If you are planning to tour Europe why don't you consider the island of Sicily, a region of southern Italy? Depending on your own specific interests, this beautiful area can be an ideal vacation spot. You can get classic Italian food, and wash it down with fine local wine. And some parts of Sicily haven't yet been discovered by tourists. This short article presents western Sicily. A companion article presents eastern Sicily; another presents Sicily's capital, Palermo.
Monteale is a city of some thirty thousand southwest of Palermo. It is best known for its Norman Cathedral built between 1174 and 1185, arguably the finest example of Norman architecture in all Sicily. Its interior contains well over an acre of gold mosaics.
The town of Erice, population under thirty thousand, sits approximately half a mile above sea level. You'll love its two castles, Pepoli Castle which dates from Saracen (Arabic) times and Venus Castle which dates from Norman times. Capo San Vito is a cape situated about twenty five miles (forty kilometers) northeast of Erice. It claims to have the most beautiful beach in all of Italy.
The city of Marsala whose population is approximately eighty thousand, was the major Carthaginian base in Sicily during its wars against Greece and Rome. Today Marsala brings to mind the wine much loved by the British (and others) for well over two hundred years. Make sure to see the Baglio Anselmi Archeological Museum.
We end our tour of western Sicily at Agrigento, historic city and site of Valle dei Templi (Valley of the Temples) arguably the finest Greek ruins outside of Greece. Each temple in the Valle dei Templi is unique. Prepare your trip carefully, summers in this part of the world are very, very hot. While you don't want to get sick, you don't want to rush through this site containing several buildings worth visiting.
Organic food has made major inroads in Sicily. Of all Italy's regions only the neighboring island of Sardinia produces more organic food. Make sure to see our companion article I Love Touring Italy - Western Sicily for a sample menu and more information on Sicilian wines as well as an in-depth examination of the area's tourist attractions. You may be surprised to learn that only slightly more than fifty percent of Sicilian wine is red. There are many Sicilian wines that do not carry the DOC classification, sometimes by choice.
It is not always about money ? you may have sufficient funds to afford either but one of them would suit you more. And it is not always about your general style or preferences as ?travel style? is totally different. Many positive people may turn to be ?unbearable? fellows while traveling only because they have chosen the wrong style.
You can go for group tours if you agree with some or most of the statements below:
- You are single and do not have a travel buddy: Join group tours for more fun, less cost and of course to make new friends.
- You are not alone but still enjoy knowing people from all over the world; where else will you have this chance?
- You are female(s) traveling to less developed countries ? stick to group tours if possible. Groups can offer more safety and comfort.
- You seek for maximum efficiency: Group tours have pre-scheduled itineraries to maximize your sightseeing. No matter how long your wife/husband would prefer to stay at a shop or your photo addict friend would like to take extra shots; the tour has to end when the guide blows the whistle.
- Although money is not everything, it is something: In some countries such as Turkey, Greece or Morocco private tours cost almost double or even triple prices when compared to the group tours. For small families or friend groups (2-3 traveler) it'll be more cost effective to join escorted group tours.
If you are not sure about your travel style yet, here are the reasons why people prefer private tours despite the higher costs:
- You want to have full control on where to go, how to go, when to relax, when to shop etc. No matter how much more it cots, take a private tour.
- You are not control freak but prefer flexibility while traveling: Well, check the group itinerary, see how tight their schedule is. Some group tours provide flexibility to some extend. But at the end, there will be at least 30 more people to share the same flexibility.
- You want to get off the regular tourist path; you prefer to visit a less known sight hidden at the far end of the city, or to stop at a local snack shop to mingle with the locals. If yes, you'll have limited opportunity for this with a group.
- Your tolerance limit is somewhat low while traveling. Totally understandable. Well, in a group tour there might be fellow travelers that you dislike and you'll need to stick with them for the entire tour. If this sounds like a nightmare, private tour might be a better option.
- You have certain accommodation preferences such as design hotels, awarded hotels, small B&B's etc. However group tours usually stay at western type standard hotels to cater for the taste of the majority.
- You want to have the time and the freedom to ask silly questions.
- Simply you prefer privacy and personalized service!
- Last but not least, you have extra savings to afford all the reasons mentioned above.
So what will you do for your next trip? You don't have to decide right away. It all depends on the destination, on the tour company, itinerary you'll be looking for, the price etc. You will see that it is much easier to find group tour sellers. There are certain big tour operators that organize these tours and most of the travel agencies sell the same packages with same rates. However for private tours, you definitely need to make your homework. Look for a smaller boutique travel company that provides customized service. This company should have some expertise about the destination, should have the patience, and bulk purchasing power. The only way to understand all these are by asking questions, asking for price and comparing at least few companies. Always and always check the legitimateness of the tour company. Where is it registered and licensed? Are you under the protection of a provincial travel fund if anything goes wrong? All these questions are crucial before traveling to a new destination. At the end, when traveling is involved, cheapest is not always the best; peace of mind is what every traveler will be looking for.
Both Levi Reiss & Turkay Aykut are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Levi Reiss has sinced written about articles on various topics from Touring Italy, Travel and Leisure and Food and Drink. Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine German, Italian, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and the right people. He knows what dieting is, and is glad th. Levi Reiss's top article generates over 450000 views. to your Favourites.
Turkay Aykut has sinced written about articles on various topics from Sicily Vacation. Turkay Aykut is the Sales Manager of Anatolia Tours & Travel Co. offering private and escorted , Greece, Morocco, Dubai, Oman, Egypt &. Turkay Aykut's top article generates over 480 views. to your Favourites.