About » Essence of Sicily

Of
Sicily

Essence of Sicily is a full service boutique Travel Company, devoted to luxury, hand-crafted journeys and one-of-a-kind trips in the beautiful island of Sicily.

The care, research and exclusive resources that are put into each trip are enhanced through the process of getting to know my clients and collaborating alongside each other. It’s our passion to create your dream vacation by bringing together unique hand-selected elements that inspire each personalized journey.

Viviana Buscemi, co-owner of Essence of Sicily graduated in Economics of Tourism from the University of Bologna, and specialized in Marketing at the European Institute of Design in Milan. She lived and worked outside of Sicily for several years, but her dream was always to return home to start up a unique business of her own: a tour operator specialising in the creation and development of customized tours, aimed at the discovery of the real essence of Sicily. While working as an event organizer and hospitality tourism instructor, she set up “Filovacanze Luxury Tours in Sicily” in 2003, which later evolved into Essence of Sicily, owned in partnership with Peppe Mendola. Viviana welcomes the opportunity to help you choose the best itinerary for your custom-made tour, and carefully advise you according to your own tastes, wishes and needs, in order to make your holiday a truly memorable experience! She loves to give her guests the unique opportunity to experience Sicily through its fascinating history, countryside and culinary delights!

viviana

I was born and raised in Agrigento, and my main motivation in life is to impart my passion and devotion to Sicily to everyone I encounter. I am proud to say that I have helped develop upscale and luxury travel in Sicily since 2002, before there was even the right infrastructure to accommodate the discerning traveler. My motto has been and always will be, if it’s in Sicily, we can arrange it for you. My love for the “Island of the Sun” grows deep and we ensure that you will have a high-touch experience, one that exudes authenticity at every turn and at every hour during your journey. And, if that isn’t enough, I’m happy to give you a private performance, taking a song or two from the folklore group Val d’Akragas’ repertoire, the folk company that I belong to and that travels the world to share Sicily’s rich cultural heritage through dance and song.

Peppe

Essence of Sicily Named Preferred On-Site by Global Luxury Travel Network Virtuoso

VIRTUOSO is the travel industry’s world leading luxury network. Essence Of Sicily is the only Virtuoso Preferred On-Site Partner specialized in experiences in Sicily. The best guarantee of quality.

Virtuoso® is the leading international travel agency network specializing in luxury and experiential travel. This by-invitation-only organization comprises over 800 travel agency partners with more than 16,000 elite travel advisors in over 45 countries throughout North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. Drawing upon its preferred relationships with 1,700 of the world’s best hotels and resorts, cruise lines, airlines, tour companies and premier destinations, the network provides its upscale clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. More than (U.S.) $21.2 billion in annual travel sales makes Virtuoso a powerhouse in the luxury travel industry. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com

SELECT In-Country Partners

SELECT In-Country Partners is a carefully vetted international portfolio of over 100 Destination Management Companies (DMCs) and Specialty Tour Operators located in over 150 countries across the globe that specialize in providing customers with the ultimate luxury travel experience.

SELECT In-Country Partners are true destination experts selected for their experience in supporting travel advisors with their more complex custom group needs. These experts are physically located in the country and have insider knowledge and access to local resources that give them the ability to customize tours and create unique experiences to match almost any client’s needs. For more information, visit www.travelleadersnetwork.com