Private Palermo & Monreale Historical Tour

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Tour promised 4 towns, churches, castles, markets and more. Our driver Rosario, was very nice and told us this was the first day he did this tour. He offered very little commentary on the drive. We saw the beautiful church in Monreal, went to the catacombs, then off to lunch at Mondello. We asked him to recommend a place to eat. He told us to go to a great place which was yummy but the service was slow so we spent a total of three hours in Mondello on lunch and taking a few pictures by the water. This was unnecessary time in beautiful Mondello and saw nothing else there. We never went to Mont Pelligrino but traveled back to Palermo, where we started because that was where we were staying so he had to go back there. By the time we got there, it was almost 4:30. He told us we could go to the castle and we walked, unknowingly, past the ticket office and to the castle where we were told we needed to go back to the ticket office to get tickets. But they close at 4:30. Needless to say, we didn’t make it back in time so didn’t see the castle. That was information the driver should have known and imparted. Knowing we didn’t see much, time wise the tour should have ended, but he told us to go see the cathedral which was a short walk. We did that and returned which he then brought us back to the hotel. That night I complained to ViaTour and to the tour comanpy after they reached out to me. The end result was that a refund was not going to be allowed and the company complained that this was our fault and not the driver’s. They were insulting and said “ you are reporting FALSE facts. the refund is absolutely refused, then I’ll talk with some leagals, your target was make a tour for free. It is very disgusting, no respect for the people who works, very disappointed never in so many years it happened something like this.” Let me say this was never my target. Even if we did most and not all, I would have not complained. This was the first tour of many that we did on this trip and all others is what was promised (mostly) and had wonderful, experienced, knowledgeable drivers, who all earned a nice tip. These places are beautiful and should be seen but just stay away from this company. I did complained to ViaTour and they sided with the merchant. I disputed with my CC company.

Response from the operator: We have reviewed your complaint once again, and we feel compelled to respond in the clearest and most forthright manner possible. 1. Scope of the Tour – Palermo and Monreale The tour you booked is explicitly titled “Palermo and Monreale,” and that is precisely what was provided. Nowhere in the title nor in the actual description are “four towns,” “markets,” or “Monte Pellegrino” included. These were neither promised nor listed. Any additional requests made during the tour were accommodated purely out of courtesy, not obligation. 2. Detailed Itinerary and Extended Service The itinerary, which you confirmed upon booking, was followed with accuracy. In fact, your driver, Rosario, went above and beyond: he remained with your group for more than two and a half hours beyond the scheduled end time without complaint or extra charge. This generous flexibility was repaid with an unfounded and opportunistic complaint, which is frankly unacceptable. 3. Baseless Claims and Misrepresentation Your statements are not only inaccurate but also clearly constructed after the fact to manufacture dissatisfaction and seek a refund. As already clarified during our correspondence on Viator, your behavior is a textbook case of a premeditated attempt to discredit a legitimate service. Not a single issue was raised to the driver during the tour. If you had genuine concerns, they could and should have been addressed in real time. The fact that none were makes your retroactive account both suspicious and invalid. 4. Disrespectful and Prejudiced Attitude While we generally refrain from personal remarks, it must be said: your attitude reflects a disturbing pattern we unfortunately see too often — travelers of Sicilian descent returning to their ancestral land with preconceived, condescending attitudes. Rather than connecting with their roots, they project frustrations rooted in unrealistic expectations and cultural detachment. Your comments, tone, and subsequent actions display a complete lack of respect — not only toward our company but toward the professionals who served you with integrity and patience. To conclude: Your refund request has been, and remains, rightfully denied. We stand by our service, our staff, and the accuracy of the experience delivered. Attempts to manipulate the system through false narratives, baseless disputes, or defamatory reviews are not only unethical — they are shameful. We wish you a more honest and respectful approach to future travels.

via Viator

Tour of Palermo and Monteale

The driver was very friendly and knew the main highlights to show us in and around Palermo. We especially enjoyed Monreale and Mondale. Our only disappointment (no fault of our driver) was that there was no actual guided tour involved- something I did not realize when I scheduled the outing.

via Viator

Best way to see palermo

We had such a good experience with all the proper explanation. The time to visit what we wanted to see The car was impeccable Totally recommended

via Viator

Best day in Palermo w/ Dario!

We had such a memorable day with Dario our tour guide and driver. He was EXCEPTIONAL!!! 5 out of 5 stars. He promptly picked my wife and me up at our B&B and we were off on our journey. We saw Monreal (which had one of the most beautiful cathedrals we've seen on our visit to Italy), almost all the primary sites in Palermo, Santuario di Santa Rosalia, and Mondello Beach. What separated Dario from all the other drivers we've had on our trip is his attention to detail (he explained a lot of Polermo's history to us as he was driving), unwavering kindness (he stopped at several spots for us to eat, and try local foods), and professionalism (picked us up and dropped us off perfectly on time, and told us where he would pick us up after certain site seeing- even with pictures/google pin drops). If it were not for Dario this full-day tour would not be the same. Thank you!!! P.S. He has the best music choices in the car ride! :)

via Viator

Travel among friends

Thanks to Andrea for his friendliness and great advice, appreciated. Punctual and precise in accompanying us on the tour and at the airport. Highly recommended

via Tripadvisor (translated)