Lovley holiday. Great overview of many different towns visiting lots of cultural sites. Amazing... Harriet van Pelt , 2018 See more reviews
A gastronomic delight!. From the hands on cookery class and wine tasting tasting to sampling... Jo Stevens, 2018 See more reviews
Really enjoyed the trip. A fascinating island, great food, wonderful history. My only criticism... Paul Barnes, 2018 See more reviews
Really interesting, active trip with plenty of interesting food & wine experience, history,... Theresa Wareham, 2018 See more reviews
My daughter Jane and I enjoyed a most wonderful holiday in Sicily last April 22nd to 29th. ... Jenifer Knox, 2018 See more reviews
This was the trip of a lifetime, words cant describe how amazing it was. Everything went... Barbara Martinez, 2017 See more reviews
Sicily is a fascinating treasure trove of history and beauty. This trip allows you to experience... Wendy Fittock , 2017 See more reviews
A wonderful introduction to this enormous island, combining the must-see sites (Etna etc.) with... Martha Chapman, 2017 See more reviews
I went on the trip from the Exodus office to ensure the first departure ran smoothly and to make... Tim Fearn, 2016 See more reviews
This was a lovely introduction to Sicily and the itinerary was well designed and covered lots of... Ruth Wingerin, 2016 See more reviews
Itinerary Include flights Expand all Palermo to Taormina Day 1 Fly to Palermo. Fly to Palermo airport and transfer to the start hotel in the city centre. This busy port city situated on the north-western coast of the island encloses some very interesting and often overlooked attractions. There is some fine architecture to be admired, as well as good museums, palazzi and churches. It is the city's food scene, colourful local markets and long established food shops, however, that give the city a very original and eccentric character worth discovering. Day 2 Explore Palermo, the famous Ballaro' market and indulge in the city's fabulous street food; afternoon visit Monreale and its Duomo. We start our week with a special guided foodie tour through the historic centre of Palermo, ranked amongst the best cities in the world for street food. During our walk we wander through carts and kiosks of street vendors, colourful markets and local bakeries whilst trying some of the best local specialities. These may vary depending on the season and usually include arancini (fried rice balls stuffed with meat sauce and cheese), panelle (fried chick peas pancake), and sfincione (Palermo’s traditional pizza) - all absolutely delicious. As we walk, the local guide will reveal some of the secrets of Sicilian street cuisine and explain the history of the city, while pointing out notable monuments and historic streets such as Piazza San Domenico, Vucciria, Quattro Canti. In the afternoon we visit Monreale, where we enjoy a visit to its extraordinary Duomo, considered the greatest example of Norman architecture in the world. Overnight in Palermo. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 3 Transfer to Trapani; hands on cookery class with a local chef; continue to Marsala and sample the town's world famous wines. In the morning we transfer to our next destination, the coastal town of Trapani. The local gastronomy in this part of Sicily is strongly influenced by the Arabs, who occupied the area for many centuries until the Normans took over. A hands-on cookery course with a local chef will give us the opportunity to learn more about the interesting culinary fusions, while practising (and tasting!) traditional regional recipes. In the afternoon we head to the southern town of Marsala, internationally famous for its finest fortified wines. A wine tasting will be offered after a tour of one of the best local wineries. Overnight in Marsala. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 4 Morning visit to olive farm for olive oil and produce tasting; transfer to Agrigento for a guided tour of the Valley of the Temples. In the morning we leave Marsala and transfer to a traditional organic olive farm, run by the Centonze family, owner of the estate since 1953. We will learn of the cultivation and production methods and sample some of the world's finest olive oil accompanied by local produce. In the afternoon we transfer to the iconic sight of the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. A guided tour will allow us to discover and learn of the history of this splendid archaeological park, which consists of eight temples (and various other remains) built between about 510 BC and 430 BC. Overnight in Agrigento. Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 To Piazza Armerina; guided tour of the famous Villa Romana del Casale followed by a delicious produce tasting; afternoon visit the charming town of Ragusa Ibla. Today's destination is Piazza Armerina, home of world famous Villa Romana del Casale. Built in the 4th Century AD as a hunting lodge by a Roman patrician, the villa is home to some of the best preserved Roman mosaics spread over around 3500 square meters. After a guided tour of this extraordinary UNESCO sight, we enjoy a delicious produce tasting of local sicilian delicacies. In the afternoon we transfer to the Baroque gem of Ragusa, without doubt one of the most beautiful cities in Sicily and Italy. The town is part of the Val di Noto UNESCO Heritage site and 18 of its buildings are protected by UNESCO patronage. After a short orentiation walk we will have time to enjoy a relaxing and well deserved aperitivo (word for the traditional Italian pre-dinner drinks and snacks) in one of the town's elegant piazzas. Overnight in Ragusa. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 6 Transfer to rural farm for cheese tasting; on to UNESCO Baroque town of Noto before reaching Syracuse; free time. We start our day with a transfer to a family-run farm in the countryside near Ragusa, a province where cheese making traditions are stonger than anywhere else in Sicily. After a cheese making demonstration and a tour around the farm we will sample some delicous cheese, including the famous ricotta, hand-made by the proud owners. Later, we transfer to the other Baroque gem of the Noto Valley, the town of Noto itself. After a relaxing stroll through what is considered one of Sicily's most beautiful historic centres, we have the opportunity to enjoy another staple of Sicilian cuisine: the famous 'granita' (thin flakes of ice flavored with fresh fruit or nuts and sugared) accompanied by the traditional 'brioche' (a soft and fragrant sweet delicacy). We end our day in Syracuse, the most powerful city-state in the Greek world and briefly capital of the Byzantine Empire. The late afternoon can be spent free wandering around the narrow streets of Ortigia, the island where the city was founded, or simply relaxing and soaking up the cosy atmosphere in the historic centre while enjoying a glass of superb local wine! Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Drive to the Etna region for an excellent wine and produce tasting; free afternoon in Taormina. After breakfast we have the opportunity to stroll through the historic food market of Ortigia. Held every morning except Sunday, this market is everything one expects an Italian market to be: there is always a lot of shouting and wonderful smells and colours. It sells authentic regional produce ranging from fish, cheese, spices, vegetables and sweets - this is without doubt the perfect opportunity to buy your favourite products to take back home! We then transfer to the northern region of Etna for a short walk around the highest most active volcano in Europe (1 to 2 hours walking depending on time, 5 km maximum). At lunch time we enjoy a delicious wine and produce tasting in one of the famous wine cellars of the area. We conclude our trip in the beautiful Taormina, a chic resort town spectacularly perched on the side of a mountain. The remainder of the day is free to explore the town's picture-perfect alleys, and perhaps take an optional visit to its amazing ancient Greek theatre. In the evening our leader will recommend an excellent local restaurant where to enjoy a celebratory farewell dinner. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 8 Transfer to Catania; fly to London. This tour ends in Taormina in the morning of day 8. Depending on the group flight departure time, there might be some free time to explore the town's centre and picturesque alleys, or perhaps to do some shopping in the many lovely artisan boutiques. Transfer to Catania airport and fly to London. Meals included: Breakfast
Italy No visa required for British passport holders. Please note in Italy it is compulsory to carry ID with you at all times. For further Brexit travel advice please visit www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/brexit-advice-for-travellers
3 and 4-star hotels On this trip we use 6 different comfortable 3 and 4-star hotels. Some of them have been chosen for their warm hospitality and typically Sicilian character and others for their convenient location. They are often located in proximity of the historic centres we visit so that we can easily explore the towns in the evenings or during our free time. All rooms have en suite facilities and some hotels have a pool and WiFi. List of hotels normally used: Hotel Mediterraneo or Hotel Posta, Palermo Hotel Carmine, Marsala Hotel Dioscuri, Agrigento Hotel dell'Orologio, Ragusa Ibla Piccolo Hotel Casa Mia or Hotel Aretusa, Siracusa Hotel Isabella or Villa Esperia, Taormina
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Reviewed September 2018 Harriet van Pelt Trip: Sicily Food Adventure Lovely mix of food, wine and culture Lovley holiday. Great overview of many different towns visiting lots of cultural sites. Amazing food and wine, with great tours and tastings. You'll never be hungry or thirsty ;) on this trip. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Going up mount Etna, an optional extra but well worth it! Going to buy lunch in the local market was a great experience and visiting the different producers was very interesting. The Etna wine tasting with food pairings was really fun. There were so many great bits, it's hard to pick only one! What did you think of your group leader? Rosario was very good! Got us from a-b, fed and watered us. He was very knowledgeable about the local areas and answered any questions or querys with the patience of a saint! What more could you ask for :) Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take a larger suitcase or sacrificial clothes! There was so many things we wanted to bring home. Nothing too unwieldly though, as there was a few short walks to some of the hotels with some uneven surfaces. Is there anything else you would like to add? Hotels were okay, did the job for a night's stay, some were better than others. One night did result in a supermarket supper due to the closure of the hotels restaurant but tbh we were so full from lunch didn't miss it and the bar was still open.
Reviewed September 2018 Jo Stevens Trip: Sicily Food Adventure Frizzante Sicilia A gastronomic delight!. From the hands on cookery class and wine tasting tasting to sampling Sicilian delicacies in the historical Capo market. Plus a big thank you to the team for arranging gluten free alternatives throughout the tour, from fusilli pasta to wheat free desserts, it truly exceeded all my expectations. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Capo market, was a delight, seeing the extensive mosaics at the Roman Villa, the hands-on cookery class, drinking sparkling wine in the square in Ragusa surrounded by beautifully lit architecture and the list goes on... What did you think of your group leader? Our guide was very helpful, informative and was keen to ensure we really got the most out of our tour.
Reviewed June 2018 Paul Barnes Trip: Sicily Food Adventure Great Trip Really enjoyed the trip. A fascinating island, great food, wonderful history. My only criticism is that we tried to cover too much, which at times led to us only reaching our hotel at 19.00. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Cooking tutorial What did you think of your group leader? Brilliant Do you have any advice for potential travellers? It is a pretty hectic tour. Is there anything else you would like to add? Rosario was a great host and guide. He very much became one of the group.
Reviewed June 2018 Theresa Wareham Trip: Sicily Food Adventure Fabulous trip Really interesting, active trip with plenty of interesting food & wine experience, history, culture and lovely group of people. Led by an excellent tour leader. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The cookery demonstration & practice. This was in a beautiful environment & we had excellent tuition in preparing the food for our lunch. And then eating our food in a delightful outdoor courtyard in the warm sun was just wonderful. What did you think of your group leader? He was great. Really friendly & good fun but also efficient & very knowledgeable. I’d happily go on a trip with him again. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? You do need a reasonable level of fitness. There was quite a lot of walking to do & a couple of the people in our party struggled a bit. It does say about good health & reasonable fitness in the tour details but this needs to be emphasised at the booking stage. Is there anything else you would like to add? Just a big thank you to the booking team, to our tour leader & to our wonderful coach driver.
Reviewed June 2018 Jenifer Knox Trip: Sicily Food Adventure My daughter Jane's and my wonderful holiday My daughter Jane and I enjoyed a most wonderful holiday in Sicily last April 22nd to 29th. There was so much to see and do and Rosario looked after us so weii from meeting us in Palermo airport til we said goodbye at Catania. He went to so much trouble to find us lovely restaurants with delicious food. He helped us understand the menu and it was lovely for our group to dine with the local people. Our tour was amazing and Rosario and his colleagues had such a wealth of knowledge about all the wonderful places they showed us and their history. The opportunity to visit the farm and see the cheese being made and of course taste it was wonderful. Also to see the Masala wine being made and taste it. The market, the olive farm the winery and wine tasting was brilliant. The cookery class was amazing and it was great to learn how to make the dishes and then be able to eat them. The hotels were all excellent and Guiseppe was an excellent driver and all our travel was very comfortable. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? We enjoyed it all. My daughter loved the mosaics at Piazza Armerina. I found Mt Etna breathtaking. I also loved Palermo and the valley of the temples. Taormina was wonderful too. We certainly got our food adventure and the wine to accompany it with the added bonus of seeing the wonderful sights and learning the history of the beautiful island of Sicily. What did you think of your group leader? Our group leader Rosario was amazing. He was very kind, thoughtful understanding and patient. He had so much knowledge about all the places we saw and explained it all so well. He made sure we had plenty of comfort breaks and opportunities to have coffee granita, ice cream etc aswell as the food tasting which was arranged for us. This was very much appreciated by us all. He arranged for us all to have our evening meal as a group if we wished and that was a great help for us all to get to know each other and made the holiday extra special because we all got on so well. Our sincere thanks to him. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Wear comfortable footwear the streets are beautiful but very steep and uneven. Is there anything else you would like to add? It was a wonderful holiday and I highly recommend it.
Reviewed June 2018 Helen Betts Trip: Sicily Food Adventure A Disappointing guide A taste of Italy covered the highlights of Sicily in 8 days, the concept was admirable, giving travellers the opportunity to return to taste it further. The accommodation was good. The Guide was a disappointment. He was not informative at any level and as we stayed in Sicily for another 10 days, we did receive good information about the country, it’s customs and history when on various day trips. I would not travel with exodus again or recommend the company to anyone else What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Agrigento .. we had an excellent local guide. We also had an excellent local guide at piazza armerina. What did you think of your group leader? We were very disappointed in the group leader. See above. Reply from Exodus Reply from Exodus Exodus would like to thank Helen for taking the time to review her trip. We were very sorry to read, however, that Helen was disappointed with the tour’s leadership and did not find Tiziano to be sufficiently informative. Tiziano has been working for Exodus since September 2017 and has always been rated highly by previous clients with an average rating of 4.75 out of 5. We have reviewed the past feedback for him and are very confident that he continues to meet Exodus’ high expectations but we have asked Tiziano to provide as much information as possible to his future groups. Marta Marinelli - Product Manager
Reviewed September 2017 Barbara Martinez Trip: Sicily Food Adventure Trip of a lifetime This was the trip of a lifetime, words cant describe how amazing it was. Everything went perfectly and smoothly we had zero issues or problems other than very very minor ones. Vincenzo our guide was absolutely amazing and our driver Salvadore as well. They both did everything to make our trip wonderful. I could not recommend this more highly. The food, the hotels, the scenery, everything was perfect. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? I was brought to tears several times, it is hard to say what was the most inspirational. The whole thing was outstanding. Generally the best thing about the trip was the schedule. It was just so well planned with the right amount of adventure but also enough rest time. Really well done! What did you think of your group leader? I loved Vincenzo!!! He was like a brother to all of us, he put up with our silly questions and helped us in every way he could. He was very professional and knowledgeable. I would go on a tour again with Vincenzo as the guide any time. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Make sure to have electrolyte tablets with you at all times. It is very hot and it is easy to get dehydrated. Those tablets saved our bacon a few times. Is there anything else you would like to add? You cant go wrong booking the Italy Food Adventure. It was so well planned, the daily excursions were just right - we were tired some days but not too much and every day was a new and wonderful adventure. We were all ladies in our 50's and 60's and we got along really well in spite of not knowing each other. The hotels were really good, a couple were not the best but certainly suitable, a couple were "OMG gorgeous" and the rest were just really nice. I would not hesitate to recommend this trip.
Reviewed July 2017 Wendy Fittock Trip: Sicily Food Adventure Immerse yourself in Sicily! Sicily is a fascinating treasure trove of history and beauty. This trip allows you to experience the Sicilian way of life using food as a lure to explore its villages, towns and landscape as you move from one side of the island to the other. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The mixture of architecture which display Sicily's history through its Roman, Byzantine, Arab (etc, etc) periods, but now sit harmoniously together - is truly inspiring. Also, the endless mosaics at Piazza Armerina which taught me (both visually & by the enthusiastic local guide!), more about Roman way of life and their amazing feats, than any book or tv documentary ever did! I'm not usually enamoured by "old ruins", but the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento is a sight to behold! Mount Etna - I hadn't expected it's lush rich vegetation and then the contrast of the stark black ash landscape on areas affected by historic lava flow. What did you think of your group leader? Our group leader, Vincenzo was extremely knowledgeable and his passion for his home land was infectious. He hit the balance just right in telling us about wherever we were visiting that day, without feeling that you were ever getting "information overload". Always cheerful and polite ... the whole week's itinerary was run efficiently and (it would appear) effortlessly. Given we were changing hotels most nights (which had so far put me off doing this trip), we seemed to blend magically from one resort to the next in a very relaxed manner - ready for the next day's adventure! Also a "shout out" to Salvatore who drove our bus for the week - kind and courteous - who even stopped the bus en route in order to pick some fruits from the trees for our enjoyment! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? This trip not only gives you a Food Adventure, it also gives you a taster of Sicily's many beautiful villages/towns. Though our visit was transient, there's a whole list of places I'd like to revisit .... Noto, Ortigia, Trapani ... where do I stop? There's art and courtyards hidden throughout the land - you need to keep a keen eye out, or you'll miss something!
Reviewed May 2017 Martha Chapman Trip: Sicily Food Adventure Sicily Food Tour A wonderful introduction to this enormous island, combining the must-see sites (Etna etc.) with wine, cheese, chocolate, gelato and other tastings. A lot of movement with 6 different hotels. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The stunning church at Monreale. Our local guide in Palermo/Monreale, Marina, was exceptional, so knowledgeable and so much fun. And the visits to the markets. What did you think of your group leader? Very kind and well meaning but inexperienced and her English not good enough for such a tour. (At one point there was almost a mutiny, which was averted when a Spanish-speaking Norwegian group member intervened and conversed with her in Spanish which she was more comfortable with than English.) This was my fourth Exodus tour in Italy and I'd have to say the guide was definitely the low point/biggest disappointment of the trip. Is there anything else you would like to add? It would be nice if Exodus could include the room taxes, after paying so much for a tour it does seem very "cheap" that we must pay a Euro or two at every hotel. Some dinner suggestions at each stop as we were sometimes "dumped" in a hotel either on the edge of town or not visibly close to any restaurants. Also a farewell dinner inclusion would be nice.
Reviewed June 2016 Tim Fearn Trip: Sicily Food Adventure Sicily Food Adventure I went on the trip from the Exodus office to ensure the first departure ran smoothly and to make suggestions for future departures. There will be a few minor changes for future trips, but overall, I felt it was a good introduction to Sicily combined with great opportunities to sample the local cuisine. The balance between historical sights and food tasting was perfect, with a decent amount of free time to relax so you didn't feel rushed. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? There were lots, but real highlights for me were: eating fresh seafood overlooking the harbour in Sciacca, an incredible meal in a restaurant under the church in Ragusa, amazing food tasting in the boutique hotel at Piazza Armerina after seeing the Roman mosaics, wandering through the market in Siracusa checking out all the fresh produce, and plenty of cheap but excellent local wine! What did you think of your group leader? Fabio is a nice guy and obviously loves his island, although he did sometimes lack the authority needed in a tour leader, perhaps because this was the first time the trip had run and he was not so familiar with the itinerary. His knowledge of Sicily was excellent, especially the geology and geography. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? If you go on this trip, be prepared to eat lots! There was so much good food on offer that you'd never go hungry, and you'll never eat the same thing twice. Try as many of the local specialities as possible, and make sure you have plenty of space on your memory card because there's so much to take pictures of, whether it's the beautiful old towns, the market stalls or the dishes that arrive in front of you at the restaurants.Also, try to relax and adjust to the Sicilian way of life - service in restaurants can be slow and seemingly disorganised, especially in the west of the island which receives less visitors, and drinks are usually served at the same time as the food, not before the meal.