• Palermo, Sicily, Italy
    Palermo
  • Hilltop Erice
  • Windmills in Trapani, Sicily, Italy
    Trapani Salt Pans
  • Temple of Concordia, Agrigento, Sicily, Italy
    Agrigento
  • Villa Romana del Casale mosaic, Piazza Armerina, Sicily, Italy
    Villa Romana del Casale
  • Siracusa, Sicily, Italy
    Syracuse
  • sicily-mini.jpg
    Sicilian Puppet Theatre
  • Taormina and Mt. Etna at dusk, Sicily, Italy
    Mt. Etna from Taormina
  • Sicilian Wine Tasting

Tour Questions? See our FAQ | Email [email protected]

Best of Sicily in 11 Days Tour

from $2,995 per person + air

Single Supplement $575

See Dates & Prices

Rick Steves' most exotic tour in Italy will immerse you in the distinctive culture, cuisine, and history of Sicily — including Palermo, Taormina, Agrigento, Syracuse, Catania, and more! On this island adventure, your Rick Steves guide will introduce you to the hearty welcome and home cooking of a Sicilian family farm, the steamy power of Mount Etna, Italy's brightest pottery and boldest wines, Europe's most amazing ancient Greek ruins, and slow sunsets from picture-perfect seaside villages. Join us for the Best of Sicily in 11 Days!

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Dates & Prices

2024

What's Included

You'll get at least 21 group sightseeing events — at no extra cost!

Here's what you'll see and do on our Best of Sicily tour:

  • Palazzo Federico
  • Palermo walking tour
  • Monreale Cathedral and Cloister
  • Segesta
  • Trapanese food tasting
  • Sicilian pastry lesson
  • Erice
  • Trapani orientation
  • Marsala salt flats boat cruise (weather permitting)
  • Mozia Island
  • Valley of the Temples
  • Agrigento Archeological Museum
  • Villa Romana del Casale
  • Ortygia walking tour
  • Puppet theater performance
  • Winery visit and tasting
  • Mount Etna volcanologist talk
  • Taormina orientation
  • Taormina's Teatro Greco
  • Museo dello Sbarco (WWII)
  • Catania orientation

Plus you'll get all this, too.

  • A small, friendly group of 24–28 people — half the size of most tour groups
  • Full-time services of a professional Rick Steves guide and local experts who will make the fascinating history, art, and culture of Sicily come alive for you
  • All group transportation from Palermo to Catania
  • 10 nights' accommodations in memorable, centrally located hotels
  • All breakfasts and 5 other meals
  • All tips for guides and driver
  • A tour kit including a guidebook (when available) and a moneybelt
  • Guaranteed tour price, locked in the moment you make your deposit
  • Tour alum discount of $50 for each tour you've taken with us
  • Flexibility should you need to transfer or cancel your tour

Fine print: You are responsible for the cost of your drinks and free-time sightseeing. See our Tour Conditions for important details regarding everything listed above.

Group sightseeing events subject to change.

Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to Sicily

We'll gather at our hotel in Palermo at 3 p.m. for a welcome meeting. Then we'll begin our Sicilian adventure by joining a contessa for a personal tour of her family's home, the Palazzo Federico. We'll end our evening getting to know one another at a "Welcome to Sicily" dinner together.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. No bus. Sleep in Palermo.

Day 2: Palermo and Monreale

We'll meet our local guide and take a walking tour of Palermo and its colorful, bustling Ballaró street market — all spiced with an evocative whiff of Africa. Then we'll greet our driver and hop aboard our coach bound for the hill-topping town of Monreale — renowned for its Arab-flavored cathedral that blends Byzantine, Arab, Jewish, Gothic, and Norman traditions, heritage, and art. We'll tour the cathedral's interior of glittering, golden mosaics as well as the story-telling columns of the cloister. After lunch, we'll return to Palermo, where you'll be free to explore more of this exciting, energetic city and discover a tucked-away trattoria for dinner on your own.

Strenuous walking: 2–8 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. Bus: 1 hour. Sleep in Palermo.

Day 3: Ancient Segesta and Mountaintop Erice

This morning we'll head toward the island's western coast, stopping at the ancient Greek site of Segesta to meander through its magnificent Doric temple and hilltop theater. Then we'll continue to the enchanting medieval mountaintop town of Erice. Believed by Romans to be the home of Venus, Erice eventually evolved into a center for Christian convents and home to heavenly pastries (which we'll learn about and taste). This afternoon we'll enjoy a tasty lunch that includes the region's specialties — sun-dried tomatoes, Castelvetrano olives, and Marsala wine — before making our way to today's final destination: seaside Trapani, where we'll take an orientation walk and set you free for the evening.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 3 hours. Sleep in Trapani.

Day 4: Salt Harvesting and Seaside Trapani

Today we'll drive down to the Trapani salt pans — a coastal wetland and nature reserve where sea salt has been harvested for nearly 3,000 years. We'll tour the Phoenician island of Mozia and learn about this bygone civilization. Then our guide will teach us the history and process of salt harvesting as we tour the area by boat. You'll be free to spend the rest of your day exploring the seaside town of Trapani. Find that perfect terrace, savor your favorite aperitivo, and watch the sun slowly dip into the sea.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 2 hours. Boat: 1 hour. Sleep in Trapani.

Day 5: Ancient Agrigento and Country Living

This morning we'll take a magical history tour through the ruins of Agrigento, one of the richest of the Greek colonies and a thriving democracy 2,500 years ago. We'll focus on Agrigento's Valley of the Temples — the largest, best-preserved collection of ancient Greek buildings outside of Greece itself — and tour its archeological museum. This afternoon we'll head to our tranquil countryside hotel. You'll have time to soak in the view before tonight's dinner together.

Strenuous walking: 2–8 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. Bus: 3 hours. Sleep near Agrigento.

Day 6: Roman Mosaics and Syracuse

Sicily was also colonized by the Romans, which we'll learn about at today's first destination, the Villa Romana del Casale. Here we'll spend much of our morning surrounded by the world's richest and most colorful collection of Roman mosaics — including the time-bending "bikini girls" mosaic. On the road again, we'll stop to visit a working farm and meet its owner, followed by a midday feast. Then it's on to Syracuse. This evening we'll take a walk through the city's historic old town on the island of Ortygia.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 4 hours. Sleep on the island of Ortygia.

Day 7: Syracuse, Past and Present

This morning we'll learn more about Ortygia and take a closer look at this small fishing island. We'll explore the local market, stroll through centuries in the Cathedral of Syracuse, and marvel at the masterpiece of the Piazza del Duomo. This afternoon we'll enjoy a lively performance of Sicily's traditional puppet theater, where the language is no barrier to entertainment. Then the rest of the day is yours to wander through Syracuse's delightful jumble of Greek, Roman, medieval, and Baroque layers — or settle on a quiet park bench with a harbor view.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. No bus. Sleep on the island of Ortygia.

Day 8: Mount Etna, Wine, and Taormina

We'll begin our day with a short drive up the coast to Catania, where we'll take in breathtaking views of Mount Etna while learning more about the volcano with a spirited presentation by one of the University of Catania's volcanologists. Next, we'll visit a winery on the slopes of the mountain, where we'll enjoy a tour through the vineyards and taste some of Sicily's deservedly famous wine before heading to Taormina. After we check into our hotel, we'll take a neighborhood orientation walk. This evening, join in the local passeggiata to feel the pulse of Sicilian culture, then find the ideal people-watching spot to enjoy your gelato and dinner on your own.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 3 hours. Sleep in Taormina.

Day 9: Seductive Taormina

This morning we'll tour Taormina's remarkably situated ancient Greek theater, which is still used today for open-air performances. This afternoon you're free to luxuriate in this cliffhanging, Old World resort town. Wander through its elegant gardens, posh cafés, and shops; ride a cable car down to the beach; or explore the nearby mountain top village of Castelmola. Any way you slice it, you'll have a ringside seat to savor il dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing), Sicilian style. This evening we'll meet up for a Sicilian pizza dinner together.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. No bus. Sleep in Taormina.

Day 10: Colorful Catania

This morning we're off to Catania, nestled at the foot of Mount Etna, where we'll tour the Museum of the WWII 1943 Landings in Sicily (Museo dello Sbarco). We'll learn how nearly a year before D-Day, Allied troops found themselves fighting against — and at the same time liberating — their Italian adversaries. After a brief neighborhood orientation, you're free to wander through Catania's famous fish market, admire the Baroque architecture of the grand Piazza del Duomo, or enjoy people-watching in one of the city's many cafés. We'll gather together tonight to say arrivederci, share travel memories, enjoy the freshest Sicilian food, and toast to new friends. Salute!

Light walking: 2–4 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. Bus: 3 hours. Sleep in Catania.

Day 11: Tour Over After Breakfast

Breakfast is provided, but there are no group activities today. It's a breeze to reach Catania's airport by taxi or shuttle bus. Your guide will help you with any post-tour planning, leaving you well prepared for the road ahead. Grazie e ciao!

Itinerary specifics subject to change.

Physical Demands

Our tours are physically active! It's an essential part of the Rick Steves tour experience. On our Best of Sicily in 11 Days tour — among other things — you'll need to happily…

  1. Carry/roll your luggage over uneven pavement (possibly several blocks) and up stairways to reach your hotel, then up several flights of stairs to reach your room.
  2. Be on your feet, walking and standing, for up to three hours, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions.
  3. Sleep with street noise and no (or weak) air conditioning.
  4. After orientation and transportation lessons, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own.
  5. Scramble around ancient sites with rocky paths and slippery stairs.

Reviews

Mary

Tour: 03/05/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour is well planned and led by experts on Sicily. Our guide Andrea was fantastic! So many unique experiences were included all along our journey through time. Loved it all.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Oh so many, it’s hard to choose. I truly enjoyed our tour through Siracusa, with the local guide. I had just been there 4 months earlier and did not know what I was looking at. The guide brought light to the city’s history and showed us areas (the underground tunnels), I did not know to visit. The big wow in Siracusa is the duomo’s architectural history."

Kathy

Tour: 03/05/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Loved Sicily! Enjoyed the locations visited and the knowledge of the local guides who informed us about the various sites

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The views in Taormina! So beautiful and stunning!"

Catherine

Tour: 03/05/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very well organized with time for exploring, hiking and shopping, including walks along shorelines, markets and hidden gems. The restaurants and street food was amazing. The food and wine served at our group activities was superb. The choice of local guides made each day a fresh and energizing experience! Their love for their country was very passionate!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several WOW moments/ stories that is all about the history and beauty of Sicily "

Gene

Tour: 03/05/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Andrea has been one of our favorites tour guides. Everything was so well organized and no glitches or unexpected experiences.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing some sites that on our own we might have missed. Having a great day at the terrace seeing mt etna with snow. That was the perfect hotel for mt etna. "

Heather

Tour: 03/05/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour to Sicily exceeded our expecations. It was a very active tour and we visited places we would never have been able to book on our own. Our guide Andrea was fantastic. He was just the right amount of warm accommodation and professionalism, not to mention his vast knowledge of the region. Having Cecilia training with him provided us with even more support and perspective. It always amazing us what great people we meet on Rick Steve tours.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For me my favourite wow moments often had to do with food. Being a celiac, travelling often leaves me worried whether I'm going to be able to experience local foods. Andrea has personal experience with eating GF and there was not one time that I had to worry. In fact he went out of his way to find gluten free variations of all the the local foods - Arancini, cannoli, pizza, even street foods! Other wow moments would be opening up the blinds first morning in Taormina and looking an Mt. Etna!!"

James

Tour: 03/05/24

Overall rating: rating 2 of 5

I have done many land bus tours with travel groups. This was an average trip. I always use the RS Books and Podcasts as a supplement during my free time on other trips but I could not do that for this trip since the guides pretty much follow the book.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The number of civilizations, from 700 BC to 2000 that fought for and won rights on the island."

Karen

Tour: 03/05/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We toured Sicily with Andrea and Cecelia and 25 fellow travelers. It was wonderful!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking out on the rooftop deck at the hotel in Taormina and seeing My Etna and the surrounding scenery. It was breath taking!"

Stephen

Tour: 03/05/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Gret. The coordination was amazing. Loved viewing the beautiful locations and learning more about the history. The people and the guides were all top notch.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved walking the stairs in Tiramisu and then down to the beach. Great day!"

Suzanne

Tour: 03/05/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I think we were a cohesive and easy group to 'herd'. Interesting and for the most part respectful people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Villa Romana mosaics"

Kathryn

Tour: 03/03/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The best bunch I have ever traveled with on a RS tour

Paris

Tour: 03/03/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had an amazing time. When my parents invited me, I wasn't sure how it would go but once we started the tour, it exceeded every expectation that I had. The sights, history, people and experiences were amazing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved seeing the Roman Villa and the mosaics. It was incredible to look at rooms that didn't even have broken tiles and the technology that they used while other parts of the world were literally living in huts! I also was blown away by the old temples and the way that churches were built around them, the history and culture was mind blowing. I must also add that the pizza was AMAZING!"

Linda

Tour: 03/03/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved every minute of it!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The new friends we met on the tour!"

Lisa

Tour: 03/03/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Sicily tour far exceeded all my expectations. Sicily is absolutely beautiful and each place we visited was amazing. Our guide, Stephanie was fabulous and helped make this tour really special. It also helps to have a great group of Rick Steves travelers to share in the experiences.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For me, my wow moment was seeingTaormina with Mt. Etna in the background. It was incredibly beautiful. The Greek temple in Segesta was spectacular too. "

Sara

Tour: 03/03/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The history tours, the people, guide, the logistics, the bus driver all professional. The local guides in each area were excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The ancient standing Greek temples. "

Diane

Tour: 03/03/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour was amazing. We were so impressed with our tour guide Stephanie. The whole tour was incredible and more fun than we’re ever imagined. I highly recommend Rick Steve’s tours!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tour of Mt Etna and being to stand in a crater was amazing! Also loved temples of Agrigento, Erica,segesta and beauty of Taormina and Ortigia. Actually loved everyday!"

Rod

Tour: 03/03/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Since we went early, middle of March, their few crowds to content with plus it wasn’t hot. That made it great. Dressing warm was easy, skies were blue with many a day of white puffy clouds.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The uncrowned tour of the wild animal gathering in mosaics at the Roman Villa of Casale was a sight to see."

James

Tour: 03/03/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The trip of a lifetime!!!!! We could not believe that every detail was considered. We can thank you enough. Che Dio ti benedica sempre.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We found one of my wife’s ancestors name on the ceiling of Santa Catarinas church in Palermo. He had remodeled it back in the 1700’s. Also my surprise Birthday party at a lunch in Agrigento. Also the Greek temples in Sicily were incredible. So were the churches and cathedrals. "

Denise

Tour: 02/27/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our 11-day tour of Sicily was unforgettable. From our fabulous tour leaders, to our insightful local guides, to the delightful folks from throughout the US with whom we shared this once-in-a-lifetime experience, EVERYONE we met was terrific. We can’t thank you enough for all that RS does to make our European travel work so well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Monreale Cathedral was absolutely breathtaking. We had no idea just how grand its size and story would be. What a magnificent place!"

Sergio

Tour: 02/27/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Well organized, very professionally led.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visit to Monreale"

Chris

Tour: 02/27/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful adventures with terrific guides throughout the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The visit to the unesco site to see the tiled antiquities."

Paul

Tour: 02/27/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was great. This was our first Rick Steves tour--in fact, our first group tour--so we weren't sure of what to expect. But the guides were excellent, our group was a pleasure to spend time with, the scenery was outstanding, the sites were very interesting, the accommodations were very nice and the food was delicious. We're looking forward to taking another Rick Steves tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Two stand out. One was our morning at the Segesta ruins. Nestled in the hills overlooking the Mediterranean, the still and silent edifices from two millennia in the past seemed to stand as ancient sentinels among the tall grasses and wildflowers. The other was Taormina. The Greek-Roman theater, with snow-capped Mamma Etna in the background, was an impressive structure in a beautiful setting. The hike to Castelmola offered even more incredible vistas of Etna and the sea."

Emilya

Tour: 02/27/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was great: the food, hotels, tour leader, tour guides , transportation, cooking lessons. It surprised me, that tour had all aspects of the Sicilian culture: history, geography, archeology, anthropology, nature, culinary, language. It looks like a big organization knowledge was put into this tour to satisfy any particulate interest of the participants .

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It is not a place, it is not a town, it is not a museum. My big wow deserves our tour leaders Karin and Nina. You have to be very talented to take bunch of 28 strangers, put them on the same bus for 11 days and make them meaningful friends. Our sites seeing were endless, the same with our conversations at the lunch and dinners that we took together. I want to add to the "wow: Taormina with Etna , Villa Romana with mosaic, Monreale Cathedral and Greek Valley Temples "

Ray

Tour: 02/27/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Awesome! Great fellow tour members, great guides, awesome history/culture/educational experiences. Angelo is an excellent bus driver.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to choose one, but The Valley of the Temples is outstanding!"

Carmen

Tour: 02/27/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was very well-organized and the guides (Karin and Nina) were excellent. They were knowledgeable, fun, and made each day enjoyable. The lodging was nice and the food was great! Angelo (the bus driver) also helped to make the tour run smoothly. We also had a wonderful group of fellow travelers and enjoyed getting to know everyone.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Each day was great, but my favorite was Ancient Segesta and Erice. The landscape in Segesta was beautiful and peaceful. The flowers were blooming and we had the temple and theater almost to ourselves. The delicious lunch afterward at Maria Grammatico's was also memorable. "

Konnie

Tour: 02/27/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Upbeat, knowledgable tour guides, interesting places

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of it"

Gwen

Tour: 02/27/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

"Outstanding" seems inadequate - great guides (tour and local), great group, amazing sites, and of course the food. I felt as though we got a full flavor of the island, its culture and history.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the mikveh in Ortigia and imagining the lives of the women who used it. I got chills."

Ken

Tour: 02/27/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tour guides & local guides were well informed about tour highlights.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale."

Bob

Tour: 02/27/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

1st time in Europe. The group was great and Karin & Nina were excellent guides. They had interesting stories and good knowledge of the places we visited. The food was outstanding

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All the Greek and Roman ruins"

Mike

Tour: 02/25/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Interesting sites...Tomasso is a terrific guide and the local guides were outstanding

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Villa Romano de Casale"

Francis

Tour: 02/25/24

It was lovely!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I really enjoyed the Greek Temple at Segesta. It was the first Greek Temple that I had ever seen. "

Marc

Tour: 02/25/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I really enjoyed how organized and thought-through all the activities were. We kept commenting that we were getting to see more than if we were on our own trying to figure things out. Tomasso was an exceptional guide who was both personal and professional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Finding a ton of sea glass at the beach in Trapani and the overall feel of the towns at night. Also fun to make a few friends and have an unexpected good time with everyone. "

Mary

Tour: 02/25/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

All our local guides were great - Tommaso was wonderful as our overall tour guide. We were with a great group of people - always on time for everything! The siesta hours were sometimes hard to get used to since we usually like to eat dinner a little earlier than 7:30 but we adapted.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Roman mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale."

Louise

Tour: 02/25/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I really enjoyed this tour of Sicily. I had never done a bus tour before, and had only done very active tours, such as biking and hiking vacations. I was entirely satisfied with the amount of exercise I got each day. I’m not sure if I would do another tour like this though. My reason for this is I didn’t really enjoy being on a huge bus with 28 other Americans getting off at stops where at times it seem like we were a nuisance to the locals.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We toured beautiful home, belonging to a countess, who was a lovely host. It was amazing to see the history behind this Palazzo, and to hear her stories. it was an inside look into the people and history of Sicily."

Rochelle

Tour: 02/25/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I really enjoyed Sicily: the history, culture, religions, architecture, civilizations, markets, puppets, people, foods, churches, museums, urban, rural, mountain experiences were layered and varied; all were interesting. It was a well-paced & active tour & definitely one of my favorites (I’ve taken 8 R.S. Tours). Tomasso was a truly great experienced Sicilian-born guide and an excellent teacher. He had first-hand knowledge of growing up in the country & funny tales of his Mama.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I liked Siracusa & Taormina quite a bit. They were both walkable, beautiful historic small city resort areas & the seaside views were just beautiful. The blend of planned time & free time allowed for plenty of outdoor exploration. The pastries were the most beautiful foods I’ve ever seen - works of art! Mt. Etna (and the lecture by the volcanologist) was my most surprising experience. Rural Sicily is wonderfully green & agricultural area (oranges, almonds, dates, wheat) in late winter."

Debra

Tour: 02/20/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our 4th RS tour turned out to be the best so far. Our guide, Andrea, was very knowledgeable and made Sicily come alive. We were very lucky to have a native Sicilian leading our tour.

Alyssa

Tour: 02/20/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first Rick Steve’s tour and it exceeded my expectations. These tours were recommended to me. The food, hotels and sights were excellent and I really felt like I got to see so much more than on a traditional trip. I loved it!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The sunset we saw in trapani outside our hotel was my favorite wow moment. The sight just took my breath away. We were right on the water and could walk on a path right outside the hotel near the ocean. "

Cathlyn

Tour: 02/20/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We were blown away by the layers of history a person is able to see and better understand while touring around Sicily! Our thoughtful tour guide facilitated an excellent experience with relevant information, local insights, and well-informed historical explanations. This tour allowed us to see Sicily through the ages, up to the present, in an amazing and interesting way. Sharing the tour with enthusiastic fellow travelers and enjoying warm local hospitality made for a 5 star experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many highlights, it’s hard to narrow it down to a single “wow” moment. Seeing how old Sicily is, how it’s strategic location has factored into so many historic events, how Sicilians’ resilience has dealt with the combining of cultures over the centuries, how today they’re still moving forward was noteworthy. But perhaps the use of mosaics in their art and decoration stood out. The glittering gold mosaics in Monreale to the elaborate floors in the Villa Romano were truly stunning."

Nicole

Tour: 02/20/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Every single moment of this tour was incredible (probably because Sicily is an incredible place)! The food at all of our group meals was such high quality and varied so greatly from meal to meal. All of the local guides were amazing and all of the hotel/restaurant staff we interacted with were so kind! The was I describe this tour is "it was a dream" because I have never experienced anything as breathtakingly incredible in my life!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every single moment was a wow moment! There are two that stick out the most. The first was in Trapani. When we arrived it was rainy so I took a quick power nap before our orientation walk. When I woke up and went outside there was the most gorgeous double rainbow over the coast with the most gorgeous sunset as its backdrop. The second was in Taormina. It was cloudy and rainy out entire time there, but on the last morning we woke up to a crystal clear view of Mt Etna from the dining room!"

Marianne

Tour: 02/20/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We thoroughly enjoyed our Sicily tour. Andrea was great, as was Massimo our bus driver. The places we got to see were amazing - and of course -- the food was to die for. I give "very good" rather than "outstanding" as some of the hotels were very uncomfortable with short beds and phone booth sized showers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The extra boat ride Andrea arranged for us in Ortygia. We went into some caves and around the island. Our captain was fabulous and even treated us to cookie and limoncello. Super special!!"

Nancy

Tour: 02/18/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was great to learn about Sicily, its history both ancient and recent. I think the tour captured the essence of the region, its culture, landscape, cuisine. Our tour guide Stephanie was amazing and made the tour even more memorable with stories and insights about this region of Italy. Sicily with Rick Steve’s tour is definitely worth going.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"While the ruins of both Greek and Roman artifacts was fascinating, the “wow” would have to be the sheer beauty of Taormina. We had an intense rainstorm while traveling to Taormina and we awoke to see Mt Etna covered in snow with steam escaping juxtaposed to the clear Mediterranean waters below! The beauty was breathtaking!"

Catherine

Tour: 02/18/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide, Stephanie, was fantastic! This was my first tour, and I saw and learned more than I expected. So many details were taken care of. The guides for some of the sites were knowledgeable and thorough. There was enough down time to do what we wanted.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moment was seeing Mt Etna and the beautiful Mediterranean Sea!"

Andrew

Tour: 02/18/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The sights, sounds, places, and food in Sicily exceeded my expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I experienced a number of wows during my travels in Sicily; however, the one that made the biggest impression on my mind was the Valley of Temples by a little bit over a couple of other sites."

Janelle

Tour: 02/18/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was a fabulous introduction to Sicily.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Mount Etna with its beautiful blanket of snow was memorable and the Valley of the Temples was outstanding."

Carol

Tour: 02/18/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved not organizing everything on my own. This was my first Rick Steve tour but I have used his books extensively and traveled all over Europe. The experiences with the volcanologist, Maria's cannoli lesson, salt museum presentation would not have been done if I was traveling without a tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina was perfect weather, Etna was stunning, the walk was great. Everything was perfect."

Stuart

Tour: 12/07/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We are fairly seasoned travelers, but I’ve taken few guided tours. This tour of Sicily exceeded all of my expectations. I loved the exceptional organization of the tour, the tour guide, David , local tour guides, and the positioning of each hotel. We did not need a taxi at any time, there is an excellent balance of time for dinners with the group and by ourselves we like some independence in this group Tour let us that happen. The special small group experiences was absolutely great!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The food! Pasta alla Norma… making cannoli with Maria Gramattica… Taormina… trying to speak Italian with local people…. Everything! "

Walter

Tour: 12/07/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The guide was awesome, and that I believe has the biggest effect on the overall experience. The hotels were the usually RS choices - clean, comfortable, excellent locations, and friendly staff.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our guide signing and playing the guitar at our final dinner was a new and very enjoyable twist."

Kirk

Tour: 12/07/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first organized group tour and I was a bit apprehensive. But from the first moment I forgot all that. David Tordi was so personable, helpful, patient, and informative. His knowledge of Italian and Sicilian culture/history/cuisine/environment is extensive and the way he relates it all shows that he enjoys sharing, he has a passion for his culture, and he delivers lots of information in ways that make it easy to digest. Hotels,dinners,guides,orientation walks,museum,etc were great!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had "wow" moments every single day, to be honest....the depth of history and layers of conquest were revealed in a fantastic way...I suppose the Valley of the Temples and museum in Agrigento might be the wowest, but the Piazza Armerina was a wowzer...and, weirdly, the Duomo di Monreale brought tears to my eyes...WTF?!"

Jill

Tour: 12/07/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A wonderful tour guide, a fun group and we learned so much about beautiful Sicily. There was a perfect mix of scheduled events and free time, allowing us ample opportunity to explore and enjoy. Of course, a major highlight was the food and wine. Sicily has so many wonderful specialties and we sampled a large variety of them. The outdoor markets were amazing with all of the fresh fish, fruits and vegetables. I couldn’t believe how wonderful everything tatsted.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many wow moments and my favorite was seeing the Roman mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale. The stories that were told through the mosaics offered an opportunity to glimpse first hand an ancient lifestyle that was beyond belief."

Cynthia

Tour: 12/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Ian

Tour: 12/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was very well planned, active, full of good surprises, and our tour guide – Virginia – was outstanding! I had few preconceived notions about Sicily, although we had been to Italy – including southern Italy - before. So, every day, I learned something new, and I was excited to see amazing scenery, beautiful cathedrals and churches, awesome historical sights, and Sicilians participating in everyday life and special traditions.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This is our fourth Rick Steves tour so the “wow” moments have to reach a pretty high bar! But, I would say two things struck me on this tour. One, the amazing caliber of your tour guides. I don’t know how you do it, but your tour guides are the absolute best! Virginia surprised all of us with small, special gifts on many days and that experience was delightful. She was also very well organized, and so full of information. And two, I would say that Palermo absolutely exceeded my expectations."

Anna

Tour: 12/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves' tour, and although we had vey high expectations based on our friends' experiences, the tour exceeded our very high expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing snow on Mt. Etna and the sea at the same time."

Edward

Tour: 12/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Where do I begin? Everything about our tour of Sicily was simply amazing---the history, the culture, the people---it was all fantastic! The tour was very well organized, with just the right mix of structure for learning, and free time to explore at our own pace. A special note of thanks to our tour coordinator, Virginia. Her knowledge of Sicily, including current events, is truly impressive, as is her tremendous skill as a group leader. We could not be happier with the entire experience!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every day was filled with a new "wow" experience. The cathedrals at Monreale and Siracusa were breathtaking. The evening at the contessa's home in Palermo was quite special. And the sheer beauty of the landscape everywhere we went was breathtaking. "

Ronald

Tour: 12/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Pattie

Tour: 11/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Outstanding. Sicily was a special experience - the food, the history, the scenery, the people. We will definitely go back some day.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"As usual, so many “wow” moments it’s hard to pick a favorite. Making cookies with Maria Grammatico in Erice, seeing the temples in Agrigento lit up at night from our hotel room, eating the most delicious pasta alla Norma in Catania, just walking the streets in Taormina!"

Judith

Tour: 11/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had a wonderful time. It was nice to have all of the arrangements made and to see the special spots that I see on Rick Steves's shows. I appreciated the depth of knowledge of the guides and the free time to do my own thing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Valley of the Temples in Agrigento."

Mark

Tour: 11/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Accommodations exceeded expectations. Nancy was a wonderful hostess! I loved her informative talks on the bus. She also did a great job keeping everyone on schedule. Enjoyed having some free time, and especially the sightseeing and meals on our own. This was easier than the trips we have done on our own! Less stress! The local guides pointed out things that we would have missed on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Loved the accommodations in Taromina. Old Fashions on the deck overlooking Mt Etna!"

Kathleen

Tour: 11/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first tour. We saw and did things I would never have done on my own. Sicily was a fascinating place. We had great tour guides and we had a great group of people that I toured with.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hearing some of the history like the Norman King who went on a crusade. He went to the middle east and had dinner with the Sultan and came back. If all wars could be like that, we would have peace. "

Carolyn

Tour: 11/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Nancy made the trip outstanding by the fact that she is Sicilian and knows the culture well, but was able to compare it to the US culture so precisely. Furthermore, she accommodated our daughter’s dairy free allergy at every step along the way. Nancy had high expectations and the trip was well executed without delay. She set the tone to have fun and build community and we grew close to each other in the group. We were thrilled to have had this experience from someone who loves her country well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everything about this trip was above my expectations, from meeting the contessa in Palermo to seeing ancient ruins in Taormina and the view of Mount Etna at sunset. I was thrilled with Nancy’s rich knowledge of the culture, the expertise of the local guides and the food, the accommodations and the smooth transitions from city to city. I was surprised by how much I loved this country and its people and didn’t want to leave. It was a perfect blend of history, art, cuisine and beyond expectations."

Debbie

Tour: 11/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Sicily tour was outstanding and exceeded our expectations. We had the best tour guiide, Nancy who had a lot of energy, experience and knowledge. Our group was a wonderful mix of people and we all got along really well. The agenda was perfect and the hotels were all awesome.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We thoroughly enjoyed all of the tour but especially the food and wine events. The event and lunch with Maria was very special. We loved the ability to be hands on for the event. The food served for lunch was delicious."

Keith

Tour: 11/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had an excellent tour experience. Our tour guide, Nancy (not sure of her last name) was excellent beyond words. She shared great information and saw that our daughter who has a milk allergy was provided with non-dairy food options. You need to clone Nancy so she can lead all your tours. The hotels were very good. The food was very good. Sicily has amazing historical sites. And we went when the weather was still nice and the crowds were minimal. We also made many good friends.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many wow moments since there were so many beautiful churches, amazing Greek temples, beautiful countryside scenery, mount Etna, and beautiful Taormina. "

Doreen

Tour: 11/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My expectations were exceeded! The itinerary for this trip was amazing, and we accomplished everything. It was my first Rick Steve's tour, after having watched him on TV for 20+ years!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting the Valley of the Temples"

Sandra

Tour: 11/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I enjoyed the itinerary stops. Length of visit was fine due to efficiency of tour arrangements. Tour supervisor and city/area guides were top notch.. Health and safety considerations were employed appropriately.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The views of Mt. Etna from our hotel were very exciting."

Frank

Tour: 11/21/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent overall with very few problems/issues that were noticeable. The pace of the tour was very good, with only few times that I wondered about the amount of time at a site or too much/too little free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The good/great thing abougt this tour is that there were several “wow” moments: the visit to Erice and Marie Grammatico’s baking school was outstanding—the arrangement, timing and experience will be remembered for a long time. That same day, the experience at Segesta—a long walk to the ancient Greek theater and then the temple; further on, a visit to Agrigento, Trapani also had many wow moments. "

Katherine

Tour: 11/21/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Gobsmacked by the selected sites and guides. Fantastico! Happy to once again experience the RSTours approach to touring including guides, sites, tour time balance with “on your own time”, group building, balance of history and cultural exposures

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The sites were equally amazing but the explanations offered by Jacqueline Alio made Monreale and her tour of Palermo my favorite wow moment. That said, I wouldn’t pick a single moment unless pressed"

Tina

Tour: 11/21/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was planned well. Lots of unique experiences that would not have been possible without the tour. Plenty of solo time to explore. Overall, perfectly organized.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Baking with Maria Grammatico was definitely a highlight. She reminded me of my mom. She showed us how she made her famous cookies and we had the opportunity to make them too. The lunch with her was so delicious. I loved it. "

Judith

Tour: 11/21/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our third Rick Steves tour and the longest to date (prior tours were city tours of seven days). The group was extremely cohesive and the guide delightful and low key. All the accommodations and activities were excellent. Our last tour was in 2012 and Rick Steves has definitely maintained his high standards. We enjoyed how active the tour was--lots of walking, which balanced time spent on the bus. At each new city, our guide gave a helpful orientation walk so we could enjoy our free time

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to pick just one...Mt. Etna erupted while we were in Taormina. We had already had an excellent presentation complete with photos and video by a volcanologist, so we knew exactly what was happening. Several in our group caught photos of the eruption from the terrace of our hotel. Equal to that experience was our local guide Jackie in our first city, Palermo.Her in-depth orientation set us up to truly appreciate and enjoy the rest of our tour. "

Scott

Tour: 11/21/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is our first tour, but not first experience in beautiful Sicily. The Rick Steve tour was wonderful. Our tour guide was fantastic, the group was so fun to be around and the site and city tours were informative to give us a great understanding of Sicily's culture, history and lifestyle.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Driving up the winding roads toward Erice for baking lessons and fantastic lunch at Maria Grammatico's cooking school. The ageless Maria wowed us with her decades long experience baking. This was a great group experience where everyone rooted for the others to pass Maria's critical eye for perfection. The lunch was fantastic and the views of Trapani from the porch and the town of Erice were magnificent. "

Stephanie

Tour: 11/21/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide set a positive and adventurous tone and the knowledgable local guides were fantastic. I highly recommend the tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our guides tied together current topics facing the world, historic facts, art history, and wove together a complete context of the churches and archeological sites, making the trip a more rich experience."

Jeffrey

Tour: 11/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour had all the things that make RS tours: a great guide, knowledgeable local guides, interesting sights and experiences, so much history, and a great group. Sicily is a great destination with a good variety of things to see. The pacing was good with not too many early starts and enough time to explore and enjoy the stops. Andrea was an outstanding guide, very attuned to the needs and desires of the group and able to bring his knowledge and enthusiasm about his region to us.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the eruption of Mt. Etna at night from the hotel terrace. Watching the glow as it lit up and faded was just awesome. Since that won't be available to all tours, I'll also mention the pastry demo with Maria Grammatico. Hearing her story and seeing her love for her work was a unique experience (and the cookies were delicious!)"

Susan

Tour: 11/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Toni

Tour: 11/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is my 1st Rick Steve's tour and I was amazed at how organized and well thought out the entire tour was. It was wonderful to not have to think about details because they were all taken care of for you.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It was probably seeing Mt. Etna erupt! However, I was truly amazed by everything we saw and experienced."

Caley

Tour: 11/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

11/10 recommend this tour! The guides were so friendly and knowledgeable, loved our little surprises and stops along the way. Don't even get me started on the amazingness that was the food and wine- I still dream about the eggplant dishes and arancini and gelato :)

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It's so hard to narrow this down because Sicily was the gift that kept on giving especially with Andrea as our guide! Generally my biggest 'wow' moment was learning that Sicily is a gorgeous combination of many many cultural and historical influences. I'm just in awe of that fact."

Pamela

Tour: 11/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

food, hotels, ANDREA FABULOUS!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"etna spewing fire and seeing it from the terrrace of our hotel!"

Casey

Tour: 11/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had an amazing time in Sicily. Andrea, our guide, made it very special even calling ahead to hotels to see if they had a piano for my dad to play for the group and have a little jam session. I learned so much and saw so much in a short time plus got to know an awesome group of people. 100% would do it again. Can’t imagine a better experience for my first Rick Steve’s tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably seeing Mt Etna erupt when we were at our hotel in Taromina! Or seeing all of the Greek temples in Agrigento. Also going into the WWII bunker. There were many special moments, but those were my favorite. "

Tracy

Tour: 11/14/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I enjoyed the overall program, very balance and not too tiring. I learned right amount of culture, food, and history.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Surprised to see 80 years old Maria's baking skills and was able to participate the baking class (though I'm a terrible baker, I had a blast). Most importantly, I had the delightful lunch and cannoli."

Terence

Tour: 11/14/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This Sicily tour met and exceeded our expectations! Thank you.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting the Valley of the Temples. It is an amazing site to visit. "

Bruce

Tour: 11/14/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent mixture of culture, interactive venues and local food experiences

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mt. Etna, although the Maria Grammatico event was a close second."

Susan

Tour: 11/14/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first Rick Steves trip and I was totally blown away with the whole experience. I loved the small size of the group (26) and Our tour guide , Nancy was over the top incredible. Nancy was Italian and gave insight to her native country and was a wonderful historian. She knew her Sicilian and Italian history and knew it well. I can't say enough wonderful things about our guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"They were all WOW moments. Every town we stayed in was a WOW moment and the bus rides were WOW moments. Our bus driver did a wonderful job driving on steep narrow roads as well as express way roads."

Paul

Tour: 11/14/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fabulous guide who enriched our experience with background on Sicilian and Italian life and customs. Wonderful sites and experiences with a good balance of being guided and exploring on one's own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Mt Etna both before and after 'she' was covered in snow, as well as seeing 'her' puff black and white."

Linda

Tour: 11/14/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I think it was the group that helped make this tour experience really nice. It was a combination of couples and single people who are very kind and very friendly. We all got along so well! This and the outstanding guides who brought us on our journey, Especially Nancy’s, our main guide, knowledge really gave a nice flavor to each place we visited. I always felt safe, especially when Giuseppe our bus driver traversed the narrow and windy roads.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many wow moments, but I think going to Mt Etna would take the prize of being the most favorite. Being so high in elevation and walking around the craters… looking out to the landscape and seeing the ocean in the distance. It was beautiful! Then, as Giuseppe or driver, traversed the windy roads, we looked back and saw smoke coming out of the volcano. The next morning in Taormina , where we stayed, we could see Mount Etna, which was now covered white with snow."

Christine

Tour: 11/14/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The overall tour guide and local guides were perhaps the best we have experienced over the 7 Rick Steves tours we have taken. The cultural, historical and geographical experiences exceeded our expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everything was a “wow” moment but perhaps my top moment was the excursion up to a crater on Mt. Etna, and back down again with the volcanologist as we experienced the varied sights and feel of the area which were so unexpected. As we descended from 6,500 feet the volcano started puffing black smoke and later actually erupted, according to the news in the US. Exciting! "

Sandra

Tour: 11/14/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Judy

Tour: 11/14/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves tour but will not be our last! We enjoyed every minute.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It was exciting to see Mt Etna explode while we there! However, there were too many moments to name them all."

Connie

Tour: 11/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The many layers of Sicily "

Joanne

Tour: 11/12/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The experience overall was great and really enjoyed Sicilia.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There wasn't one single "wow" moment, I as "wowed" around every corner."

Duane

Tour: 11/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves tour. We had no idea what to expect. We were a bit unsure about being with a group of strangers for 11 days. Our tour director Karin was fabulous. Our bus full of strangers soon became friends. We were a little worried about some of our lengthy bus rides between cities and not using the bus toilet. The bus stopped every hour or 2 for a pit stop and coffee. Sicily was fantastic, steeped in history and beauty. We highly recommend this tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sicily is such a beautiful country with friendly people. I would say the view from our hotel in Palermo each morning was hard to beat. We were lucky to watched Mt Etna blow off some steam from our hotel roof top in Taormina. There were so many "wow" moments it is hard to pick just one. "

Donald

Tour: 11/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I really enjoyed this tour. It was by far the best tour I’ve been on. I’ve been on tours with other tour companies but this was my first Rick Steves tour. It was well thought out and our guides were exceptional. We had twenty-six travelers and two guides and it was a perfect size group that allowed everyone good access to the guides. By everything being included most everyone participated in all of the activities. It was easier to interact with everyone with this size group. I would do it again.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I didn’t start out with any must see or do preconceived notions and because of that almost everything was a wow moment. I love history and seeing the accomplishments that people made three, four and even five thousand years bc was mind boggling. To understand the cultures of people living and working together that long ago was amazing. The tools that were invented and made were awesome and the fact that they still exist gives us a greater understanding of their time. I took thousands of picture."

Terry

Tour: 11/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

No significant complaints. Guides were definately outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"War museum"

John

Tour: 11/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was an excellent experience from the beginning to “Arriverderci”. Simply outstanding

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Meeting and hearing the experiences of The Contessa in Palermo and touring her Palazzo"

Judy

Tour: 11/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Mt Etna spitting fire and seeing it with snow on it. Seeing a tiny chapel in Taormina called Sant’ Antonio. It had a nativity scene in the context of the entirety of Bethlehem. The little wooden buildings with the little clay figures going about their day oblivious to the fact that something is happening in their town that will impact the world for thousands of years. Also an interaction with a restaurant cook and her grandchildren was lots of fun. "

Nancy

Tour: 11/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I enjoyed my tour. The quality of the guides was excellent, the tour group a pleasure, and the food wonderful. The pace of the tour was appropriate.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mount Aetna and Torimino."

Steven

Tour: 11/07/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent guide, great tour members and amazing history

Favorite "WOW" moment

"View of Mount Etna at sunset from roof top bar at our hotel in Taormina"

Bruce

Tour: 11/07/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Saw lots of interesting and historical sites, but too many churches for my taste. The "behind the scenes" or "off the beaten path" experiences were great and the tour of the countess's home was awesome and unexpected. As usual, the group made a fine time even more enjoyable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Countess's home visit...personal, in-depth, and current yet with a fantastic historical connection to Sicily and European hierarchy.."

Nancy

Tour: 11/07/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour guide and his local guides were so excellent in every way. I wanted to wrap them up in my suitcase. I really enjoyed each one of my fellow tourists, it was remarkable how nice and interesting they all were. The compare system created an immediate friendship.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There really were many of those moments. The view from our hotel room in Trapani, the ancient mosaics where the bikini girls were found, the fish market in Catalina where the squid shot out its ink! All of the sites in Taormina, seeing the volcano. "

Ann

Tour: 11/07/23

The tour did a nice job exploring all the "lasagna layers" of Sicily- the multi-layers of history, art, culture, food, scenery, geography, and interactions with locals.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Villa Romana del Casale was really extraordinary. I had no idea how expansive the collection of beautiful mosaics would be, and how well preserved. It was a fascinating journey back in time."

Sandra

Tour: 11/07/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a well organized, thoughtful and most professional tour. We enjoyed the fellow travelers, local experts and our guide Tomasso.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Each unique location created a "wow", Mozia and the salt pans, Erice provided unparalleled views and Ortigia's winding streets and hidden Trattoriia's and our view from the hotel rooms along the Sicilian coast. Our "wow" meal was in Palermo at La Galleria restaurant recommended by local guide Jackie. Also super "wow" at Benanti winery. "

Patricia

Tour: 11/05/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour experience was phenomenal. The guides were wonderful. They were interesting, informative, personable, funny and made the trip very enjoyable. The participants were fun to be around and all had wonderful attitudes.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite wow moment was walking on Mt Etna that afternoon and then watching it erupt that evening. We had our Volcanist explain all about the volcano and then he informed us it was erupting. We went to the roof to watch and we were able to eat dinner and watch the volcano for two hours. "

David

Tour: 11/05/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our two guides were quite knowledgeable and personable. The scenery was beautiful and the special stops were well planned.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Maria’s lunch where we learned to make cookies and had amazing food."

James

Tour: 11/05/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was well organized and offered a variety of experiences to understand and appreciate Sicily. The tour guide, Andrea was organized and informative. As a resident of Sicily he offered many local experiences and insites which enhanced the overall experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our day at Mt. Etna. The winery visit which included lunch and a tasting of three wines was excellent. Upon our arrival in Taormina, we watched the volcano erupt from our hotel balcony. It was a memorable day."

Dale

Tour: 11/05/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is our third Rick Steves Tour. It was interesting, challenging, educational and absolutely fun, all at the same time. I continue to be impressed with how smooth and organized this and all of our prior trips have been.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Oh, that is easy! We visited Mt. Etna in the afternoon on our way to Taormina. That evening at our hotel, we had a first rate lecture from an engaging volcanologist from Catania. As the lecture was ending, we were told that Mt. Etna was erupting right then! Everyone rushed up to the hotel's rooftop restaurant to watch, and we just stayed there to eat dinner while watching the fireworks for over two hours. Amazing!"

Rebecca

Tour: 11/05/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We took this tour of Sicily on the strong recommendation of other travelers, so we had few expectations. This trip was beyond anything we could have imagined! Every day we were surprised and delighted by historic sites, food, and unique experiences. wonderful people, and surprises provided by our tour guide, Andrea. Andrea did a great job organizing things and keeping us on schedule. We had the added bonus of Vanessa along for the ride.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite WOW moment was eating pizza outside a restaurant on Via Cavour in Ortigia and having an AMAZING tenor set up a boom box and begin singing "O Sole Mio." It was a quintessential Sicilian moment! Another WOW moment was our hotel in Agrigento. Such a place of beauty and peace overlooking the Valley of the Temples! And WOW! We saw Mt. Etna erupting!. "

David

Tour: 11/05/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Top notch guides, interesting sights, excellent hotels, and wonderful food and wine.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Mt. Etna erupt just hours after our visit."

Ron

Tour: 10/31/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

One of many ETBD tours we have done. Other than being one of the shorter, it is was a very good one. Great history lessons throughout, good scenery, architecture, food and lodging.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Enjoyed the Valley of the Temples the most, but each stop was well planned. Taormina was certainly one of the best "village" experiences."

Sandra

Tour: 10/31/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Sicily was a delight to visit with a variety of experiences and history in the itinerary. Guides were all very good including Alfredo, our lead guide plus local guides. There was ample free time for personal explorations. The group size was a bit larger than I prefer and the timing of the trip relative to local holidays and museum hours prevented visits to leading archeology museums in Palermo and Syracuse.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Exploring the amazing Valley of Temples and visiting the museum prior to the visit to gain more appreciation for the structures. Concordia Temple was a high point to see."

Annie

Tour: 10/31/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Most enjoyable. Loads of walking. Great food and accommodation

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Swimming in the Adriatic."

Melanie

Tour: 10/31/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Incredible!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many favorites! Tasty lunch with pastry making with Maria Grammatico. The coastal town of Trapani, Ortigia was great, especially their gelato's, beautiful Taormina, and Valley of the Temples."

Emily

Tour: 10/31/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first Rick Steves Tour and I was impressed with how well organized it was, the prep, the variety of activities, and especially the travelers in our group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Agrigento's Valley of the Temples -- weather was perfect and we visited in late afternoon with magical lighting in the late afternoon sun. Mt. Etna was pretty cool, too."

Karla

Tour: 10/31/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Sicily was my fourth RS tour in Italy, having started with the also amazing Venice, Florence, Rome tour and working my way south, and I can honestly say I would "Groundhog Day" BEST OF SICILY without hesitation. It was, in my opinion, worth the wait on every level, and the itinerary, guides, and food were all first-rate---it delivered ten times the color, joy and vibrancy I so adore all over the mainland of Italy. I will be back FOR SURE!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I am the travel nerd who will keep repeating every minute was a "WOW" on this tour because I value all the little details along the way that are so carefully and professionally organized, but I do want to mention a couple of major highlights. Our lunch at Maria Grammatico's pastry demonstration near Erice and our visit/meal to Georgiana's (SP) farm near Catania, and the Contessa's' home in Palermo. Meeting these wonderful people up close and learning about their lives are priceless souvenirs. "

Joyce

Tour: 10/31/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First of all, Alfredo, our guide was outstanding! He provided us with so much information and history and we all enjoyed his humor and energy! All the other guides for some of our tours were wonderful also. All the hotels were great and the roof top restaurants of some of the hotels provided wonderful views,

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to pick one as each city we traveled to had a wow moment of its own, but I would have to say to have been at Mt Etna knowing how "Big Mama" has provided Sicily with so much...was pretty spectacular. We were fortunate to have been there a couple of days before she decided to erupt again."

Rick

Tour: 10/31/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was my 3rd Rick Steves tour and I found it unique and exciting. The Sicily tour was made particularly interesting because of our "standout" tour guide, Alfredo Vitale Cafasso. Alfredo was both energetic and thorough in his enthusiasm of each of the locations we visited. His energy and knowledge made the tour that much more enjoyable for everyone. This was the first time that I toured alone and found the experience enjoyable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It is difficult to point to a single "wow" moment but, I would say that our trip to Erie, a medieval town located above Trapani stood out. We enjoyed a cooking class from Maria Grammatica which could only be described as a once in a lifetime experience. Each of the local guides were knowledgable and shared a genuine fondness and personal friendship with our tour guide, Alfredo."

Michael

Tour: 10/31/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour leader, great group of traveling companions.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Great lunch at an old barn / farm. "

Paul

Tour: 10/31/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I enjoyed the sites covered, the group of people we were with and all that was included

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being on mt Etna was thrilling, especially now seeing that it erupted 5 days after we were there. "

Cynthia

Tour: 10/29/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Another great Rick Steves tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mt. Etna"

Loy

Tour: 10/29/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is an amazing tour. Sicily offers everything: natural beauty, ancient history, modern history, delicious food and wine and the tour delivered a chance to experience all of these. This group of people all were thoroughly enjoying the tour and being together. Our second Rick Steves tour and we loved it.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Can we have three? Visiting Monreale Cathedral with an excellent guide; pastry making with Maria; and seeing the ancient Roman mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale."

Patricia

Tour: 10/29/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As with our two previous Rick Steve's Tours it more than met our expectations in so many ways - from accommodations, to excursions and the wonderful meals. Jamie Blair Gould was an exceptional tour director with an amazing amount of knowledge of the area and its history.So many wonderful sites.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting the Countess and the Baroness.....meeting real people and people of that background. They were so down-to-earth. Visitng the Countess was like pulling back the curtain on a lifestyle we know nothing about. We loved the lunch at the Baroness' beautiful farm. What hospitality! In fact, we were impressed with all of the group meals,,,and the wine. "

Jeanne

Tour: 10/24/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Deep history at each stop - supported by local "Expert Guides"...that was really great and appreciated. Selected hotels exceeded my expectations. Our guide, Tomasso, was talented and very knowledgeable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Maria Grammatico day - Great fun to meet Maria and the baking demo of her Almond Cookies and Cannoli. The buffet lunch was beautifully created and served. Delicious food! A fun afternoon."

Lynn

Tour: 10/24/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

5th RS Tour and most active. Great weather, lots of food/wine but overall I was disappointed with tour compared to previous ones, especially Southern Italy/Village Italy. A large portion of the island is not very scenic. Guide was full of knowledge but a fast talker and mover, it was hard to keep up with him sometimes. Covid surfaced & sadly some left the tour. Last night in Catania should be dropped and Taormina made 3 nights. As usual local guides were great and everything flowed smoothly.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina. It's beautiful and reminded me of the Amalfi coast. Mt. Etna was also spectacular to see. Usually there are so many 'wow' moments it's hard to pick one but this tour had fewer 'wow' moments than other tours I've taken."

Tobe

Tour: 10/24/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Weather great, people great, guide great, how tour curated great !!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Isle of Ortigia experience "

Wallace

Tour: 10/24/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Amazing from start to finish! After touring Sicily with tour guide Tommaso we can say we had daily opportunities to learn history, enjoy local foods and people, and share the fun with a great group of Rick Steves fans. Almost everyone who came on this tour had already been on an RS tour previously. Now we know why!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Posing for a group photo at our farewell dinner and realizing that we had been completely transported for two weeks and loved every minute with a wonderful group of travelers - now friends."

Kurt

Tour: 10/22/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great tour scheduled just the way I travel

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think that Villa Romana del Casale was the wow moment, while the Mt Etna experience was for me a waste of time"

Kathryn

Tour: 10/22/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was well organized and had just the right amount of educational opportunities. Our tour director was very good at keeping us informed and ensuring we knew when and where to meet. The other tour members were all considerate of each other and no one ever kept us waiting.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Villa Casale Romano was spectacular! "

Randall

Tour: 10/22/23

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Guide Stephanie was terrific. But we had taken this tour in 2017 and it was better then, in several ways. The wine tasting at Benanti was disappointing--only 3 wines to taste and almost nothing available to buy (like we did last time). The pizza night was also disappointing. Last time they talked about how they make Italian pizza and let a few of us try to twirl it. This time they just put the pizzas on the table, with no presentation or participation. And the pizzas were unexceptional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The volcanologist (grad student) who was the guide for the Mt Etna portion and the pictures he showed and shared with us. The mansion with the extensive mosaic floors is also a major wow."

David

Tour: 10/22/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very educational, beautiful scenery and some excellent food.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina overall, the lunch on the farm and at the winery plus the parting dinner in Catania"

Theresa

Tour: 10/22/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a fun-FILLED trip. So much to see and I met many wonderful people in our tour group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Stephanie was our tour guide. She was our tour guide in 2015 for our Rome tour. Stephanie is wonderful and always goes above and beyond for the group. I loved seeing the salt pans, Mount Etna, and the many hill towns we visited. I can't seem to pick just one wow moment."

Janet

Tour: 10/17/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

5 stars for the Rick Steves' tour, 4 stars for Sicily. Sicily is a beautiful country with many outstanding sites; the cathedral at Monreale, ancient Agrigento, amazing Roman Mosaics, and beautiful Taormina, to name a few. Our guide Jamie's fabulous sense of humor, historical knowledge and passion for the food and drink of Sicily added tremendously to the trip. The food was fabulous. I disliked dirty, chaotic, graffiti covered Palermo and the trash problem that permeates much of the island.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale"

Cheryl

Tour: 10/17/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Best of Sicily Tour was absolutely amazing. While the days were busy seeing fabulous sites, there was still plenty of free time for independent exploring. All the accommodations were amazing and in great locations. Our tour leader, Jamie, was beyond incredible with his knowledge, experience and insight. He truly engaged with each member of the group and he kept the group engaged. The local guides were so personable and knowledgeable. Loved the "flavor" that they brought to the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Absolutely loved the time we spent with Maria in Erice. What an incredible woman and story. No language barrier could lessen the passion and joy that she radiates when she is teaching others to bake. She is a pure delight. The time with Maria was also a wonderful bonding experience for our group. Loved watching the respectful, warm and comfortable interaction between Jamie and Maria. Truly enjoyed the small village of Erice. "

Dian

Tour: 10/17/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour was off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Their weather was fantastic, as was the tour. We enjoyed the other participants and Jamie, our guide was terrific…we learned much of the history of the area.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many…such as meeting the Countess Fredricka."

Ted

Tour: 10/17/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Sicily is a wonderfully memorable place made even better because of our guide Jamie. As usual, the other tour members also made the tour a wonderful experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The town of Taormina. The trip up to it, the hotel and the view from it, the shops, the food and the cable car down to the beach area and first class hotel on the beach."

John

Tour: 10/17/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Well organized, lots of fun

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking out at noon with a volcanologist"

Cathy

Tour: 10/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Every day was fun, educational and interesting. The food and wine were outstanding. Hotels were in great locations and quaint. Our tour guide, Brad made our journey over the top.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have a few wow moment: our baking lesson with Maria along with the delicious lunch at her place, Villa Roma de Casale and it’s 37 million mosaic tilers!, and the salt harvesting in Trapani."

Raymond

Tour: 10/15/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our tour guide Brad was great. We walked over 7 miles a day and saw a lot. The whole 11 days was go go go.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the earth's most active volcano. "

Ann

Tour: 10/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Exceeded expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our tour guide Brad."

Greg

Tour: 10/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Spectacular sights, friendly people, knowledgeable guide and local guides, pleasant accommodations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina Greek Roman Theater. "

Robert

Tour: 10/15/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Amy

Tour: 10/15/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Fun!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Brad made every destination a WOW moment. Loved Ortigia, especially at night! "

Julie

Tour: 10/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful sites, tastes and sights on this tour! Amazing!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Climbing around the craters on Momma Etna, experiencing the views and otherworldly terrain!"

Phil

Tour: 10/15/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Guide Brad McEwen made this a very memorable tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Valley of the Temples at Agrigento"

Stephen

Tour: 10/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Enjoyable. Well organized. Good mix of activities. Good accommodations. Nice group of fellow travelers. Well paced. Experienced and knowledgeable guide, with a good sense of humor.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"View from hotel's top level deck in Taormina. "

Jinna

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I have limited information to share as we left the tour on Day 5 due to Covid. The 5 days we were there were great! Guide, Andrea, was very good and the hotels were wonderful. As usual the planned places we visited were awesome!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Cooking with Maria at her house was a highlight!"

Richard

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour, with good weather, good guides and a fun group of tour members. The mix of ancient civilizations through the ages is inspiring. Strenuous walking in town and country, but not as bad as I had feared.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale. The imagination and artistry are incredible and the immense cost and time to decorate the villa show the values of the ancient Roman upper class."

Jon

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Unfortunately we had to leave the tour on the evening of day 4 due to a positive COVID test. Up to then the experience was excellent as we have come to expect from RSE.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our time was too short for a wow moment."

Robert

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour guides, fun group, beautiful, interesting trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The extraordinary beauty of Sicilian villages and natural scenery."

Katherine

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our ninth! They have all been phenomenal. Andrea was perfect - loved his narratives/anecdotes, knowledge of Sicily and sense of humor

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In Sicily, it was more about all the activities we would have never experienced on our own - Lunch with the Baroness and Benanti Vineyard. The food served at both places was delectable."

Sara

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina"

Amanda

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved it all! People were great every one on time and respectful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Andrea was outstanding tour guide. Knowledgeable about everything. He made the trip for us. It was my first tour and can’t wait to do it again. I had so many wow moments hard to pick one."

Jon

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

we had a great time on our tour in Sicily and loved everything about our tour ! This was our 5th rick steve tour , which lived up to our expectations. Our Tour Guide was Andrea and he was great in all aspects of his job !!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Great time every where we went, but Mt. Etna and Taormina was on our top of our list along with Wine tour."

Corina

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What an amazing experience, from our tour guide, the local guides, the accommodations, vibrant cities, fascinating history, delicious food, wine, and so much more!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Valley of the Temples was awe inspiring...just to imagine these structures are still standing after thousands of years!!!! Mind boggling !!!"

Stacia Anne

Tour: 10/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was such a great tour. It was the perfect balance of scheduled activities vs. free time. My fellow travelers couldn't have been friendlier, and the guide was exceptional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Looking back on the trip, there wasn't just one wow moment. Rather it was a blend of all the really beautiful places we went, and the fun activities that were sprinkled in amongst the sightseeing."

Leslie

Tour: 10/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first Rick Steves tour. I was a bit hesitant because of the caution about hotels being boutique and having less that great air conditioning. In Italy that was not the case. The tour was simply fantastic. The guide was wonderful, always going above and beyond to address any and all questions and issues. The logistics were perfect, we never waited around, every single thing worked like clockwork. Our experiences were uncommon, interesting, and fun. I loved the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Viewing the sea from atop Taormina but every day was filled with different and exciting activities. The group was simply delightful and fun to be with. "

James

Tour: 10/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was our first Rick Steves tour we loved everything about it! Our guide, Stephanie, was wonderful. Our group was diverse and interesting and fun. The itinerary was a great mix of history, tasty cuisine, local farms/guides, and amazing scenery.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mt Etna, and gelato, of course. "

Robert

Tour: 10/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We are not experienced tour participants, however this experience far exceeded our expectations for tour manager, hotels, bus, meal opportunities, location guided events and congenial fellow travelers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The hotel and surrounding views from Traomina."

Carolyn

Tour: 10/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was well organized, the leader was outstanding, the accommodations were nice and the activities were interesting and fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the beauty of the Sicilian coastline. "

Peggy

Tour: 10/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It exceeded my expectations in many respects: tour guide, local guides, hotels, meals provided, and the group experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The spectacular views from Taormina."

Kathleen

Tour: 10/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful people--our guide (Stephanie), our travel companions and all of our hosts in Sicily! Amazing access to experiences and connection with Sicily's people, stories, culture and the land now and through the centuries.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being treated to a homemade Sicilian feast and pastry-making experience with Maria Grammatico in beautiful Erice!"

Norman

Tour: 10/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide Donald was great. Very knowledgeable great personality and work well with all our fellow travelers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the temples that were still standing"

Cathy

Tour: 10/08/23

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Overall it was good, tour guide was very knowledgeable, but I do not feel I really experienced Sicily, it was too rush. I understand the logistics and the crowd factor but every morning with exception of one we were on the bus by 8:00-8:15. It did not feel like vacation.My recommendation is to have concentration in one region of Sicily, a large town and small towns in the surrounding region. More cooking and wine tasting or other cultural experiences to experience the people of Sicily

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Cooking with Maria and the tasty lunch "

Edith

Tour: 10/08/23

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Our leader did a good job of taking us around the island of Sicily to show us the highlights and to have some experiences we might not have had on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Making almond cookies near Erice with Maria Grammatico"

Jeff

Tour: 10/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Sicily was wonderful. The old country environment of narrow stone streets and ancient buildings was delightful, and the scenery was beautiful. I was surprised by the consistently high quality of the hotels. The schedule of events made every day a delight, and we were having a hard time deciding which meal was our favorite. We liked the size of the group--small enough to get to know everyone, and not large enough to feel like an invading horde.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being in the theatre in Taormina on a beautiful day, looking down to the town and off to the steaming Mount Etna in the distance. The combination of scenery and history was very powerful."

Marie

Tour: 10/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved seeing the land of my ancestors and absorbing the sounds, foods, flora and fauna, and diversity of the cultures. Ate more fish than I expected! Prickly pears took me back to my childhood. The Cattedrale di Monreale was breath taking.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"La Pasticcerria Maria Grammatico cookie making and incredible lunch spread of delicious Sicilian dishes and the cannolis!"

Ann

Tour: 10/08/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"the ancient ruins plus Mt. Etna"

David

Tour: 10/08/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tour guide at Agrigento"

Charles

Tour: 10/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Saw a lot. Great guides.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Food experience at the farm."

Joseph

Tour: 10/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The entire tour was great. There was a good balance between structured and free time. Our Guide Donald was engaging and very helpful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Valley of the Temples was spectacular. The stay at Baglio della Luna was beautiful and relaxing."

Marcia

Tour: 10/06/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was so well planned and ready to go for us!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many WOWS to be able to pick a favorite. "

Rod

Tour: 10/06/23

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

The food served for the first orientation dinner and the last farewell dinner were very disappointing. The pre-orientation dinner tour of countess home was not very interesting. I'm sure there are other sights that would be more worth while.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our beach afternoon on our own at Taormina. Best sights were the golden mosaic church at Monreale and the mosaic floors at Villa Romona del Casal."

William

Tour: 10/06/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We had a wonderful tour guide and a very nice group of people. While Palermo and Catania were a little grittier than I expected, the drive around Sicily and the stops were very fruitful in revealing the complicated history of this Mediterranean island.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Mt Etna up close and lava flows and the talk by the volcanologist were wonderful. The winery visit and tasting several different wines and the talk. The temple ruins in Agrigento and Taormina shows that structures can be built to last."

Jeanne

Tour: 10/06/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved learning about the history, eating the fantastic food, and seeing so many parts of Sicily. Weather was sunny and the group was fun to be with. Loved the special experiences like meeting the Contessa in Palermo, Cooking with Maria, and the Winery Tour and lunch - those are what set Rick Steves apart.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Loved Palermo and the visit to Monreale and the relaxing wine lunch near Mount Etna."

Maryann

Tour: 10/06/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Experiences, city guides, hotels, our guide (Tommaso), meals together were amazing!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to choose! Probably Etna."

Nancy

Tour: 10/03/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

As always this Rick Steves' tour did not disappoint. I can't say it was my favorite of the ten I have been on but Sicily can't be compared to other wonderful places in Europe. It was active, educational, well organized, and the tour members were truly wonderful people. The intimate experiences such as making pastries, touring a Contessa's home make these tours extra special.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved the pastry making lesson by a feisty 80+ woman wonderful lunch."

Larry

Tour: 10/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Sicily was a well-orchestrated intense tour with many great varied experiences. Lots of group meals together and many hotel 'receptions', official and unofficial, were fun where group congealed as family! Group at 29 was larger than ideal, hoping not a RS trend. Had Brad as tour guide twice within a month! He is superb, knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, likable, wanting all to have good time. Some things could be tweaked, but all in all, there is no going wrong with a RS tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina was favorite town where we could finally shop when shops were open! Free time during siesta is frustrating! Cookie making class with Maria was excellent and fun! Lunch with Baroness excellent stop! Mosaics in Villa Romana incredible. Mt Etna was great. As we had a RS staff member on tour, we had an impromptu FaceTime visit with RS himself at pizzeria and visited with 'the man' individually. FUN! Outstanding tour members as well, which seems to be a recurring theme on RS tours, our 4th. "

David

Tour: 10/03/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Sicily is a great location if you have been to others parts of Europe because this is where the cultures from throughout Europe came together and left their imprint over the centuries. It was fascinating to learn about cultures and religions coexisting, with evidence of this in the food and the architecture (sometimes in the same building!). The hotels were great & well located. Brad is very knowledgeable about Sicily and he was able to teach us a lot about the history, usually with great humor.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Far too many to choose just one. Almost every day had a wow moment, whether it was meeting a Contessa, countryside lunch at a winery with a Baroness, the mosaics, the volcano talk, making cookies, the list goes on and on. I’d also have to say that dinner with Rick (via Zoom) was also a highlight"

Deborah

Tour: 10/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My husband and I have used Rick Steves guidebooks for independent travel and decided to give one of his tours a try. I am so glad we did! The tour was amazing! Our guide, Brad, was extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and fun. I loved all of the sites we visited, enjoyed all of the incredible group meals we shared and especially liked interacting with our local hosts, like Maria during her cookie making lesson. Great tour, excellent guides and wonderful traveling companions!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Agrigento's Valley of the Temples. The amazingly well preserved Greek buildings were stunning and our local tour guide was excellent. An incredible experience."

Kiko

Tour: 10/01/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Sicily Tour came in highly recommended by former Rick Steves co-tour members, and it did not disappoint. Our lead guide, Jamie, was fantastic. He set the tone for a fun and educational tour. His being a food and wine enthusiast certainly did not hurt. I won't soon forget that fish stew from the Catania fish market!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There are several to choose from, but the standout for me was Agrigento's Valley of the Temples with its well-preserved collection of ancient Greek buildings. "

Rebecca

Tour: 10/01/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My overall experiences were fantastic. Having Jamie as the tour guide made it incredible. He explained cultures of the Sicilian people in very interesting ways.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The whole tour was a wow moment. From the time we met in Palermo to our final dinner together."

James

Tour: 10/01/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour guide and site experts, good accommodations, and the touring sites were excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Valley of the Temples and the Roman Villa."

Randy

Tour: 10/01/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great trip. Very enlightening. Our tour guide, Jamie, was outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Looking at a Pre-Greek, Pre-Phoenician temple in Segesta. "

Bernadine

Tour: 10/01/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was the BEST(out of 5) Rick Steves tour we have taken! Jamie was incredible! Our group was fun & fabulous! The sites we visited exceeded all expectations!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I would have to say that our guide insured that almost every moment was a "wow"! The food, the wine, the city guides, the markets, the villages, the archaeological sites, the churches, the puppet show, the museum and even the bus driver, Massimo - WOW, WOW, WOW!!!"

Jay

Tour: 09/29/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Virginia was a perfect guide, and the itinerary was thoughtful and interesting. Fantastic experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Difficult question. The mosaic work at the Roman villa was amazing, also understanding the scale of the Temple of Zeus in the Valley of Temples was astonishing. "

Kimberly

Tour: 09/29/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved all of the cities that we visited and the unique experiences we were able to have. Our tour guide, Virginia was fantastic!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being able to attend and participate in a cooking/pastry class with Maria in Erice. "

Maureen

Tour: 09/29/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour gave an excellent representation of Sicily, going to the various regions to experience the people, atmosphere, different cuisines, and wines. The tour was well-organized and small enough to get to know the group and not feel overwhelmed. The hotels were well situated so it was easy to explore the area we were in.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite was the visit to the Contessa's house in Palermo which was an added attraction. The Contessa was so lively and fun. The other WOW was staying in the countryside hotel with beautiful gardens and scenery and of course, our host Salvatore who put a smile on everyone's face. The hotel was a much-needed rest and relaxation in the middle of our busy tour."

Lawrence

Tour: 09/29/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide Virginia was wonderful! Professional, knowledgeable, personable the overall package of what one would want need and expect in a guide. Our group moved along in a friendly yet efficient manner. Each day was filled with memorable experiences!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our “wow” moment is difficult to choose since there were many! Our afternoon in Mozia with picnic lunch! The site was a marvel our guide through the property was very knowledgeable. The Sicilian picnic was some of the most delicious fresh food and wine not your ordinary American picnic!!"

Wendy

Tour: 09/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I have always been intrigued about Sicily. All of the cities and experiences were so different and fantastic

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Erice. Being able to almost “touch the clouds”, the view was amazing. But better yet, was meeting Maria Grammalico. She treated us to a fantastic buffet lunch and then instructed all of us of how to make a few of her favorite pastries. Instead of taking the bus back down, Andrea treated us to a gondola ride down to Trapani. Such a fun day!"

Roger S

Tour: 09/26/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We visited great historical sites and had great guides. Andrea, our tour guide was excellent and with great knowledge of the island, especially the history.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our favorite "wow" moments were the Monreale cathedral with the beautiful mosaics and the temples in Agrigento."

Nancy

Tour: 09/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This being our first Rick Steves trip, I have to say I was totally impressed. The attention to detail with our Guide Andrea was outstanding and almost all touring days were very pleasurable and informative. Hotels, food, transportation and guests were all enjoyable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had 3 "wow moments 1) The Cathedral in Monreale with its amazing glittering gold mosaics, Ancient Agrigento Temples with the stone carving of Zeus holding up its walls and the Trapani Salt flats . The guide in Agrigento was the best on the trip!"

Ann

Tour: 09/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had a wonderful time on the Sicily tour with my husband. Our guide was knowledgeable about the history of this island, and I learned a lot about the different cultures that populated Sicily.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite wow moment on the tour was our dinner in Agrigento. The dinner at our lovely hotel was outside, and we were able to view the temples that were illuminated at night. The Blue Moon, Harvest Moon, Supper Moon was stunning as it appeared while we were having our first course. The dinner and wine were delicious."

Anthony

Tour: 09/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Anne

Tour: 09/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful Sicily experience from start to finish. I was very impressed with how knowledgeable our guide was regarding both the tremendous historical events as well as the cultural and present realities of the region. Plans for each day were well communicated and the needs of the group were well planned, especially since this was a fairly active tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Always hard to pick just one, but for me my "wow" moment was visiting the Cathedral in Monreale. I have visited countless cathedrals across Europe, but this was truly amazing with all the golden mosaics!! Our guide was wonderful helping to make the whole experience even more meaningful. "

Greg

Tour: 09/26/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The town of Taormina !"

Ed

Tour: 09/24/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We really enjoyed Sicily, great guide, enjoyable experiences, good food and wine. What else is there?

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento."

Jane

Tour: 09/24/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful trip!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Brioche con gelato, maybe?"

Diana

Tour: 09/17/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour and Virginia was a great guide

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The view from the amphitheater in Taormina was one of the highlights"

Cheryl

Tour: 09/17/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First of all, our tour guide, Virginia, was amazing. She was personable, knowledgeable and super fun. The hotels far surpass ones from other tours, and the sites that we stopped at were all great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Valley of the Temples and the hotel/dinner we stayed at. "

Frank

Tour: 09/17/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Excellent guide and very good group experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mt. Etna"

Darryl

Tour: 09/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

a great group of people, incredibly good and knowledgeable guides and fab food and interaction with locals

Favorite "WOW" moment

"many"

Kirk

Tour: 09/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I enjoyed the free time. It was just enough. The quality of the guides was exceptional. Patricia, our director of our tour, was.the best I have had. The food that you provided was thoughtful and tasty. I can't imagine a tour being as good as Sicily.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Many. One stands out: the Countess was so wonderful, she left me speechless."

Robin

Tour: 09/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was wonderful! Great tour guide, great group of people to travel with and an amazing itinerary of places to visit.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"That is hard to answer because I love them all! Visiting the Contessa in Palermo, baking cookies with Maria in Erice, visiting the Baroness, the puppet show, the winery...I honestly cannot pick one! "

David

Tour: 09/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Outstanding time! It exceeded my expectations! Patricia our guide was amazing!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There are constant wow moments. Taormina really was amazing, the ruins, temples, Greek amphitheater, the cathedrals, all hotels were excellent, all meals were amazing, meeting a baroness, a countess and making cookies with Maria! "

Warren

Tour: 09/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What made our journey finding the best of Sicily was our Guide and Angel, Patricia. She made sure our trip was seamless, exciting and fun. We were a small group of 22 including us and we all got along so well. We were a very respectful group always showing up on time and never keeping anyone waiting. By the end of our trip we became a family thanks to Patricia's joyful energy which was contagious!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The temples of Sicily! They are in such amazing condition and they tower over you!"

Hugh

Tour: 09/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a wonderful tour with a few minor blips. Palermo and Catania are big cities that reminded me of the Italian TV shows Gomorrah and Suburra. They are old and filthy with modern trash and desperate desolation of the poor. the difference between the have much and the have nothings is very evident. There is historic value to both cities and there are beautiful sites to be seen. The small cities and towns are the real jewels and the people are the stars of Sicily.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Favorite moment was walking Agrigento's Valley of the Temples in the heat and seeing the immense scale and accomplishments of the ancient world. Second favorite was viewing and climbing part of Mount Etna. Awesome. Third was viewing the roman influences and mosaics at Villa Romanadel Casale."

Martin

Tour: 09/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tour focused a lot on historical sites, and our guide, Nancy, had an excellent way of presenting the sites to us through stories and her knowledge of history, etc. The tour was well-paced so we had free time to explore on our own. It was nice to not be on the bus so much on this tour. I felt like we received an excellent overview of Sicily and now I want to return to see more.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My “wow” moment centers around our tour guide, Nancy. Not only is Nancy well-versed in all things in Sicily, including history, people, the cuisine, the wine, she exudes charm and fun. She also has empathy and thorough understanding of people. In particular, my wife and I were locked out of our hotel room in Ortigia , through no fault of our own. I have severe anxiety disorder and was in the middle of an anxiety attack. Nancy saw this immediate and calmed me down & took charge of the situation."

Mike

Tour: 09/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Sicily Tour was a wonderful tour. Our tour guide Nancy was incredible as she led us through this beautiful and historic island. We were accompanied by a group of enthusiastic travelers that helped make this a very memorable travel experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"When one experiences Sicily and learns of its history, culture and the role of the various civilizations that made Sicily what it is today, one is awed by the ruins and artifacts that these cultures left behind. I have always been intrigued by mosaics and tiles, and I was really taken by the mosaic art in the Monreale Cathedral and Villa Romana del Casale. As a car buff, it was a thrill meeting Conte Frederico. And I swam in the Mediterranean Sea!"

Lucy

Tour: 09/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first Rick Steves' tour and was by far one of the best group trips I have ever been on. Nancy was a fantastic guide - very intelligent, informed and personable. The timing of daily events was perfect - just the right amount of time to visit sites, eat, shop or whatever was on the schedule. Each hotel was unique and comfortable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moment was the visit to Villa Bianca - such a beautiful setting, lovely host and the most amazing food!"

Debra

Tour: 09/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our second Rick Steves' Europe tour and it was outstanding. Our tour guide, Nancy, was amazing and made the tour such a great experience for all of us. I loved her humor and all of the interesting facts about Sicily that she shared with us. The sights were great, the pace was perfect and the food and drinks were awesome. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I felt like almost every day had its own "wow" moments; from the breathtaking cathedral at Monreale, to the mountaintop town of Erice, learning about the salt harvesting methods that have been used for centuries, visiting the Greek temples, seeing the Roman mosaics, staying on the beautiful island of Ortygia, visiting Mt. Etna and a gorgeous winery on its slopes - all "wow" memories to treasure forever."

Rose

Tour: 09/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Sreela

Tour: 09/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Had a wonderful time. The activities were planned well and our guide Nancy was informative, sociable and a great tour leader.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to name. The cathedral at Siracusa and the wine tasting."

Diane

Tour: 09/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first Rick Steves tour and it exceeded my expectations. Hotels were clean and comfortable, food outstanding and Nancy, our tour guide has raised the bar so high for future tour guides I would find it almost impossible to duplicate.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many "wow" moments, but i was taken back by Agrigento's Valley of the Temples. "

Thomas G

Tour: 09/12/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our tour guide was excellent, extremely organized and did a great job of exposing us to the Sicilian culture with many extras along the way. The meal choices on the tour were wonderful. There was much variation in the meals and wine choices which exposed us to experiences that really enhanced the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had many memorable moments from the tour including the tour of the ruins of Agrigento and the visit to Taormina and the Greek theater. "

Christopher

Tour: 09/12/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The food and accommodations were great. The different venues we visited were very interesting. Our tour guide Nancy was the best. She was very caring and patient but kept us moving. She was very knowledgeable and loved sharing the Sicilian way of life with all of our group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The views, food, and the ferry tale setting of Taromina."

Susan

Tour: 09/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I made my reservation with very high expectations. Those expectations were met and exceeded. I wanted to explore antiquities, to eat delicious food, and to experience the best of Sicily. I did not expect hotels with such spectacular views, an added bonus. My fellow travelers were a convivial group, "PBS types." I enjoyed their company. Angelo was a skilled bus driver navigating us through traffic with inches to spare. Andrea, our guide, was knowledgeable with fine problem solving skills.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many "wow" moments. On Day 3, we started at Segesta. Andrea explained its complicated history, Then we ate a delicious buffet meal at Maria Grammatica's which was followed by a fun almond cookie baking demonstration. After lunch, Andrea led us on a walking tour of Erice. When we reached the mountaintop, the view was spectacular! A man was playing the accordion in the background. I felt the "flow" of a perfect moment."

Andrew

Tour: 09/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our first RS tour, and we couldn't be more thrilled -- fabulous guide, great traveling companions, Sicily was more than we ever expected!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The view from Erice was so unexpected and beautiful. But for a 'wow' it was more the social learnings related to the Sicilians we met on the way. Everything from 'I'm worried as the Americans are drinking too much coffee' to 'Eat everything offered or you don't have love in your heart'. Those experiences can't be replicated if we had gone solo to Sicily. "

Mark

Tour: 09/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent from the start to the last moment! I expected to love Sicilian culture, food and it’s beauty, however our tour guide, Andrea, brought history and present day into such fabulous focus that each and every day was momentous and we can’t wait to go back.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"That’s a difficult question to answer because it seems like there were many. WOW was having a guide with such knowledge and passion to lead our journey. Well done Rick Steves for selecting Andrea! "

Donna

Tour: 09/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"beautiful group dinner in a magical garden in Agrigento"

John

Tour: 09/10/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great activity and travel organization. Easy transfer and hotel check-in. Well timed interesting stops on travel days.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The special food stops including the Contessa's estate and wine tasting. "

Jill

Tour: 09/05/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall I thought the trip was very good.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Favorite things for me were the experiences like the Contessa, baking with Maria, farm lunches, pizza dinner."

Bonnie

Tour: 09/05/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We enjoyed the Sicily tour with Virginia as our guide. This was our first Rick Steves tour. The pace was more relaxed than I expected with plenty of free time to explore on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to identify only one wow. The hotels were much nicer than I expected!! The dinner at Agrigento was very special. "

Liduino

Tour: 09/05/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Virginia was a good leader, very informative and accommodating to all the various needs of our group. Palermo and the Western side of Sicily were not as scenic and a bit more gritty than we expected. Siracusa and Taormina were more scenic. I would recommend one less day in Palermo or the Western side of the island and add a day in the East. Catania was added just for proximity to airport, it is a wasted day, I would find a way to get group to the airport from Taormina.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Baking with Maria and Eriche, farm lunch, Mount Etna and beautiful Ortigia and Taormina. Really wish we had an extra night in Ortigia or Taormina. All the hotels were good on this tour, a nice mix of old and new and excellent breakfast choices. The last group meal was not up to Rick Steves standards, menu or restaurant needs to be changed in Catania. The meal was terrible and the staff seemed less than excited to serve our group, hopefully a change can be made for future groups."

Michael

Tour: 09/05/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Thoroughly enjoyed the mix of activities and pace of the tour (not as overwhelming as some of the others we’ve taken), learning about the different cultures and regional foods of Sicily was also enlightening. Also enjoyed the different regions we visited from the gritty, but fun, vibe of Palermo to the beautiful and upscale Taormina, each had their own personalities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many “WOW” moments on this tour, the salt flats of Trapani, the breathtaking vistas in Taormina, and the grandeur Mt. Etna. One of our favorite days was a visit to Cefalu, a small beach town about an hour away from Palermo which we visited pre tour. We “discovered” Cefalu in the RS guide book prior to the tour, it was a fantastic day spent at a beautiful beach in a historic old town; a great addition to the wonderful tour to come."

Garret

Tour: 09/05/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour covered everything we expected and felt like we had seen the most important parts of Sicily.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The valley of the temples and the overview provided prior to walking around the ruins."

Sherrie

Tour: 09/05/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide Virginia and the local guides were fun and informative. Food and hotels were great; most hotels had wonderful rooftop terrace views. We enjoyed learning about all the different cultures that ruled Sicily throughout the centuries and the mix of activities and options to make the most of our free time - overall great experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many, to choose just one. The stunning mosaics in the Monreale cathedral, pastry class and lunch with Maria Grammatico in Erice, and lunch at the vineyard on the hill flanking Mt. Etna are definitely in the top three. The opportunity to spend our free afternoon in Taormina at a private lido, swimming in the Ionian sea, really made for a memorable, well rounded tour of Sicily."

Gregory

Tour: 09/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Sicily Tour felt very authentic and provided a great overview of the Best of Sicily. A great tour guide and an excellent coach driver made our trip safe and enjoyable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our lunch and pastry class with Chef Maria was a fantastic afternoon spent in a lovely location! Our favorite meal was lunch at the agritourismo! From appertivo to limoncello, everything was delicious!"

Ginger

Tour: 09/03/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Loved learning so much more of Sicily then on any other tour we have taken

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many, almost every day of our tour."

Timothy

Tour: 09/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Evelyn

Tour: 09/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was excellent! The sights, food and drink were all wonderful. We really felt like we learned a lot about Sicily's diverse history and culture. Our guide, Alfredo, was so knowledgeable and a pleasure to be around.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many! The first "wow" moment was seeing the view from our hotel breakfast room on the roof of the building our first morning. 360-degree view of Palermo...fantastic! The temples of Agrigento, the mountaintop town of Erice, the Greek site of Segestra, and the mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale were all favorites. "

Gladys

Tour: 09/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves Tour. My husband and I were very impressed by the whole experience. Sicily was incredible! We learned a lot of interesting history, have wonderful memories, ate a lot of delicious food, and made new and fun friendships!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The sites of the Doric temples in Segesta and Agrigento. Also, our tranquil stay in the very quaint hotel called Baglio de la Luna. The gardens were divine! I also loved Taormina, wished we stayed there an extra day!!!"

Joelle

Tour: 06/20/23

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!"

Ahlke

Tour: 06/20/23

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."

Regina

Tour: 06/20/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Frankly, I was a little hesitant to book a tour (didn't want to be part of a herd following a flag-holding guide or be stuck for 11 days with annoying companions, etc.). However, the tour was great! Tomasso is an awesome guide--knowledgeable, efficient, and personable, and the local guides added their expertise. Sicily is gorgeous, with a rich and fascinating history. The other members of the tour group were friendly, fun, and interesting. There's a good balance of group activities and free time

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Do I have to pick just one?? I loved the tour of Palazzo Federico in Palermo--the Palazzo is gorgeous and contessa is incredibly charming and charismatic. The Greek or Roman ruins, especially Agrigento's Valley of the Temples and the mosaics at Roman del Casale, were amazing. The food, coffee, wine and gelato were all delicious. It's pretty hard to beat sitting on the terrace in the evening at the Taormino hotel, sipping an aperol spritz and gazing at Mount Etna with its smoke plumes. "

Larita

Tour: 06/20/23

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. "

Lisa

Tour: 06/20/23

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 "

Tammy

Tour: 06/20/23

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. "

Joyce

Tour: 06/18/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was very well organized. Our time was managed well. Virginia was an excellent guide and Alessandro, our bus driver, was an excellent navigator. They were both highly professional and personable. Virginia gave us great tips regarding where to eat and what to do in our free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting Mt. Etna would be wonderful on its own, but was very special with the company of a vulcanologist. "

Nancy

Tour: 06/18/23

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."

Pamela

Tour: 06/18/23

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"

Meredith

Tour: 06/18/23

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. "

Lissette

Tour: 06/18/23

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."

Joseph

Tour: 06/18/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Sicily Tour would not have been as great as it was without Virginia our tour leader. She pointed out the best coffee shops, Arancini and gelateria. I have excellent memories of our trip and enjoyed local guides and the history of modern Italy and Sicily. Our driver was tops.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Countess’s palazzo in the Bolero, but better yet our volcano tour and three separate dips in three different seas! "

Brett

Tour: 06/18/23

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!!"

Megan

Tour: 06/13/23

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."

Jo Beth

Tour: 06/13/23

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."

Stuart

Tour: 06/13/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great access to sights, food, guides, stays.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Deep history of Sicily!"

Leonard

Tour: 06/13/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very nice combination of scheduled activities and free time. Knowledgeable tour guides provided information one would not know without a lot of prior research. History, culture, food, wine, overall a wonderful experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The mosaics at numerous places."

Winifred

Tour: 06/13/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

First time group tour - Andrea created a wonderful overall experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Andrea arranged a boat tour very impromptu with wine and snacks."

Garey

Tour: 06/13/23

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. "

Donna

Tour: 06/13/23

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."

Randall

Tour: 06/13/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Taormina was stunningly beautiful "

Michael

Tour: 06/13/23

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"

Mike

Tour: 06/13/23

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. "

Lee

Tour: 06/13/23

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."

Brenda

Tour: 06/13/23

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.

Freeman

Tour: 06/11/23

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."

When To Go & Weather

Sicily's mild climate makes it a good place to visit nearly year-round. However, the months of March, April, May, June, and October are best for combining the convenience of peak season with smaller crowds and pleasant weather. September is the busiest. Visiting between November and February offers the benefit of missing out on the sweat, stress, and crowds of the tourist season, along with cool and crisp weather.

Sicily/ Palermo

Palermo Weather

Hotels & Flights

Tour Hotels

In case you wish to book pre- or post-tour hotel accommodations, the contact information for the tour's first and last hotels is included in your tour confirmation email as well as in the Itinerary section of your tour account. One month prior to the tour departure, you'll find the directions to your first tour hotel and a complete list of hotels where we'll be staying while on tour in the Documents section of your tour account.

Flights

Our tours don't include airfare, so your flight arrangements and transfers are completely up to you.

Most tour members arrange to fly into Palermo (PMO) and out of Catania (CTA) — choose "multicity" on flight-booking websites. Booking round-trip to one city will require a connecting flight, train trip, or overnight stay. Note: Flights to and from Sicily often require at least one connection, and in some cases an additional night's stay in Europe.

We suggest arriving a day or two before your tour begins to allow ample time to get over jet lag and be well-rested for the first few days of your tour. For more information about transportation options for getting to and from your tour, see your Rick Steves Sicily guidebook.