Explore Sicily & Tunisia

Bayan's Vice President and Professor Munir Shaikh will be the faculty escort for the tour. He holds an M.A. in Islamic Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles and has traveled to over 35 countries. He has led and co-led Bayan's tours to Southern Spain, Morocco, and Uzbekistan. He is a frequent public speaker and has appeared on various media, including as a consultant for the PBS documentary 'Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet.'

Bayan's tours are focused on providing a well-rounded experience featuring scholarly knowledge, cultural exposure, recreational activities, and free time. Most tour groups are multi-generational and diverse in nature. In addition to historical and contemporary sites of interest, the itinerary includes visits to mosques and other places of worship to accommodate the religious needs of group members. Our group size tends to be in the range of 20-30 participants from North America and beyond.

Our group will be transported from site to site in an air-conditioned tourist bus. In different cities and historical sites, there will be a fair amount of walking, including walking up and down inclines and flights of steps. The guides will take into account the differing abilities and health conditions of group members and regulate the pace and intensity of the tour accordingly. Participants should expect to walk roughly 8,000 steps (about 4 miles in aggregate) on a few days, and less on other days.

Sicily is renowned for its particular cuisine that is distinct from other regions of Italy and the Mediterranean. As zabihah halal options are limited, we will dine at locations with seafood and vegetarian fare, sampling dishes such as pasta alla norma, arancini (stuffed rice), sfincione (like pizza), panelle (chickpea-based fritter), soups, cheeses, and local breads, along with iconic desserts such as the cannoli. In Tunisia, we will enjoy tagines, couscous, brik (fried stuffed pastry), and chorba, as well as desserts such as makroudh (semolina pastry) and baklava.

Yes, all participants who have completed their full payment will receive a detailed information packet that includes descriptions of the cities and sites to be visited, the daily schedule, currency exchange, local prayer times, electrical adapters, weather, what to pack, and more.

We encourage participants to be fully vaccinated with at least one booster shot for all who are eligible to receive these shots. We will update participants regarding PCR or antigen testing requirements, if applicable. We do not expect to mandate masking during the tour, but we encourage masking whenever possible and according to each individual's comfort level. General sanitary practices should be maintained at all times.

U.S. passport holders do not need to obtain a visa to enter Sicily (Italy) and Tunisia for tourism. This is true for nationals of many other countries as well. Non-U.S. passport holders are encouraged to check requirements for their nationality and obtain a visa if required. We are unable to facilitate the acquisition of a visa for any participants from other nations for whom a visa is required.

Participants should book 'Multi-city' flights to Catania (CTA), Sicily and arrive by the early afternoon on Saturday, November 7. For travelers from the US, this would mean departing from your city of origin on Friday, November 6 (or earlier depending on connecting flights and cities). Participants should plan on departing from Tunis (TUN), Tunisia on November 18.