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May 4-10 & 11-17, 2024
SAN VITO LO CAPO || ALL GENDERS WELCOME
That plus a whole lot more have made San Vito Lo Capo one of the most talked about destinations for sport climbers throughout the world. The combination of some of the best limestone sport climbing on the planet with gorgeous beaches, out of this world cuisine, and a deep well of culture is hard to beat. We’ll be based right on the shores of the Mediterranean in the gorgeous seaside village of San Vito Lo Capo, hub of the island’s climbing scene and only a short drive from the capital of Palermo, a center of cross-cultural pollination since antiquity. Sicily has drawn visitors to its shores since ancient times, and with good reason. All we’re doing is adding climbing to the list of attractions.
At the same time that Sicily is absolutely Italian, it’s also distinctly Sicilian, with a unique mix of influences that show up everywhere from the Arabesque domes and cathedrals that dot the skyline to the food and faces of the people you meet along the way.
Whether you climb 5.4 or 5.14, the crags of San Vito Lo Capo have you covered. With everything from caves and tufas to pockets, steeps and slabs, and even moderate multi-pitch adventures, Sicily has it all.
The crags around San Vito are stacked with routes from 5.7 to 5.13 in a variety of styles, and if you feel comfortable climbing 5.9-5.10 in the gym, Sicily is going to be perfect for you. Unlike the cracks of Yosemite or the tiny holds of Smith Rock, limestone tends to be a little - well, either more fun, more straightforward, or both.
Many of the crags are recently developed too, meaning new bolts, no slippery polished holds, and tons to explore, all with magnificent backdrops and short approaches.
Each day we’ll head out in small groups of up to five climbers, and we’ll make sure you’re paired with climbers and climbs that match your ability so you don’t have to worry about being held back or pushed too far.
Like all of our sport climbing vacations, this trip is perfect for climbers of any skill level, and is a great opportunity to learn new skills, push your limits, work on your lead game, or just enjoy the ride.
Even within the rich tradition of Italian food, Sicilian cuisine in particular holds a special place. With fresh produce, seafood, olive oil, wine and pasta in abundance, we promise you will not go hungry (or thirsty, for that matter).
We like to try hard at the crag, but we also like to relax and we really love to eat, so we’ve hand-picked our favorite restaurants, bakeries and snacks to give you a taste of it all.
We’ve also selected our favorite hotel in San Vito. We have booked all of the rooms at Hotel Artemide, only moments from the beach. We know you’re going to love it there just as much as we do. No big deal or anything, but our hotel in San Vito has a roof top pool.
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED:
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
ROOM SELECTION & PRICING:
You get yourself to the airport in Palermo and we’ll arrange your transport to the Hotel Artemide in San Vito Lo Capo, our home for the week. You’ll be on your own for the evening to explore the beautiful beachside town, where your only job will be to find something tasty for dinner and to try to get some sleep.
We’ll start the day right with some proper Italian coffees and a breakfast buffet while we spend a few minutes getting to know everybody and lining you out for the week. We'll then packing a lunch full of fresh goodies and head out in small groups for the day to climb. Most of our favorite cliffs are less than a half hour’s drive from town, and we’ll spend the day on the rock before getting back in time for dinner and our first taste of some of the dishes that make the region famous.
We’ll repeat our routine with breakfast and treats from the bakery before heading out again to climb. Depending on the group’s skill levels and goals, we’ll head to multiple crags before converging again for dinner. Destinations include the classic Never Sleeping Wall, the unbelievable Crown of Aragorn, and the stacked Bunker and Torre Isulidda at Fakirella Beach. We'll also give you a night to yourself so that you can take it at your own speed and catch up on sleep, spritzes, or both.
For folks who are keen on another day of climbing we’ll head out again. For those who want to give their arms a break, they’ll be free to explore town, lay on the beach (no rest day is complete without gelato), head to the Zingaro Reserve to explore even more dreamy beaches, rent a boat, go snorkeling, hike to the top of Monte Monaco, or possibly take a field trip to the nearby ancient Phoenician village of Erice. Luckily whatever you choose, the climbing, lounging and sightseeing are all top notch. We’re also going to give you another night to yourself with no group dinner just to make sure you don’t get sick of us.
You guessed it! We'll start the day refreshed and with more delicious pastries and coffee before we head out climbing for the day. It might even be warm too, so try convincing your guide to take you for a midday swim and gelato before heading to a crag that's shady in the afternoon. You'll be on your own for dinner again so that you can finally go for it and have cannoli for supper.
We’ll once again start with breakfast before heading out to climb for the day. If you have any goals for the trip still lingering, this is the day to make them happen. Maybe you want to lead your first sport route, clean a route and rappel for the first time, or climb a certain grade. Whatever your goals, our guides are there to help make them happen, and we'll finish off the day and the trip by having dinner at our favorite restaurant in San Vito.
Unfortunately all good things must come to an end, and you’ll have to go home. A short ride from hotel to airport should have you on your way, and we'll have a care ready to take you.
If you're not quite ready to end the adventure, you could always stay for another day of multipitch climbing with our guides. See below for details.
May 10 & 17
In addition to all of the amazing single-pitch routes we'll be climbing throughout the retreat, San Vito Lo Capo is also home to some incredible longer routes. If you've got more time to climb and would like to join us for an extra day of multi-pitch climbing, our guides will be available immediately following the retreat. Each guide can accommodate one or two people per day, and multipitch guiding is available for booking on a first-come, first-served basis. No prior experience or special equipment are required, and our guides can teach you everything you need to know. Routes range from two to twelve pitches in length, and start at about 5.7-5.8 in difficulty.
Prices are $525/day for one person and $600/day (total) for two, plus an extra night in the hotel (which varies according to your booking). Contact us for details and we can get you setup.
IFMGA Mountain Guide / Superwoman
Our expert in all things Italian, Giulia was born in Venice and fell in love with the mountains sliding on snow in the Dolomites. She grew up as a ski racer, then switched to competing on the Freeride World tour, and is one of only a handful of women to complete the IFMGA certification in Italy. Giulia liv
IFMGA Mountain Guide / Superwoman
Our expert in all things Italian, Giulia was born in Venice and fell in love with the mountains sliding on snow in the Dolomites. She grew up as a ski racer, then switched to competing on the Freeride World tour, and is one of only a handful of women to complete the IFMGA certification in Italy. Giulia lives in Chamonix, France and works, skis and climbs full time. These days she even loves warm rock almost as much as cold snow, and can’t wait to bring her local knowledge to our programs in Sicily and Finale.
Aspirant IFMGA Mountain Guide
Born in Padua, Italy, Silivia grew up in a family that loved the mountains and was introduced to them at a young age.
Passionate about climbing in all its forms, from the crag, to training, to the big walls - Sylvia is a guide whose love for climbing is unparalleled.
Yes we have 2 types of payment options:
Please visit our PAYMENT PLAN page for more information.
You do not need to be an experienced climber to attend but we recommend some climbing experience before signing up for 5 full days of climbing. We require that everyone attending is able to top rope a 5.9 in a climbing gym without taking or falling. We are aware that climbing 5.9 in a climbing gym is much different than climbing a 5.9 outside, but having the ability to climb 5.9 in a climbing gym will set you up to have a great time in Sicily. We will have at least 4 instructors at the retreat so that we can accommodate a wide range of abilities.
We generally have a wide range of ages at our retreats. The average tends to fall between the ages of 30 to 45. But we have had quite a few climbers in their 60's join as well. It really is up to the attitude and physical ability of the participant.
The majority of climbers come to our retreats alone - somewhere around 90%. If you are hesitating to join because you would be coming solo, please know that we expect a majority of our participants to be joining by themselves.
We have a very strict cancellation policy. Please review it before committing to this retreat. We HIGHLY recommend purchasing trip protection as we will not modify our cancellation policy under any circumstances.
It depends! We have booked the entire hotel with 12 rooms for participants, 6 private rooms and 6 shared rooms. If the trip sells out we will have anywhere from 12-24 participants, and 5-6 guides.
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