15 days itinerary in Western Sicily
The best of Western Sicily in 15 days.
Sicily is an amazing destination, one of the most beautiful and diverse island I have ever seen. It offers a bit of everything: UNESCO World Heritage sites, wild and serene landscapes, white beaches and rocky coves, emerald waters, and roaring volcanoes.And then amazing food and delicious wines.
Here is our suggested itinerary to cover the western side of the island in 15 days.
The best way to move around is by car. Easy, flexible and it gives you total freedom. Driving in Sicily is not difficult at all, although I have to admit Sicilians seem to drive quite fast, even for Italian standards and may be quite adventurous when it comes to take over. But if you keep yourself within speed limits and pay a bit of extra attention, there won’t be any problem.
For this itinerary, your best option is to fly in and out of Palermo.
DAY 1-2-3: SCOPELLO
This little hamlet, less than an hour drive from Palermo airport, makes an excellent base to explore the Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro and to spend some time by the sea. Take a day to walk the path along the coastal path in the wild nature of the reserve and find one of the many little coves to snorkel in amazingly turquoise waters!
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| Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro |
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| Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro |
From Scopello you can easily reach the ancient site of Segesta. Be careful there; some touts may tell you to park you car in the big parking 1 km away. You will have then to pay for the parking and for the bus taking you back to the entrance; instead, you can leave your car at the free parking located a 100 mt before the entrance. The visit will probably take a couple of hours and after that you can go back to Scopello to explore one the many coves such as Cala Bianca or Cala Rossa or to visit the Tonnara.
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| Segesta temple |
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| Grotta Mangiapane |
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| Riserva Naturale Monte Cofano |
DAY 4: ERICE AND TRAPANI
Drive your way up to the top of the hill occupied by the medieval village of Erice. Take your time to visit the churches and to walk along the ancient alleys. Enjoy the views over the gulf of Trapani and taste the exquisite sweets of the historical Pasticceria Grammatico. Then take the cable car and visit Trapani, its historic center and the salt pans.
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| Erice, Castello di Venere |
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| Trapani, salt pans |
DAY 5: MARSALA
Famous for the homonymous fortified wine and for having been Garibaldi's port of landing with his expedition of the thousands, Marsala makes a good stop on your way to Selinunte and the Valley of the temples. Visit the historic Cantine Florio and walk along the paved streets of the lively city center. End your tour with an aperitif at the salt pans at sunset and, if you have time to stop a little longer, visit Motya or take a ferry to the Egadi islands for a few days in paradise!
Famous for the homonymous fortified wine and for having been Garibaldi's port of landing with his expedition of the thousands, Marsala makes a good stop on your way to Selinunte and the Valley of the temples. Visit the historic Cantine Florio and walk along the paved streets of the lively city center. End your tour with an aperitif at the salt pans at sunset and, if you have time to stop a little longer, visit Motya or take a ferry to the Egadi islands for a few days in paradise!
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| Marsala salt pans |
DAY 6: MAZARA AND SELINUNTE
On your way to Selinunte don’t miss Mazara del Vallo and the Dancing Satyr museum that houses the homonymous impressive and rare example of Greek bronze statuary found in 1998 by a local fishing boat. After that, take a walk around the typical tangle of narrow streets reminiscent of an Islamic medina of the historic city centre, called Kasbah due to its Arab origin.
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| Mazara del Vallo, Kasbah |
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| Mazara del Vallo, Kasbah |
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| Selinunte archaeological site |
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| Selinunte archaeological site |
DAY 7: SAMBUCA DI SICILIA
After visiting Selinunte, stop for a night in Sambuca. It is a pretty and sleepy town located in the beautiful Valle del Berice, an area covered in prickly pears orchards, olive groves and vineyards. While there, try the Minni di virgini, a traditional cake imitating the shape of a woman’s breast and stuffed with blancmange, chocolate chips and pumpkin jam.
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| Sambuca di Sicilia |
DAY 8: SCIACCA, THE COAST AND SCALA DEI TURCHI
Leave Sambuca to move towards the Valley of the Temples and explore the coastal area. First halt should be Sciacca, a vibrant and colorful town. The nearby coast offers many chances to stop for a dip into the turquoise waters of Sicily or otherwise to just lay down sunbathing.
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| Sciacca |
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| Sciacca |
A definitive must stop, between Realmonte and Porto Empedocle, is the Scala dei Turchi, one of the most beautiful beaches in Italy and one of the most unique in the world. Wavy and sinuous shapes, limestone rocks of a such pure white color that will leave you breathless.
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| Scala dei Turchi |
Located in the outskirts of Agrigento, is the UNESCO World Heritage of the Valley of the Temples, one of the most visited historical attractions of the island.
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| Valle dei Templi |
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| Valle dei Templi |
DAY 10-11: SCICLI - DONNAFUGATA – RAGUSA IBLA – MODICA
Leave the Agrigento province and drive east towards the province of Ragusa and the late-baroque cities of the Val di Noto, another Unesco Heritage Site. Start with Scicli, a slow paced town with a pedestrian city center filled with elegant buildings and churches and cool little restaurants.
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| Scicli |
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| Scicli, detail of Palazzo Beneventano |
From Scicli you can visit the sumptuous noble residence of the 19th century Castello di Donnafugata (also famous for being used as a set for the movie Tale of tales), and the beautiful city of Modica, famous for its dark chocolate production. And, if you have the time, I’d also suggest you a day walking around Ragusa Ibla, a little gem of baroque art or an afternoon by the beach.
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| Donnafugata |
DAY 12: VILLA ROMANA DEL CASALE
Yet another Unesco Heritage Site, and my personal highlight on the whole trip, the Villa del Casale is a splendid imperial villa dating back to the end of the 4th century A.D. when it belonged to a powerful Roman family. This is a magnificent rural dwelling, whose charm is due to the outstanding mosaics, considered the most beautiful and best preserved of their kind.
The visit requires a few hours, but go there first thing in the morning to avoid groups and enjoy this magic place at its best.
After the visit check out Piazza Armerina, the lovely village perched on the rocky peak just above the villa.
DAY 13 - 14: PALERMO & MONREALE
My first tip about Palermo is to avoid using a car. Palermo is a fantastic city but it can be extremely chaotic. Try to walk and if you can’t, use public transport. First of all, visit the Mercato di Ballarò, an intricate crawl space of noisy alleys, filled with fish an vegetable stalls. A colorful and iconic place, not to be missed. Continue your exploration with the wonderful Cappella Palatina, inside the Norman Palace, the oldest Royal Palace in Europe, and then get lost through the streets of the city center before reaching the majestic Cathedral of Palermo.
The visit requires a few hours, but go there first thing in the morning to avoid groups and enjoy this magic place at its best.
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| Villa del Casale mosaics |
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| Villa del Casale mosaics |
After the visit check out Piazza Armerina, the lovely village perched on the rocky peak just above the villa.
DAY 13 - 14: PALERMO & MONREALE
My first tip about Palermo is to avoid using a car. Palermo is a fantastic city but it can be extremely chaotic. Try to walk and if you can’t, use public transport. First of all, visit the Mercato di Ballarò, an intricate crawl space of noisy alleys, filled with fish an vegetable stalls. A colorful and iconic place, not to be missed. Continue your exploration with the wonderful Cappella Palatina, inside the Norman Palace, the oldest Royal Palace in Europe, and then get lost through the streets of the city center before reaching the majestic Cathedral of Palermo.
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| Palermo, Ballaro` market, picture from Rauschemberger Pixabay |
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| Palermo buildings, picture from Elena 26 Pixabay |
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| Monreale Cathedral |
MY TIPS:
When: September and October are a strategic time for this trip for various reasons: temperatures are warm but not too hot, you can still swim in the sea until mid October and even later, and there are less crowds and more favorable prices.
Read: an inspiring read before or during this trip is The Florios of Sicily
Eat: Sicilian food is a delicious melting pot of Arabic influence, Italian ancient traditions, local recipes (that sometimes change from a province to the other) and exceptional quality ingredients!
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