Segesta & San Vito Lo Capo

Segesta boasts two of Sicily's most impressive ancient monuments — and their isolated location amidst green hills makes the visit an almost meditative experience. The Tempio di Segesta (5th century BC) stands completely alone on a hilltop, surrounded by wheat fields and wildflowers — a perfectly preserved Doric temple with 36 columns, never completed (no cella, no roof, no fluting on the columns). This very incompleteness gives it a pure, abstract beauty that touches many visitors more than the more splendid temples in Agrigento.

On the hill above (accessible by shuttle bus or a 20-minute hike) lies the Teatro di Segesta — a Greek theater with 4,000 seats and a panoramic view over the mountains to the Gulf of Castellammare. In summer (July/August), ancient dramas and concerts are performed here — a performance at the Segesta theater at sunset is a cultural highlight of Sicily. The Elymians, the people who built Segesta, were not Greeks but an indigenous people who adapted Greek architecture — a fascinating chapter of Sicilian cultural blending.

San Vito Lo Capo, 60 km north, is Sicily's most beautiful beach — and that says something on an island with a thousand kilometers of coastline. The crescent-shaped beach stretches for 3 kilometers between the steep Monte Monaco and Capo San Vito: white sand, crystal-clear turquoise water, shallow entry — a beach that withstands any Caribbean comparison. The town of the same name is a relaxed seaside resort with fish restaurants, pizzerias, and one of the warmest atmospheres in Sicily.

In September, the famous Cous Cous Fest takes place in San Vito Lo Capo — a ten-day international couscous festival where chefs from around the world (Morocco, Tunisia, Israel, Brazil) compete for the best couscous. The festival is a celebration of intercultural understanding, music, and, of course, food — and is free to attend. A highlight of the Sicilian event calendar.