Reviews

Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers

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68 Reviews

4.5 out of 5

Helen Bouchami

Reviewed May 2022

A Crossroads of Civilisations and Cultures

Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Carthaginians, Berbers, Arabs – even Normans have all left their mark on Sicily – leaving a rich cultural legacy to be discovered by today’s visitors. Because we completed a circuit of the whole island, there were inevitably some longer stints on the coach – but it was roomy and we always had a break halfway on longer stretches.
Hotels were mixed -the one at Agrigento felt rather soulless and the Agroturismo had some problems – the rustic setting was fine but some people had no running water in the morning. I hope this problem can be fixed as I like the idea of giving custom to a local business. But the one in Palermo couldn’t have been more central and the one at Taormina was delightful and so close to the beach (and the beachside restaurant where we had our last dinner)

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved the Zingaro reserve and could happily have spent the whole day there, but I understand that all tastes have to be catered to. Taormina is lovely - spectacular views, and I enjoyed pottering around Ragusa Ibla. I have a limited appetite for churches (especially catholic iconography) and temples, but Monreal with its stunning mosaics and the Greek temple at Agrigento were terrific, and enhanced by the explanations of the guide.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Veronica was excellent - friendly, welcoming, informative. Also a shout out for the drivers, especially Salvatore who was with us for most of the trip - careful, safe and he always welcomed us back to the coach with a smile

Advice for Potential Travellers

I didn't think you could eat badly in Sicily, but we had two bad meals - in Palermo, accompanied by surly service. The food was cold and one of the group was ill. But we ate really well at Taverna Dei Canto around the corner from the hotel in Palermo (lively street - not a quiet venue) My advice would be to check out the latest reviews on Trip Adviser - guide books can be out of date. If you plan to walk in Zingaro (some people preferred to swim) be aware that while not challenging, parts of the path are rocky so a pole can be helpful if you have any knee problems.

June MacDonald

Reviewed May 2022

Describes the itinerary

An excellent way to discover Sicily and her past

Most Inspirational Moment

Valley of the temples

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent Knowledgable Organise Friendly A people person

Advice for Potential Travellers

Prepare for all weathers

Suggestions

Andrew Davies

Reviewed April 2022

Very Comprehensive and Interesting

This was a very well put together itinerary with a very good balance between organised time and the opportunity to explore individually. The standard of accommodation and transport was high. A really great trip for those interested in history and architecture/archaeology.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking among the ruins in Selunite. The beautiful coastal walk. The archaeology Park in Syracuse. A fantastic local guide around the Valley of the Temples in Aggriento who was a working forensic archaeologist who brought the site to life.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Veronica was fantastic. She was enthusiastic friendly and ensured every day was well organised and that we got the most out of each location. Great communication skills and ensured that we all kept to time with the lightest touch. A very talented tour leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Prices have increased a bit over recent months but great food and wine is still reasonably priced. Bring a kettle and tea/coffee as this is not provided in the rooms. Travel in April was a good decision as it wasn't too hot and not overly busy in most locations.

Suggestions

Thanks to Veronica and the lovely group who made the trip fun and enjoyable.

Sue Potter

Reviewed October 2019

Sicily is truly a treasure

A fabulous trip with a fantastic mix of scenery, walking , culture and food experiences. An outstanding guide, Alessandro who helped the trip run smoothly, was always friendly and informative.
The pace was good with plenty of time to explore on your own. Walks could be taken at your own pace and adapted.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the craters of Etna. Walking in Zingaro. Views from Erice. Selinunte ruins in the sunshine by the sea. Monreale mosaics. Greco RomanTheatre in Taormina .I could go on. Everything was excellent

Thoughts on Group Leader

Alessandro was outstanding, one of the best guides I've had the pleasure to travel with. He provided lots of handouts on food, language, maps, what to see in the towns. He was extremely knowledgeable about his homeland, its history and geography. He was always patient, caring and friendly. A real treasure himself.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take wet shoes if you want to swim in the sea, it's rocky. No need to bring a lunch box. Go on a diet beforehand so you can enjoy all the fantastic food.

Suggestions

Go!

Wanda Howick

Reviewed September 2018

Sicily in a week

My husband and I had a fabulous trip to Sicily – a place I knew I would adore and I was not wrong. In 8 days you can only scrape the surface of this wonderful island but this round trip was a great way to see what it can offer. It was a perfect introduction to somewhere we will return to many times.

Most Inspirational Moment

The aching beauty of Eriche, Noto and Cefalu.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Marco was a charming leader, efficient, informative with a dark sense of humour. And he was extremely good company.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There is an element of walking every day so if you are infirm this may not be the trip for you.

Suggestions

It would have been good to have been given a map of Sicily at the beginning of the week so we had a sense of where we were going. Please do not ever use Hotel Europa in Palermo again. Other than this notable blip however the accommodation on the trip was amazing.

Kara Brown

Reviewed September 2018

Sicily in a week !

Overall an excellent trip. This covers the main sites round the island. As it is the largest island in the Mediterranean there is quite a lot of ground to cover so it is quite a busy tour. However it was worth it to see the contrasts of this lovely island which combined with the lovely food made a great holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

The wine tasting on the first day was really excellent and a good way at the start of the tour to get to know your fellow travellers. The sites of the island were stunning. Selinunte was not overcrowded with tourists so was particularly lovely to walk around, with its stunning setting overlooking the sea. The town of Erice also had stunning views and was lovely to wander the quite streets of the town.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Marco was excellent. He provided us all with a book at the start of the tour and with a map of each town as we visited them. I have done many Exodus trips and have never had a guide so organised with such maps, highlighting the points of interest. Phillipe was our trusty driver who was also excellent and we all felt safe with his driving.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I would say that the coastal walk was more challenging than the walk on Mt Etna. I wore good walking boots for both although could have got away with walking shoes for the Mt Etna walk.

Suggestions

Overall a great trip with excellent guide and good hotels. The only downside was the hotel in Palermo which was a bit “Faulty Towers”. Two sets of people in our group had to change room and my Mum (who was on the holiday with me) had to put out a spark from an electrical socket. i Suggest the Exodus seriously look at changing the hotel for the two nights in Palermo.

Brian Helsdon

Reviewed June 2018

Great Trip

This was an excellent well planned tour. I found the pace busy but not overly strenuos or hectic. You have plenty of variety, Mt Etna seaside towns and harbours, quaint old towns as well as the ancient sites. What made this trip so good was the guide, Vanessa,, who often went the extra mile to help the group, and the group itself, 15 very different people who got on well. We stayed on for 4 nights after the end of the tour for rest and relaxation near Taormina and this was certainly the right decision. Taormina itself is very crowded and touristy with the side streets and the public gardens offering a welcome relief. Palermo was the best big city with plenty of character.

Most Inspirational Moment

The drive up to the hilltop village of Erice plus the stay at the farmhouse.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Vanessa was one of the best, if not the best, tour leader I have travelled with. She had excellent English having lived in Dublin for eight years. She was extremely well informed and organised. She often went out of her way to help the group or individuals. For example we had independently booked a hotel at the end of the tour. Not only did she drop us off but checked the booking before we arrived and arranged for hotel staff to meet us at the end of the drive to the hotel. She was always cheerful and fun.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be be prepared for some long bus journeys and quite a busy pace. Don’t worry overmuch about the walks. Our group managed both walks without any issues but good walking shows are essential for the Etna walk. Consider staying on after the tour but not at the tour hotel.

martin spiers

Reviewed June 2018

Treasures of Sicily

Well balanced holiday with a good guide as well as good local guides who had more detailed knowledge of the sites. Plenty of variety in the other activities,

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the Straits of Messina AND the meal cooked at the AGRITURISMO hotel in Busseto Palizzolo.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was pleasant, engaged, efficient and knowledgable about his homeland

Rebecca Midvidy

Reviewed May 2018

Classic Sicily

Wonderful trip. Varied, good hotels and the best trip leader. Francesca is kind, knowledgable, helpful.

Probably would have prefered 2 less cities to visit. This would have made the trip a better pace and give us a chance to savour each place.

Most Inspirational Moment

Valley of temples.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Super as mentioned above.

Advice for Potential Travellers

None.

Jen S

Reviewed May 2018

Great trip, fabulous gelato

This was a great, moderately-paced trip. There’s lots to do, but plenty of free time to just sit in a café and watch the world go by… or if you like to keep moving, just grab an espresso and slip around the next corner to see what’s there… This was a pleasant balance of old Greek and Roman sites, free time in pretty towns and villages full of twisting alleys and stunning churches, a couple of light walks, and amazing Sicilian food.

Most Inspirational Moment

We had several hours to explore the beautiful town of Ortiga. It was a microcosm of the trip as a whole... after admiring the ruined temple in the main square, scoring an aranchine (Sicilian fried rice dumpling) and a cake for lunch, I spent hours exploring every tiny alleyway, my camera ever-ready, stopping off for gelato whenever I needed fuelling up...

Thoughts on Group Leader

Francesca was bubbly and enthusiastic, and brought the group together.

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