escorted tours of Sicily

sicily life sicily tours

July 2006

Sebastiano - I just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our tour with Antonino Bucceri on July 13.
He met us promptly at the pier, knew exactly where we were going, and was a wonderful guide/driver for our visit to Tusa
and Cefalu.
He was one reason that our day in Sicily was so memorable.
I would highly recommend Antonino and your firm in the future.
Thanks again.

Don
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May 2006

Just a quick note to say thank you for arranging our day trip to Etna and surrounding villages last week. We felt that Antonio really put himself out
to try and fit in with our requests and was both interesting and informative about the areas we visited. The lunch was fabulous and exactly what we
wanted and fascinating to hear Antonio's views on Sicilian life.
The walk on Etna was a real highlight for us as a group; being able to walk up among the snow whilst the steam was still rising from the soil and the ground being too hot to put your hand on the surface was truly awesome. We thoroughly enjoyed our day and please pass on our thanks to him.

Best regards

Mark Sanderson
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March 2006

Hello Sebastiano.
Thank you again for a great experience in Sicily.
I have told so many people about my travels there and how great Luca was.
Attached are a few photos that I promised Luca.
Again, he was just great and really made my trip an even better experience.

Ciao.
Paula

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October 2005

Hi Sebastiano, We arrived home safely last night Wed, Nov. 2, 9:30 our time. It was a long day!!!

We want you to know that we had a wonderful time in Sicily and especially when Antonio took us to Canicattini Bagni where we were able to see the house that my father lived in. The people there were very friendly and let us come in to see and take pictures of their house. They offered us espresso early when we got there and then after some pleasant discussion, they invited us to stay for lunch. What a wonderful invitation that was for us. We accepted their invitation and again had a wonderful visit with them We took and lot of pictures and we will be sending them copies.

Antonio was the best guide anyone could ask for. He was pleasant, courteous and knowledgeable. He made our visit to C.B. just what we had hoped for. We also had the opportunity to visit the cemetary which was quite an experience since it was so close to All Saints Day.

I am planning on recommending you to some people here who would like to return to visit their roots in Canicattini Bagni.

I told my father that we had visited the place where he was born and he was very excited to hear about it. He remembers quite a bit from when he was a little boy growing up in Canigattini Bagni. My father now is 90 years old and will be 91 in December.

We are sorry that we were not able to meet you and very sorry that we missed your call. We did put in a call to you on Monday, but could not make a connection.

Again, we are very happy that we were able to connect with you through our friends here in the USA and who knows, we may need your services again.

Stay well and continued good luck with your business.

Rocco & Cora

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September 2005

Dear Sebastiano,
Now back home, I wish to thank you and your staff for the wonderful trips we did with your company on our recent tour of Sicily in September 2005. The trip to the Etna with Alessandro was unforgetable. My partner is especially interested in volcanos, so every piece of information he got from Alessandro was most interesting. We really appreciate his patience and willingness to wait for us and let us take our time and enjoy the sights. The tour to Savoca, castelmola and the villages in the area was great, and the views breathtaking. I want to thank you also for the spontaneous ride to Milazzo and back, which you arranged for us in the last minute although we had not booked it in advance, and so enabled us to visit the islands. Antonio, who took us there, was very nice. You have an excellent company with exteremely nice guides, very punctual, very knowlegable and friendly. Thanks to you all (and the views) (and the food) we fell in love with Sicily. I will of course recommend your company to everyone I know who goes to the East coast of Sicily.

We wish you great success, give our warm regards to Alessandro and Antonio,
Best regards,

Dvora Cohen - Israel

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April 2005 In April 2005, our group of 10 people took a tour of Mr. Etna and surrounds with Sicily Life. We highly recommend Allesandro and Sabastiano and their company, everything worked on time and with great service. Here are three photos -- of a Mt. Etna view that day, one of the craters we visited, and also a picture of the restaurant where we had a wonderful lunch. In addition to lunch and Mr. Etna, we visited a winery and saw some amazing lava flow areas (including houses buried in lava) from both older and more recent eruptions. Another reason to go with Sicily Life is to avoid at least one day driving on your own, just relax and let them do the driving and commentary. That should be a very welcome relief from driving in Sicily! The can also do other kinds of tours, which we would have done with more time there.
Thanks again to Sicily Life! Brent Smith, Fairport NY
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Hi Antonio,
Just to tell you we had a great experience on Etna and around
Giardini Naxos. Here 2 pictures of a wonderful day …Ciao,

Matteo, Annick & Luc

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September 2004

Big Thanks and sincere recommendation for the "SicilyLife" partnership of Alessandro and Sebastiano of Taormina. We enjoyed a spectacular day on our Mt Etna tour with stops at Murgo Winery, the charming "honey town" of Zaffarena and Giardini-Naxos. In addition our stay was made even more enjoyable by Sebastiano's attention to our comfort, with dinner & hotel reservations, and of course, assuring we experienced as much as possible the stunning beauty of Taromina and surrounds. Thank you!
Tre donne da San Francisco..........Anne

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June 2004

Dear Sebastiano and Alessandro,

Sad to say that I am back in New York. When driving to the airport in Catania yesterday thinking should I really go home as the sun was shining so beautifully. The air was so crystal clear that I was fortunate to view Mt. Etna with some smoke billowing out from the top.

I just want to thank you so much for really making my stay in Taormina extra special! I enjoyed everything! I especially enjoyed the cooking lesson with you and Alessandro...it felt like old friends getting together and enjoying a meal together. You and Alessandro have a wonderful company - the two of you really make it extra special. I will venture to say that in time as word gets out your business will grow very nicely and you will both enjoy the success of it.

Again, thank you! You made my holiday one of the best I even had! I cannot wait to come back to Sicily!

Ciao.... Debby
New Yourk , USA

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May 2004

Dear Alexandro,

I want to thank you for the day we spent with you in Sicily. Despite the raining we had a unique experience on the Etna. We also enjoyed the restaurant you had reccommended (La Lumera) which was different from those on the seaside. FYI, we managed to return to the refuge a couple of days lated on a sunny evening, and could compare the views as well as see the last erupted crater.

Again, thanks for your guide, your stories about Sicily and Sicilians and the reccommendations.

Hillel Arkin
Israel

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My husband and I spent 2 1/2 wonderful weeks in Sicily this May. The trip was made very special by working with Alessando from Sicily Life.com With his incredible help I was able to locate the burial site of my great grandfather and records for many of my relatives. But it was the kind, caring and intelligent pursuit by Alessandro that made this possible. As we pursued the research, he never failed to provide information regarding the areas we were searching. He went out of his way to make our trip interesting and fruitful. He even held onto some of our luggage for several days so we could travel to the Aeolian Islands with only what was needed there. And then he delivered the luggage to the hotel just before we returned! He is a great example of the warm, caring people of Sicily. We now feel we have a dear friend in Sicily! Sebastiano was most helpful in setting up the arrangements for Alessandro; for our hotel in Taormina; and for getting reservations for the best restaurant (and best meal) in Taormina.....Restaurant Arc di Cappucini. Mille grazie, Sebastiano! Now that we are home we are dreaming about returning to Sicily....a magical place! "
Alessandro! a piu tardi ! We still miss you. Elizabeth Coady Kirkland, Washington
Picture 1.....Alessandro and Elizabeth searching the records in the archives in Messina. The records date back to 1820! Picture 2.....Alessandro and Elizabeth having lunch in Ganzirri
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April 2004

I want to thank you for all of you assistance while we were in your beautiful country. Everyone enjoyed our day together and it was something that we would have never been able to see without your help. Again we had a wonderful time and really appreciated your help, that was real nice of you to do that for us. I know you have a business but it didn't feel like a business it felt like you were part of our family. Please stay in touch and so will I.
I will send pictures when I sort them all out.

Ciao
Vincenzo LoPresti
Maryland, USA

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October 2003

Four of us found "SicilyLife " Tours on the internet. We booked a day trip and a cooking class with them and were very pleased with both activities. Our trip to Mt. Etna was interesting and informative. We stopped at a winery on the way which gave us a great vantage point to see the topline of Etna(with smoking cones) and take excellent photos. We walked on the volcanic stones of the famous lava flows of Mt Etna and on the way back to Taormina stopped at a seaside restaurant for a delicious meal of fresh fish . We recommend Sebastiano and Alessandro of SicilyLife to help you enjoy a part of your life in Sicily!

Ciao Sebastiano and Alessandro,
We returned home on Tuesday night, Nov 4th. We enjoyed our time in Taormina very much and thank you for making it a good time. Our trip to Palermo was a great drive and we enjoyed seeing the countryside of Sicily. The Temples Valley was great and we had perfect weather for it.
We were surprised to arrive home and find a lot snow on the ground . It has been -10 and -15 degrees Celsius since we got home....very cold especially after the mild weather of Sicily.

Con Affetto,
Evelina
CANADA

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July 2003

Sebastiano--Greetings to both you and Alessandro. We had a great time in Sicily, and enjoyed not only the tours,
but also meeting you.
If either of you get to Houston, please call and come and stay with us. We'd love to show you around.

The highlight of our time was the dinner at Alessandro's family home--that was a lot of fun, and something we would definitely recommend to our friends. We also had a chance encounter with an older gentleman who Alessandro knew in Forza D'Agro, and while we didn't speak Italian and he didn't speak English, we had a wonderful conversation (thanks to Alessandro translating). We wish we had more such encounters, and if there were some way for you to add "meetings" with the older generation as part of the tours, I think it would be a huge plus.

One suggestion for the wine tour. If the tour started with a walk through the vineyards, then to the production center, to the wine-aging cellarsproduction and packaging process, and finally ending (rather than starting) at the sampling center (with a discussion at each point as to what was happening) (and if sipping samples of each wine were offered), it would be a big plus.

But, nonetheless, our time was well spent and we had a very enjoyable time.
We look forward to meeting with you and Alessandro again, in the future.
Take care until then.

Jim & Judy Healey
Texas, USA

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May 2003

Hi Sebastiano!

Thank you so much for your kindness and hospitality. We had such a nice time in Sicily. Our trip to Mt. Etna and other places was so beautiful ~ thank you for arranging it for us!
I hope you are well, and Barbara and I send our thanks to you.

Best Wishes,
Lynn - USA

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Katerina and I enjoyed our two days with you last week.
Thank you for your services. Hope to be in Taormina again.
We will certainly call on you and Sebastiano for your services when we are there.
Good luck on your SicilyLife.com
business venture.

George H. Thomason
USA

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Hi Sebastiano & Alessandro! I wanted to let you know that my dad and I had such a great time in Taormina with you.... All of the pictures came out great!!! If I ever visit Italy again, it will only be Taormina. The people are definitely more hospitable there than than in the north of Italy. When I get of my pictures organized on my computer, I will send them to you.
Take care and hope to see you again! Jennifer Taormina Texas, USA

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March 2003

To my friends Sebastiano & Alessandro

My trip to Sicily was a very special one for me and my father. Our family is from Sicily , but my father had never been before.
For his 74th birthday I surprised him with the trip to Sicily. I was very lucky to meet both of you because you made this trip a very very special one.
I wanted him to see the town his parents were from. We saw that plus much much more.
Meeting family we never knew we had and spending time with them was unforgettable.
Your knowledge of Sicily and your professionalism was outstanding. Its a trip I will remember sharing with my Dad for the rest of my life.
You showed me the true Sicily and the warmth of the people. It was a gift to meet both of you and enjoy the true Sicily.

Best Wishes your friend

James
Windsor,Ct

Thank You James Micca
International Motorcars
860.683.2520
www.calljames.net

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October 2002

Thank you for your hospitality while we were there in Taromina .
You gave us th e tour of the festa with our parents . We had a great time !!!
We are sorry for the terrible earthquake that killed all those innocent people . Our prayers are with the familles .
We will recommend your web site to our friends .
We hope to see you soon .

Grazie!
Jim Burke & Joan Wilson
Massachusetts , USA

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September 2002

Sicily is very special, but SicilyLife adds the extra. Sebastiano and Alessandro are the perfect guides to the country they love, with an exceptional knowledge of the area and its history. Either a tour around the local villages with Alessandro or a boat trip along the coast with Sebastiano is not to be missed.
At all they times they are friendly and charming, and eager to show you "their" Sicliy.
Whether you want to know the sights to see, or the best places to eat, they know what they are talking about and always seem to be on hand with advice .
Finally, a cooking lesson with them is not to be missed - brilliant fun and you really learn to cook.
We cannot wait to go back to see them again.

Francis & Kavin
England

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May 2002

When I had the opportunity to visit Sicily (my father in law's mother's family was Sicilian), with my wife, kids and of course father in law, I never for a second expected things to be so safe, clean, accomodating, friendly, wonderful and beautiful.
The food was always fresh and delicious, the sites left all of us speechless. The folks at Villa Ducale in Taormina went out of their way to help and there are no words to describe Sebastiano, whom I met working there and have kept in touch with ever since.
I have nothing but good things to say about Sicily and have suggested it to many since returning from that trip.
Sebastiano will help make the visit, one to never forget.

Ciao,
Omar Pasalodos, MD
Coral Gables, Florida, USA

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April 2002 My husband and I met Sebastian last fall at the Romantik Hotel Villa Ducale in Taormina, Sicily. A wonderful country; terrific city; superb hotel with breathtaking views; and a very attentive, courteous, and knowledgeable young man named Sebastian. Sebastian greatly contributed to our warm welcome and delightful stay. He respectfully treated us as a guest, while at the same time offering us the opportunity to become his friend. Upon arrival, he presented us with a letter from friends who recently stayed at the Hotel Villa Ducale. The letter indicated that he had played a part in their enjoyable stay as well. Our trip coincided with the disaster of September 11 in New York City. We talked of the tragedy and speculated on what was yet to come. He spoke of the American guests at the hotel during that terrible day. We talked of Italy, and Sicily, and family, and friends. With Sebastian's suggestions, we had dinner at several wonderful restaurants. Restaurants where again were made welcome. Restaurants with inviting settings, filled with locals, serving great food. Returning to one of the restaurants for a second meal, who stopped in to greet us? Sebastian. When we decided to visit Mount Etna, Sebastian marked our map and sent us off in one direction of sightseeing with our return trip in a different direction to see more sights. He told us of the excitement at the hotel during the eruption of Etna. We visited Naxos, an ancient Greek settlement on the sea and the Grotto at Castelmola. We had an amazing vacation. And one of many people we want to thank, we thank you Sebastian.
Sincerely, Diana and Gene Narragon Reston , Virginia
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Incantevole ! Bellissimo ! Bravo !
Thank you so much for your Kindness and your helpfulness .

Tob� & Stephen Malawista - Raymond & Maria Turner
Washington D.C.

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March 2002 Grazie, SicilyLife! We are experienced travelers, and have explored Sicily on our own a couple of times, but contacting Sicily.life for our most recent trip was revelatory. What better way to take roads less traveled, to capture the essence of this provative, complex culture, than to be guided by in-the-know locals? Sebastiano and Alessandro guide the traveler to places otherwise unmentioned in guidebooks, places we never would have found on our own. Their knowledge and love of their homeland and its history is no less impressive than the wide range of personalized options they offer their guests. They seemlessly handle requests ranging from tours to fishing expeditions to cooking your catch in a Sicilian home, and all of it is served up with Sicilian generosity and style!
Gail Pearce & John Cooke Chicago, IL USA
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Thanks for such a wonderful experience for our first stay in Sicily .
Your recommendation and your care wee our stay extra special as did the other wonderful people here .

Lisa & Dimitri Pappas
Florida , USA

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