Splendors and Mysteries of the Sicilian Middle Ages
This tour aims to take the traveler through a period that was of pure splendor for the island: THE MIDDLE AGES. Thanks to the magnificent architecture still present, you will travel between myth, history and legend.
6 days
Best season : From April to October
Included / Not Included
Assistance upon arrival at the airport in Palermo
Car rental with insurance
5 nights in 3-star minimum hotel/B&B with room accommodation of preference
Entrance fees to museums, castles, churches
Best street food indication
Travel accessories and telephone with Italian SIM
Directions and suggestions for best bars and restaurants
Telephone assistance in Italian, English, Spanish and French
Flights to/from your home city
Meals where not mentioned
Travel Insurance (strongly recommended)
Itinerary
Arrival at the airport (or station) where you will find an Italy Trails representative to welcome you, deliver your travel material and accompany you to pick up the rental car, which you will need for travel during your stay. Depending on your arrival time, you can start exploring the intricate maze of streets that make up the historic center, which closely resembles the layout of Arab cities. In the city, you will not fail to be overwhelmed by the smells and flavors of the tasty and traditional Sicilian street food. Night in hotel in Palermo.
In the morning after a hearty breakfast at the hotel, you will visit one of the symbolic places of the Sicilian capital: Palazzo dei Normanni (Norman Palace). The oldest European royal residence boasts a very long history: an ancient Phoenician-Punic fortified building, later used by the Greeks, Romans and Byzantines, and was transformed into a royal residence by the Arabs. After the conquest by the Normans, it became the seat of their sovereigns and the refined rooms of the Palace became the hub of the European culture of the time. It still underwent numerous dominations (Swabian, Angevin, Aragonese, Spanish, Savoyard and Bourbon) before reaching the present day. At the end of the visit, you will get lost in the alleys of the historic market of Ballarò, which looks exactly like a typical Arab souk. Finally, you will explore the maze of the narrow streets where you can admire architectural beauty at every corner. Night in hotel in Palermo.
In the morning after breakfast, you will leave Palermo for one of the best-preserved castles in Sicily, the Manfredonico di Mussomeli Castle, an imposing fortress built in the 14th century by the Swabian dynasty. Inside, there are still unsolved mysteries and secret love stories, as well as spaces that are still completely intact. You will then continue to Racalmuto, a town dominated by the Chiaromonte family, where it will be possible to visit the Castelluccio on the homonymous mountain, a fortress of Arab origin and its castle in the square, built in the fourteenth century. Night in hotel in Racalmuto.
Contact our team to receive the
itinerary for this trip to Italy
Contact our team for your trip to Italy
Contact us without obligation to make travel plans! If you wish, we can start a videoconference so we can get to know each other better.