Yes, this is a long day, but so worth it! The Valley of the Temples is breathtaking. Our guide there was a wonderful historian and we learned so much. Lunch was great and then on to Villa Romana. Admittedly I am a mosaic artist, so this was very special for me! However, anyone would be awed by it's magnificence!

We enjoyed visiting the incredibly well-preserved mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale. However, it would have been better to have a local guide to explain more about the site. We did have a guide at The Valley of the Temples, who was very knowledgeable. Both are very worthwhile places to see. Be prepared for a long bus ride from Taormina, through lovely countryside. The roads were good.The only negative was that our tour (though advertised as an English speaking tour) was also in Italian and German, so everything was explained in 3 languages.

This was a fantastic tour. It was long but the Valley of the Temples was very interesting and informative to see. After the Valley of the Temples, we stopped for a local lunch(at own expense) at a great restaurant. This provided the opportunity for every participant to order what they wanted and the food was fantastic! After lunch, we stopped at the Villa on the return. The floor mosaics were amazing. You must see them to believe it! I highly recommend this tour!

So a long, tedious journey with guide speaking English, German and Italian. By the time we'd registered the English was starting, we fell asleep and missed any info. Only reasonable way for us to get there though.
Got to see 3 of the temples -which were magnificent (and we've seen a few) - with a local guide who did her best to sound enthusiastic having clearly done the same old spiel time after time and day after day. But we spent most of the time queuing for entrance tickets! With quite a few coach loads of people going through security then trying to get tickets and not losing group members in baking sun, things got a bit tetchy! Couldn't a group ticket have been sorted?
Best photo was of how many people can shelter from scorching sun under an ancient olive tree ha ha.
Visit for lunch was good, we had plenty of time.
Then on to the Roman Villa. At this point it absolutely chucked it down. Longish walk to villa from coach in rain. Not actually long but we got very wet so felt long. Nearly didn't bother as we'd lost the will and just wanted coffee but glad we did. It was sensational. We've never seen so many magnificent mosaics, ( and we've seen a few) room after room!! Try to leave time for excellent coffee and hot chocolate in little cafe/booth near shops near coach park.
Tedious journey back but glad we went.

I chose this tour because it was a convenient way to see two major sights in Sicily. Pick up and drop off was within a few steps from my seaside hotel. The guide and driver were friendly, the tour was informative, and the temples were awe inspiring. I'm glad I had a chance to visit. They are, however, quite a distance from Taormina -- which means that you spend a good deal of the tour simply driving to the temples, the villa, and back. I left my hotel at around 6:40am for a 6:50am pick up and got back around 8:15pm, yet the total time actually touring the temples and villa was probably about 4 hours. It's not the tour company's fault, of course. The drive simply takes time, but it's worth factoring into your decision depending on the length of your stay in Taormina.

We took tours everyday of our 9 days in Sicily. Most private except 3 operated by SAT. This is the only tour I regret going on. Our bus was about 2/3 German and 1/3 English. German was definitely the focus by the tour guide on the bus, English explanations were an after thought. They aren't allowed to use microphones at the Temples so it was very hard to hear the guide. The Temples themselves are incredible. Educate yourself on them beforehand and explore on your own.

The Villa Romana was miserable. You see this on your own. However, there are other tour groups in there with a guide who block the small, elevated path above the mosaics. This is not the fault of SAT.

Lunch is at the very small and rather depressing harbor near Agrigento. Most people went to the lunch place suggested by the guide. We did our own thing at a different restaurant.

It was a very long day and most time is spent on the bus. Sal, the driver, is outstanding though.

Great way to see part of the country side as well as the valley. Good information provided throughout the trip. Well paced.

Long drive but well worth it. Valley of Temples were amazing and guide very informative. The mosaics in Villa Romana were breathtaking and far superior to any others I have seen. Both venues are must-sees when in Sicily. The tour was well organised, punctual and the guides very helpful. The only downside was the lunch which was really poor quality and value. Although this was optional there seemed to be no other choice. It would have been helpful if we had been given a menu and prices in advance or been given other options for lunch.

This trip was a wonderful experience. The sights at the Valley of the Temples were amazing. Very good historical perspective was provided. For people with any physical limitation, this would be an arduous undertaking. From Taormina, it was a fifteen hour day. The Villa was quite a surprise. The mosaics were unbelievable and the wisdom of the ancients shows through to this day. Rich S

This was a great and long day trip from Taormina to see the ruins in Agrigento and the beautiful mosaics at the villa at Piazza Armerina. The bus ride was comfortable the guide leading the group was very knowledgeable and the local guide in Agrigento, an Italian lady sporting a Mickey Mouse umbrella so we could easily identify her in the crowds, was excellent. The trip covered a large area, but it was worth the effort.