Most Inspirational Moment
The stunning mosaics at Monreale. The views of Etna were great (except when the scirocco brought in the Sahara sand).
Thoughts on Group Leader
Salvo was very knowledgeable, and helpful. he also made sure there were plenty of loo stops - important given the length of some of the coach trips!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Consider carefully your aims for the trip (see my summary), but then enjoy yourself. Make sure that you have plenty of cash to pay for meals, souvenirs and tips, as you can't rely on credit or debit cards being accepted. If you need more cash, most places have ATMs. When paying by credit/debit card or withdrawing cash at an ATM, you will sometimes be offered the opportunity to pay in your home currency - as a rule, though, this will involve a poor exchange rate and a fee, so you are probably best advised to reject this option and hope your card issuer is more generous.
Leave room for the gelati and sorbets (granita)! You will walk them off.
As always with such tours, be prepared for some minor disappointments - for example, our tour of the Zingaro Nature Reserve was called off due to the fire risk caused by a scirocco blowing through, and the "elaborate Byzantine mosaics" at Cefalu Cathedral were hidden whilst the building was undergoing some renovation. However, there is so much else to see that such disappointments are unlikely to detract significantly from your holiday.
