Sicilian Odyssey questions
Hello I have a few questions for those that have done the Sicilian Odyssey trip. I will check with tour director when we arrive regarding the list, but was hoping for some info from prior travelers. We are going in May 2026, our first Tauck trip.
1. Agrigento Greek Temples - about how much time is spent there and about how much walking is involved? (yes I realize this a level 3 activity trip). Concerned about the amount of time in the sun with no shade. Considering staying on the bus or seeing if there is a coffee shop / bar / gift shop nearby. Anyone skip this part?
2. It doesn't appear the tour goes to Monreale Cathedral. Did anyone go there? From Palermo?
3. In Taormina the "uphill walk to Teatro Greco" did you enjoy this? Any info - shade, length of time / distance for the walk?
4. I think we will be skipping the Mt Etna excursion. I love churches and sight seeing, but not volcanoes. We will either stay in Taormina or schedule a tour of Catania. Any suggestions for either city - tour guides, places not to miss?
Comments
We took a big tour of Sicily in April 2023. It will be hot in May! I suggest if heat is a problem you go earlier in the year. There is not much shade in most st places. We visited all the places you mentioned.
It’s quite a walk to Agrigento but it’s fantastic, don’t miss it.
Teatro Greco is so awesome. The Four Seasons is where White Lotus is filmed, it’s way out of the center. If you go there for a visit, they charge you $50 a head just to get in because it gets so busy.
Agrigento
Monreale
I concur; don't miss Sicily. Went in October (twice) and the weather was perfect..................bring your own shade - a hat or umbrella.
British....thanks for posting your fabulous photos! What a terrific trip!
Hello there:
1. Agrigento Greek Temples - about how much time is spent there and about how much walking is involved? (yes I realize this a level 3 activity trip). Concerned about the amount of time in the sun with no shade. Considering staying on the bus or seeing if there is a coffee shop / bar / gift shop nearby. Anyone skip this part? I recall at least an hour of walking over slightly uneven, slightly hilly terrain. No shade that I recall but there are occasionally benches under a few small trees. If you stay on the bus you will miss everything and they may not allow it due to needing to move the bus. I think there was a cafe but as I recall the pick up spot was not the same as the drop off spot.
It doesn't appear the tour goes to Monreale Cathedral. Did anyone go there? From Palermo? As I mentioned in another thread, it is easy to get to Monreale by taxi. The tour does not go there. Monreale, as in British's photo above, is huge and about 5 times larger than the Cappella Palatina included in the tour, but to my untrained eye has the same type of stunning mosaic work and mix of cultural influences. So I can see why they don't include it. After our tour of the opera house, we got a taxi right outside at the taxi stand, and the young man took us up to Monreale (30 min), waited for us for an hour, then returned us to the city center for 70 euro in 2023. He did offer some commentary in English and we though it was a worthwhile activity.
In Taormina the "uphill walk to Teatro Greco" did you enjoy this? Any info - shade, length of time / distance for the walk?
If your tour is using the "upper" Belmond hotel (not the sister hotel at beach level), then the Teatro is right next door. Taormina is a bit hilly, and the Teatro itself has some climbing up the levels if you want to follow the tour guide. It is always interesting to hear about ancient structures and their knowledge of acoustics etc at the time, but I suppose if that is not too interesting to you, you could skip it or just leave early.
I think we will be skipping the Mt Etna excursion. I love churches and sight seeing, but not volcanoes. We will either stay in Taormina or schedule a tour of Catania. Any suggestions for either city - tour guides, places not to miss?
You know, it is not the volcano itself that was so interesting to me, because it is a very barren landscape, but how people live with and manage the volcano and its activity. Unless you like to read up on all this yourself, you will miss the narrative from the excellent Geologist that comes along. Sicily is all about Etna. If you decide not to go, the Belmond hotels are fabulous and worth a day of relaxation, or you could consider a "Godfather" tour, some people in our group stayed an extra day and did that.
Hopefully others will chime in whose memory is better than mine, but I am also wondering why you really want to take this trip?
Sicily is all about the many cultures and civilizations that shaped the island as it is today - food, language, ruins, etc. Mt Etna is one part of the landscape and is visible from many places you will visit. I skipped it and wasn't sorry. Spent the day walking all over Taormina.
We didn’t go with Tauck but our Mount Etna hike was one of our favorites. For those who like Wineries, we visited Gambino winery and sent some home. A delicious platter of meats and cheeses were included along with the tasting
Growing up in California with volcanoes up and down the West Coast, I'd visited enough of them over time to know what I'd be missing by not going up Mt Etna. Different strokes for different folks - there is something out there for everyone!
Wan - Thank you for your responses to my questions. Over years of travel I have learned what I enjoy and what doesn't thrill me. We have taken land tours with other companies - 3 in Europe and Australia, New Zealand - before switching to Viking river cruises (we've taken 3 of those). Everyone raves about Tauck, we liked most of the itinerary on this trip, so we decided to try it. I'm just not sure every excursion will suite my interests. I'm sure others have skipped an excursion for 1 reason or another. And I'm sure the tour guide will provide info I need, I was just looking for what others experienced. I have read some say the Agrigento was warm with no shade and not enjoyable. We have visited Mt Hood and Mt Ranier, I get nervous near active volcanoes..
I am trying to figure out a tour to Catania. Either our arrival day (have to worry about luggage) or a day trip from Taormina.
We are traveling on our own to Puglia before the Sicily trip for a few days. Trying to plan sightseeing in Puglia (Nonnas making pasta) on arrival day - where do we store our luggage? Viator guide with a car to show us around (hold our luggage) and transport us to Monopoli?
Thank you for the info regarding Monreale Cathedral - I am looking forward to that. Happy travels in 2026.
thank you Goddess agree.
I've been to Taormina twice, once with a different tour company and once on a cruise. While the walk is uphill to Teatro Greco it is more of a gentle slope with lots of things to look at on the way. I hope you go. Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite was filmed there.
British, your first photo of Mt Etna is eerily beautiful. Having to sweep up the fine silt of the Mt St Helens eruption for months,f I identify with the stay in town people. There is a lovely park below the main street to visit. I did a lot of backpacking on Mt St Helens and still can't bring myself to return.
i loved Agrigento but there is no escape from the sun. Have you considered using an umbrella to shelter you?
the moores = thank you for your comments. I will have an umbrella, sun shirt, wide brimmed hat. Just worried about the heat and sun.
When we took this tour, the visit to the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento was about 1 1/2 hours. We started at the top and walked down. We went to lunch immediately following the visit.