Sicily | north-west | 7-days itinerary

DAY 1 | Boarding in Trapani in the afternoon.

Trapani is 1h and 45 minutes’ drive from Palermo Airport. There is also an airport in Trapani if guests prefer.
We plan to leave Trapani to cruise to the Egadi Islands to enjoy a ‘happy hour’ and dinner at anchor with the wonderful Egadi Archipelago in the background. Clearly a dive from the yacht and a swim cannot be missed!

DAY 2 | Egadi
A full day dedicated to watersports in the Egadi Islands waters. We are going to discover the best coves of this amazing archipelago: which consists of three little islands Favignana, Marettimo and Levanzo. If you enjoy trekking, there are footpaths leading you into the most beautiful natural surroundings. If you like architecture, you shouldn’t miss Castello di Punta Troia on Marettimo island. To read more about Egadi, see the Destination Egadi page.

DAY 3 | Marsala

After breakfast and a quick swim in the clear blue water, we head towards Marsala, The town is famous for the docking of Giuseppe Garibaldi on 11 May 1860 (the Expedition of the Thousand) and for its unique Marsala wine. A feature of the area is the Stagnone Lagoon Natural Reserve, a marine area with salt ponds. We suggest you take advantage of some wine tasting in one of the famous wineries in the town, such as the Florio winery.

DAY 4 | Erice
Cruise from Marsala to Trapani in the early morning. After a delicious breakfast, we visit Erice, a tiny hilltop town with narrow cobbled streets, Norman castle and churches that make you feel like you have been transported to the Middle Ages, when Erice was a thriving centre on Sicily’s west coast. Its shops are full of local crafts, colourful rugs and pottery. You can find typical foods such as the curly busiati pasta, salt harvested from the shallow salt pans in Trapani and sweets for which Erice is famous.
In the afternoon we cruise to San Vito Lo Capo. Guests can have a swim in front of the San Vito sandy beach or in Cala Rossa, between the rocks and pebbles. Later we skirt the coast and the Zingaro Natural Reserve. Along the coast we can discover fantastic tiny coves such as Cala Mosca and Cala dell’Alberello, Cala Bianca, Cala Rossa, Cala dei Sogni and Fossa dello Stinco.
We arrive in Castellammare del Golfo, where you can find shops, bars and restaurants- a good place to enjoy the nightlife or just a walk and enjoy an ice cream.

DAY 5 | Capogallo and Mondello
Continuing the cruise from Trapani to Mondello, we stop at Isola delle Femmine. It is a small islet not far from the coast. Several legends have experienced the charm emanating from the now dilapidated tower overlooking the islet. Erroneously known as a prison-tower for women owing to the name Isola delle Femmine (Women Island), the name is actually derived from “Isola di Eufemio”, being the name of General Eufemio di Messina, Byzantine governor of Sicily.
Next we skirt the coast, keeping Capo Gallo on the right. There are so many amazing places, caves, coves and beaches where you can swim, dive and snorkel such as Serracavallo beach, Grotta dell’Olio (Oil Cave) and Mondello beach. We anchor in Mondello Bay for the night.

DAY 6 | Ustica

In the early morning the crew will take you to Ustica, a little island. For some, such as the New Zealand historian L.G. Pocock and the writer Marco Carlo Rognoni, it is thought to be the island of Eèa, the home of the sorceress Circe mentioned in the Odyssey. She turned unwary visitors into pigs. The island is characterised by its minimal water sources, and the vegetation is consequently scarce. The coast has numerous rocks and grottoes to discover from the yacht or by tender. It is the perfect place to snorkel or dive.

DAY 7 | Palermo

The day will start with a tour of the city of Palermo: the Capella Palatina, with its stunning Byzantine-style mosaics and extraordinary ceiling decoration in the nave and dome. The day will continue with a visit to the exquisite church of Santa Caterina delle Suore di Clausura, which belongs to an enclosed order of nuns. Guests will also visit the nearby La Martorana with its beautiful Byzantine mosaics and the nearby Byzantine church of San Cataldo.
Street food lunch at Il Capo: one of Palermo’s four main street markets and possibly the busiest. Its Arabic origins are evident and it is well worth a visit in the morning when the hustle and bustle is at its greatest. It concentrates mainly on the sale of food and the fish stalls are particularly renowned. After lunch, guests can go shopping in the town or return to the yacht and enjoy the last swim of the day.

DAY 8 | Disembark of guests in the morning.