Jaw-dropping, full of distinctive expressions of Baroque art, ornate reliefs and marble inlays.". Our guide, Alfio, had everything well planned out from the Welome Meeting to the final dinner. Prep work using Rick Steves videos, tips and expectation guides helped get ready for what was ahead. It exceeded our expectations on all fronts. "Salt harvestinghad no idea what to expect and found it extremely interesting. This was absolutely the best meal we had, with everything fresh and beautifully prepared, and each dish native to Sicily. "The three arranged lunches, great settings and fabulous food. Group meals were good and convivial, well-planned and the right number. Our first Rick Steves Tour, it will likely not be our last. Beautiful town and excellent beach experience.". There were hardly any other people besides us, making these visits much more pleasurable than, say, the Acropolis in Athens. Q, "Seeing the red lava at night on Mt Etna". Wonderful hotels, great food, and all the local guides were excellent. The activities were well paced, enough to do but not overwhelming. ), the rooftop terrace in Taormina (!). It was a thrill to see the full splendour of the Villa and how well they are presented. "I loved the Church of St.Peter and St.Paul in Ortigia being able to actually walk through an actual Greek temple (now a church), and actually touch the Greek columns was an incredible experience.". "My wow moment was on our trip up to Mount Etna at 6000 feet I believe. Churches, ruins, food, views - too hard to choose one. We were able to focus on all the great sites in Sicily, savor the seafood dishes, and experience the travel with new friends. Being late in the season, we virtually had many sights to ourselves and that was great. This morning we're off to Catania, nestled at the foot of Mount Etna, where we'll tour the Museum of the WWII 1943 Landings in Sicily (Museo dello Sbarco). First, our tour guide, Tommaso, was great (see above), the itinerary was packed with wonderful experiences, Massimo our bus driver was fantastic, comfortable, clean bus, snacks, Tommaso's stories during the bus rides, amazing historic sites, local guides, wonderful meals. There was a lot of space to spread out on the bus, which was very clean. Sleep on the island of Ortygia. Plus we had a fantastic guide in Alfio. No bus. For my boyfriend, his wow moment was the Villa Romana del Casale. I moved to Ohio from Baltimore and now live in a very urban area so I am aware of urban crime and how to deal with it. All the local guides were great. How Rainer took our pictures at the beginning of the tour with our names on them so that we could remember everyone's name. It was a great trip. Rick Steves' most exotic tour in Italy will immerse you in the distinctive culture, cuisine, and history of Sicily including Palermo, Taormina, Agrigento, Syracuse, Catania, and more! The Sicilian food was everything we imagined and moreI already miss the fresh ricotta filled cannoli and desserts. It was just amazing!". Great mixture of history, cultures, art and cooking. Every day was a new exciting adventure. From the tour guide to the venues to the attractions, this far exceeded my expectations. Our tour guide, Virginia, was awesome! Etna, wished we'd had time to take the gondola up.My main reason for taking this tour was to learn about Sicily and how it's different from the rest of Italy., not the food.
We had plenty of "free" time to create our own side excursions and explore places not on the main tour. It was relaxing to have Massimo drive us to places we would have never been able to reach on our own. she will make a fabulous tour guide. Each town was interesting in its own way; I particularly enjoyed traveling so much of the coastline and walking the towns, particularly Ortygia and Taormina and the hilltown of Castelmola - and oh, that afternoon view to Trapani and the sea from Erice! "Taormina. I hold a special place in my heart for Palermo; a gritty, real, diverse, beautiful, lively, historical, walkable city. We were lucky with the weather. "That is difficult. Everything was well planned from start to finish. The Sicily tour was an incredible experience in savoring another culture. It was Alfio!! Want to see views of blue water, narrow, cobble-stoned streets, and a volcano's craters? February is actually a great time to visit Sicily. I was amazed at the beauty of Sicily. I don't think everything we did added value, but it did add to the exhaustion factor some days. There was also a great balance of down time where you could just hang like a local or explore even more! I would have to say that the Greek/Roman theater in Taormina topped them all. Our group, 28, was a good group with the majority being married couples, a rareity in travel. Most days are strenuously paced with 28 miles of walking, including hilly terrain and lots of stairs. Well organized with a great guide and a bus driver that was excellent. After orientation and transportation lessons, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own. First Rick Steves Tour - loved the attitudes of my fellow travelers. Where do I begin? ", Jane and I saw so much more than we have when we are on our own. He showed me how he prepared it, right down to the type of meat (bacon) used and the pecorino cheese added. We really loved that our local guides complimented Alfio's knowledge. "There were many wow moments, but I think my favorite was my first bite of a calzone. The bus was clean and comfortable, and our drivers, Guiseppe and Gaitano, were warm and friendly, not to mention terrific drivers. This was my first trip to Sicily. "Three group evening meals were spectacular. My favorite experience was stopping at a small outdoor cafe near the vegetable and fish market. Seeing the artifacts at the museum in Agrigento and then walking through the Valley of the Temples with an engaging guide, seeing the mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale with very few others all brought history up close. Great variety and lots of information about local history, "There wasn't just one wow moment, there were lots. ", First class tour guide and accommodations. It was very nice to have some group tours, but time to explore on our own. The expert guides were so knowledgeable and our tour guide, Virginia was an absolute delight. Best of all was our guide Virginia, who is an absolute delight. A fantastic experience, especially because of our guide = Virginia! Could not believe the size of the venue and the intricacies of the mosaics. I loved it! "Our favorite wow moment was the food we were served during our group meals. Bus: 3 hours. The menu of events were varied and well paced. Also the World War II Museum and the walk in the fog at Erice were great highlights. It was really a great experience. Totally loved the visit to Mt. Wonderful ancient architecture in cathedrals such as in Monreale, the sweeping vistas from Erice, the Roman mosaics preserved in the Villa Romana del Casale, the majestic Greek Valley of the Temples, a gloriously sunny day on Mt. Sicily is such an interesting place! "So many wow moments!
The tour had two seven course meals. We still have friends from our first Tour in 2007. You guys amaze me. Monreale, meeting Maria who taught us how to make her pastry, and the wonderful lunch we had afterward. Etna on the day set for the museum. Sleep in Trapani. From roof top vistas overlooking bays or city landscapes, beautiful cathedrals, ancient ruins, Palermo, Erice, Trapani, Agrigento, Ortigia, Mount ETNA, energetic Volcanologist discussions, Taormina, Catania, vino, gelato, vino, Sicilian cuisine, and dessert for breakfast every day. High temperature at the end and getting to and from Sicily were unpleasant. "Experiencing the Good Friday, I Misteri festivities and parade in Trapani was the absolute highlight!". "My wow moment was the food, though it is tough to decide whether it was the huge feast with the tour group in Agrigento or the wonderfully tender grilled octopus at Trattoria Don Ciccio in Taormina. "The Valley of The Temples was the most impressive. "What made the trip great is that there were so many great experiences and memories.". Rainer, was an outstanding Guide. It was outstanding in every way. Terrific itinerary. The hotels, meals, driver, sites chosen - everything wonderful. This was not our first Rick Steves tour. The cooks were waiting for us to show up to start. If I had to pick one, it would be the multi course meal in Agrigento after touring the Valley of the Temples -- everything was delicious and beautifully prepared. ", Alfio. We were pleased with the non-touristy venues it gave us an opportunity to experience everyday life in Sicily. I loved the meals on the farm and at Benanti. ", "I really liked the visit with the countess in Palermo, which convinced me to do this toursomething I would be unable to do on my own.". 10/10 would return to Sicily in a heartbeat. "Probably the baroque church that Nancy took us to. The pastry class with Maria and the meal there was great. The tour guide kept the group moving from one event to the next. "This one is difficult as there were so many wow moments. "Not so much a moment (although there were lots of them) as it was a person. Sicilian Pizza !!!! "No specific "wow" moment other than just the fact that we had been on the trip. We learned so much. Loved the sea towns, going to Castelmola and looking at the landscape and seascape from the heavens.". So Alfio was perfect for this tour. Then we'll greet our driver and hop aboard our coach bound for the hill-topping town of Monreale renowned for its Arab-flavored cathedral that blends Byzantine, Arab, Jewish, Gothic, and Norman traditions, heritage, and art. "The 37,000 square feet of mosaic tile in the Villa Romana Del Casale. I will definitely be back for another Rick Steves Tour. I was incredibly "WOWED" on this tour of Sicily. "Being on Mount Etna, the Etna lecture and how those poor men gather the salt from the sea.". First, I have to rave about Nancy. travel with and very social. My expectations were high from the start and those expectations were met. The palazzo in Palermo, the hotel/views in Trapani, the darling town of Ortygia, the Greek ruins in Agrigento, the Roman villa and its mosaics (! I had no real idea what expect, but our guide did a masterful job of explaining the past as well as the present. It was our first Rick Steves tour but won't be our last!
Mount Aetna was certainly very memorable.". I have always enjoyed Rick's guides as travel companions.
My personal wow moment was walking up to Sanctuary of Madonna della Rocca and then to Castelmola. For COVID-19 Travel and RS Tours information, "The Greek Temples at Agrigento and Segesta, closely followed by the mosaics at Monreale.". Add in the centuries since it was created and it just boggles the mind. Tragedy personalized in this museum when we learned that the archaeologist responsible for the excavation of another reconstructed ship, a Roman ship, perished in the Ethiopian 737 Max tragedy.". She had a light touch in knowing how to handle potentially uncomfortable subjects and did so brilliantly. "Taormina. We had a great time after getting our chance to finally visit Sicily after two years. "The food. Yes, Mt. I thought it was very well chosen. I was traveling solo and, by the final day, had shared meals with everyone. This evening we'll take a walk through the city's historic old town on the island of Ortygia. The PASTA and all food, "The entire tour was one big WOW moment. Sicily in 11 days was our first ever guided tour. ", "Making cookies with Maria and visiting the salt fields in Trapani.". And he can't help being a Pom, we Aussies didn't hold that against him much! Great guide and driver. The tour was very enjoyable. "Our time with Maria Grammatico. Jamie was a terrific, knowledgeable guide (and after dinner debater). It was OUTSTANDING!!!! "I would have to have to say I was most impressed with the Villa Romana del Casale, and its mosaics.". The itinerary is perfect.
Mount Aetna was certainly very memorable.". I have always enjoyed Rick's guides as travel companions.
My personal wow moment was walking up to Sanctuary of Madonna della Rocca and then to Castelmola. For COVID-19 Travel and RS Tours information, "The Greek Temples at Agrigento and Segesta, closely followed by the mosaics at Monreale.". Add in the centuries since it was created and it just boggles the mind. Tragedy personalized in this museum when we learned that the archaeologist responsible for the excavation of another reconstructed ship, a Roman ship, perished in the Ethiopian 737 Max tragedy.". She had a light touch in knowing how to handle potentially uncomfortable subjects and did so brilliantly. "Taormina. We had a great time after getting our chance to finally visit Sicily after two years. "The food. Yes, Mt. I thought it was very well chosen. I was traveling solo and, by the final day, had shared meals with everyone. This evening we'll take a walk through the city's historic old town on the island of Ortygia. The PASTA and all food, "The entire tour was one big WOW moment. Sicily in 11 days was our first ever guided tour. ", "Making cookies with Maria and visiting the salt fields in Trapani.". And he can't help being a Pom, we Aussies didn't hold that against him much! Great guide and driver. The tour was very enjoyable. "Our time with Maria Grammatico. Jamie was a terrific, knowledgeable guide (and after dinner debater). It was OUTSTANDING!!!! "I would have to have to say I was most impressed with the Villa Romana del Casale, and its mosaics.". The itinerary is perfect.