Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

We were surprised by the architecture in the Barogue towns and our visit to The Valley of the Temples was a highlight.3Great local guide there too!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Vanessa was the most organized guide I have had when travelling with Exodus! We were supplied with maps daily and we were debriefed each evening. Everyone's needs were met and she was always professional. What she did not know, she found out. She was friendly, had a keen understanding of Sicily and spoke excellent English. Her optional evening meal gatherings proved to be enjoyable and right on!

Most Inspirational Moment

The Valley of the Temples at Agriegento

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader, Fabio was fun and knowledgeable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring a good pair of walking shoes as well as waterproof clothing....we were travelling the last week in May

Most Inspirational Moment

Catching a brief glimpse of Mount Etna with its great lava flows when the clouds parted momentarily.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fabio was great.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Although it is rather a nuisance when going to a Mediterranean island close to summer, take warm clothes and good shoes for the walk up to Etna, the winds and rocks can be evil.

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved noto with its baroque architecture. I love the sea and the countryside and found Mount Etna and the nature reserve very inspiring.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Salvo was very knowledgeable about nature and plants so all visits to Mount Etna and the countryside were very interesting. His organisational skills are very good and he is very good at answering questions. He was very helpful in suggesting restaurants to us and we enjoyed his suggestions for food and wine. In smaller places he arranged that we stop at a delicatessen for food for lunch which worked very well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The temperature was abnormally high for early May so make sure you bring all the sun protectors advised,

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking in the Zingaro Nature Reserve. The beauty of the rugged coastline, the views and being active in the sunshine was magical.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Danilo was fantastic. The fact that he's a geologist was a nice surprise. He provided valuable and interesting information about Mt Etna, and Sicily's landscape in general. He was also very helpful in giving restaurant recommendations, endeavoured to make everyone's holiday as enjoyable as possible.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Pack layers if going up Mt Etna. The sun may be shining, but the winds are still chilly in April!

Most Inspirational Moment

The Valley of the Temples is truly awe-inspiring and the landscape on Etna was like walking on the moon!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fabio was a terrific guide. He really knew his stuff and communicated his knowledge and passion for his island, its history and heritage with genuine enthusiasm and humour. He went out of his way to ensure everybody enjoyed the trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't forget to take your camera. Also make sure you've got comfy walking shoes, not just for Etna but also for the Zingaro Nature Reserve, as the terrain in both can be a bit uneven in places.

Most Inspirational Moment

The Zingaro walk was particularly meaningful for me. 30 years ago the Reserve risked to get cut in two by a highway. National associations along with hundreds of Sicilians demonstrated against the distructive plan and thanks to them we can now enjoy beautiful walks with breathtaking views. As an Italian myself, it simply made me proud.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader, Fabio, has been the key to the enjoyment of our holiday. You can tell that he loves and knows every inch of his region.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The Zingaro and the Mt. Etna walks aren't demanding at all, but if you feel unsure walking poles can make the difference. Walking shoes are more than enough though. Local transfers are usually quite long, so a good book or some music could do. I personally took a lot of pictures (and sometimes a nap!), plus our leader now and then gave us information about what we were seeing while driving by, making the journey not boring at all.

Most Inspirational Moment

For me it was walking into the cathedral at Monreale and seeing the Norman mosaics.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fabio was excellent. Relaxed, helpful and informative. Also the driver Luca was outstanding: Patient, careful and skilled. Driving in Sicilian towns is not for the faint hearted.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Sicilian restaurants are a little chaotic. Be patient, the food is worth the wait. Also do visit the museum Mandralisca in Cefelu. It's worth it to see the "portrait of a man" by Antonello da Messina, (I have heard it called "the male Mona Lisa") and the Greek vase with a scene of "the tuna cutters".

Most Inspirational Moment

We loved the walk along the coast ending with a swim in the crystal clear water of a delightful bay. The numbers and variety of temples and auditoriums was impressive and the over-the-top baroque churches are a must-see.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fabio was a super guide - informative, proud of his Sicilian heritage and passionate about the history and landscape of his homeland. In the daytime he guided us through the villages and towns and in the evening he steered us through the delights of Sicilian cuisine. Our driver, Lucas, deserves a mention, too, for his skilful driving of our coach, sometimes to places a coach was not meant to go.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is a full-on schedule and you might benefit from preparation if you have a list of things you want to see at each of the sites as time can seem short. However, there is some spare time for self-guided visits. The scheduled walks are not too demanding but there are other opportunities to stretch your legs (or just laze on a beach). Boots or sturdy walking shoes were useful; poles, too, on the Etna walk.

Most Inspirational Moment

Going into Monreale cathedral with its magnificent mosaics and being greeted with a choir singing. Combination was unexpected and amazing. Greek temples at Agrigento and Segesta.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was excellent, enthusiatic and informative about Sicily. Approachable and friendly. The driver was good too.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Mount Etna is cold even in May. Take some warm clothing and suitable shoes! The walk in Zingaro Natural Park was quite demanding - uneven footpath surfaces and hot in the summer months. Both were worth the effort though. Oepning times of some monuments etc was a bit unprdictable and some were not open at all.