As the holidays are approaching and you find yourself struggling to figure out the perfect gift for your loved ones, think about giving them a life-changing experience they’ll remember forever. The gift of experiential travel and the special memories that will last a lifetime!
Over the past several months in my travel blog I’ve shared with you experiences from around the world, including an African Safari, Uganda, Morocco, Panama, Dubai, Croatia, Egypt, Canadian Rockies, Hawaii, Peru, Iceland, Charleston and Thailand just to name a few. By sharing my stories and pictures, my goal is to engage your senses and take you beyond the iconic images of the most popular sites and have you imagine the feeling of an immersive travel experience into the heart and soul of these destinations through the eyes of the locals.
If the past two years has taught us anything, it is that life (and time) is precious, and that we have a burning desire to be connected to others. We are not here on this planet to close our eyes to the world. We are here to go out and experience its’ many wonders. Travel has the power to shape our world and make us whole again. Where do YOU want to go? Who do you want to take? Let’s talk!
To add to your travel destination holiday shopping list, below I’m excited to introduce you to the island of Sicily, Italy starting with Siracusa. In addition, I’ve also included a reminder below about the life-changing bucket list trip to Egypt on an EXCEPTIONAL 10-day/9-night Luxury Group Tour through the Cradle of Civilization, February 2023, that XOOM Tours is sponsoring. This private group tour is limited to 16 travelers! So if you want to join us on the adventure, sign up soon because it will SELL OUT! There is very little risk as only $100 of the deposit is non-refundable until final payment.
A TRIP AROUND SICILY!
First Stop…..Siracusa!
Oh, Sicily…thinking back on my time on this island brings a smile to my face. Although it’s often overlooked in favor of classic mainland destinations like Rome or Venice, Sicily is an amazing destination. The food, language, architecture, and people have all been influenced by the many civilizations that have dominated it over the years, and this unique fusion of cultures, along with the stunning landscapes, is what makes Sicily worthy of a visit.
How about a little bit of Pi…as in 3.14?
One of the biggest attractions in Sicily is the town of Siracusa and its historic center – Ortigia Island (spelled both Ortygia and Ortigia). Siracusa (or Syracuse) was built on Ortigia Island which is located near the southeastern corner of Sicily.
Ortigia was the site of an ancient Greek settlement founded by the Corinthians in 734 B.C. In the greatest period of economic prosperity, Siracusa had a population of 300,000.
The city was home to many ancient Greek personalities, including Archimedes – the most famous mathematician and inventor of all times. You can tell the locals are proud of Archimedes’ brilliance because you will find the symbol of Pi (3.14) carved into the homes, streets, walkways and buildings around town.
The Cathedral of Siracusa
Ortigia is also home to the marvelous Piazza Duomo, which dates back to the 5th century B.C. As I strolled through the narrow streets, taking in the sites, I suddenly found myself in this large square dominated by the Cathedral of Siracusa.
The Cathedral was actually built around the ancient Temple of Athena. You can still see the Doric columns of the Greek temple in the wall of this magnificent cathedral.
The Temple of Apollo
One of the oldest and most important Greek monuments in Sicily is the Temple of Apollo. It’s one of the first examples of Doric architecture on the island and dates back to the 6th Century B.C.
Throughout the years, there have been many uses of the temple…from a Byzantine Church, to an Islamic mosque, to a Norman church and finally to Spanish barracks.
As I walked along the pathway alongside the temple, I could see the rectangular foundation of the structure, much of the walls, and some of the ornate columns. It’s pretty impressive!
Sharing a Sicilian meal with Dario at Dimora Archimedea
And to end our wonderful visit in Siracusa, Dario and Sebiana Ficara hosted us at their 19th century estate – Dimora Archimedea for an authentic Sicilian dinner along with olive oil tasting. Their estate is an Archaeological Park and is the place where Cicero identified the legendary tomb of the mathematician Archimedes of Syracuse: the Grotticelle Necropolis which dates back to the 5th century BC. This is right in his backyard! Can you imagine the reaction of the archeologists when they discovered the tomb?! What a find! Fascinating!
Dario’s family also owns Tenuta Cavasecca, an organic olive oil farm. He taught us the process of how the oil is made from planting the olives to harvesting by hand, to transporting them to the mill so they can be washed, smashed, pressed, mixed and bottled into award winning olive oil. What a fun night of taste testing fresh olive oil and a homemade Sicilian meal! Delicious!
Siracusa is a charming historic city that has so much more to offer than I shared. It’s filled with ancient ruins and archeological sites, a wonderful market (yes, I stopped there to checkout some of the local specialties), exceptional restaurants, amazing landscape and tasty Sicilian desserts. It’s home to some of the best cannolis too!
Are you ready to explore Sicily? Let’s plan the adventure together! Stay tuned! I’ll be sharing more on Sicily in the coming weeks!
LUXURY EGYPT ADVENTURE WITH XOOM TOURS
February 17-26, 2023
Click the buttons above and check it out!
Below are some pictures from my trip to Egypt this past September that I hope inspire you as much as they do me. I am so excited to be going back and and I hope you join me. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Our 10-Day Guided Tour will include Cairo, Luxor, Aswan plus a 4-night Nile Cruise, featuring all the best attractions of Egypt.
- The Pyramids of Giza, The Sphinx, and The Egyptian Museum.
- The ancient Necropolis of Saqqara and Mosque of Ibn Tulun, the oldest mosque in Cairo.
- The ancient City of Thebes, where we’ll immerse ourselves in its magnificent wonders.
- See the stunning colors while visiting The Valley of The Kings and The Tomb of King Tutankhamun.
- Enjoy the Nefertari Tomb at the Valley of the Queens.
- Ride in a hot-air balloon sunrise flight, the perfect way to experience the world’s largest open-air museum.
- Sail up the Nile on a luxury cruise for 4 nights and enjoy the sunset in a private Felluca.
- Visit to the magnificent Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel.
Here’s an overview of the itinerary and what it includes –
- Arrivals and departures, we’ll be greeted and escorted by our local English-Speaking Egyptologist tour guides and Egypt Unlimited Tour Staff.
- All meals are included (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner), with unlimited mineral water available during the entire tour.
- First two nights in Cairo at the magnificent Marriott Mena House Hotel with awesome views of the Pyramids.
- One night in Luxor at the Hilton Resort and Spa Luxor.
- Four nights on the MX MayFair Luxury Nile Cruise Line.
- Last two nights in Cairo at the Nile Ritz Carlton Hotel with views of the Nile.
- Entry Fees to all venues / sites and temples included in the tour.
- All transportation with Egypt, in a new air-conditioned bus.
- Round trip domestic flights from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo.
- All baggage transfers.
- Free SIM Card with 10GB of included internet.
- All Gratuities / Tipping.
- All service charges and taxes.
- Local support and 24-hour emergency hotline.
There’s so much to see and do!
Follow along on my social media where I post highlights of my adventures.
Are you interested in learning more? Is Sicily or Egypt on your bucket list? Do you dream of seeing archaeological sites, ancient cities or learning how olive oil is made? Or are you interested in seeing temples, tombs and pyramids in real life for yourself? Or how about sailing down the Nile and dining on traditional Egyptian food? Or seeing the golden death mask of King Tutankhamun? Well, either destination might be your next trip.
I believe, whole-heartedly, that YOU would enjoy Sicily or Egypt because they will WOW you every step of the way. As I mentioned above, the Egypt group is limited to 16 travelers and it is nothing short of FABULOUS!
If you’d like to join our group or want more information, let me know! It’s a fabulous destination with so much enrichment for all!!
Enjoy your week!!
