Best of Sicily in 11 Days Tour

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

From the moment we gathered, our tour was perfect: the people, the locations, and of course, Tommaso our guide, this trip could not have been better.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Erice and the cookie experience was absolutely brilliant! But how do you choose just one moment!? Late country lunch, magnificent ruins, excellent subject experts, all with guidance from Tommaso and safe driving by Massimo meant the WHOLE teip was my favorite “wow” moment!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my third RS trip and I will continue to travel this way. Our kitten herder and local guides were truly amazing. The hotels were perfectly located within the hearts of the cities. The whole tour went without a hitch!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Two major "WOW" moments the amazing temples of Agrigento and the mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic trip, exceeded expectations. Tomasso made it wonderful. I have suggested improvements, however.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Far too many to decide, but I loved the Roman mosaics. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I felt the trip was very authentic and really showed us a insight to daily Sicilian culture

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Authentic Italian lunch and cooking with the Italian lady "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide was great and the group of people participating was a phenomenal group of people!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Baglio Della Luna countryside hotel views and the ruins in Agrigento. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Virginia was fantastic and the food was amazing! We really enjoyed talking with our tour mates and enjoying all the historical and cultural experiences on offer.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The mosaics of Villa Romana del Casale blew us away! The quantity and quality were some of the best I've ever seen. The museum that went along with Agrigento was fantastic (we could have spent way more time there) and the city itself was fascinating. All of our local guides really knew there stuff, which makes whatever they were talking about so much more interesting. We went to a performance of Medea, and ancient Greek play in an ancient Greek theatre in Syracuse and it was amazing!!"

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

What this tour had to offer was exceptional. The fact that the weather was so hot it made us sick meant that we got to enjoy about half of all the events and activities we hoped to enjoy. Our guide, Virginia, was exceptional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Getting away from the 97-102 degree weather to go up Mt. Etna and to the winery. After heat stroke and days of nausea, not being able to go out to wander mid-day after morning tours, the Mt. Etna trip restored us. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Virginia was an amazing guide; she is so caring and compassionate.!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting Maria and her cooking class"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Sicily is an interesting island. Lots of interesting and beautiful areas. The heat in mid-June was very intense and made the trip more challenging.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mt Etna and the views of the coast while coming into Taormina."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This trip was dreamy! Outstanding guide and all experiences. Just fabulous!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were too many wow moments to count! The views from our bus on our way to Erice and Segesta were incredible. The visit to the Palazzo Conte Federico was quite a treat. The visit to Mount Etna was just fantastic."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina was stunningly beautiful "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well organized, thoughtfully planned, top notch tour guides and accomodations made it a wonderful stressfree tour through Sicily!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The beautiful mosaics and architecture at Monreale and the Benedictine Cloister and the detail."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first Rick Steves tour and overall, it was an amazing experience. I’m so glad I let the tour planner do the “heavy lifting” of arranging accommodations, transportation and activities/experiences. I’m sure I participated in things that I never would have found out about on my own.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Top notch, very smooth transitions (ex: from motor coach to taxi to room), no delays, clear communication at all times. No waiting around. Our guide Andrea was superb! Knowledgeable, personable, from Palermo, kind, and full of surprises. I cannot imagine a better guide!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the cliff town of Taormina, and the Greek Temples in Agrigento."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Best of Sicily tour was outstanding every single day. Perfect balance of guided activities, spontaneous group activities, and solo time. Every day was an adventure.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This is a difficult question, because there were so many. One favorite was climbing up to the theatre in Segesta, because the view of the verdant Sicilian surroundings was incredible, the layers of history you're literally walking on and through were thrilling, and we got to chat spontaneously with some archaeologists working on the site. This was early on in the trip, and seeing the history "in situ" was really something special."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great access to sights, food, guides, stays.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Deep history of Sicily!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Engaging, entertaining and informative

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Meeting Maria Grammatico and baking cookies with her! The buffet lunch there in Eric’s of local foods was absolutely fabulous. Also loved seeing the beautiful orchards and vineyards as we traveled through Sicily. I now appreciate the diversity of the Sicilian architecture and cuisine after seeing first hand the blending of Norman, Muslim, Christian and Greek cultures across the island."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent guide and excellent lunches and dinners. Andrea was most informative and very funny and friendly.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Gondola rise form Eriche and see Trapani peninsula- beautiful. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

All the selected hotels, restaurants, museums, churches, and other sites visited were great, but what really made the trip was our guide to Sicily, Andrea Vannelli! He was absolutely fantastic!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The view from the rooftop of the Hotel Ambasciatori was a real wow moment. Equally amazing were the stops at the Palazzo Conte Federico, lunch with Maria Grammatico in Erice and the farm lunch in Lentini"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was my first time in Europe and it couldn’t have been better. The Rick Steves Tours is the way to go. Thank you!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For me there were many “WOW” moments. But if I had to pick one I guess it would be the trip to Mt. Etna. It was so surreal being that close to an active volcano. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The absolutely perfect way to celebrate my fiftieth birthday with a mom-and-daughter trip! I love how each RS tour is so different. Sicily provided a wide variety of venues to explore, along with its rich diverse history as a backdrop. All planned activities, hotels, and meals were superb and tied in well together. The diversity of towns each provided their own unique shops, eateries, and activities. Donald was an exceptional guide!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Monreale and the cloisters was perfectly situated at the beginning of the tour to give us not only the incredible beauty of the landscape from above, the intricate mosaic tilework at the church with all the stories contained within them, and the collaboration represented by multiple groups to build, respect, and incorporate them rather than destroy these incredible works of art as time moved on. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first RS Tour, so I didn’t know what to expect. Each day of the trip was well planned with unexpected “special moments/events” which I probably could not have thought of to include had I planned the trip on my own. It was a relief to leave all the planning for each day to our excellent tour guide —Donald White.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Dining outdoors in a garden on a weather perfect evening with no bugs, enjoying excellent food, local wine, lively conversation and a view across the valley of ancient BC temples lit for their evening display. This was a WOW moment for me."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The guide, Donald White, is an outstanding tour guide. Very knowledgeable, always kept us informed as to what to expect the next day. Everything went like clockwork. Good group of fellow travellers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The boat trip at Syracuse."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My wife and I were the youngest in our group, but no one seemed to notice. We were all too busy scrambling after Donald and his team of local experts, soaking up every possible adventure in Sicily. The balance of activity and free time was perfect, with lots of beach moments without too many fish markets. There were only a few head-scratching moments, but they were so minor they're not worth mentioning. I would plunge into the energetic chaos of a Rick Steves tour again and again!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"While it's tempting to say it was seeing the Greek temples lit up from the window of my hotel room in rural Agrigento, the real wow was seeing how well my Celiac wife was able to eat. Everyone understood "Celiaca", and her food was always abundant, beautiful, and best of all pasta! Our guide was an excellent advocate, but every restaurant or catering company picked up her needs and ran with it. Knowing my girl was having a gourmet experience in the land of pizza and pasta—WOW!! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first RSteves tour and my first trip to Europe.I was very happy to have selected this tour because it included all of my favorite elements in one tour. We learned about the history and culture of Sicily, we walked a lot almost every day, we visited the Valley of the Temples, we learned to make cookies and cannolis, we feasted at a local farm, we savored local wines, and we enjoyed tasting local dishes and sharing it with our tour “family.” My free time spent on beach and opera.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Outstanding wow moments for me: Sunday passiagettas; Sicily as a multicultural society embracing its cultural identity; being at the Valley of the Temples made history and myth come alive; the magnificence of Mama Etna; the power of the Romans evidenced at Villa Romana, and the beauty of Taormina city. For me there simply was no one wow moment, there were many."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Comprehensive itinerary. Nice mix of urban city, small towns, countryside, nature (Mt. Etna, farm lunch), historical architecture (Greek, Roman, Medieval, Byzantine).

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Palermo's classic architecture - monuments like the Quatro Canti and the Monreale catheadral. Wonderful!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We so enjoyed our Sicily in 11 days with Donald White. He was a knowledgeable tour guide and very good natured. We liked the places we went and the amount of time at the different locations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved the views from Erice!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic tour led by the knowledgeable and personable guide, Donald White. The tour was well paced and included all the sights we had been planning on seeing in Sicily.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"View from the top of the hotel in Taormina was breathtaking!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very well organized, generally nice group of folks, interesting stops, great guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The cathedral at Monreale."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Accommodations were excellent, guide was very personable and knowledgeable, and the food was good.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My short climb on Mount Etna."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Extremely well organized with a Tour Guide who was not only familiar with all the areas visited, but also familiar with the guest experts giving detailed information about certain areas visited.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every new place visited was a WOW moment, but the first was visiting the private home of a Contessa whose husband was a descendant of Fredrick II. The home had been lived in for many generations and the Contessa had overseen the home’s total restoration. The history of the home and its occupants was captivating. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Though we have no other tour experience to compare our RS Sicily tour to, we rate it as "outstanding." It met or exceeded all our expectations. From the first event on Day 1 (a tour of Palazzo Federico given by the contessa) in Palermo to our final delicious dinner together in Catania, every day brought us new adventures, layer upon layer of history/science lessons, culinary experiences, astounding tours of ancient ruins and civilizations, open air markets, people watching, and new friendships.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every day was a "wow" day. It's impossible for us to pick one "wow" moment. It was the special events we were able to experience - the tour by the contessa, the pastry lesson and special luncheon near Erice, the tour of Mozia led by a local professor, the midday feast at a working farm, the presentation about Mt Etna by a local vulcanologist - that were "wow" experiences we would not have had if we'd been traveling on our own. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

All was terrific! From our fabulous tour guide to the beautiful island sights to the hotels close to the city centers. What a delight our "Mama" Virginia is. She's so helpful, fun, funny, upbeat at all times, but, also, a stickler for the "rules." This made the trip even better as everyone took her rules very seriously. No whiners, no tardiness! All our tour members were interesting, fun, and considerate.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our stay at Baglio della Luna! It was so beautiful and peaceful there. Gazing across the lovely flowers in the gardens over the valley to the Agrigento ruins with a glass of wine in our hands was definitely a highlight. The whole group sat around the patio eating and drinking, too, that evening we arrived there. Virginia could, also, be considered one continual "wow" moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Always traveling independently this planned "tour" was my first and it turned out many, many times better than expected. I didn't feel herded, the group was positive and funny, and I appreciated the specialized guides at various cites. The city orientations by Victoria were invaluable in immediately establishing a comfort level with one's new surroundings.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The layers of civilizations that washed over Sicily had been discussed since Day 1 but on Day 6 when we walked into the main square in Syracuse and I saw the impressive Greek columns of the Temple of Athena imbedded in the Baroque facade of the city's Duomo...I really got it...in 3-D!!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very well organized. Exceptional tour guide. Good restaurants. Good accommodations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Salt Flats, Cooking experience ( cannolis) Monreale, Taormina Villa Roma"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful time on the "best of Sicily" tour. The pace was to our liking; our guide, Virginia, was fantastic throughout; we saw amazing things we would not have been able to access on our own; and we made new friends!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were lots of Wow moments, but the one that comes to mind is the "Farm to Table" lunch we had. The food was exquisite and incredibly fresh. Our hostess was very personable and intent on meeting everyone. We meet a very kind group of young Sicilians on holiday. And then we were caught in a huge downpour before we boarded the bus. It said a lot about the group that we all took that in good humor."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall the experience was excellent. Everything was beautifully planned and organized. The tour guide was extremely professional and very thoughtful and considerate of our needs.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The winery we went to was in such a beautiful location that we didn't want to leave (even though I don't drink wine!). "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Virginia was wonderful. She had the most delightful, positive personality and wonderful laugh. The variety of activities was appreciated. The hotels were great. I especially enjoyed the Hotel Romano with modernity framed by preservation. My room looked out on the lobby, that made me laugh. So roomy and nice!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I especially loved Mount Etna, the subsequent lecture and the cream puff prior to getting on the mountain. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great guide and driver. Local guides were very good and the itinerary was excellent

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina and the ruins and views"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Exceeded my expectations. The guides were fantastic and enhanced our experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Segesta! And the farm to table meal outside of Siracusa"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very good guide. Good hotels and meals. Well organized. Too many cathedrals

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was our first tour and we enjoyed it immensely! Our tour director, Virginia was enthusiastic and knowledgeable thru out the trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Many wow moments including visit with the contessa, lunch & wine tasting on the farm, lunch & pastry class."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I really enjoyed all aspects of the tour. Our guide, hotels, meals, bus driver, agenda, and fellow passengers were amazing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The amazing group dinners and sharing at the beginning and conclusion of the tour. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The trip was great— Angelo our bus driver, Virginia our guide, the other tour members, and the sights and experiences.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The puppet show in Palermo was a wonderful surprise. I would have never found this on my own. The scenic countryside kept me looking out the bus window!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

First Rick Steves tour; great docent, Virginia! She was fun and informative.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Ruins at Agrigento."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved all the amazing places we visited and the wonderful people we met along the way! These tours give us educational and visual and interesting knowledge of a new place and culture. We always want to return!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tough question! The two Marias who provided wonderful meals are memory makers! The landscape and views along the way were breath-taking! The history of Sicily was so interesting, but we were stunned by the Roman mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was a perfect mix of group events and on-your-own time and included things I wouldn’t have done on my own. It included almost everything I wanted to see in Sicily

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were lots of wow moments; not sure I can pick just one! I had never been to the Monreale Cathedral so that was one. And I loved what they’ve done at the Roman Villa in Piazza Amerina "

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Very knowledgable guide. Beautiful views. The hotels were good, generally. It was a good group of people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina and the views of the ocean."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well balanced with education, leisure, comfortable accomodations and great food

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Going to Mount Etna, and the presentation by the volcanologist! A close second was the sea salt harvesting."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jamie our tour guide was amazing.. I would go on a tour with him anytime. We had an outstanding group. The tour and experiences were better than expected.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many wow moments. Too many to count. I think the lunch at the baroness’s was one of them. Driving from area to area was another. The private tour guides was outstanding. I guess Mt Etna was a wow moment. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Knowledgeable guides all along the way, interesting activities every day, kinda like adult summer camp

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Driving up and around Mt Etna"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well, people often say, the tours exceed what they expected. And this is so true. Each day was filled with at least 2 activities and many times 3 things to do. Each activity could stand alone for it's content and quality. The meals, well planned stops, the intimate knowledge of the tour guide to give us an authentic experience, walks in the local markets, excellent lectures by local guides, and just about every hour there was something of value included.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have several....of course, meeting and baking with Maria Grammatico, traveling along the green country side on the bus, while learning the history of Sicily from our guide, the mosaics at Villa del Casale, too many 'wow' moments to narrow it down."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

My experience was mostly positive. I think Jamie did a fabulous job. Overall, my enjoyment was colored by the rainy weather which was unusual and illness. Both myself and my wife were sick during portions of the trip as were others. The tour was physically demanding, but doable, and more difficult when not in top form. The tour was comprehensive. I might have traded less tour for more free time. I really enjoyed the group meals. They were a great to meet people from all over the country.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Getting sandwiches at the market in Ortygia was a highlight. They were the best ever! The view from the roof of the hotel in Palermo was wonderful as was the view from the deck of the hotel in Taormina. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I saw and experienced more than I had planned and expected. The tour was intense, varied,interesting, with great tour companions and a fabulous tour leader. But it was exhausting; I felt some of the activities felt like "making busy". For example, three fish markets were too much. I would stay with the market in Palermo. I would have liked to spend more time in Montreal, the roman villa del cassale and the Greek temples. Definitely eliminate the couscous demonstration and dinner.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Totally unexpected - the fountain of shame. After the very busy intersection of the four winds, this open white space and fountain was just an introduction to the wealth of beauty of the three churches of the Bellini piazza, each on its own different style. The Marauonde was the wowest moment, so accesible to the eye and the heart. For me, it was a special connection. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Best guided tour I've ever taken; great experiences, guides, food and tour group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"View of Mt Etna from Taormina. The enormous size of the volcano was amazing, especially on the final morning when steam could be seen rising from the southeast crater forming a plume stretching for miles over the sea. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour group was fantastic! Definitely felt like a family with everyone helping each other out.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The WW2 museum in Catania and the setting in Taormina."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent guide, Andrea. Wonderful tour group. Palermo & Catania were much less “gritty” than expected. This was my 5th Rick Steves Tour and expectations were met or exceeded

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The history of all the cultures that contributed to Sicilian history and development "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Andrea was excellent. Knowledgeable, kind, funny, all while very professional. He pulled the tour and group together. The hotels were very good, our bus driver was excellent, and the local guides were exceptional. The choice of locations gave us a real view of Sicily and Andrea was able to add to that each day with valuable and some first hand information. From the opening reception, to the little local treats along the way, the tour was just amazing. The perfect blend of tour and free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many! The WWII museum was incredibly touching and educational, learning that Sicilians and southern Italians migrated because of the unification was eye opening, the first view of Etna and the lecture by Erik the vulcanologist was really impressive, the visit to the salt flats was surprising, the view from our go hotel in Palermo was breathtaking, the mixture and acceptance of different cultures and art was beautiful. Learning that Sicily seems more like a different country. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Generally a nice mix of history, cultural and social. Most hotels were located well, and were comfortable. Our guide, Andrea, executed well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The afternoon picnic was a great event. The surrounding landscape was quite interesting, as was the trip to the estate."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a wonderful tour. A great diversity of visit types -- from cathedrals to salt pans; excellent guides all along the way; a great balance of group time and free time; and a congenial group of fellow Sicily explorers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In terms of site visits, the Cathedral in Monreale was simply amazing. So, too, was the World War II museum in Catania--it was one of the most moving experiences I have ever had in a museum. More generally, however, it was the gradual realization -- thanks to our tour visits, but especially to the information from our wonderful guide, Andrea -- of the difference between Sicilian and Italian identity. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour far exceeded my expectations. I was concerned I would be tired or pushed too hard, but instead we had a reasonable activity level that left me energized and ready for the many wonderful experiences that were planned for us.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My "wow" moment was being on Mt. Etna, the most active volcano in Europe. We were able to take several hikes near the peak and hold some of the youngest rock in the world. Afterwards, we relaxed at an outdoor coffee bar soaking in the majesty of the surroundings. It was mesmerizing. To top it off, the following day a professional vulcanologist gave an exciting presentation on Mt. Etna to our tour group. He conveyed to us how volcanoes affect our world and what the future holds for Etna! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour in Sicily! very well organized with different varieties of events and places. From city centers to country sides. Great excursions with knowledgeable local guides. Our tour guide, Andrea, was exceptionally professional and passionate telling us about his home place Sicily and Italy overall. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to visit this beautiful country.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite wow moment was visiting sides of Mt. Etna. As well as visiting on private tour to Contessa house in Palermo. Really enjoyed and wish it was longer stay in Ortigia part of Siracusa. All places we visit on the tour were great in their own way. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Too many to list, but need to mention that 3 of us had wine shipped back home so be ware of the wonderful wine tasting and wine as it my not be free. lol

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mount Etna was a surprise to me."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Sicily was beautiful but, our guide David made our experience exceptional

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeking Mt Etna "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Best of Sicily tour was more than I expected, greatly due to our amazing tour guide, David Tordi and the local guides. Together, they brought the history of Sicily to life for us.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of it! The amazing history, architecture, food, morning espresso and evening wine enjoyed on resort-style balconies with soaring vistas, experiencing life in small towns such as Erice and Ortygia and larger cities like such as Palermo and Catania, and seeing 3,000 year old history in person with a great group of tour partners and guide. Fantastic all around!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great venues. Great guide. Good local guides

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Greek theater at Agrigento"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very well planned, local guides were excellent and our manager David exceeded all expectations. He brought a smile to everyone and made sure each and every guest was involved and okay.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Entered the Greek Theater in Agrigento and David sang Ole Solo Mio. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

David Tordi is fantastic. He’s captivating, he shares relevant info, and he brings a local perspective. Overwhelmed with Sicily and it’s culture and food. Excellent experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina and hiking Mt Etna. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wow, outstanding, incredible doesn't even begin to describe the experience of money well spent on one of the most memorable vacations I have ever had.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"David our guide was the most wow moment. From teaching Italian phrases, Italian history and all things Italian-ness to our group with genuine pleasure he made the whole trip experience a daily "wow"!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Best tour guide ever. David Tordi is both knowledgeable and entertaining. During the bus rides from city to city, David provided specific information plus humorous anecdotal commentary.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The salt production from the salt flats south of Trapani was quite impressive. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour guide,David, who was so knowledgable about the history, society and economics of Sicily and also Italy as a whole. Great planning for the tour and and a great group of fellow travelers

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The visit withe the contessa and her daughter on their farm"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

From the first meeting with David, our guide, and our tour members, everything was well planned and interesting. David added so much history and cultural information. The itinerary was full but I generally did not feel rushed although I would've stayed longer in Agrigento (to see the actual town) and Taormina.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to choose BUT the drive into Taormina was spectacular."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Avery well organised tour. David was a Excellent guide Angelo the driver was also. We learnt a great deal and benefited from Davids knowledge,

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The tour of Mount Etna unfortunately the weather didnt oblige."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Tour Guide was fantastic. He made sure everyone was satisfied and had what they needed. He was fun to be with and really cared for everyone.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Its a toss up: The cooking class with Maria Grammatico and seeing all the ruins. It is amazing what was built with little technology 3000 years ago."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour covered not only the places described in the tour summary, but many "extras" such as learning how to make almond paste cookies from an 83 year old expert in Erice, and even receiving my own apron as a momento. The tour guide, David Tordi, was excellent, and definitely the best we have ever had. The local tour guides were also very good and clearly delighted to share the love of their locale with us.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The view of the coastline from above Taormino, with David pointing out in the distance the location of the city of Savoca, which is our last name, and the origin of my husband's family."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Of our five Rick Steve's tours this was our least favorite. Not the tour but Sicily in general compared to Spain, Greece, Italy, Austria.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Touring the former Greek temple that is now an active Catholic Cathedral."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is a third Rick Steves tour and we loved it just as much as the first two. I hope that we can do many more.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I really don't think I can select just one favorite, but the wonderful village of Erice was certainly high on the list of favorites."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great flavor of Sicily - tour guide was awesome, describing the places we visited as well as an overview of the day-to-day life of the people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"the churches and cathedrals - each had its own style, different and beautiful."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was so much more than I expected. I learned so much about Sicily's history, culture and people on this adventure. The guide Nancy went above and beyond to share stories, treats and drinks from her native Sicily.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My "wow" moment was learning that Sicily has so many Greek temples! Having been to Greece, this tour provided additional Greek history that I did not even expect. I went in thinking Sicily was olive trees and wine, but left with a true understanding of the people, culture and history that made this wonderful country so much more than I thought."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As a single woman traveling to Sicily I was a little apprehensive but I shouldn’t have worried. The tour was fantastic and I felt included 8n every way. Our tour guide Nancy was the best. So knowledgeable about Sicily and made the tour so enjoyable. She had a great sense of humor and there wa not a snag on the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many . The beautiful views in Taormina and Mt. Etna were incredible. The World War II museum in Catania was so interesting, seeing the war from the perspective of the Sicilians. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful experience

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tour guide Nancy was a total WOW"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was fabulous as usual! This was my 7th Rick Steve’s tour and it was fun, educational, entertaining and had wonderful people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We had so many “wow” moments, the museums, the palazzo in Palermo, each location had special moments. I would say the biggest WOW, was our guide, Nancy. She brought the country alive with her passion and knowledge."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Superb tourPicking highlights of Sicily. Truly outstanding guide, NancyBenedetti, knew the goals to unite and guide through the amazing cities, markets, churches, greek and roman temples, Mt. Etna.She knew each personality and tried to Sind things of interest to each person. Loved the hotels, the bus. Met new friends, including royalty, the

Favorite "WOW" moment

"How happy and friendly Sicilians are Living and sharing their country Seeing Phoenician city walls holding together and upon it built greek, Roman,and Norman structures reflected the livings history of the island. That works together to honor, glorify and live for the day,not the dollar."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour leader, very knowledgeable and personable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina was a beautiful town to visit and definitely a WOW for me."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our 1st Rick Steve’s tour and it was so wonderful that we would definitely use your tour group again. What made it extra special was our magnificent tour guide Nancy. Nancy was fun, knowledgeable and we miss her!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had a couple of wow moments. One was when the countess opened the shutters inside her courtyard when we ran the door bell. 2nd wow moment was being in Segesta and being the only tour group first thing in the morning to visit the Ancient Greek Theatre. Last wow moment was walking through the arch to see the town of Catania. I loved how wide the streets were, the market place and over feel of this town."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We couldn't have been happier. The tour guide (Nancy) is amazing; people were wonderful and Sicily was so much more than I ever imagined. I felt like we got a really good sense about the country, the people and loved every minute. We loved the activities and the many opportunities to walk through the country. We'd recommend this tour to anyone who asks about it.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I'd have to say "visiting mountaintop Erice"...such a lovely place and visiting the place where my dad was born: Castellamare de Golfo. Although it was not part of the tour, our tour guide arranged to have a cab pick us up and return us to the hotel after our visit so we had a chance to visit it. She helped us figure out the best day and time to visit when we would not miss any part of the planned tour."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Sicily Tour was an excellent balance of history, culture, food, exercise and fun. Nancy, our guide, expertly coordinated the tour with ease and shared her country and culture enthusiastically, passionately and personally. Our bus driver and limo drivers all navigated some challenging roads with patience and ease. This was our 4th RS tour and was our favorite group of travelers so far. All of the on site guides were excellent communicators & incredibly knowledgeable & hospitable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Impossible to choose just one: the mosaics at Monreale were breathtaking; spending the afternoon with Mara Grammatico & Mark learning to make almond cookies & cannoli was a special treat; the four buffet lunches prepared for us were phenomenal and some of the best food on the trip; having Boris as our guide at Mt. Etna was incredibly fortunate. The markets in Palermo, Siracusa & Catania each had their own character and were fun to explore. Everyone in our tour group enjoyed being together!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Beyond my wildest dreams. I talked to individuals who had been on RS tours and watched videos and zoom meetings but watching and listening is not seeing, hearing, listening, touching first hand. I couldn’t wait to tell my friends and family, stop thinking maybe next year, go now!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It all started with looking out the plane window and saying “wow” I have finally done it, I’m going on a tour in Europe. Everyday there seemed to be a new wow, I can’t believe the historical ruins, buildings, food, and special events planned for the group. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Getting to Sicily is an issue that needs to be addressed before you book your tour. It was worth it but we flew Seattle to Chicago to Frankfurt to Sicily for $3500. And many hours in the air so packing light with one carryon is essential. It was the perfect number of days and we added 5 more on the end at Cefalu. That was too much; 3 would have been better. A few too many long walking tours but overall a great time. Fun guide and very informative

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Having an eruption of Mt Etna when we were there was it. Don’t know how Rick arranged that😃"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I really enjoyed the experiences with the Sicilian people. In Erice we had an amazing lunchtime buffet including delicious eggplant dishes, arancini, bruschetta, and more! After the meal we met the incredible Maria and learned how to make memorable almond cookies and cannoli. It was fun to learn about the salt making process at the salt flat museum with an engaging presentation. The lecture about Mt. Etna by volcanologist, Boris Behncke, was excellent. I made lemon fettuccine from the farm meal!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"A “wow” moment for me was the bus getting covered in ash from Mt. Etna. The driver could not see because of a thick black coating on the windshield. We had to stop five or more times to wash the windshield with buckets of water thrown up on the window in order to continue on to Lentini. Windshield wipers could not be used because they would scratch the glass. Who knew!?!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This trip was my second Rick Steve’s tour. I feel like I got a good feel for Sicily in all the important aspects. So much to see and experience and I think we touched on all of it. Bonus points for Mt Aetna spewing ash as we approached!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of the ancient ruins, temples, theatres, the telemon, mosaics. Mind boggling that the ancient people could do this and so much if it. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

As in past RS tours we've taken, the tour guides were excellent and the stops interesting. Our weeklong guide was thorough and flexible but was a bit too snarky for our tastes. The only big negative was the weather for much of the week (rain/threatening) but that obviously was no fault of RS.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visit to the contessa's palace in Palermo"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our 7th tour and there's a reason we keep coming back - the great guides, the attention to detail, the great local hotels, the comaraderie that the small group promotes

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Surprisingly, as a non-wine drinker, the visit to Benante Winery. The presentation was engaging, passionate, and informing. The buildings and grounds were gorgeous, and the meal was lovely!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Stress-free, well organized, Patricia, the tour guide was friendly, accommodating, knowledgeable, and went out of her way to help each individual. Lots of delicious food and Patricia provided great suggestions for independent meals. She helped the group negotiate crowds which maximized our enjoyment of the places visited. The local guides were all excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I really enjoyed the food. "

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

There were a number of very good experiences and some not so good. I think the weather was an unfortunate impediment. As the Sicilians we met told us, "Welcome to November." They had never experienced such dismal weather in May: rain and wind and cold. It made a difference as far as our experiences were concerned. The upside was that we saw some amazing sites and had some wonderful adventures. .Loved being on the island of Ortygia outside of Syracuse.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lunch and learning how pastries were made at La Pasticceria with Maria Grammatico That was the most fun of all. And Erice. Too bad we didn't have enough time to wander around this town."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first experience at group travel. It is definitely the way to go! Our guide, Patricia, was excellent. She made each person feel welcome and was attentive to each individual needs. She was energetic, fun and informative. We were happy with the selection of lodging and meals were very good. Local guides were very knowledgeable and informative. Rick Steve's tour took away much of the stress of travel. I will definitely sign up for another trip and recommend it to others!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Monreale Cathedral took my breath away! The brilliant depictions of bible stories done in mosaics was like no other."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour director Patricia was fantastic and the historians were very knowledgeable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Monreale Cathedral was amazing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was exceptional. We had a wonderful tour guide (Patricia) and a wonderful group of fellow travelers. The food, the sights, and the entertainment were all exceptional!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite Wow moment was going to Villa Romana del Casale. It was amazing to see the tile work at this location. You could see the story they wanted to portray of their lives and interests. I also was amazed at every view and every turn around Sicily."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The itinerary was thorough, our tour director was attentive (and fun), and the people, which is typical of a Rick Steves tour, were interesting, well traveled and made the trip enjoyable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our trip to a Contessa's palace and her engaging tour. Of course being on a volcano when it is erupting can't be ignored and gives one a great story to tell."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The mosaics inside the Cathedral at Monreale were incredible."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our very expert guild was Nancy was informative, friendly, experienced in problem solving, and perfect for our group. I have no negative remarks on the tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"No one event or place. Sicily exceeded my expectations."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Although we use Rick Steves' guidebooks every time we travel to Europe, this was our first Rick Steves tour. We had such a wonderful experience, it changed the way we will approach future travel as we got so much more out of the trip. Our guide was wonderful, we saw and learned more than we would have on our own, we still interacted with local people on our own, and we really enjoyed the other travelers on the tour. We are sold!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many, but two come to mind. One was seeing the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento - they were amazing. The other was because we packed so lightly, we had to do our laundry in Ortegia. While doing our laundry, we met the laundry's owner - a woman from Northern Italy - and talked to her about her family and her business. Another customer - a young engineer from France - also joined our conversation. Had we not had to do our laundry, we would have missed out on a great conversation!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour, excellent guide

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to count, Sicily was beautiful, the food and was amazing"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Aways busy doing something enjoyable

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The variety of history"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Amazing guide who the entire experience fun and interesting.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking up to Mt Etna in a hail storm!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Good food , new sights and adventures around every corner

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The view of the Mediterranean from Taormina "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Saw amazing places, met amazing people, and our guide was absolutely the best. We learned so much! But the best part of the tour was being guided by Nancy-she was wonderful!!! The tour was very organized and everything was smooth. Hotels were great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to list. The church in Monreale and all of Taormina stand out the most. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Good balance of local sights/tours combined with free time to explore

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina . Views were spectacular"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent overall job done by Rick and his crew. The guide was terrific, the pacing of the travel fine, the sites visited all important and interesting, the hotels comfortable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Trying to hike Mt Etna during a rain and windstorm....only to learn it erupted two days later."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was the second Rick Steves Tour my wife and I had been on, the first being Best of Tuscany in 2022, and our expectations were very high. We had already heard great things about our tour guide, Jamie Gould from our previous guide David Toirde and he was not wrong. Jamie was on top of it all and did a marvelous job showing us the best Sicily had to offer. We stayed excited as every stop. It was great to learn, see, feel and taste the wonderful things this island has to offer.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Greek Temples, Cathedral in Monreale and blow away on Mt. Etna. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

So much to see! Jamie was a great tour guide, and the expert guides really added to our experiences! The differences between each town was enjoyable. The food was incredible...and a noticeable difference between Sicilian pasta and Tuscany pasta.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Two! The cathedral in Monreal with all the mosaics! And, the Greek Temples! Loved the large stone man in the museum from Temple of Zeus!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Sicilian tour was a combination of amazing Greek ruins, incredible meals, lovely towns (especially Taormina and Ortygia) highlighted by a great guide and terrific group of fellow travelers!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The group meals, including the dinner in Agrigento, the midday feast at the farmhouse outside Syracuse and the winery meal on the base of Mt. Etna."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I travel for scenery, culture, history, food, wine and learning. Sicily has them all in abundance.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The cathedral in Monreale. 88 million fabulous tiles."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Could not have been better-great

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The time our guide took to make a personal pilgrimage come true and actually took the time to accompany us so we would have a translated "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A tour is a truly great tour when, in the middle of it, you think you would want to do it all over again and bring friends to enjoy the experience. While the itinerary of this tour is well thought out and the cadence of the daily activity is balanced, it was our guide, Jamie Blair Gould, who made it outstanding, sharing his wealth of knowledge of Sicilian history, of Italian and Greek mythology, and his enthusiasm for making our tour experience unforgettable. A fantastic and cohesive group too!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"As this was my first Rick Steves tour, realizing by the end of the first day that it would truly be a fun travel group and great guide. But a huge “wow” also applies to the special culinary experiences Jamie arranged for us. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Jamie was outstanding. Funny, very knowledgeable and made sure we all had a good time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Valley of the Temples is incredible. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jaime is a great Tour Guide! We learned so much of not only the History of Sicily but also the Culture.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

the tour was wonderful. our guide, Nancy, was Sicilian, speaking fluent English, and she made the trip. She was welcoming, had ways for us to get to know the other tour members, made sure everyone was doing well and was basically on call for us. She also talked about Sicilian history and culture, and arranged for great guides and lecturers. The trip was action-packed but we had either a free afternoon or a free evening, most days. The group meals had delicious food.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I can't choose one wow moment because there were so many. Having a personal tour by the Countess in her Palermo palazzo, cannolli lessons from Maria Grammatica, seeing the ancient ruins, the lecture by the volcanolgist near Mt. Etna, the gorgeous resort towns of Traponi and Taorima, the Monreale Cathedral, the Roman Greco outdoor theater------- it was all a wow."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We saw all the amazing sights as promised, but we also got a true feel for the culture and history of Sicily through our experiences. We were blessed with great weather which didn't hurt!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lunch near Erice on a farm. The food was amazing!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Nancy Benedetti was an exceptional guide whose knowledge, humor and warmth made for a rich, moving, and fun-filled experience of Sicily. Her vibrant personality helped build a group spirit of learning and laughter, and made for one of the best traveling groups of my nine Rick Steves’ trips! She curated our many wonderful meals and sprinkled lots of food treats along the way. Nancy provided both facts and context to help us understand and enjoy the complex and history of this magical island.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tied: Walking through Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples with Michele and cooking (and eating!) at La Pasticceria with Maria Grammatico. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was phenomenal! Nancy, our guide was top notch and the tour was amazing. The members of the group got along incredibly well. It was an amazing trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many, honestly. Every day felt like a WOW, but the day that we went to Segesta, Erice and the baking class was probably the best. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Benissimo! A well-paced, comprehensive and fun tour around Sicily, helping us understand and even live the culture ourselves.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taking boat past salt flats to tiny island of Mozia and the lovely country buffet lunch we were served in the garden. Best pasta (salad) on the trip, as well as incredible crenshaw melons and fresh fruit…and pastries of course!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jamie was a fantastic guide, my travel companions were friendly and fun, and the itinerary was well thought out.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Eating lunch at a baroness' farm. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This is our 3rd Rick Steves tour and we had a great time - the people in our tour group were all great and Jamie was a knowelegable and enthusiastic tour leader

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think seeing the religious buildings that encompassed Greek - Roman - Arabic, and Christian influences -, there was one in particular in Ortygia with Liliana - amazing"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first R Steves tour and it was eye opening! We saw sights that we would never have known to arrange for ourselves. The group was so friendly and positive, we all got along so well. To top it off our guide, Jamie, was so friendly, professional, knowledgeable with a great attention to detail! All and all it was a wonderful experience and we will be looking for more trips!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I would say the trips to the agri-cooperative for farm to table lunch, the winery and especially the lovely lunch and hands on baking experience were just some of the wow moments that made this trip so special! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Sicily is an amazing island. I loved the itinerary and all the destinations and events that we did.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Valley of the Temples. Wow, they have survived 2,500 years! Amazing to walk that site."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Best tour ever. Andrea is an awesome guide. And the different stops were all interesting and added to the history of Sicily. The food was all amazing. Wouldn"t change any of the hotels or restaurants. The old woman who was the baker was great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Since everything was awesome, I have a wow moment for Andrea. On a day that was supposed to be a "free afternoon" with lunch on your own, there was a glitch in time. Andrea was worried people wouldn,t have enough time, and he provided meatfilled pastries that were enough for anyone's lunch. Then he offered to lead people to one of the sights. And even sat with the group for wine at the sight. Most guides don't give up free time like that. He was very good at spreading time with all the group"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Andrea was a wonderful tour guide and brought Sicily alive. We took this tour 5 yrs ago and Stacey was our guide

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Valley of the Temples"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall, a great time! Andrea was a great tour guide, good tour members and interesting and beautiful locations! A few small negatives, not in RS control, but Palermo was very dirty/trashy and I didn't feel Catania added anything to the whole Sicily experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The whole Erice day was fantastic! Beautiful drive, Segesta ruins, lunch and cookie making with Maria, cool village of Erice and then gondola down to Trapani, best day ever! Taormina, Mt Etna and Ortygia are a close second, also all fabulous!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was fabulous. So many unique experiences packed into one tour! Awesome tour guide (Andrea) -- so professional and easygoing -- seamless pivoting and handling of surprises along the way. Can't say enough good things about this incredible, packed with fabulous food and fun!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"60 MPH gusts blowing us off our feet, on the side of Mt Etna -- plus being able to look at the volcano from the balcony of my room in Taormina. Just wow. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Andrea was a great overall guide; knowledgeable, friendly, funny, charming, offered up unexpected local treats. He could read the tour group well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were two: the Roman villa's mosaics and a delightful lunch in the countryside underneath olive trees."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful! Terrific guide, nice fellow travelers, great itinerary with a mix of special places and experiences, learned so much.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"No one “wow” moment. But especially loved the more “personal” touches of meeting with Contessa Federico, Maria Grammatico, Alberto from the Salt Museum, Villa Romano"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great to be in Sicily and see the breadth of the island, not just Palermo or Catania or Taormina (which are terrific in their own riback ght). Good mix of history, architecture, food, and "back door" stuff.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Valley of the Temples without question - How? Why? When? Guide was outstanding!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour of Sicily exceeded our expectations. We learned about all the “layers” of history from the Carthaginians to WW II. The experiences, a tour of a contessa’s home, lunch at the baroness’s estate, lunch and wine tasting at a Mt. Etna winery…,were delightful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It’s hard to select one WOW moment. I really enjoyed our lunch in Erice followed by a baking lesson from Maria, a delightful woman in her eighties. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Alfredo, set the tone of our tour the moment we met him. His warm welcome to Sicily, assigning our buddy, and reviewing our itinerary, was a great introduction to the days ahead. Our group blended quickly and the first evening dinner was delicious. Walking the historic streets, visiting ancient Greek and Roman ruins, boating to the salt flats, lively farmer's markets, learning in person about Mt. Etna from a renowned volcanologist, and ending with Italy's history of WWII was memorable

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The "women of Italy" that hosted two group lunches. Maria of Erice, demonstrating her renowned pastries with help from group members. Her life was recounted detailing how personal struggles resulted in positive outcomes. Lunch followed including regional favorites and the almond cookie delights. The Countess at her working farm. I met her 10 years ago - she was as gracious and hospitable as before. We had a tasty lunch in an area built by her grandfather, including traditional foods of Sicily. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This was out ninth Rick Steves tour and they are consistently well-planned and organized to maximize your experience as visitors. We saw some amazing sights and got a close-up look at the rhythms and quirks of Sicilian culture.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The temples at Segesta and Agrigento were spectacular... but our favorite moment was probably sitting in the shade at the little cafe at the top of Taormina's amphitheater, enjoying a quiet drink while looking out over a panoramic view of the Mediterranean."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our 8th Rick Steve’s tour and this tour group was the friendliest and the quickest to “bond” of any tour we’ve been on. This made our experience traveling in Sicily with 27 new friends a real joy.. I really feel like I was immersed in Sicily during our time they’re learning so much about its incredible history and culture. It was a great experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It’s hard to pinpoint one “wow” moment ….it seemed like everyday we had a new one. The Villa Romana del Casale with its incredible mosaics preserved from the 3rd century AD was incredible. Standing on a crater at Mt Etna was surreal."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent guide and itinerary! Nice to have plentiful downtime.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Enjoyed salt harvesting tour."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful experience for our first Rick Steves Tour. Sicily is magical! Alfredo was an incredibly knowledgeable, caring guide with a great sense of humor. All the external guides were excellent. The hotels were adequate although the last one in Catania was not as clean as the others and the wifi was spotty.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I would say there were 2: Maria's pastry lesson outside Erice and the scenery in Taormina with the gorgeous sea and Mt. Etna. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Alfredo was the best. He made the tour from excellent to outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"there were "wow" moments every day, but I was very impressed with the artistry and the multiculturalism found at the Monreale Cathedral. Our local guide Jackie did a great job explaining to us the importance and uniqueness of this historic site, and there was a great balance of guided vs free time."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The guides, itinerary, food, hotels and time management were all excellent!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Meeting with the Contessa in her home in Palermo, and making pastries with Maria Grammatico"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Sicily tour was amazing. Our guide Alfredo was outstanding and the local guides enhanced our experience. I especially enjoyed learning the history of the island. The itinerary was well balanced. The food and hotels were excellent

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The luncheon feast in Erice with the pastry demonstration by Maria was definitely a highlight. Also visiting the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent guides, broad range of experiences

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Standing at the top of the Greek-Roman Theater in Taormina on a beautiful and sunny day with the coast stretching out and Mt Etna steaming away in a distance."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great itinerary to beautiful and historic places; local and tour guides were outstanding. Appreciated hotels that were an upgrade from 2022 Heart of Italy 9 days. Food and restaurants on tour were mostly excellent. Free time was about right and grateful for bus time broken up with stops. Alfredo, our tour guide was OFF THE CHARTS./ He's the main reason for outstanding rating. I'd take almost any tour where he's the guide. He made everything run smoothly and was encyclopedia of knowledge.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Ruins wherever we saw them. What we saw compared to the archaeology dig I joined in Israel. Mind-boggling to be standing next to buildings that are over 2000+ years old AND that were explained by such knowledgeable guides."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour of Sicily: Charming and knowledgeable tour leader and expert local guides, interesting “ancient” locations, great hotels that had either rooms with a view or terraces with a view, great food and getting to see how some of it was prepared, ample wine! Just the right amount of free time to explore, and a fun, friendly group of fellow travelers!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina! Waking up and finally seeing Mt. Etna without cloud cover, the 360 degree view from the hotel terrace, the town itself is lovely, BUT the well-preserved Roman amphitheater and the views from there were spectacular!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour director, Jamie, was awesome. He shared so much useful information regarding our adventures and always made it exciting. His knowledge of the area, history, culture, and local cuisine was spot on. His relationships with tour guides and restaurateurs made for some amazing food experiences and walking tours. The hotels were all great and offered filling breakfast items. Sicily is an amazing place to visit.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It is really difficult to pick one moment! My favorite “wow” moment was staying in Taormina and seeing Mt. Etna, the rooftops, and the sea from the rooftop bar. It was a special place to enjoy cocktails after walking the streets. It was towards the end of our tour so we had all become friends by that point which made it all the more special."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Jamie was a very knowledgeable guide, even if he was a Brit!. We had anticipated our guide would have been from Sicily. Days were very full historical sites. I did not have much prior knowledge of Sicily but I came home with a much better understanding of the history and very happy that I made the trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking through the museum and ruins of Agrigento was amazing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What a wonderful trip! Sicily is so very beautiful. The trip was coordinated well from beginning to end and Jamie was a great tour guide. The hotels were very good, the food excellent, and our traveling companions were great fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved the Cathedral in Ortigia and it was also my favorite city on the trip. The mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale were more than expected. Our stop at Segesta on such a beautiful day was terrific."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour with a great Guide, Jamie. His knowledge of Italy and the various cuisines made for some fun times and great eating. We were not expecting the rich cultural influences Sicily experienced through their long history, so seeing and hearing about those influences was special.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In Ortigia, seeing how the Greek temple to Athena was incorporated into a later church, thus being able to see the most complete Greek temple to-date, albeit incorporated into a Catholic church."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Sicily was a terrific tour. Jamie Gould Blair was a great guide and provided us with a wonderful history of the island. The surprise was the variety of foods (especially the fish) on this tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Three wow experiences, the Monreale Cathedral, Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples and the lovely town of Taormina."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Terrific guide, Brad McEwen, thoroughly shared historical facts and favorite sites. The tour took us to places that were very rewarding that we would have missed if we traveled alone!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina was my highlight, an elegant town on a ridge and its ancient Greco/Roman theater overlooking Naxos and Mt. Etna. We enjoyed our companions, sharing our experiences over a delightful restaurant meal, and our hotel with a rooftop view!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Enjoyed the tour very much: interesting itinerary, good food, nice mix of organized time vs. free time, great group of people, excellent guide. Palermo was a surprise: much nicer than I expected. Loved all the ruins, and especially the Villa del Casale.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"the outstanding mosaics at the Villa del Casale. We have seen many Roman mosaics but nothing as large, beautiful, well-preserved, and interesting as these."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I felt that every detail had been established; there were no glitches in transportation from site to site; meals; hotels. Our guide Bradley was superb. And I very much enjoyed all of the other travelers in our group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting Taormina; such wonderful views. And we hired a taxi to go up to the small village above which was lovely. In the city, being a fan of White Lotus, I enjoyed a Negroni at the bar of the Hotel Continental where is was filmed. We did that in our free time. I felt that the tour gave us just the right amount of time to pursue our own interest’s."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is my 6th RS tour and like the other five it did not disappoint. The travelers were fun, the food was wonderful and the tour guide was amazing. Brad's breath of knowledge about the sites and culture is mind boggling. He made the sites come alive and helped us to truly understand the Sicilians and their way of life.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For me there was no one particular "wow" moment although Easter in Sicily is spectacular. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great tour overall, happy with everything we did and saw

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful trip. Brad was an Extremely knowledgeable guide. Everything went off like clockwork. All of our companions were friendly and fun. Food was fantastic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The ancient Roman theaters we visited were amazing, all had wonderful views but my favorite was Calatafmi-Segesta. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We were so impressed with this tour! Our guide Brad was fun and informative and kept a great pace throughout the whole trip. Sicily blew our expectations out of the water and we loved learning so much about the history of the island, while also enjoying the current culture and people of Sicilia!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I will always remember my first glimpses of the cathedral at Monreale. We saw so many churches in our month in Italy, but not one compared to the stunning tile mosaic and blended religious traditions of this cathedral."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour group was composed of a terrific group of people who added immeasurably to our enjoyment of the tour experience.. Brad expertly combined the dual responsibilities of a tour leader with the joyful enthusiasm of an active participant. Everyone had a great time.while absorbing the complex history of Sicily from the Phoenicians to the present day.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The mosaics at Piazza Armerina, "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As usual for a RIck Steves tour, it was well organized and full of a variety of activities. It was a very active tour and was a good test of my ability to walk, climb stairs and get around steep streets. The delicious food, wine and gelato opportunities were abundant. Our tour guide Brad was very personable and knowledgeable and our bus driver Angelo was a driving genius. The tour group had a nice variety of personalities and prior experiences.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The mosaic covered cathedral in Monreale. Stunning!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Oh, just go! It was amazing! 6 hotels in 10 days, our guide was fantastic and the food, sights and sounds of Sicily are not to be missed!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The views from Erice, completely unexpected and WOW!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed Sicily . We have taken multiple Rick Steeves tours, and this was one of our favorites. We had a great tour group. Alfredo was a wonderful guide. He was warm, knowledgeable and interactive. We thoroughly enjoyed the food, history and the panoramic views.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were So many WOW moments! Walking up Mount Etna, The Cathedral of Monreale, The Easter celebration parade in Trapani and Greek and Roman Antiquities. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was fantastic. Our guide, Alfredo, was outstanding. Sicily was a destination I had always wanted to experience and it did not disappoint. With Alfredo's help, we not only saw the major antiquity sites but achieved a better appreciation of what they represented and the history associated with them. Sicily's natural beauty was striking and the fact that Sicilians really appreciate the importance of good food didn't hurt either.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Good Friday procession in Trapani was a once in a lifetime experience. It was simply amazing, words cannot do it justice so that's all I have to say about that."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Wonderful

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mt Etna"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As we complete our 5th tour with “Rick,” we find ourselves thinking that the quality remains excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Studying the amazing craftsmanship of the workers all over Sicily who adorned the walls and floors, columns, doors and did so with rudimentary tools was mind-blowing. The two examples I offer are twin columns in the Monreale cloister and tile mosaics at Villa Romana Del Casale"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was all outstanding. I can’t say enough about the level of planning that must of gone into it that made it so seamless for s.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The meals provided by Rick. The venues were unbelievable."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great tour and people

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tavormina...and the hotel. The Continental. Deck had a view of the water and Mount Etna. Beautiful"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Sicily is an incredible place to visit and thanks to the Rick Steves tour, I saw so many fascinating and fun spots, learned so much history and enjoyed fantastic food and wine.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Loved walking up Mt. Etna, the Greek ruins and interacting with the friendly locals."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first tour with any company, ever. We saw so much more and with much less stress.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Many but, taormina was stunningly beautiful. Being there with the 360 views was great. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great group with no grumps who appreciated the Rick Steves way of traveling. Our guide, Fredrico, was enthusiastic, entertaining, informative and knowledgeable. Sicily was perfect.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Good Friday procession in Trapani! Even being woken up in our hotel at 3 am with a snare drum dirge."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Amazing

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Misteri in Trapani, -Taormina"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What a joyful experience. My wife was more optimist at the start than me . The Sicilian tour was a well designed adventure in all its components. With a mix of cultural activities, experienced guides, comfortable accommodations, ease of travel and variety of meals, each day was a delight.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The visits to Palazzo Federico and Catania farm. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Well organized. I liked the chornological review of the history and tying it all togerher. Alfredo was great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"wild flowers at Segesta and Mozia and the dogs at Mozia. Easter procession in Trapani"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour exceeded our expectations. While the weather was cool and wet for a few days, I did not dampen the enthusiasm of our guide Alfredo and the 29 travellers who were excited to be back travelling. The sights, food and the congeniality of the people was outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were a lot of great memories provided but my WOW moment was hiking up to the high crater on Mt Etna. The views were great"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Easter was such a lovely time to be in Sicily. Enjoyed the diversity of the itinerary from history and the spectacular temples to seeing the mosaics in the churches. Watching the puppet show and listening to the volcanologist were surprising enjoyable moments. Beautiful scenery, amazing food, good wine and a great guide and tour members made the trip so much fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Mount Etna in all her glory from the balcony of our hotel was my favourite WoW moment but the visit and lunch at the agriturismo on Easter Sunday was also very special. And then, there was the Misteri di Trapani procession of floats on Good Friday which was a once in a lifetime experience WOW!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A tour packed full of wonderful experiences with a group of 29 new friends.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Good Friday processional in Trapani. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tommaso was a great guide, I enjoyed his stories and his knowledge and his engagement with the group. There was a lot of great tour guides at all the sites, and lots of free time. The guides, along with Tommaso, really brought all of the diverse and complex history and culture of Sicily alive. While I would have loved another hour at the ancient Greek temple sites, for the most part there was usually plenty of time to explore all the cities and towns we stayed in.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Greek Temples of Agrigento, Segesta and the Villa Romana del Casale were all truly amazing. And along with the Mt Etna winery - these were THE top wow moments I was hoping for and they all delivered. I would have loved a bit more time at all of them. The country side hotel across from Agrigento was also the best hotel of the tour and worthy of the leisurely afternoon, happy hour, and dinner. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Sicily is a work in progress, both for its people and for RSE. Portions of downtown Palermo look unlivable and need redevelopment. Places like Monreal, Trapani and Taormina are equal to or more interesting than what I have seen on 12 other RSE tours.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Greek temples at Segesta, Agrigento, and Roman mosaics at Romana del Casale."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I felt that there was a great attention to detail which made things go smoothly. We loved our guide, Tommaso and our driver, Giuseppe, and all the other city guides who joined us. It was clear that a lot of effort went into making this a great experience, which it was.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Meeting and baking with Maria Grammatico. Hands down. I've loved her from afar for years and meeting her and speaking with her was just the most fantastic thing!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was incredible. It’s the perfect mix of activities and free time. Tomasso was great, we really enjoyed his stories on the bus.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This is very hard to decide. Probably Etna, but so many wow moments."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

All of it surpassed my expectations

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our amazing tour guide and the personal experiences we had ,be it with a Sicilian Contessa or a cooling lesson with a culinary queen!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very well-organized and executed tour - full of interesting places, people, food, activities, and stories. I would recommend this tour to anyone. Tommaso is an exquisite guide to spend the time with. Forever grateful for his enthusiasm about regional history and the role of Sicily in the time before D-Day as explained at the museum in Catania. Sure, the food and scenery were great, too.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Believe it or not, sitting in the simulated bomb shelter in the museum at Catania, and thinking about Ukraine. All brought to my attention by a visit to an unexpected place."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

A well thought out tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our tour guide just made the whole experience so much better. He made Sicily come alive for all of us. "

To begin with, this was our first Rick Steve's tour and we will be touring this way again in the near future. We appreciated all the information prior to the tour so we were aware of how many miles we would be walking and the importance of proper clothing in case it was cold or raining. The cities, sites, and experiences were wonderful memories to take home. We valued the knowledge of our tour guide Tommaso and all the local tour guides insights.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Honestly, there were many "Wow" moments! A summary would be the Contessa welcoming our travel group into her home, baking with Maria Grammatico (as my father was a baker), and watching Easter celebrations in Trapani! I felt like a guest of honour when we were invited to enjoy a meal at the many venues. I loved the gardens, particularly the wisteria that was in bloom!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was our first RS tour and so our expectations were modest; we'd just viewed some comments from other folks in the web forum. Every aspect exceeded our expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wife and I had a lot of 'wow' moments, hard to pick a favorite. Maybe it was the experience both dining and sleeping at Agrigento's Baglio della Luna boutique hotel. Or maybe it was times we got to enjoy Tamasso at our dinner table during the tour."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I thought it was a marvelous experience. Andrea was a very thoughtful and considerate guide who has emotional intelligence which is off the charts. The accommodations were very nice and the local guides somewhere extremely knowledgeable and approachable. For the most part, the food was very good, and I appreciated the guidance that Andrea provided about where to eat out on our own. I marveled at the way Rick Steve’s found and cultivated the venues that we’re off the beaten track

Favorite "WOW" moment

" I loved the history, and the deep dive into the different empires, that conquered and ruled Sicily. If I had one suggestion, it might be to provide a bit more context and historical background so that folks can understand how these different civilizations influenced and succeed one another"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Excellent tour; Andrea was an outstanding guide

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lunch at Maria’s near Erice"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

An amazing tour with so many wonderful surprises, it was magical!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The salt harvesting and island of Mozia. Such an unusual experience to learn about harvesting salt and then to visit such a small island with so much history. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour consistently moved, and a very good vacation style pace. Everything on the itinerary was interesting and all the locations were fabulous. The reason I give the tour an outstanding rating is because of Andrea. Andrea made this tour extra special at every moment he is an excellent knowledgeable guide. His demeanor is delightful. And his communication and management skills are excellent. The included meals exceeded my expectations., they were delicious and the venues were all great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina was spectacular and the Roman Greek theater is in an incredible site to see. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

While the architecture of major cities is always a highlight for me, the mix of urban and somewhat remote sites really added to my enjoyment of this tour. I especially enjoyed the stops at Mt Etna, the winery and Maria Grammatico's. Hotels were acceptable and well located though the quality of the rooms within them varied greatly between tour members. None of the breakfasts were outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have visited dozens of cathedrals throughout Europe, but the precision of the mosaics at Monreale and their Arabic influences really stood out. And the storytelling of the mosaic floor in the great hall at Villa Romana del Casale was exceptional."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved that places we visited, the hotels, the guide, and the food and culture.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being in ancient places and recognizing how we haven't changed in many ways and how we are evolving."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Splendid on so many levels: guide knowledge, ease of transport between cities, choice of hotels, sights seen……I wouldn’t change one thing

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into the Cathedral in Monreale and looking up at the millions of mosaic tiles"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Roman mosaics at Villa Romans del Casale"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Tour was well planned. Lunches and dinners were outstanding.

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I’ve never been on any tours before. I was very happy with the itinerary and the leader. Everyone in the group were very friendly, inclusive and fun-loving. Very positive energy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were a few. I especially liked the countryside hotel following the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento.. I would have loved to have had a little more time to relax there. Lunch at the farm was a treat as well as the winery visit. Taormina was especially thrilling, despite our one day of some rain, which didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirits."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This trip had a lot of Wow moments. Agrigento, Mt Etna and Taormina were some of my favorite places."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great guide and lovely group of fellow travelers; Hotels with rooftop terraces in convenient locations and some unique travel experiences were most appreciated.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The lunch feast and baking class at the Erice mountain top cooking facility of baker Maria Grammatico. Views of snow-covered Mount Etna from our hotel rooftop patio in Taormina."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first Rick Steves tour and I was impressed! Every detail was cared for and there were wonderful extras and surprises!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Climbing Mount Etna, it was a humbling moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

our trip to Sicily was wonderful. We saw so many amazing things. Having expert guidance and planning takes the pressure and confusion off. We were able to relax, see and learn, and eat incredibly delicious local food.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many but the churches were amazing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great time with great people

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mt Etna"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We loved this tour! Interesting, fun activities every day, lovely scenery (and weather), and the city guides and tour guide were interesting, knowledgeable, and organized. Tour exceeded our expectations and was a wonderful experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many! Seeing the mosaics in the cathedral in Monreale and crossing the lagoon to Mozia Island in the sunshine are two great moments."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I really enjoyed this (my 6th) tour. We had a great guide, nice bus and driver, good meals, lots of wine and a great bunch of fellow travelers. I felt the tour was a few days too short. I, and others, felt rushed.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were some “wow” meals. The lunch feast at the agriturismo was varied and delicious. The dinner at our hotel Baglio dela Luna was also incredible, due to the wait staff. They were accommodating and entertaining. But the event that blew me away was seeing Montreal Cathedral. I’m not a church person, and I’d already seen the Norman palace in Palermo, which was gorgeous, but Monreale was captivating beyond any church I’d ever seen. The mosaics covered every surface and were stunning."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my 6th RS tour and overall it was a very good tour of Sicily. There is a lot of history to covered as Sicily being at the cross roads of many sea routes in the Med led to it constantly being invaded. Donald our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable on all the history and was a great source of information. The food was very good and my favorite part was wine included in all the meals. There was a lot of history to be cover in to short a period of time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moment was the tour of the salt flats and the island of Mozia. Loved the history of making salt and how import it was in ancient times. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The itinerary was excellent with great exposure to a variety of different experiences in Sicily. Patricia, our tour leader, provided both an orderly and fun experience. She also handled problems with apparent ease.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Temple of Zeus is just one of the many WOW moments, but maybe the most outstanding."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great overall view of Sicily. I felt like we experienced the food, the culture, the history and the people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It was seeing some the church statues at the Church of Purgatory in Trapani. Patricia had suggested this and we were able to walk through the church just before the music and everything started in the square in front at 6 PM. Being a part of that local celebration/event was very special."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Patricia Avolio and Massimo (bus driver) were excellent. Communication, organization, leadership, respectfulness, balance between assisting, accomodation and handling individual tour members need’s were well done. Communicated timing of each days tour kept us on schedule.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Portafino"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Trip was well planned out and our guide was very helpful, pleasant and humorous.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our tour of the temples near Agrigento along with our overnight stay was impressive."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We had a great tour quide, who bent over backwards to be helpful and supportive. I was also impressed with the knowledge and presentation of local guides. The group consisted of friendly and interesting people. This was our first Rick Steeves trip and we will likely do another.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many, but I think sharing the experience with others added to the overall experience."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was wonderful! Our guide, Virginia, was so nice and knowledgeable. All of the local guides were outstanding. The hotels were great, and the meals were varied snd delicious. This tour was very generous with the wine, which was appreciated! We learned so much about Sicily. Had no idea there was so much unique history, culture and food in Sicily!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to choose, but I was really wowed by the sheer volume and beauty of the mosaics at Romana del Casale and my husband was impressed with the size and majesty of Mount Etna."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

the tour guides were experts in their subject and delivered with enthusiasm and energy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Was to see the astonishing mosaic in Monreale"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had a wonderful time because the tour was well-organized, guides were deeply knowledgeable, and there were special experiences (tour of contessa’s home in Palermo, visit to salt-making windmill, almond cookie making in Erice, etc) that I would not have had on my own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It’s hard to pick one: the views on bus ride to Erice, and stepping off the bus to the crisp Alpine-like air; the view from the theater to to the temple in Segesta; the terrace at hotel in Palermo and Taormina."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The view from the terrace at the Continental Hotel in Taormina. It was incredibly beautiful"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was well-organized by Rick Steves Europe & expertly-run by our guide Virginia. As a native Italian who had spent two decades in the US, Virginia was the ideal 'host' for our group of Americans with much travel experience. She was warm, funny, & smart, & provided a dazzling array of services & support to make the trip memorable. The itinerary was thoughtful and provided plenty of diverse, educational and entertainining experiences that gave us a thorough first encounter with Sicily.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Palermo's cathedrals & mosaics, the soaring heights of Erice and salt flats of Trapani, the Greek temples at Segesta & Agrigento, Roman mosaics at P. Armerina, intimacy of Ortygia and Taorima, and amazing Mt. Aetna. Plus great food & drink, multiple 'trinacria', fish markets, Sicilian people. Honestly: EVERYTHING."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I like the guided portion of the tour and bring allowed free time to explore

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina and hiking up to castelmona and hiking down to isle Bella. (Spelling is questionable on my part)"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Tour Guide, Virginia was personal, knowledgeable and attentive. I'm unable to eat Gluten and GF meals and snacks were provide. All my questions were answered and made traveling easy and fun!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The entire tour, guide, area and individuals in our Group"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Virginia was one of our best guides of the 7 we have been on. Tour coverage, information, helpfulness, attitude by Virginia was superb. The locations we visited and the local guides were also excellent. I was surprised by the hotels were it was recommended to NOT drink the water one hotel provided water at no charge while another (the 2nd location) charged us. That was disappointing

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The hillside terrace hotel and hiking in Taormina"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Donald as a good guide, the sites and pace were good balance of structure and free time, good group restaurants and hotels.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Ortigia Island: the blend of everything great about Sicily. Close 2nd: Taormina only because of the views."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The smaller towns and villages we explored were wonderful. The big cities (Palermo and Catania) were noisy, dirty, full of graffiti, and generally unfriendly. We felt the need to confine ourselves to a very small part of these cities near our hotels. The smaller towns, especially Taormina, Monreale, Erice, and Agrigento were peaceful and clean. Wonderful sites to visit. Good options for dining and exploring the towns.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Norman Palace in Palermo, visit to Mt Etna, Benanti Winery tour, and the views from the hotel in Taormina"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful group of people on our tour, exceptional guides, and an engaging itinerary.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"When we went to Maria Grammatico's place and saw the incredible antipasto spread. Wow! Then helping make cookies and cannolis. Close second was Valley of the Temples."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide was Donald who seamlessly made sure every aspect of our tour flowed perfectly. That takes a lot of skill and was very impressive, Sicily is amazingly beautiful with an interesting history, and I think this tour struck the perfect balance not to overwhelm while showing us Sicily. We had great local tour guides, The hotels were nice, and we were blessed with a really really good bus driver, Giuseppe.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Very hard to choose, but I think the views from our hotel terrace in Taormina were my "wow" moment. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our third RS tour, and all have been excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Several."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a great tour led by a great guide who ensured that myself and 27 other great vacationers had one of the best tours ever!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wife's lineage from grandparents back was pure Sicilian, so watching her experience some of her heritage was my favorite. Especially when I told Chef Nino at the Erice cookie making stop that my wife was Nina and Sicilian and they had a great interaction together."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Terrific tour with a lot of enjoyable and like-minded travel companions. It’s hard to believe how much we saw in eleven days, yet it didn’t feel rushed. Our tour leader, Donald, was outstanding, as were the local guides. The accommodations were all good, and the food was exceptional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the explosion of baroque detail in the Chiesa del Gesu in Palermo."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall this was a great value and fantastic tour. We loved Sicily! The history, food, geographical beauty and culture make this a must destination.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mt Etna covered in snow with steam coming out the top. Just beautiful."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The guide was delightful, the food fabulous, the other tour members so much fun, and the story of Sicily was enchanting and so interesting.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Loved "making" the cookies with the delightful Chef Nino. We laughed, tasted, and felt a part of the real culture."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My preconceptions of Sicily were completely transformed by this tour. I had been to Italy several times, but never Sicily. I thought of it as hot, barren, rocky, and uncomfortable due to its Mafia reputation. Through the eyes our of main guide and the local guides, Sicily became a beautiful island full of abundant produce, mountains, olive and almond groves, wineries, fresh air city markets bustling with color and sound, and historic temples and antiquities dating back more than 2500 years.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I tried writing about just one, but these are equally compelling: the people on the tour were WOW (all were terrific), certain duomos and certain ancient temples were WOW (especially the Valley of Temples), sunsets on the terraces of hotels were WOW, the open air markets were WOW (a carton of strawberries for 1 Euro!), our guide, Nina, was WOW in every way."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was amazing. Not only did we see Sicily we got expert guides through the entire tour, but plenty of free time to spend as we wished. It was very balanced.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many! Seeing the ruins and the amazing beauty of the country. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Nina was amazing! She put everyone at ease and answered all of our questions. She has a great grasp of them history and culture of Sicily.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everything was a wow. The landscape was beautiful and the extra events, the cooking demos, the puppet show and meals, were something so special. Also, our local guides were exceptional."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a wonderful tour with amazing history, interesting cities and archaeological visits, great food, and fun experiences (like baking cookies with Maria). Nina was a terrific guide!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Amazement at seeing so many structures and archaeological finds that originated hundreds of years BC. But also really loved the lunch and baking with Maria, and the visit to Mount Etna and the winery after. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a fantastic tour. March is a great time to visit Sicily. The weather was great and it wasn't crowded. Nina, our tour guide, was terrific!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many wow moments, but the cathedral at Monreale was pretty amazing. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour experience. Sicily is an interesting part of Italy and Italy is an interesting part of Europe.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The ancient temple at Segesta."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was excellent. Nina was a great guide. We had wonderful local guides. Each day was packed with activities, lots of variety. We had a fun group of fellow tour members.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My "wow" moment was Ancient Agrigento: Valley of the Temples and the archeological museum. We had just visited Greece in 2022 and this was great for comparison."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A very interesting tour- lots of good sites and things to see, fun people interactions with local guides and cooks, excellent tour guiding by Nina- always on top of things & funny to boot, nice travel companions, enjoyable walking every day, comfortable bus, good itinerary with enough free time, and last but not least, good food.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mt. Etna was pretty stunning; salt pans were quite interesting; greek temples were awsome. no single "wow" moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first tour of any type and I was ambivalent. I've travelled a lot, but some health issues have slowed me down in the past few years. This was incredible fun and I plan to take other Rick Steves tours.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Absolutely the lunch and baking demonstration. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Wonderful relaxed and informative tour. The scenery was often spectacular, the history was immensely interesting, and the tour meals were great. I rated it Very Good instead of Outastanding because I think there was too much "Vacation from Your Vacation time".

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Meeting Chief Maria Grammatico and enjoying her cooking demonstration and the wonderful lunch her staff prepared for us."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great time! Virginia was a fantastic guide and every place was interesting

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Monreale was amazing"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything on this tour was amazing. Our Tour Director, Virginia was outstanding

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The experience in Erice. The lunch and cookie making with Maria was a great memory."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves tour and we could not have been happier! I loved every bit of Sicily and our tour leader, Virginia, helped make all the details of travel smooth as could be. Most of all, the trip was FUN!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everyday was an adventure for sure!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tour exceeded expectations! We have traveled in Europe for decades, always making our own reservations/plans, so this was our first group tour. Have used RS books for years and like the way he travels. It was nice to leave the driving and planning to someone else. There was a good balance between personal time and group time. Really liked the expert guides/speakers. Liked the restaurants and hotels. Very much enjoyed the group. And loved our guide, Virginia! She was exceptional!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many Wow moments! Mt. Etna was #1 - walking it and always seeing it once we reached the east coast. The day we left, we actually saw some smoke coming from it. The Roman Villa uncovered about 25 years ago was amazing! Of course, all the ruins were impressive. Climbing the mountain to reach Erice and enjoy cooking class was awesome! The view was stunning! Our bus driver, Massimo dealt with hairpin turns so skillfully! A friend asked if I had taken pictures from airplane!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

My impression was the tour exceeded my expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Segesta"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The history with the visual representation was impressive.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The fact that the structures are still standing and in use after hundreds of years. They are truly construction marvels."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guides were outstanding they went above and beyond to enhance our travel experience

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The views in Taormina were so beautiful I have never seen anything like it before!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Over the past 20 years, I have used Rick Steves' books to plan previous trips which have been invaluable. Sicily was my first escorted trip and it did not disappoint. Our knowledgeable tour guide Tommaso provided clear instructions from the first night and to last. Every tour guide in the towns and sites provided excellent information and background enhancing our experience. Overall the trip exceeded my expectations and I would definitely sign up for another one.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visit to Mt Etna. It was a clear day with snow on the mountain. There were tons of people enjoyed sledding and making snowman. Luckily our group was able to walk around the crater and marvel at the views. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first time experience with a Rick Steves’ tour.It surpassed my expectations.Many years of expertise in travel was clearly evident in every aspect of the Sicily tour. .Communication,Organization,Knowledge and Enthusiasm of our guide(s) created an unforgettable experience for all of us.I I felt transported through history and submerged in a culture.It was awesome!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"On our walking tour of Taormina,we seemed to almost “happen “upon the other worldly Greek ruins high above the town.In themselves a marvel but the location offering the most awesome views of the town and coastline.Indescribable beauty."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was one of the best trips I've ever taken. What's not to love about Sicily--the food, the scenery! My fellow travelers were great fun. Probably the most physically demanding of the tours I've taken, but I'm glad to say I handled it with no problems.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Just about everything was a wow, but the city of Taormina was one of my overall favorite places. Stunningly beautiful. Tomasso, our guide was able to schedule a boat ride in the bays, for those of us interested. One of the local boat tour operators took us out, even though it was prior to boat season. We were on the second Sicily RS Tour of the season, so it was early Feb. 26-March 8th."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved it! Loved my guide, Tommaso and the length of trip and format. Buddy check a great idea.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Cooking cannoli with Maria but also really loved our meeting with the contessa."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We enjoyed the tour guides and the cities we visited. Tomasso, our guide was very knowledgable and gave us great information throughout the trip. Most of the rooms we stayed in were clean and basic, with the exception of Catania. The hotel there was very dirty and in a terrible neighborhood. Disappointed in our last night. Thought there were too many bathroom breaks and silly stops. Would have rather seen more sites than get another coffee at a cafe, which is followed by another bathroom break.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Had 2 wow moments: (1-) Greek Theatre of Syracuse and (2) Taormina Greek theatre "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As far as I'm concerned, a Rick Steves tour is the gold standard. This is our second Rick Steves tour, and both have exceeded our expectations. The tour guides are educated, experienced and solicitous. The hotels provide both a great local experience but are also modern enough to meet our expectations. The food is varied and plentiful. The free time to explore on our own is a important for those of us who want to get closer to the culture. Overall: An excellent experience!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For me personally, the lunch and "class" with Maria Grammatico was the most emotional part of the tour. Maria reminded me so much of my grandmother who emigrated from Sicily in 1908."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Way beyond expectations in terms of food, stays, convenience and sights.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It is a cumulative "wow" of all that we could see in the short period of the tour."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We've self guided in past using RS books, this was first guided tour and it met my expectations and some areas exceeded.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking among the Greek temples in Agrigento."