Duration : 8 Hours
Starting From:There are so many cool things on this private shore excursion to Segesta, Erice & Marsala from Palermo! Ancient Greek ruins, Medieval castles, sea salt flats, celebrated wine, Sicilian sweets.
Features of this day trip to Segesta, Erice & Marsala from Palermo:
SEGESTA
To reach the archeological site of Segesta we’ll drive along the Gulf of Castellammare, an undeveloped stretch of coastline with unspoiled beaches and simple villages.
The foundings of Segesta are sketchy. Some say that refugees from Troy came here after the Trojan War (so we’re talking more than 1000 years before Christ). For sure the ancient Greeks were here at some point, imparting their culture, as is most brilliantly seen in the Doric temple at the Greek theatre of Segesta.
The temple, which is very stately and extremely well preserved, dates to the 5th Century BC but was probably never finished. Its location, with the green landscape around it, is truly enchanting.
An equally impressive part of the archeological site is the Greek amphitheater, where 4000 spectators could enjoy theatrical performances with beautiful views. The amphitheater has amazing acoustics and is still used for summer performing arts events.
ERICE
When you walk around Erice it’s kind of like walking around in a fairy tale, especially if the town is shrouded in mist. Surrounded by cyclopean walls, the village rises almost 2500 feet above sea level. On a clear day, you can see pretty much forever, and the view is spectacular.
Like so many places in Sicily the history of Erice goes way back, in this case to indigenous Sicilian peoples, then the Phoenicians, and then the usual cast of conquerors. Thanks to Erice’s magical location it was a sacred site in ancient times, with a temple to Venus (or the equivalent thereof). On the site of the temple now stands the Castle of Venus, built by the Normans between the 12th and 13th Centuries.
Clearly, the sacred vibe was infectious; there are 60 churches in Erice! The most interesting is the Chiesa Madre (Mother Church), a simple and elegantly somber Gothic structure built 1314, and San Giovanni Battista (church of St. John the Baptist).
Got a sweet tooth? Erice is famous for its pastries, especially cookies made from almost paste. The most famous of these is Maria Grammatico, not only for the deliciousness but also for the great story that goes along with it.
MARSALA
When we think of Marsala we think of the dessert wine that bears its name, but Marsala is also renowned for something far more basic: salt. On the way to Marsala, we’ll pass the sea salt flats, where the extraction of salt from seawater still is still carried out following ancient traditions.
Marsala wine was discovered by an English trader John Woodhouse when he landed there in the late 18th Century. The fortified wine, aged in casks, is similar to sherry, which was popular in England at the time. It transported well thanks to its high alcohol content, was a hit in England, and Woodhouse returned to Sicily to set about mass producing it. Marsala is characterized by a rich, smoky flavor that varies from sweet to dry. You will have a chance to visit the oldest winemaker in the area, Cantine Pellegrino.
After the wine tasting you will stroll through
the ancient village and see the area where Garibaldi, the hero of Italian
liberation and unification, landed.
NOT INCLUDED
1. Is this tour private?
The tour is private just for your party, however, if you wish to join a tour and alleviate costs, please check with us our shared guaranteed excursion options.
2. Is the driver also a guide?
Our English-speaking drivers are NOT licensed guides. In order to provide you with the best-in-class service, our English-speaking driving guides have been trained to offer our clients a nice overview with information regarding the major highlights avoiding the expensive charges of hiring a private guide. Due to strict Italian laws & regulations that protect officially licensed guides, our driving guides can comment and explain the sights only from inside the vehicle but are not allowed to do so once they are outside the vehicle. They are regularly licensed instead to chauffeur the public. We highly recommend that you never book with any touring company that does not make this clear.
3. Does the driver go with us inside the monuments?
No, only a licensed guide is authorized to accompany you during the visit of sights. Our driver will drop you off close to the sights but will stay with the vehicle for the duration of your visit.
4. Does this tour include lunch and admission fees to sites?
No tickets or lunch are included in the rate. Please contact our office for pricing and reservations.
5. Does it include a guide?
No guide is included either. Please contact our office for pricing and reservations.
6. What is the duration of the tour?
The duration of the tour is 7/9 hours, including pickup and drop off at the ship.
7. Is the itinerary flexible?
Our itineraries are completely flexible, and we will be happy to operate any changes to the original itinerary (within reason). Please contact our office with all the requests you may have so that we can better organize your day.
8. Do you guarantee the return to the ship on time?
In almost 30 years of business, we have never missed the ship that is why we have organized all itineraries to guarantee your return on time.
9. Is gratuity included in the price?
Tips are never included in our quotes. We think that a tip shouldn’t be included in the rate otherwise it would be a tax!!! Once in Italy do not feel as though you have to tip everyone because someone told you to. Tip only if you really liked the service. Tips are generally: 10% not bad 15 % great 20 % best tour in my life. Please report any abuse.
There will be a full charge for bookings canceled with less than 72-hour notice for any service required. In this case, a full charge will be made on your credit card. If you miss your flight or if your airline decides to cancel the flight due to bad weather or if your flight is directed to another airport on arrival, please advise us on time (as soon as you know) or a full charge will be made.
Please give us enough time so we can accept other reservations and allocate them to our chauffeurs. If the ship does not make it to the pier for bad weather, you will not be considered responsible so NO CHARGE will be made to your credit card. A full charge will be made for a no-show-up.
Only pre-purchased skip-the-line tickets (if requested) are not refundable under the circumstance and will be charged to your card.
Subscribe to our newsletter to get new promos!
Transfer Services activated.
