So, we were all set to sign on for the Spain tour for 2015. Now I see the Sicily tour has been changed, probably based on feedback. Has anyone been to the places on the new tour? We will eventually do both Spain and Sicily. If you were me, which would you choose for 2015?
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Yes, I believe Sicily changes were based on feedback from guides and tour members. I was on the Sicily tour two years ago, so did not experience the new stops at Erice and Marsala. Do you prefer to try something "new" or to wait until other groups test the plan? Frankly, I'd go ahead and sign up for Spain now, because you already planned it, and Sicily next time.
Posted by
Carmel, CA, USA
2456 posts
Hi Alan, I was on the RS Sicily Tour just this past May, and loved it. We covered more places and had more great experiences than I could have possibly done on my own. I actually arrived three days early, and spent the first two nights in Erice with a rental car (as suggested by RS staff when I sought their advice) and then an additional night in Palermo, before meeting up with the tour group. First, I don't know what season you are thinking of traveling. You may already see that there are now two slightly different 2015 Sicily itineraries, one for the off-season early and late in the year, and a somewhat different itinerary for the rest of the year, being high season. Both of these are one night longer than in 2014. Many of us suggested that somewhat longer would be better, even longer than the one extra night. There are so many wonderful and diverse places to see and experience in Sicily, it is tough to choose, and then limit visits to one, or even two, nights. Personally among my highlights were staying in the ancient small hill town of Erice, which I did outside of the tour and loved, and the visit to Taormina. The high season itinerary spends two nights in each of those, while the off-season tour drops coastal Taormina (as well as Cefalu) and visits Erice as a day visit but stays in the larger nearby Trapani instead. My personal preference would certainly be the high season over the off-season, but different strokes for different folks. I have never been to Ragusa, which is the off-season substitute it seems. As far as choosing between Sicily and Spain, or for that matter Nepal, or Thailand, or Morocco or so many other wonderful parts of the world, only you can decide what floats your boat, as they say. Put them all on your bucket list, with many other places for sure.