Emilio was born in Agrigento, in central Sicily. When he was two, his family moved to Cleveland, where he lived in Little Italy until earning his Master's Degree in Education at Cleveland State University. After going on to obtain a social worker license in 1992, he made a trip to his birthplace that turned out to be pivoltal, because he soon decided to stay! Now Emilio's mission is to introduce English-speaking visitors to Sicily, an island he loves deeply after having explored it from stem to stern. Here are two wonderful day trips he offers you from Palermo:

Cefalù and Majolica or Ceramics
The Greek Temples of Segesta and Selinunte

FULL-DAY CEFALU' AND SANTO STEFANO DI CAMASTRA

About an hour east of Palermo, the coastline rears up and forms a mighty cliff that can be seen for miles. Nestled at its feet is one of the most charming villages in northern Sicily, Cefalù (whose name probably derives from the Greek word for "headland"). We know its origins go back at least as far as 396 BC, when it was invaded by the Carthaginians, just one of the many foreign powers that have swept through Sicily, which for centuries has been a stoplight at the crossroads of the Mediterranean. Cefalù itself has been dominated by the Romans, the Byzantines, the Arabs and the Normans, until finally, in 1861, it became part of Italy. You will see traces of all these civilizations, but it was a Norman king, Roger II, who built the most astounding monument, the 12th-century Cathedral. A masterpiece of Sicilian Romanesque architecture, it stands proudly above a broad staircase at the far end of the town square. Its cream stone façade is adorned with intricate carving and flanked by two tall towers. Inside awaits one of the greatest Byzantine mosaics in the world, the gigantic Christ Pantocrator who somehow manages to seem austere and spiritual despite the breathtaking gold that surrounds him. If you saw the movie Brother Sun, Sister Moon, you will remember the riveting moment when Francis, then a poor rebellious monk, comes to visit the glorious Pope: with each timid step he takes up the stairs, this spectacular face comes slowly into view. It is as unforgettable in person as on the silver screen!

After a visit to the cathedral and a walk through the streets to see the many 13th- to 16th-century palazzi of local bigwigs, you'll drive up the hill to Gibilmanna, where you'll thrill to the best view of Sicily's northern coast. If it is open, you can also peek into the incredibly ornate sanctuary.

Now it's time for lunch! Depending on whether you just want a snack, or a pizza, or a full lunch, Emilio will suggest his favorite places and give you some time on your own to relax and enjoy la cucina siciliana.

Afterwards you'll drive a bit farther east to Santo Stefano di Camastra. Along with Deruta and Vietri, this is the third point of Italy's famed ceramic triangle. Perched at the edge of a cliff, the little village is unprotected except on its sea side. It was laid out in the late 17th century by the Sicilian-Spanish Giuseppe Lanza, Duke of Camastra, with one main street that curves gracefully along the edge of the cliff. The entire length of the street is lined on either side by the workshops of the local artists, who make astounding creations using clay as well as lava from Mt. Etna. The local specialty is a bright red-and-blue pattern, but each artisan has his own styles and colors, from traditional to modern, from small plates to giant urns. The prices are some of the best to be found anywhere, clearly lower than those in more touristy destinations like Taormina, and only a fraction of those charged in the ritzy establishments of Florence or Siena.

In Santo Stefano you will watch an artisan create his own pieces. Later, you can purchase anything from a salt shaker to a complete dining set for 12 to the tiles for your new kitchen backsplash. They will be shipped to your door and perhaps get home before you do! The day ends with a relaxing drive back to your central Palermo location.

The tour is approximately 7/8 hours long. We regret that it is not possible for cruise passengers. The cost for lunch and any eventual entrance tickets is not included. Please note that there is a considerable amount of walking on this tour. It can be reduced but not eliminated.

2009 Prices From downtown Palermo
1-4 people: 5-6 people: 7-12 people: 13-20 people   380 EURO/group 598 EURO/group 765 EURO/group 870 EURO/group	All fees include transportation to/from your address in downtown Palermo and private guide. Your guide is happy to pick you up and take you home to other locations. Please ask us for a price

FULL-DAY SEGESTA AND SELINUNTE

You may be wondering why Emilio does not propose to show you the world-famed Greek temples in his own hometown, Agrigento. Sadly, although the Agrigento temples are splendid, they are surrounded by ugly (and mostly illegal) modern urban sprawl. Segesta and Selinunte, on the other hand, are both located in pristine countryside, standing alone in tranquil beauty amidst nature. There are virtually no modern-day structures to mar the setting. You can really enjoy the splendor of the temples and imagine what it was like to live in Sicily in ancient times. Segesta is considered one of the most important surviving Hellenic temples in the world, and Selinunte's location on the edge of the Mediterranean makes it an unforgettable site.

Your day begins when Emilio picks you up at your central Palermo location and drives you to Segesta. It is believed that the temple was erected between 420 and 430 BC. Segesta was populated by a local tribe called the Himerans. It is first mentioned in history around 500 BC, when the Greek colony of Selinunte, which had sprung up just 60 kilometers away on the southwestern coast of Sicily, began to dramatically grow and prosper. This alarmed the Segestans, who initially welcomed the Greeks but now viewed the rapidly expanding power of Selinunte as a serious threat. The Carthaginians of North Africa also viewed the Greeks as a double-edged menace, so Segesta allied itself with Carthage. However, with the great victory of the combined Greek armies over the Carthaginians at Himera in 480 BC, the Segestans quickly changed sides, becoming allies of one of the victorious Greek cities.

Interestingly enough, this temple never had a roof. A local legend about that goes like this: In 450 BC, Selinunte allied herself with Siracusa, the mightiest of all the states of Magna Graecia, as the western Greek colonies were called. Segesta sought help outside Sicily, turning to Greece itself and beseeching mighty Athens for aid. To the Athenians, Segesta was only a distant provincial outpost, so before considering it an ally, the Greeks sent a delegation of diplomatic envoys to investigate the city's claims of great wealth. In order to deceive the Athenians into thinking their city was more prosperous than it actually was, the Segestans began building a magnificent temple to impress their visitors. The ruse was successful and the envoys were convinced of Segesta's wealth. But once they departed, work on the temple ceased, and this is why it never had a roof. Thanks to its architectural simplicity and the peacefulness of its location, a visit to this temple is quite a moving experience.

Afterwards, it's off to lunch! You tell Emilio what kind of meal you'd like and he'll take you to a place he recommends. If you like fish, we suggest one of the seaside eateries near your next stop, Selinunte.

Selinunte was founded in the 7th century BC and effectively destroyed in 409 BC. Its glorious heyday lasted for a period of about two centuries, when it was one of the most progressive Greek cities in Sicily, famous throughout Magna Graecia for its trade, riches and elegant buildings. The city of Selinunte proper, known as the "Acropolis," is situated on high land overlooking the Mediterranean Sea about twenty meters below. The Acropolis is located roughly in the center of the park's area.

As we said above, it was Carthage that eventually brought about the city's demise. Selinunte's citizens remained neutral in the war of 480 BC, not siding with their fellow Greeks when Agrigento and Syracuse decisively defeated the Carthaginians at Himera. In 409 BC Selinunte became involved in a war between Syracuse and Athens, when the Greek metropolis sent an expedition to punish the Sicilian cities that sided against her on behalf of Syracuse. The Athenians were never able to capture Syracuse, and were eventually forced to leave Sicily, having incurred heavy losses. But most of the Sicilian Greek cities were worse off, with their armies weak and disorganized. Among these were Agrigento and Syracuse, Selinunte's allies. This opened an opportunity for the Carthaginians, who sent an army said to number 100,000 men equipped with battering rams and siege towers that were taller than Selinunte's walls. The city appealed to Agrigento for aid, but that proved to be in vain.

After a siege that only lasted nine days, the Carthaginians breached the walls of Selinunte and easily overwhelmed the defenders. What followed was an orgy of destruction, torture, rape, murder and looting that was considered abhorrent even by the standards of those days. About 16,000 of Selinunte's estimated 25,000 or so civilians were butchered outright and 7,000 were enslaved. Only a scant two thousand Selinuntians managed to escape the bloodbath and make their way to Agrigento. This brutal massacre marked the end of Selinunte's glory and freedom, and although the city was repopulated to some extent by the Carthiginians, who practiced human sacrifice, the city never regained its former beauty, power or prestige. During the first Punic War with Rome in 250 BC, the Carthaginian forces, fleeing the Roman advance towards the main center of Panormus (Palermo), decided to deprive the Romans of a prize by razing Selinunte to the ground, destroying it forever. Still, what remains today are several massive temples, quite different in style and impression from the one at Segesta, and from them you will be able to get a good idea of what life was like in Magna Graecia.

Your day ends with the relaxing drive back to Palermo.

The tour is approximately 7/8 hours long. We regret that it is not possible for cruise passengers. The cost for lunch and entrance tickets is not included. Entrance tickets cost 4.50 Euro/person extra for Segesta and 6 Euro/person extra for Selinunte, paid in cash during the tour (ticket prices may vary slightly without notice). Please note that there is a considerable amount of walking on this tour. It can be reduced but not eliminated.

2009 Prices From downtown Palermo
1-4 people: 5-6 people: 7-12 people: 13-20 people   380 EURO/group 598 EURO/group 765 EURO/group 870 EURO/group	All fees include transportation to/from your address in downtown Palermo and private guide. Your guide is happy to pick you up and take you home to other locations. Please ask us for a price