Solo Escorted Tours - Sicily

In April, I was lucky enough to experience a 'solo' traveller experience to Sicily, BUT in a small group. Lots of people travel solo for various reasons; it doesn't have to mean that you're single. I am married but my husband has no desire to do the trips I want to do - so off I went on my first ESCORTED TOUR.

We have been working with a company called 'Just You' for many a year now, and they have been operating for 25 years so have a wealth of experience in solo travel. I honestly think it's a brilliant way to combine both worlds, as you will always have your own room and space (with no dreaded single supplement), but can mingle with like-minded travellers too as and when you want; all with the added benefits of having a local expert guide (we would have been lost without her!) as well as a company host who accompanies the tours at all times, ensuring everything goes to plan.

We flew into Catania and made our way northwards to our first hotel in Giardini Naxos, offering the most amazing view of Mount Etna - you felt as if you could just reach out from the hotel balcony and touch it - it was a truly wonderful sight to behold. After a light lunch, we had time to just explore the hotel, the surrounding town and / or just to chill after the journey from the UK. This was followed by a welcome drinks reception where you can start to get to know your fellow travellers.

The next day we headed to Taormina, a stunning cliff-top town used in many a film location ('The White Lotus' immediately springs immediately to mind). What a beautiful place this is, with its cobbled streets full of beautiful shops, restaurants, dwellings with the most beautiful floral and ceramic balcony displays I have ever seen. A visit to the Greco-Roman amphitheatre is a must - not just because of its ancient history, but also offers the most amazing views of the Sicilian coastline below.

By now, we as a group were starting to know one another a little better, and it felt comforting to have that company too.

The next day we headed south to Siracusa - what a stunning place this is too. With our wonderful local guide (without whom we could have been wandering around aimlessly), we walked around this beautiful town. We crossed over to Ortigia Island and took a boat ride out to the famous Ortigia sea caves - an experience I will always remember; the beautiful crystal blues and greens of the sea, and the mighty vaults of the echoing caves!

The next day - we were all bosom pals by this stage - we headed inland to visit the UNESCO site of the Villa Romana del Casale - an absolute must! I've seen roman ruins before, but this was something else entirely. You half expected to see toga-clad citizens around the corner - a true step back in time to marvel at the ingenuity of the Roman citizens of the time.

We continued then for a wonderful tasting lunch at an eco-friendly olive ranch called Leano Agri-Resort; what a little gem of a find and to which I would certainly like to return one day. It's so worth moving inland, to experience Sicily's countryside scenery; being volcanic, it was a mixture of rugged mountains and verdant expanses of farmland.

And off we went to our second hotel stay at the beautiful resort of Campofelice di Roccella, on the north coast; a perfect location for visiting Palermo; which we did, in its entirety the following day. This is truly a gritty, hectic and stunning city - full of culture, and Sicilian folklore: not to be missed.

Our final day approached, and we stopped off in Cefalu, a beautiful coastal resort. After the freneticism of Palermo the previous day; this was the total opposite. The most beautiful town with a stunning cathedral, and sea views - a place to just stop and relax at one of the many bars and restaurants and partake in a refreshing granita, or two.

So - please don't be wary of travelling alone - this is the PERFECT way to do it in my opinion. 'JUST YOU' have many global itineraries, just like this. Embrace the world and meet like-minded travellers - many a friendship has been forged this way. You are SOLO but never ALONE.

Feel free to contact me for further details or to enquire about any other of their myriad escorted solo trips across the world.