Has anyone done the Odyssey unlimited trip to Southern Italy and Sicily? It is 15 days long. I am interested in it because it combines southern Italy with Sicily and it’s a way to see both. Has anyone had experience with Odyssey unlimited?
Posted by
SE Pennsylvania
3123 posts
I have done a few OU tours, but none in Europe. I was happy with all of them, they compare well with RS tours.
Posted by
Used to be Steilacoom, now it’s Las Vegas
2489 posts
We did one of their Spain/Portugal tour several years ago with another couple we met on a Rick Steves tour. We were happy with their service and the friends have continued to travel with them. They offered more group meals and luggage assistance. What made the difference for us was the location of their hotels. Central locations are a big factor for us and the Rick Steves tours tend to feature that. Odyssey Unlimited does tell you the hotels they are using so you can see for yourselves.
Posted by
Portland
3688 posts
Though my late husband and I were committed independent travelers, we used OU a few times for destinations like Morocco and Vietnam, where the language and script were not European. Our experiences were stellar. Hotels were ranged from really good to super. All food was great; guides, outstanding. Our tour to Baltic Capital and St. Petersberg got aborted by covid, and our deposit was returned promptly. Sadly, that tour has not been offered again. If it were, I’d sign up with no hesitation.
Posted by
1 posts
My wife and I did OU's Sicily/Southern Italy trip two years ago. Highly recommend it. Unlike some of the other Odysseys' trips, you have longer stays in the hotels, since you're only staying in four locales. Tour director and in-city guides all excellent. They had some good restaurants chosen for their provided meals. Quite a variety of things to see/do in all of the locales and plenty of down time. If you're looking for art and museums probably not the tour you want, though we found interesting ones in Lecce and in Matera. Matera is quite unique, as is Alberobello. You should be prepared for some energetic uphill walking at times, such as the Mt. Etna leg of the trip. The hotel they use in Taormina has a breathtaking view over the sea, but you also have a steep 50-60 yard walk to get in and out of the hotel. Nothing awful, just be prepared for it. Choose your tour dates carefully, because the Amalfi Coast part of the tour is particularly swamped (it's aways crowded in the best of times) on holidays and during the high travel seasons. One day of the tour -- from Sicily to Matera -- is pretty much consumed with bus travel. We've recommended this particular OU tour to several friends.