This was our first trip with Rick Steve's. The Roman Villa with its mosaics was extraordinary. Touring around the the Island there was so much diversity from area to area. Etna, so Donald rearranged things so that we saw the WW II museum in Catania instead of going to the volcano and then we went to Mt. The hotels were well located and the provided lunches exceptional. The guy made a killer Carbonara. 2. Loved the tour guides, itinerary, daily plans, variety of experiences. "I loved the Vine yard tour. All of the villages and towns we visited were charming, all of the hotels where we stayed were great, and Jamie, our guide, was fabulous. Bad timing on my part, I guess. It was fun to view the red molten lava at night flowing down the mountain from a new fissure that had just recently opened up. The history, geography, food, the folks on the tour, and the people we met along the way made for a truly incredible experience. Wonderful time, largely because of Jamie'a terrific guiding. After a brief neighborhood orientation, you're free to wander through Catania's famous fish market, admire the Baroque architecture of the grand Piazza del Duomo, or enjoy people-watching in one of the city's many cafs. ", "The Etna experience was great with the plumes and walk/hike in the park. the group dinner at Agrigento. It felt so comfortable here. Alfio was our guide and his knowledge, Only problem was that my wife contracted breakthrough COVID as well as other tour members. 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! The pace was about right. As far as I am concerned, Karin set a standard that might be hard for other guides to match. This evening, join in the local passeggiata to feel the pulse of Sicilian culture, then find the ideal people-watching spot to enjoy your gelato and dinner on your own. We'll learn how nearly a year before D-Day, Allied troops found themselves fighting against and at the same time liberating their Italian adversaries. The historical aspects of the theater, alone, were fantastic. "There were "Wow" moments virtually every day on this tour. "Looking down into a dormant crater of Mt. We were fortunate to have two guides; Donald and Andrea (new guide, from Sicily), "It had to be the Monreale Cathedral. Every day was rich with sights, history, food, interesting learning. ", This was a bucket list trip for me and my first tour experience. I really enjoyed the tour. And the view from there to the coast!". This tour will give you multiple "Wow" moments with every new town you enter. The ambiance of the town, pizza making dinner, ruins, and oh my.the view!!". This was not my first tour with Rick's tours so I was not surprised that the tour went smoothly, was expertly led, and the people on the tour were very like-minded and eager to learn and be adventurous. We had a fantastic experience. This is our 3rd Rick Steve tour. She held my hand as I rolled the cookies and praised me when they turned out right. Thoroughly enjoyed my second overall visit to Sicily and third trip with RS Tours.

This afternoon you're free to luxuriate in this cliffhanging, Old World resort town. It then occurred to me that we had done and seen SO MUCH. Aside from the bed bugs in the hotel at Agrigento, it was absolutely perfect. Only suggestion would be to put where they lived. We went to places and did things I would never have thought to do on my own! Every day was an adventure. The seafood was delicious". Could not have been better. Great guide and driver. I loved: The city guides were excellent, and the main guide, Karin, was wonderful. He also had a big smile every day. Our group, 28, was a good group with the majority being married couples, a rareity in travel. In Taormina, Boris the Volcanologist had just given us his presentation on Mt. "There are many wows in Sicily: food including wine and gelato, sites and sights, seeing how ancient ruins and systems are part of current life. They were small polite eruptions, not something Hollywood would produce, yet spectacular to me as a witness to the amazing feats our planet produces.". "The lunch in the countryside provided by the baroness was great. Then it's on to Syracuse. Everything about it was great - RS Guide, events, food, hotels, etc. We visited (with some help) and learned that we are the same age. The tour was the right length although it was still hard to leave. One month prior to the tour departure, you'll find the directions to your first tour hotel and a complete list of hotels where we'll be staying while on tour in the Documents section of your tour account. "It is tough to narrow down to one. Etna. Maybe my real "wow" was how this tour over delivered every single day.". She is knowledgeable, organized, thoughtful, and helpful. Bus: 3 hours. Sicily history spanned almost all of Europe. It was His knowledge of the area made the trip special. The PASTA and all food, "The entire tour was one big WOW moment. I was appreciative of the balance between on & off time. It was a wonderful trip. Each city and region was thoroughly understood through Rainer, city guides,and field trips. The hotels were excellent, the included food was extremely plentiful and delicious, the local guides were so knowledgeable, the itinerary and free time was just right, and the group was interesting and fun (although a few may have not read how active it was). I have been on four Rick Steves tours, all of which were great. Both were short-changed by the current itinerary". I also really really appreciate the guides that are from the country rather than expat guides living there. The history, the food, the people, the sites - wow! "Taormina is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. she will make a fabulous tour guide. Etna with the volcanologist as part of the tour". "It is hard to point to one place/site that I consider my favorite. Plenty of fairly-intact ruins to explore. We saw so much and really got a good feel for Sicily, its history, people, culture and food!! It also was a plus that he loves good food and wine we all benefitted from his knowledge of the best local eateries. Lunch at the nearby shelter was overrated but I don't know what it could be replaced by. Jamie was quite knowledgeable of the area, its history, and as an added bonus, the food and the wine! "Besides going to the 7000 ft peak of Mt Etna of course, my WOW moments included all the times the Sicilian people showed us genuine hospitality through inviting us to their homes, farms, vineyards, and dinner tables and creating a true Sicilian family experience.". We'll tour the Phoenician island of Mozia and learn about this bygone civilization. Our tour experience was fantastic because Tommasso and Massimo our driver were 100% professional and 100% perfect human beings. Terms of Service | Privacy, Marsala salt flats boat cruise (weather permitting). "The Valley of the Temples was one highlight of many on this tour. We had a blast though and it seemed we were surprised every day. You guys amaze me. I would highly recommend this tour for anyone interested in seeing the main sites of Sicily. And a special treat was to be there while the spring wildflowers were in bloom. I believe the tour guide can make or break the trip and Alfio made this trip wonderful. Loved the views in Taormina, the amazing ruins in Agrigento, the energy of Palermo. For instance, we went to a cooking demonstration put on just for our group. "Mount Etna , the visit to the home, food".

The Roman mosaics were awe inspiring. Those ancients knew how to build them. Sicily was just fantastic. Being late in the season, we virtually had many sights to ourselves and that was great. Now, Palermo appears to be a city of individual marketeers rather than organized gangsters. There were so many truly spectacular sights and moments. It is a busy tour, so you need to pay attention, but you will be richly rewarded for your efforts. Tour was a bit more informal than other tours we've been on. We really loved that our local guides complimented Alfio's knowledge.

Tie breaker: Alfio's surprise treat at Catania market!". "The Greek temple was amazing. The whole tour was extremely well organized. Sicily was definitely a country where we were able to enjoy the time on the bus and also to be able to visit and learn about what this fascinating Island had to offer us to see and learn about.". It was Alfio!! Thoroughly enjoyed the experience. And our guide, Nina, was fabulous! We have had him before. Our guide really took good care of us. "Having breakfast in Taormina on a beautiful terrace looking at a smoking Mount Etna with a beautifully blue sky.". 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 (! The food and scenery were equally enjoyable.". In our other travels throughout Italy, Greece and Croatia we have seen mosaic tile floors but never to this extent.".

", The whole tour was wonderful. Join us for the Best of Sicily in 11 Days! I was so moved by the history, beauty and lifestyle of Sicilians. No bus. This was a very active tour. Everything from the extraordinary experiences to the special friendships formed made the trip very special. I cannot say enough about this tour. The Mosaics at Ville Romano del Casale were fantastic .. Rick Steves is the way to go. Prep work using Rick Steves videos, tips and expectation guides helped get ready for what was ahead. The expert guides were so knowledgeable and our tour guide, Virginia was an absolute delight. I could have spent more time everywhere. See our FAQ | Email tour@ricksteves.com. "Taormina. This surely won't be my last Rick Steve trip. Terrific itinerary. We have been anticipating this tour for 3 years now due to Covid cancellations, and boy, it didnt disappoint!

This was our 5th Rick Steves Tour and it was fantastic like the others. See our Tour Conditions for important details regarding everything listed above. The help provided by the Rick Steves guides regarding Covid rules, taxi scheduling and problem solving was first rate. That whole story was amazing. This was absolutely the best meal we had, with everything fresh and beautifully prepared, and each dish native to Sicily. the group lunch afterwards The food was great, the hotels well-located and, with rare exception, quite lovely. Sicily is such an interesting place! Before the tour, my husband was not so sure about the expense, but as we experienced the sights, the meals, and the hassle-free transportation, we both knew we had made a smart decision in booking with Rick Steves! It seemed as if some days were just a time filler. What a view!". The words I would use to describe the overall experience are: awesome, fun, stress-free,active, interactive, educational and delightful.

"Probably the baroque church that Nancy took us to. The tour guide kept the group moving from one event to the next. Beat expectations. We'd read some books about Sicily before we departed the US and got to Palermo 2 days early to be over jet lag. As Goethe said, "To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything. Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. I would certainly do a Rock Steves tour again, "Our guide, Virginia's talk on how to tell good gelato from not so good. "Palermo was my wow moment. Also the World War II Museum and the walk in the fog at Erice were great highlights. Etna. It was a nasty day, rain and sleet, winds about 25 mph, and cold enough to get your attention. I have never seen such well preserved mosaics.

Overall, Alfio provided both and expert and personal tour of Sicily. "There were many beautiful moments on the trip, with amazing scenery and touring remarkable places. Plus lots of laughs with new friends on the tour.". passion for Sicily, and humor throughout the tour made it very memorable. Every day was a new exciting adventure. The group we were in was exceptional and we all got along. Could not believe the size of the venue and the intricacies of the mosaics. The people on the tour were awesome! Again, I believe a very good itinerary was made outstanding by our guide Virginia, and the local guides sharing their insights. It was absolutely magical and well orchestrated! "Experiencing the Good Friday, I Misteri festivities and parade in Trapani was the absolute highlight!".