, lived as a hermit in one of the limestone caves. (2 hours hiking.)

To crown the trip we will drive to Monreale to visit the Duomo, a church from the Norman period, in which Muslim, Byzantine, and Romanesque cultures combine to create one of the best masterpieces of the Italian Middle Ages. Farewell dinner in one of Palermo's harbor restaurants.
B,L,D…Hotel Central Palace

DAY 10 ~ Fly home
Transfer by van to the Palermo airport for departure on homeward-bound flights or travel elsewhere in Europe.
B…

10 Days (9 in Italy)

6 days easy to moderate hiking

8 nights accommodation in 4- and 5-star hotels

Oct 14 - Oct 23, 2003
Mar 28 - Apr 06, 2004
Apr 18 - Apr 27, 2004
Oct 17 - Oct 26, 2004

2003 Land Cost:
$3690 (10-16 members)
$3890 (6-9 members)
$450 single supplement