Sicily, Italy
Oct 2013

Where is the best place for an October visit for one week with a large group of friends who like to go for hikes, like to sample regional cuisine plus visit places of historic interest? Sicily! An added bonus is the weather at that time of year; it is neither steamy hot nor rainy and cold.

It was settled. We found a villa for one week, beginning Oct 19, 2013, in the Sicilian hills next to Madonie National Park. Tenuta Don Ruggero had ten double rooms, each with an ensuite, plenty for our group of nine women and seven men. Eight of the women and one of the husbands were classmates at Bishop’s University in Lennoxville, Quebec, many years ago. This was our fourth trip together, meeting every two years in a different country in Europe.

Ray and I left Ottawa on Sept 26, allowing time to visit Rome for five nights before flying to Palermo and exploring more of Sicily before joining the others.

Read about our visit to Rome

We took a circle tour of Sicily, heading west to Trapani and Erice, then down the coast past Marsala and Mazara to Selinunte, then along the south coast to Agrigento, Ragusa, Noto and Siracusa. From there we headed up the east coast to Giardidni-Naxos and Taormina, then across the mountains to Cefalú. Sicily made a great meeting point for all of us.

Read about our tour of Sicily before meeting up at the Villa.