Segesta, Erice, Stagnone Lagoon - saltpans - Marsala and Mozia (Mothia) from Palermo, Private Tour

Halfway between the current Palermo and Trapani stands one of the oldest cities that you can visit in Sicily. The first monument to visit is the Doric temple, one of the best preserved Greek temples in the entire Western world. The Doric temple of Segesta stands outside the city walls, on a hill west of the city. Wolfgang von Goethe, in his Journey to Italy, described the temple with these words: "The position of the temple is surprising: at the top of a wide and long valley, at the top of an isolated hill and yet surrounded by cliffs, it dominates a vast prospect of lands. "

The ancient theater of Segesta, built on the north side of the acropolis, stands on the highest peak of Monte Barbaro, close to the Gulf of Castellammare. The theater has a very wide panoramic view that turns into a spectacular setting if necessary. It is one of the most successful examples of theatrical architecture that can be placed in the passage and is still used, during the summer, for performances and concerts. To reach it, you need to follow some paths in the middle of the fields or a wide paved road. But if you don't feel like tackling this long trek, especially in summer or in the evening, you can use the convenient shuttle bus service that leaves from the ticket office and leads to the theater entrance.

Perched on the top of a mountain and overlooking the Gulf of Trapani, Erice is a small and characteristic medieval village, with narrow and cobbled streets, courtyards, churches and lots of clean and fresh air, even in the height of summer. Thanks to its altitude you can enjoy a splendid 360 ° panoramic view. Starting right from the streets behind the cathedral you can start the tour in the center of the town, among suggestive corners, souvenir shops and historic pastry shops. In via Vittorio Emanuele, 14 is the historic pastry shop of Maria Grammatico, here you can admire and taste typical Erice sweets. The symbol of the town is obviously the Castello di Venere, from the Norman era, which stands right on the overhanging rock and offers a spectacular view. Next to the castle you can admire the Pepoli Towers and the beautiful Balio municipal villa. During the summer the cableway that connects Trapani to the summit of Erice is in operation!

The Salt Pans of Marsala are located in the Stagnone Reserve and are one of the most visited tourist attractions in the province of Trapani. A unique area facing the island of Mothia, along the famous "salt road", the gateway to the Stagnone Islands Nature Reserve. The Natural Reserve of the Stagnone and the island of Mozia is a place of extraordinary beauty, where, alongside the exceptional natural landscapes, you can appreciate the windmills typical of the Trapani coast, an original example of industrial archeology still in perfect working order today. The Saline della Laguna are located right inside the Reserve. The lagoon, the largest in Sicily (2000 ha) is characterized by very salty shallow waters.

The island of Mozia belongs to the archipelago of the Stagnone di Marsala and is one of the most popular tourist itineraries for visitors. Mozia is a true open-air treasure, with its numerous archaeological finds, some of which are submerged by the sea due to the rising tides: its archaeological value is still considered priceless. In fact, Mozia hosts one of the most important museums in the province of Trapani. The young man of Motya is the most prestigious and representative find on the island: it is a marble statue. Mozia is an ancient Phoenician colony founded in the eighth century. B.C. on one of the four islands of the Stagnone lagoon. The name of Motya, probably given by the Phoenicians themselves, would mean spinning mill and would be connected to the presence of factories for the processing of wool, established here. The island, like most of the other Phoenician colonies, was a trading post and was to serve as a docking point for Phoenician ships en route to the Mediterranean. With the Greek colonization, which begins in the 8th century, Motya increases its importance becoming a small town. In the sixth century. the contrasts between Greeks and Carthaginians sharpen due to the dominance over Sicily and Mozia is involved; you get to surround it with walls that allow a better defense. In 397 Dionysius the Elder, tyrant of Syracuse, besieged the city and put an end to its existence. The inhabitants take refuge on the mainland in the colony of Lilibeo, the current Marsala. The rediscovery of Motya is linked to the name of Giuseppe Whitaker, an English nobleman of the late 19th century whose family had settled in Sicily and had started a thriving export trade of Marsala wine. On the island stands the home of the Whitakers, now transformed into a museum. HOURS AND PRICES ISLAND OF MOZIA: 1 NOVEMBER - 31 MARCH every day from 9.00 to 15.00 1 APRIL - 31 OCTOBER every day from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm PRICES: ADULTS € 9 STUDENTS AND CHILDREN € 5