I miss my guides and fellow travelers. Totally loved the visit to Mt. I was at Etna after all and I intended to see it. "I was surprised and pleased to discover the Church of La Martorana was built and used by many cultures who worked together.". Will definitely be planning another Rick Steves Tour, "Syracuse Cattedrale and Villa Romana del Casale Mosaics. We were quarantined in Palermp COVID center for a week and had to rebook our flight home at a premium cost of $2600. Tie breaker: Alfio's surprise treat at Catania market!". This afternoon we'll enjoy a lively performance of Sicily's traditional puppet theater, where the language is no barrier to entertainment. ", This was my first Rick Steves Tour and it truly exceeded my expectations. I loved the towns of Taormina, and Syracuse because we were so close to the sea.". Plus the little village of Monreale is interesting - the mosaic artists at work and their shops. "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.". My second favorite moment, since you asked, was starting the day by sitting on the balcony of the hotel in Taormini, drinking coffee and watching Mount Etna slowly spew a bit of ash into the air.". "WOW to all of Sicily! They were so well-informed and accessible. Our guide, Virginia, was fantastic - helpful, respectful, informative and humorous; we just love her.
Palermo/Monreale and Siracusa were my very favorites. The Monreal cathedral was amazing.". Between churches, greek temples, salt harvest, to Mt. With an awesome group leader (Nina) and a merry band of excited travelers, my husband and I loved our multi-city sweep of Sicily. The history of Sicily from the ancient ruins to the effects of WW II was certainly a learning experience.
Now, tears again.". As a history major, I was blown away by having the opportunity to see them in person.". Our guide Alfio made each day a new experience.
Our guide, Alfio, had everything well planned out from the Welome Meeting to the final dinner. Bus: 2 hours. Catania was a little sketchy walking back from the final dinner to the hotel - but felt pretty safe. Thoroughly enjoyed my tour of Sicily! His knowledge of the history of Sicily, from ancient times to the present was impressive, and presented in a very engaging way. "Lunch at Maria Grammatica's home. "Visiting Monreale Cathedral and seeing the mosaics.". We saw so much and really got a good feel for Sicily, its history, people, culture and food!! On this island adventure, your Rick Steves guide will introduce you to the hearty welcome and home cooking of a Sicilian family farm, the steamy power of Mount Etna, Italy's brightest pottery and boldest wines, Europe's most amazing ancient Greek ruins, and slow sunsets from picture-perfect seaside villages. Wonderful travel companions.
"Polpo bollito at Palermo market, buffet and pastry lesson at Marie Grammatico's, wine-tasting on Aetna, Contessa's home tour, Alberto's presentation at the Museo della Sal, Valley of Temples guided walk (exceptional guide), pizza lesson and dinner with Corado in Taormina, boat ride and Caravagigo's "Burial of St Lucy in Ortygia . Everything from Palermo to Catania was wonderful! It was OUTSTANDING!!!! Our guide was warm, engaging, knowledgeable, made all of us feel special. I enjoyed how there was an orientation so that we could explore on our own. We could not have planned all of these details ourselves. I had a "wow" day visiting the 2400-year old unfinished temple in Segesta, the Maria Grammatico lunch spread and pastry making adventure with walk around Erice and sunset in Trapani. She was friendly made sure everyone was doing well during the trip. * Palermo! My favorite experience was stopping at a small outdoor cafe near the vegetable and fish market. Our group members gelled well during all the gelato tasting and vineyard visiting. I went in feeling a bit indifferent about it but left emotionally moved. I had a wonderful time. Guide Virginia was exceptional, well organized and very responsive to requests. ", Well organized. It was Alfio!! The view from the rooftop hotel in Palermo was awesome. Lots of walking and opportunities for different types of food. I loved, loved, loved, this tour!
There was a lot of food thrown away. I had no real idea what expect, but our guide did a masterful job of explaining the past as well as the present. A fantastic experience, especially because of our guide = Virginia! The tour was fabulous! I was captivated by the ruins of the many ancient conquering peoples. Sicily's people, culture, and history are enchanting. I enjoyed the people on the tour, we had an excellent tour guide, and the people in Sicily were particularly welcoming to us as tourists. The 11-day tour encompassed much of the diversity, showing a realistic glimpse of modern Sicily and the joy of living that is part of Sicilian culture. Then the rest of the day is yours to wander through Syracuse's delightful jumble of Greek, Roman, medieval, and Baroque layers or settle on a quiet park bench with a harbor view. Donald was informative, shared interesting and humorous stories about the places we were seeing, and provided us with excellent suggestions for eating and free time on our own. ", Alfio. I hold a special place in my heart for Palermo; a gritty, real, diverse, beautiful, lively, historical, walkable city. "Viewing Mt Etna from the Greek/Roman theatre in Taormina.". Great guide, good tour sites, nice group events and site guides were knowledgeable. "The tour delivers you to so many WOW moments. It was wonderful to experience the entire island; each stop on our itinerary held a spectacular sight, delicious food, or enlightening encounter (sometimes all in the same place!) The menu of events were varied and well paced. That whole story was amazing. Bad timing on my part, I guess. Sicily was more than I expected both in city experiences, food experiences and the excellent historical sites. All tours were included without any "optional" tours. Every experience was planned out and executed perfectly. The seafood was delicious". Then it's on to Syracuse. I really enjoyed all the specialty classes, making pizza, the winery, the bakery all of it!!!".
The valley of the temples was a standout, as was Segesta. Our tour guide, Nina, made this a truly outstanding experience. Transitions were smooth, time allowed at the various sights was adequate so I rarely felt rushed. We went to places and did things I would never have thought to do on my own! The seafood was phenomenal and discovering local restaurants was great fun. Our 10th RS tour, and we were happy travelers at the end.
Sicily was also colonized by the Romans, which we'll learn about at today's first destination, the Villa Romana del Casale. Etna, the Mediterranean Sea, the Ruins, the beautiful houses were breathtaking.". The people and the food was amazing. Loved the tour - guides were both fantastic plus all the different guides we had in specific places.
We would have rated outstanding except for some issues with hotel rooms. It could easily have been done in less time. OMG!
"My favorite "wow"moment was The Valley of the Temples. "This was my first time overseas. Sicily's mild climate makes it a good place to visit nearly year-round. Our first Rick Steves Tour, it will likely not be our last. I was traveling solo and, by the final day, had shared meals with everyone. This was my first trip to Sicily. We'll meet our local guide and take a walking tour of Palermo and its colorful, bustling Ballar street market all spiced with an evocative whiff of Africa. I was a history major so learning the history of an area is very important to me.". She was so gracious in sharing her home with us. They were truly breathtaking. Also, the uncrowded tour of the Greek Temple and Roman Theatre at Segesta in the morning on a beautiful day with the valley and Sea in the background was a deep and fulfilling experience.".
SO GOOD! Some of the local guides were unbelievably good - Vicki at Monreale stands out. "The palace and the Contessa, Eurice and Maria, The Greek temples, the Villa Romana del Casale and the mosaics, the vulcanologists, even the puppet show. The Rick Steves Sicily guidebook also gave us many non-tour highlights during our free time, and during 3 days in Palermo before the tour. Sicily is an amazing island. Sicily was wonderful with lots of variety -- the history was remarkable.
Nina, our guide was absolutely fantastic! "One wow! Taormina hsd incredible scenic views.". Thoroughly enjoyed the entire tour. Their enthusiasm and extensive knowledge is really good. Seeing the Salt Flats and sea salt production was fascinating as well.".
"The mosaics are Monreale cathedral with our guide Jackie.". The mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale seemed to bring the past alive. The tour was planned and executed with great care, providing a variety of experiences as well as sufficient free time to explore.
Bus was comfortable, hotels were great, food was fantastic. This was the first of many delightful tastes of the incredible Sicilian food we enjoyed throughout the trip.". When we got to the theater at Segesta, we were the only people there for the first 5 minutes! The help provided by the Rick Steves guides regarding Covid rules, taxi scheduling and problem solving was first rate. In our other travels throughout Italy, Greece and Croatia we have seen mosaic tile floors but never to this extent.". "Taormina. It was my first experience with a tour and one I will remember as an incredible group of people who cared about making this an outstanding experience by respecting each other.
The mosaics are stunning, the cloister filled with such interesting capitals of the columns - mythical and biblical stories. Always recommend Rick Steves Tours. The gigantic reconstructed pillar at the museum, in the form of a human, allowed me to almost grasp the sheer enormity of the Temple of Zeus which now lays in ruins. Delicious and sometimes unusual Sicilian dishes, beautifully presented.". The Roman mosaics were awe inspiring. She could not have been more helpful, professional, or funny. I highly recommend the itinerary. "The Roman mosaic-laden hunting lodge was the biggest WOW for me. Churches, ruins, food, views - too hard to choose one. Not too much bus time when compared to other RS tours I have been on. The expert guides were so knowledgeable and our tour guide, Virginia was an absolute delight. Strenuous walking: 28 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. This is a fairly new itinerary. "It is hard to point to one place/site that I consider my favorite. I believe the tour guide can make or break the trip and Alfio made this trip wonderful. This was our first Rick Steve's tour and although we've used other your companies we think, for us this was the best tour we've been on. Thinking about cannoli? And to top it off I don't really care to shop. Great weather, very comfortable travel and hotels, good food, good people. The sites we visited and the local guides were great. "So many wow moments! She also seems like a genuinely good person. I didn't realize the breadth of cultural influences across the island, from the Greeks to the Phoenicians, the Moors, Romans, Normans, etc. "The Greek temple was amazing. We had both been to Italy before and had taken the Village Italy Tour. This was my first Rick Steves Tour and four years in the planning. But to be in this beautiful city for two days and nights was a real treat and I was able to experience an entirely different atmosphere. The words I would use to describe the overall experience are: awesome, fun, stress-free,active, interactive, educational and delightful. She was a very gracious hostess.". Appreciated the general congeniality of the tour members! "As always, there were so many (food and geography were constant sources of delight).
Loved the tour guides, itinerary, daily plans, variety of experiences. "Mount Etna , the visit to the home, food". The small town of Taormina was charming.". "Segesta was a great experience especially after seeing the theater then going down to visit the temple.". Group sightseeing events subject to change.
Rick Steves events were always on time and were ready for us. I was surprised to see a poster of the book Operating Mincemeat on the wall. The archaeological sites were an education and really had my partner and I imagining what it must have been like across the ages. Absolutely incredible. "There were many, but the Valley of Temples was the top for an art and history buff like me. 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. Also Syracuse, the island of Ortygia was so historic and charming.". We were fortunate to have two guides; Donald and Andrea (new guide, from Sicily), "It had to be the Monreale Cathedral. "It is hard to choose my favorite WOW moment, because every place we visited was a wow moment. ", "The Etna experience was great with the plumes and walk/hike in the park. Lovely town, exquisite scenery, Roman ruins, great food, and wonderful people. Beat expectations. I can tell you in 7 characters: amazing. It was so great to be traveling again, and this was the perfect combination of a fabulous locale, engaging guide, and fun group of fellow travelers. Excursions were well chosen. Our group meals also elicited a lot of wows. 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. I had been here before on a cruise so I only spent a few hours there. "Wow! 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! I was stunned by the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. "The museum and Greek temple at Agrigento, views from the top of the amphitheater at Taormina.". This one exceeded any possible expectations and was fabulous, wonderful, marvelous, fun, fantastic! Everyday, everything was on time and it was clearly evident they had our tour in complete control. she was incredibly knowledgeable and I learned a great deal about Sicily. "The picnic lunch under the trees behind the Whitaker Foundation Museum on Mosia island. ", "If was a tie between lunch at Maria Grammatico cooking school and the visit to Mt. Rooms not as expected; in particular bathrooms. I liked that we were able to rotate in the bus and many have times have our seat to ourselves. Also the mixtures of different cultures that formed present day Sicily gave me a better understanding of countries around the Mediterranean Sea.". 
Etna shooting the lava out of its dome. After we check into our hotel, we'll take a neighborhood orientation walk. Second place would be the entire island of Ortygia, which was simply magical.". Jamie was quite knowledgeable of the area, its history, and as an added bonus, the food and the wine! The whole tour was extremely well organized. The bus was big enough, and 28 people never proved impossible to manage (but i wouldn't try 30), "The explanation of the mosaics at Monreale Cathedral.". He shared his passion and knowledge of Sicily and made sure we had a marvelous time. The hotel rooms were excellent. walking through the Valley of the Temples; the ruins on Mozia; the Roman mosaics in the villa in the middle of Sicily; the church mosaics in Monreale and Palermo.". I hadnt realized how extensive they were. From our first meeting with our incredible guide Nina on a surreal rooftop overlooking Palermo to our Farewell dinner in Catania. We expected Palermo to be gritty and look like it had a long battle with Mafia domination. Especially enjoyed local guides at places like Monreale and Taormina, "Seeing the amphitheater ruins in Taormina". Prep work using Rick Steves videos, tips and expectation guides helped get ready for what was ahead. "Every day was full of wow moments for me. Thanks Rick Steves and our awesome tour guide Tommaso of Sicily!! Lunch at the nearby shelter was overrated but I don't know what it could be replaced by. The food and choice of tourist attractions were varied and all very interesting. 1. THe people on the tour were very personable and fun. "Taromina - seeing Mt. We had a small group - only 12 people - and it was a very compatible, friendly and fun group. Could not have been better. Note: Flights to and from Sicily often require at least one connection, and in some cases an additional night's stay in Europe. Great mixture of history, cultures, art and cooking. This morning we'll tour Taormina's remarkably situated ancient Greek theater, which is still used today for open-air performances.
Karin and Andrea were amazing guides and so willing to answer questions, take care of any issue that anyone had and were exceptional in an awareness of the necessary details. The tour was full of surprises - complex and fascinating history, natural beauty, rich culture, and delicious food. This afternoon we'll head to our tranquil countryside hotel. I was very wrong. Etna. Etna. We had unusual and delightful weather for the latter half of February in Italy - sunny skies, mild weather, and no rain! The group was eclectic, happy, and considerate of each other. She was always up beat and available if needed. February is actually a great time to visit Sicily. 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 (! This was our 5th Rick Steves Tour and it was fantastic like the others. I especially appreciated his flexibility in managing our schedule to allow us to visit Mt. ", "So many beautiful sites seen. I especially loved visiting the Greco-Roman theatre there.". 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. This morning we'll learn more about Ortygia and take a closer look at this small fishing island. Thoroughly enjoyed my second overall visit to Sicily and third trip with RS Tours. What a fabulous spot, and the hotel there was so beautiful!". Stephanie and Nancy were such lovely tour guides: knowledgeable, kind, and helpful. "Mosaics at Villa Romano del Casale. He was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic sharing his years of knowledge & research.". How Rainer took our pictures at the beginning of the tour with our names on them so that we could remember everyone's name. He was full of "value added" surprises, knowledge, charm, wit, and very engaging.
The trip had a nice progression of history, variety of cities leading up to Taormina.". First rate guides, accommodations; adventures, etc. But Stephanie -- she made the tour special. "There were quite a few. A stunning setting for brilliant mosaics on an unimaginable scale. being handled for us. Seeing the Amphitheaters and Mt. amazing. Back in the late 1990's we also were traveling with our two daughters. Excellent and fascinating museum. 
Seeing all of the Greek ruins, especially the Temple of Concordia, and learning more about the history was educational and breathtaking. Visiting between November and February offers the benefit of missing out on the sweat, stress, and crowds of the tourist season, along with cool and crisp weather. Etna's lava flow at night. It was a great mixture of varied experiences. Etna was surely a "wow" and the wild weather made it even more of an adventure. "No specific "wow" moment other than just the fact that we had been on the trip. Our group, 28, was a good group with the majority being married couples, a rareity in travel. Our tour guide, Donald, was funny, informative, dealt with Covid issues calmly and kept our friendly, interesting and well informed tour group moving forward on a beautiful, fascinating tour of Sicily culture, ancient buildings and incredible views. Every day was rich with sights, history, food, interesting learning. "seeing the fabulous mosaics in Monreale. It was a nice mix of old and new. ", "Tour of wwii Husky operation museum with passionate Albion's as our guide. The bread is to die for. I would highly recommend this tour for anyone interested in seeing the main sites of Sicily. Rainer, was an outstanding Guide. Catania was scary. The tour guide kept the group moving from one event to the next. Scenery was gorgeous!". "The Piazza Del Duomo on Ortygia and the island itself.". "I loved Taormina!
The accommodations were very diverse, clean, good breakfasts, friendly desk staff.
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. "Our time with Maria Grammatico.
There were some amazing goats at the site that were delightful for us. Rainer was an excellent tour guide. I learned so much about my grandparent's birthplace (Sicily) from our guides.
We'll begin our day with a short drive up the coast to Catania, where we'll take in breathtaking views of Mount Etna while learning more about the volcano with a spirited presentation by one of the University of Catania's volcanologists. High temperature at the end and getting to and from Sicily were unpleasant. Try one every day. We can't wait to go back. Through the guidance of Tommasso, I learned a lot of history, culture and cuisine of Sicily. Go Astros!
"Seeing the ancient, well preserved - Churches, Temples, Mosaics was the "MINOR WOW" for me. The daily excursions were fabulous. The group of travelers got along famously, and the group meals and events were great fun. This afternoon we'll enjoy a tasty lunch that includes the region's specialties sun-dried tomatoes, Castelvetrano olives, and Marsala wine before making our way to today's final destination: seaside Trapani, where we'll take an orientation walk and set you free for the evening. Sicily's beauty is breath taking. Saw and learned things we surely would have missed had we planned trip on our own. All the hotels were great and so well-situated. Fine guide, knowledgeable, personable. The food and scenery were equally enjoyable.". Having traveled to the Italian mainland several times, I now consider Sicily to be the hidden gem that the mainland doesn't want anyone to know about.
I consider it my favorite Rick Steves tour so far. 
The group was very pleasant and our guide Tomaso was outstanding. "Prior to the tour, I spent every day practicing our song, "I Only Have Eyes for You," as I walked across campus at work. be the most expensive Euro we ever spent! "For me it was the trip to Mt Etna with Boris Bencke, the local vulcanologist. Although it was sleety and windy, the trip to Mt. The local guides used were fantastic - the tour of the Monreale Cathedral by Jacqi Alio was so interesting. Our assistant leader, Nancy, was a great bonus. It was well organized, and our tour guide (Stephanie) did a great job making sure every member of the group was comfortable when we arrived at a new location by giving us a quick walk around our hotel, and making sure that we had adequate knowledge of the restaurants and which ones to avoid. "the wow moment was at the very end, at the last group dinner together. Our tour experience was fantastic because Tommasso and Massimo our driver were 100% professional and 100% perfect human beings. The local guides were great too. We'll gather together tonight to say arrivederci, share travel memories, enjoy the freshest Sicilian food, and toast to new friends. ", "The buffet lunch with all the Sicilian food and wines.".
And the food!!!
Alfio rapidly addressed situations that arose, was very conscientious in addressing them, and had a great sense of humor. Our tour never ceased to impress me from the hotels we stayed-in, the knowledge of our tour guide Stephanie, the skill our bus driver, the bakery and pizza demonstrations, and the sites we had the privilege of visiting. "Visting with the countess in her home in Palermo where with our guide David"s coaxing she sang for our group. Any way you slice it, you'll have a ringside seat to savor il dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing), Sicilian style. After lunch, we'll return to Palermo, where you'll be free to explore more of this exciting, energetic city and discover a tucked-away trattoria for dinner on your own. We had a wonderful trip !!! I loved: Our accommodations were great, the bus was comfortable, and the sights that we visited were interesting and the local guides were top notch. But the WOW factor for the tour was our guide, David Tordi.
* Visiting the hill towns, Erice and Taormina, was inspiring.". A traveler who does not enjoy traipsing into hot stuffy shops to buy key chains. We'll explore the local market, stroll through centuries in the Cathedral of Syracuse, and marvel at the masterpiece of the Piazza del Duomo. "Hard to say! We were able to get to our hotel in time to see the sun setting behind Mt Etna also. People in Sicily appeared to take COVID precautions seriously unlike the rural area in the USA where I live.". "Sights and background info around Etna. "Monreale Cathedral was very impressive and was my favorite tour. Everything from the extraordinary experiences to the special friendships formed made the trip very special.
"Definitely Taormina.
Great sites and scenery, wonderful tour guides and city guides, great group of people traveled with, delicious food! Sicily was just fantastic.
This evening we'll meet up for a Sicilian pizza dinner together. I would have liked to go back to Trapani to wander around instead. 
I enjoyed the tour and learned a lot. At night, a light projection on the east side of the cathedral illumines the Greek columns, and contrasts them from the dark filled-in walls.".
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