Palermo Tours and Trips

We loved the entire tour, partly because my family immigrated to the US from Sicily in 1910, so it had deeper meaning than just a vacation. Our tour guide (Davide Iosia) was absolutely phenomenal and added a lot of extra value to our group. He made special accommodations for us to spend more time in Cefalu, where my family came from, and we climbed the Rocca di Cefalu for a bird's eye view of the town. It is a memory of a lifetime for me and Davide made it happen. We will never forget this trip.

The tour was amazing! I most enjoyed all the visits to the local farms, learning about the work they do and just listening to them; being immersed into the cultures and everyday life.

I just loved seeing the open air opera theatre in Taromina.. Knowing that it is still being used today for performances is so wonderful. Seating in the seats that are now provided I could just imagine seeing performers on the stage. I would have loved to just stand on the stage. I didn’t get to see it at night but can just imagine it under the stars with a view of Mount Etna. I must also mention the food. It was truly wonderful. Every bite!! Our tour manager Laura was just the best. This was my second tour with Collette and I hope to add at least one or two or who knows how many more. I truly prefer the small group tours. You really get to know your fellow travelers and the experiences are truly remarkable. I like that even if you are traveling alone you have a travel family with you. I do hope that in the future you might add a few more level 2 tours to the small group tours. Right now the level 3 are fine but hoping to be able to travel as long as possible. It took me a while to finally get to Sicily to see where my grandparents were born, but it was worth the wait and I’m so glad I chose Collette for the journey.

This is one of my favourite tours so far. Sicily is an island full of adventure and the tour allows you to dip in. The pace is great, not too fast but we covered lots of ground. Everything was made easy thanks to our fabulous guide Antongullio who looked after us all. Nothing was too much trouble. We started in Palermo which is the most incredible city; full of historic palaces with breathtaking mosaics, chaotic streets, markets bursting with colour and local produce, food of such variety and fabulous ice cream! On to the middle of the island and the anti-mafia museum which was so humbling and brought the challenge to life. Wine makers, tomato growers, farm houses, food and greetings everywhere ending up in Ortiga with more beauty and history. This is my first trip to Sicily but it certainly will not be my last. Ive read Giorgio Locatelli's Made in Sicily book with a greater understanding since Ive been home and cant wait to return.

This was our first international trip and first with a tour group. Collette was a great tour and we couldn't have asked for anything better. We truly enjoyed our trip, making new friends and seeing so many different places. We saw what was listed in the brochure and more. We didn't have just one favorite because all the places we went were so beautiful and we enjoyed traveling. We also purchased the optional excursions and that really added to the trip. So much history! Attached is a photo of the Greek Theater in Taormina with Mt. Etna smoking in the background.

Italy is way more than a few big cities. This tour provided a mix to see the real Italy while exploring the rich history that made this place so special.