New West Holidaytrips Travel Blog

A picturesque little cliff side ‎village on the Amalfi coast. The town is lined with narrow streets where pedestrians compete with vehicles for the same space. The small streets are lined with restaurants, shops and boutique hotels.The pastel colored buildings along the cliff ‎accented with purple buganvilias make for a pretty picture. This town offers sun and beach, shopping for...

is world heritage site is noted for it unusual, white washed conical shaped houses called trulli. Until 1797 these houses were built with no mortar so they could be dismantled easily when tax authorities were said to come for inspection. Today these houses are shops, restaurants and hotels. It's your typical tourist trap if there isn't anything else to do...

It's notoriety came in the 1950's as the shame of Italy. Matera is known for its stone dwellings carved out of the rocks called Sassi, meaning stones. These dwellings were carved out of the slope of a rocky hill, created by a river that is now just a small stream called gravina.People lived here in very poor and unsanitary conditions...

This small ancient town sits on top of a hill. The earthquake in the early 20th century destroyed the entire city and killed many lives. The cathedral was rebuilt and houses the Black Madonna where many faithful followers celebrate its feast in early September. The town is about an hour away from Messina, where we end our Sicily tour and...

Built in the 14th century, Castebuono is derived from "Castello del Buon aere" (castle of good air). The castle features Arab & Norman influence.The small town is famous for its manna which is sap derived from a local tree that grows in the area quite similar to maple syrup from a maple tree. They use manna to make anything in...

A tranquil stay at this old Benedictine monastery is worth a two night stay. Turned into a five-star hotel, their restaurant offers a gourmet five-star cuisine using only organically grown ingredients. Wine tasting lunches feature their bio dynamic wines. A great way to end any Sicilian tour!

The magnificent Cathedral of Cefalu built in 1131 has the best preserved mosaic art in all of Italy. Considered a UNESCO site, it has one of the larger mosaic image of Christ done in a gold background.  This town has a real medieval charm with its cobbled streets and elegant buildings. A great place to visit for beaches and great...

The Valley of the Temples is the best preserved Greek ruins of Agrigento. It's an amazing example of Greek influence in Sicily. It's pretty remarkable as it is quite well preserved. This UNESCO archaeological sit‎e is set in a perfect landscape overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. A great highlight to any Sicilian tour!

A typical Sicilian pizza cooking lesson. We rolled and we stretched and filled the dough with lots of good stuff! Only 4.5 minutes to bake! It was a great dinner had by all. All graduated with flying colors.

Piazza Armerina has one of the best preserved Roman mosaics dating back to the 4th century A.D.  The villa was once owned by a powerful Roman family. Splendid and majestic mosaics can be seen in all parts of this villa, with no bare space spared! These mosaics are so intricate, it's quite amazing and captivating. Definitely a must visit in...

Basaseachi, which in the Raramuri language means “the waterfall or coyote place,” is home to the country’s two highest waterfalls: Piedra Bolada, with a free fall of 500 meters and Basaseachi, with 270 meters.

Nothing beats watching the sunrise or the sunset in Haleakala National Park. It is one of the most awesome things you can do in Maui.

Copper Canyon is one of the most spectacular and ideal places to pitch your tent. The scenery is stunning and you’ll be surrounded by lakes, waterfalls, and paths waiting to be explored.

The Cafe Costanzo is a popular place among locals to have one of the best gelatos in Sicily!

Historic Noto is a little town in the province of Syracuse. It was built in the 17th century at the wake of an earthquake that destroyed the original town. The town is a UNESCO site filled with Baroque architecture. Great place to go for a day visit to just relax and shop!

The famous house in Fiumefreddo town where the ‎scenes from the Godfather trilogy was shot.Beautiful city of Catania built on volcanic lava from Mt Etna eruption in the 1600's. The buildings are all constructed from volcanic lava rocks. The city is lined with lush greens and beautiful flowers against the backdrop of the blue Ionian Sea!The Medieval caslt of the...

Taormina: the fabulous Greek Roman theatre stands on a hill in this famous Sicilian town.

Beautiful Sicilian town with it's magnificent Baroque style ornaments seen from the baconies.

Glorious city of Siracusa founded in 734‎ B.C. with Neopolis, the biggest Greek theatre in Italy.

A trip into Roman history