Have you ever travelled abroad with your parents? Maybe when you were younger? As we get older and move out of our parents’ home, we don’t always get to spend as much time with our families as we would like to. Travelling together can be an amazing way to reconnect and spend quality time with your family. There is no greater experience than ticking off bucket-list sights and destinations with a loved one.
For Tricia, 32, and Raffy Ignacio, 62, this came in the form of an unforgettable father-daughter trip to Southern Italy with Expat Explore! This jam-packed itinerary starts in Rome and visits top sights including Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, Matera and Alberobello. Then, the tour heads to Sicily with stops in Taormina, Cefalù, Agrigento, Syracuse and Palermo!
Tricia, a Speech and Language Pathologist, and her father Raffy, a Medical Device Technician, hail from San Francisco, California in the USA. Tricia has been an avid traveller since she was young and Raffy, especially as he has gotten older, loves exploring new places (domestic and international) and meeting locals. Having already done two tours with Expat Explore previously, Tricia and Raffy began researching where to go next in June of 2023. In October 2023, they hopped on our 10-day Highlights of Southern Italy & Sicily tour for an Italian adventure!
We caught up with Tricia and Raffy to find out what it was like to travel as father and daughter, what they liked most about Southern Italy and where they want to go next.
Related: It’s never too late for a mother-daughter adventure!
Read all about Tricia and Raffy’s Southern Italy & Sicily tour below:
What made you decide to choose Expat Explore as your tour operator?
We used them before and loved our previous experiences. We feel that the itineraries are curated so well and have so many amazing and unforgettable excursions that it is customisable for our preferences.
Why did you decide to travel to Southern Italy?
Raffy: My wife recommended southern Italy.
Tricia: Southern Italy has always been on my list, and the time of year we visited was perfect, weather wise, and was off season, tourist wise.
Did you have any preconceived ideas about Southern Italy that were challenged by the trip?
We did not realise how different people lived their lives in Northern Italy compared to Southern Italy.
Fun Fact: The south of Italy is more agricultural while the north is more industrial. This means that Northern Italy is significantly wealthier and is well-known for its art, culture and fashion. Southern Italy favours a more laid-back lifestyle with its beautiful beaches and strong Greek and North African influences.
What was your favourite destination visited on this tour and why?
Raffy: Matera. It was different from any other destination we have visited and the architecture was beautiful. I also loved Alberobello because it was quaint and the little Trulli homes made the town seem like a storybook.
Tricia: My favourite destination was Sorrento. I loved how charming Sorrento was, it boasted beautiful views and was so close to Capri, with but less crowds.
What was it like travelling as father and daughter?
It was a fun experience. We have travelled together before, but this was the first time it was just us two. Two weeks was the right amount of time!
Were there any challenges or highlights when travelling together?
Our highlight was spending quality time together and doing something we both love together (learning about a different culture and a country’s history).
The challenge was finding a middle ground with our different packing/shopping styles! Raffy loved buying multiple souvenirs from every place we visited and regretted bringing a backpack instead of a luggage. Whereas Tricia did not want to buy many items which would make it more difficult to safely pack/fit in our backpacks.
Related: Leave some room in your suitcase for these Italian souvenirs!
What is it like travelling with a group of ‘strangers’?
We loved it, because everyone was there with the similar goal to see what the places had to offer and to explore. It was also great to meet people from all around the world and learn from them.
What did you learn from the other people on tour?
We broadly learned about their day to day life at home, where they have travelled, places they recommend, places to visit and things to do if we travelled to their home country and city.
Related: Learn all about some of the beautiful friendships formed on tour.
What was the number one highlight of the tour?
Our favourite memory was the wine tasting and lunch after visiting Mt. Etna. We loved spending time getting to know other people from the tour over wine and delicious food.
How do you think the experience would’ve been different if you did not go on an organised group tour?
We would not have visited the little towns or discovered the hidden gems or small things the towns had to offer (i.e., wine tasting, visiting the volcano). We most likely would have only visited the big cities where the majority of tourists are, and would not have interacted with the locals or been immersed into the country’s culture as much.
Related: Join the unforgettable Mount Etna Day Trip optional excursion available on our Highlights of Southern Italy & Sicily and Italy Explorer tours!
What words of wisdom do Tricia and Raffy have for other travellers?
Why are you passionate about travelling?
It teaches us so much about others and ourselves, makes us try new things and inspires us.
What would you say to someone who’s never travelled before?
Travelling is one of the most satisfying and eye-opening things you can do. The experience is usually always worth the money and whatever other sacrifice you may have to make.
What destinations do you want to see next and why?
Raffy: Spain, because I want to see the culture and its similarities to my home country – the Philippines. The Philippines was colonised by Spain.
Tricia: Germany for Oktoberfest and Kenya for a safari. I’ve never travelled to Africa and it is unlike any other continent.
Will you go on an organised tour again?
Yes, definitely, and with Expat Explore!
From the cave dwellings of Matera to the volcanic soil of Mt. Etna, Tricia and Raffy made the most of every moment in Southern Italy and Sicily. However, what made it truly memorable was experiencing it all together.
Whether travelling with a loved one or on your own, Expat Explore offers tours for every type of traveller. Book your next adventure now!