Day 1: Palermo#
- landed at Palermo airport at 6:40 p.m.
- Trinacria Express train into the city centre (central station)
- dropped our bags at the apartment on Via Vittorio Emanuele
- watched the festive lights from the balcony
- evening walk through the streets near the port
- first taste of brioche col tuppo with Sicilian gelato at Gelateria La Kala
Day 2: Palermo#
- left our bags somewhere safe, 2-hour guided tour of Palermo via Airbnb, leaving from Piazza Bologni
- stopped at Pasticceria Costa for cannoli
- route: Foro Italico – Porta Felice – Piazza Marina – Corso Vittorio Emanuele – Piazza Pretoria – Quattro Canti – Ballarò
- glass of « Sangue » (“Sicilian blood”) at Taverna Azzura (Vucciria)—a typical sweet wine somewhere between Marsala and Zibibbo
- dinner and our first caponata
- free time: Villa Bonanno
- the kids had their first granita
- train out to the airport to pick up the rental car
- arrived at our place in Scopello (Visicari)
Day 3: Zingaro Nature Reserve#
- pool after breakfast
- hike in Zingaro nature reserve
- met Peppe and his tuna sandwiches (panino con tonno affumicato, orosicilia.com)
- picnic near Cala del Varo, then on toward Cala Berretta and Cala Disa
- dinner at Torre Bennistra, looking out over the Tonnara di Scopello
Day 4: Segesta#
- pool in the morning
- delicious caponata made by the owners’ family
- visit to the Segesta archaeological park: the temple and the Hellenistic theatre
- back to the pool and a barbecue
Day 5: Favignana#
- wandered the garden at our lodging
- drove to Trapani for the Egadi islands
- rented bikes on Favignana
- stunning coves and beaches
- ferry back around 6:30 p.m.
- dinner in Scopello at Isonzo Cinque
Day 6: Erice#
- left Visicari
- cable car up to Erice (on Mondays it opens at 1 p.m.)
- hillside views from the egg-shaped cabins
- short loop (3 km) or longer one (4 km)
- beautiful medieval hill town with sea views
- pastries at Antica Pasticceria Del Convento (genovesi filled with custard, ricotta or hazelnuts)
- walked up to Castello di Venere
- cable car down around 4 p.m.
- drove on to Agrigento
- quick swim in the pool
Day 7: Agrigento & the Valley of the Temples#
- breakfast by the pool
- morning at the pool
- visit to the Valley of the Temples park
- Scala dei Turchi
- drinks at bar Acanthus
- fruit stop in Gela
- arrived at “La Dimora del Delcano” around 9 p.m.
Day 8: Noto#
- Noto, Ragusa
Day 10: Climbing Mount Etna#
Day 12: Taormina#
Day 13: Lipari#
- exploring Lipari
Day 14: Vulcano#
- Vulcano—mud baths / spa
Day 16: Stromboli#
- ascent of Stromboli—5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Day 17: Salina#
- exploring Salina
Day 19: Back to Brussels#
- leaving Cefalù to catch our flight from Palermo
