Wednesday, April 25th, 2012
After landing and have rented a car, we head straight to Cefalù. We arrive quite early and park on the waterfront. From there we walk in the pedestrian streets, we stop at the medieval lavatory, then we reach Piazza del Duomo. We sit at an outdoor bar in front of the cathedral for a while. After, we visit the Cathedral and walk a little in the center until we reach the pier.
Then we reach the other side of the town, to the lighthouse. It’s now time for lunch (we stop at a restaurant on the waterfront). Our next goal is Enna, but having seen some pictures of Castelbuono we decide to take a detour. The road is a bit tortuous, but this place deserves a stop. We visit the Chiesa Matrice Vecchia, with the crypt full of ancient frescoes, then we reach the castle and admire the view over the valley.
We come to Enna and leave our luggage at the B&B we booked. Then we head toward the Castello di Lombardia through the squares, the Cathedral and some other churches. After climbing the tower of the castle, we go back to the hotel and soon after we go out for dinner. We have dinner in the center, initially it seems there are few people, but later the city is crowded.
Thursday, April 26th, 2012
Before leaving Enna, we drive to the Torre di Federico II (a bit far), and after rising, we go back to the car heading to Agrgigento. We park the car near the Valle dei Templi (probably the best place in Sicily) and start the visit from the Temple of Juno (at the east), then the Temple of Concord and the Temple of Hercules.
The archaeological zone is divided into 2 parts (in the middle of them, a road passes), then after seeing the first part, we enter the second one (though the best preserved temples were in the previous part). After a short lunch break, we also visit the archaeological museum, really filled of items. We reach therefore the center of Agrigento, and we go to our B&B. The area is not too good, but the B&B is in excellent condition. We still have some time and with car we go to Porto Empedocle, there is not much, then go back to Agrigento. We have dinner and walk a bit for the illuminated streets.
Friday, April 27th, 2012
First part of the day is Selinunte. Even here the archaeological zone is divided into 2 parts pretty far apart, but we don’t get discouraged and we visit both sides, walking under the warm sun. For lunch we decide to stop in Mazara del Vallo, which is within little distance, and with pleasure we discover that it is a beautiful city full of monuments.
We take the opportunity to visit the museum of the satyr. In addition to this there are monuments like the Cathedral, the Norman Arch, the Theatre of the ‘800 and S. Ignatius. Returning to the car we go to Segesta and with the shuttle bus we climb up to the theater (on top of a hill), then we go down and admire the Temple. In the evening we arrive at the hotel in the suburbs of Palermo (on a hill with a beautiful view) and for dinner we go to Monreale, where they are setting up stalls for a party.
Saturday, April 28th, 2012
We go back to Monreale to visit the city and the Cathedral. Unfortunately, in the cathedral I break my camera.
After the visit of Monreale, we go to Palermo (where I stop to buy another camera), I leave my friends at the hotel and go to the wedding of a friend, Luca. I spend the afternoon and the evening between marriage and celebrations.
Sunday, April 29th, 2012
Back to our Sicily trip, I go to Palermo and reach my friends and visit the city, particularly the cathedral, the Norman Palace and Palatine Chapel.
Before leaving the city we stop at the castle of Zisa. We make a brief stop in Mondello, there’s enough people on the beach even if it is cloudy. In the evening we arrive in Trapani. We visit the city, walking through the pedestrian streets: the Clock Tower, the Cathedral, the City Hall, and then we walk a part of the walls. After dinner we go to Erice, but as soon as we park it starts raining, so we decide to come back the next day.
Monday, April 30th, 2012
As soon as we get up we go to Erice (today it’s sunny), we walk the main street, starting from Trapani Gate: the Chiesa Matrice, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Piazza Umberto I, San Cataldo, San Domenico until we reach the castle.
Then we visit the Chiesa Matrice and climb inside the tower. We spend most of the morning here in Erice. When we let the town we go to the salt flats, we visit the salt museum, where they explain the operation of the saline, and then we stop for lunch. We see some more of salt and we decide to spend the last hours of our holiday in Marsala.
Returning to the airport we stop at the ferry to Mozia, but after arriving on the island we discover that on the island there is an entrance fee (and quite expensive), so we take the ferry back and leave the car at the airport. Sicily is beautiful.
