Day 9: Palermo, Segesta, Nubia, and Erice.

We’re nearing the end of a trip filled with so many different pieces—it’s been such a fun adventure! However, since there’s no routine, each day requires careful planning. Today, we had booked a guided tour of three different places on the island, but we were disappointed to find that it was just a driver, not an actual guide. I hadn’t done any research about the places ahead of time. While it was still a fun day, I realized I would have gotten much more out of it if we had either hired someone to walk us around and explain things or come prepared with more knowledge on our own. It was a little annoying.

First stop: Segesta.

Then we saw the salt flats at Nubia. Ok. Fine. Big piles of salt. Shallow fields of seawater.

But THEN!!!! The surprise: dozens of wild flamingos. we only saw them from the car so none of our photos turned out well. But I LOVE birds so this was a treat.

The highlight of our trip was Erice, a breathtaking medieval stone village perched high on a hilltop. Its cobblestone streets and charming little shops were straight out of a storybook, but the real showstopper was the view. From the top, we could see endless stretches of the sea and countryside, a panorama so stunning it felt like stepping into a painting. It was incredible to imagine life here centuries ago, surrounded by such beauty.