What is included in the trip price?
You are responsible for organising your own travel (including visas if necessary) to and from the start and end of the trip. You are also responsible for organising your own travel insurance (having travel insurance is a requirement of the trip). Apart from that, everything else is included.
There are many different offers and packages available for Sicily – all with different combinations of half-board/full-board and what is and is not included. As a result, choosing a trip can be very confusing, and choosing a non-inclusive package can easily end up far more expensive than the inclusive option.
We take all the headache out of this and include all the costs up front.
Do you organise bespoke tours?
Yes, absolutely. If you are a small group of friends and would like us to organise a bespoke tour for you, please do get in touch and we’ll do our best to help.
What if the trip I want to book is full?
We do occasionally get cancellations, so if the trip you would like to book is full, it is still worth getting in touch with the office and we can put you on a waiting list.
Where do we arrive and depart?
You make your own way to the airport (usually this will be Catania airport for our Sicily trips) to be met at a pre-arranged rendezvous. (This is timed to coincide with flight arrivals). At the end of the tour, we will take you back to the airport, from whence you travel.
If you choose to arrive in Sicily before the tour start date, we can recommend suitable hotels close to the airport from which we can pick you up at the start of the tour.
What kind of person is the tour aimed at?
It is difficult to pin down a typical Esplora traveller! Sociable and convivial, they might have an interest in perhaps, gastronomy, mediterranean history or culture, art and architecture, or literature.
What sort of hotels do we stay in?
We choose our hotels very carefully and stay in comfortable 3 or 4 star hotels. In choosing our hotels, we look for somewhere characteristic and convenient – especially to minimise the distances we have to travel – but which is clean and quiet.
How do we travel?
We travel with our luggage between hotels and sites in a comfortable, air-conditioned minibus. In the cities and on site we prefer to walk. Some of the sites (and Palermo) can be quite extensive so you should be fit enough to walk around them.
Where do we eat?
Food in Sicily is abundant and of extremely high quality. We go out of our way to let you taste the large variety and the very best. In Sicily, though, you will only be served food made from ingredients in season.
The tour leader will usually arrange the menu with the restaurant in advance to ensure a good balance of dishes is sampled throughout the tour.
Breakfast is taken in the hotel, lunch is usually a tasty picnic, while for supper we really treat ourselves with the local delicacies and wines.
Do we require travel insurance?
Yes, we ask that all our guests have adequate travel insurance in place to cover them for the dates of their travels. Esplora Ltd do not sell travel insurance themselves but can offer suggestions of suitable companies for our UK guests. For our other guests, you may well be able to get a better deal locally.
What if the tour I want to book is already full?
By all means send us an email telling us the dates you would like to travel and the latest date you would need a decision and we will place you on the reserve list. We do occasionally get cancellations so you could well be lucky.
What if I have a disability?
If you or any member of your party have any disabilities, it is extremely important that we make the necessary arrangements to make your holiday go smoothly. We must therefore insist that you contact our offices before completing any reservation to ensure compatibility for the holiday that you chose.
How much luggage can I bring?
We ask that our guests limit their luggage to one suitcase or holdall and one piece of hand luggage (for example a light day sack). We will assist with luggage in the hotels but we do ask that your suitcase is light enough for your to be able to carry or trolley short distances yourself and to keep the weight of your suitcase below fifteen kilos if at all possible. We do not travel in the cold time of year so it is unlikely that you will need to bring bulky coats or jackets.
Where can I get further information on passports?
For UK passengers, the place to look is here.
Is my trip booking protected?
Yes, we are fully compliant with requirements of the Trading Standards Authority for travel operators and your trip payment is protected by the International Passenger Protection scheme. For full details on this scheme, please see here.
