My Just You Story: Carole

With ten solo breaks under her belt (and still counting!) we spoke to Carole Urquhart to get the low down on her  Sicilian adventures.

When planning my holidays I ideally like to tick off somewhere I haven’t been before, and so Discover Sicily was a new one to add to the mix.

We started with visiting Mount Etna which was good to experience, we didn’t go all the way up, but there is a lovely café there with panoramic views. If I was ever to return, I’d perhaps spend a little more time here and venture a little higher, but Taormina was awaiting us, so we had no time to waste!

I have seen many mosaics on my travels but at Villa Romana del Casale, they were absolutely staggering and in great condition. There were so many of them in a variety of colours, depicting everything from chariot races to stories of Hercules. 

This is a vast site and was once home to apartments, a baths complex, courtyards and a basilica. It’s fantastic to walk back in time so vividly, without using too much of your imagination. It’s so well-preserved as it was buried under 10 metres of mud for over 700 years, so you feel fortunate to see it all.

Our time in Cefalù was perfect and it was nice to explore at leisure. Some of the group decided to go swimming in the sea, while a few of us enjoyed lunch and a wander around the shops. I could easily have spent the whole day here sitting on the beach and watching the world go by.

I like to buy bracelet charms as mementoes from my adventures, so I spent some time shopping to track down my latest souvenir! My collection includes a lemon charm from Sorrento and even a trulli house from Puglia so I’ve been doing quite well in finding them.

Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples is an optional excursion and initially I wasn’t going to go but I always think, you’re not necessarily going back again, so invariably I end up doing the optional trips too so I don’t miss out. And as it’s one of the world’s largest archaeological sites, I definitely wasn’t going to duck out of this one!

It’s home to ruins of an ancient hilltop city featuring a series of temples dedicated to the Doric Gods. Some are better preserved than others as you’d expect, but they are very distinct from one another so it was good to get a sense of each of them.

During the second part of the tour I enjoyed the chance to relax at the hotel. It had a lovely pool area with loungers that lead to a garden area and then onto the beach, so there was plenty of space to unwind.

Monreale Cathedral in Palermo is rather exquisite. We were given lots of information on the mosaics here too which seems to be a running theme! I was blown away by the backdrops of one of the altars which was a very unique shade of blue, lapa azul – it was completely mesmerising.

I enjoyed discovering Sicily with our group and I usually find within a day or so you tend to settle into little groups. Everyone was lovely, as well as our Holiday Director Rosalia, she was excellent and so knowledgeable about her homeland of Sicily.

The mosaics at Villa de Casale were the biggest highlight, and what I love about Just You holidays is that there’s something memorable on each tour so it’s impossible to choose just one tour as being the best. Puglia’s trulli houses, the ruins of Pompeii, a drive along the Amalfi Coast … there’s just so many memorable moments, and that’s just Italy!

I’ve travelled around Europe extensively, and if there’s one tip I have it would be take a travel kettle along with if you like a brew first thing in the morning. Not every hotel has them in the room, so I always pack my trusty kettle and tea!

This year, I am breaking my rule of only visiting somewhere once! I’ve booked Costa De La Luz again as it’s a very relaxed tour and the hotel is nice. I also know some other solo travellers going so will be nice to catch up, as well as meet some new people too. I think I’ll also go to Seville as there is so much to see and do there, but otherwise I will make the most of some rest and relaxation! Next I am considering the French and Italian Riviera Splendour or perhaps a tour of Tuscany, we shall see.

After losing my husband, it took me years to pluck up the courage to book a holiday, but in 2017 I booked my first holiday to Mallorca. My mindset was to try it once and if it was a disaster, I told myself I’d put it down to experience. And now ten holidays later here I am! I suppose a lot of it is to do with the fact that people on tour are in the same boat as you which is encouraging and partly why these holidays are so good, so if you’re not sure, try it once and go from there!