9 days in Eastern Sicily
Mar 23rd, 2017, 09:12 AM
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9 days in Eastern Sicily
Dear all Sicily's experts!
Our first journey to Sicily will take this May (first 9 days of the month).
First we tried to squeeze in Sicily in 6 days then Calabria in 4 days but I realized it would be an epic hurry and we will miss out a lot of interesting sights in Sicily (+I realized Vibo Valentino in Calabria might be a more intriguing option during June when there is option for swimming).
So I thought in early May, the east side of the Sicily can be a great option as there is more sightseeing and less beaches to appeal (some in Vendicari or Pozzallo but nothing extraoirdanary).
9 days I thought would be better to stay in the Eastern port of Sicily and not going west (it would be at least 16 days for whole sicily in my estimation and for western sicily because of the appealing beaches of Favignana, San Vito and Cefalu, I might find September more appealing - your thoughts?). So we decided to stay in the eastern part.
Here is our schedule:
Day 0: Arrive around midnight to Catania aiport, check into an AIRBNB place for 3 nights):
Day 1: Taormina by Bus (I heard that it is slower than traing but it stops in a much better location close to the places we would like to visit)
Day 2: Mount Etna - I prefer doing it by a tour guide.
Which one you would advise us?
- There is one which is full day and visit Aci Trezza and Aci Castello as well
- One which also visits Gole Alcantara in a full day
- There is one which includes Taormina
- There are half day, some might include sunsets as well
I find it hard to decide. I am leaning toward the one with Aci Castello and Trezza as the Gole Alcantara can be extremely cold river as I heard.
Day 3: Sightseeing in Catania and leave early evening to Siracuse - WE would pick up a car and go by car from here.
Day 4: Sightseeing in Ortigia.
Day 5: Sightseeing in Siracusa (Neopolis) first hald of the day then leavue to Noto for afternoon and evening.
Day 6: Check out of Siracusa, go by car to Ragusa/Scicli/Modica. Sightseeing there.
Day 7: Again sightseeing in these 3.
Should we visit Vendicari or Cave de Ispica during the jorney? Or Pozzalo?
Which city should we stay Day 6 and 7 night? Which has the most appeal during night? We need to park of course so thats a factor.
Day 8: Going to Agrigento and visit Caltagirone and VIlla Romana during to journey. Sleep in Agrigento to watch the Temples at night.
Day 9: Get up in Agrigento, watch the temples plus: Should we check out Scala dei Turchi or Favara or Falconara.
Our plance leavues late nights so Day 9 we have time until 5-6 PM to make this work.
Next to the questions I asked before:
How is my timetable looking like according to you?
Is it safe to visits sights during the journey with a car packed with luggages? It makes so much sense but it looks dangerous. Maybe the small villages of the south it should not be a problem?
What else should we include?
Looking forward to your replies:
Peter
Our first journey to Sicily will take this May (first 9 days of the month).
First we tried to squeeze in Sicily in 6 days then Calabria in 4 days but I realized it would be an epic hurry and we will miss out a lot of interesting sights in Sicily (+I realized Vibo Valentino in Calabria might be a more intriguing option during June when there is option for swimming).
So I thought in early May, the east side of the Sicily can be a great option as there is more sightseeing and less beaches to appeal (some in Vendicari or Pozzallo but nothing extraoirdanary).
9 days I thought would be better to stay in the Eastern port of Sicily and not going west (it would be at least 16 days for whole sicily in my estimation and for western sicily because of the appealing beaches of Favignana, San Vito and Cefalu, I might find September more appealing - your thoughts?). So we decided to stay in the eastern part.
Here is our schedule:
Day 0: Arrive around midnight to Catania aiport, check into an AIRBNB place for 3 nights):
Day 1: Taormina by Bus (I heard that it is slower than traing but it stops in a much better location close to the places we would like to visit)
Day 2: Mount Etna - I prefer doing it by a tour guide.
Which one you would advise us?
- There is one which is full day and visit Aci Trezza and Aci Castello as well
- One which also visits Gole Alcantara in a full day
- There is one which includes Taormina
- There are half day, some might include sunsets as well
I find it hard to decide. I am leaning toward the one with Aci Castello and Trezza as the Gole Alcantara can be extremely cold river as I heard.
Day 3: Sightseeing in Catania and leave early evening to Siracuse - WE would pick up a car and go by car from here.
Day 4: Sightseeing in Ortigia.
Day 5: Sightseeing in Siracusa (Neopolis) first hald of the day then leavue to Noto for afternoon and evening.
Day 6: Check out of Siracusa, go by car to Ragusa/Scicli/Modica. Sightseeing there.
Day 7: Again sightseeing in these 3.
Should we visit Vendicari or Cave de Ispica during the jorney? Or Pozzalo?
Which city should we stay Day 6 and 7 night? Which has the most appeal during night? We need to park of course so thats a factor.
Day 8: Going to Agrigento and visit Caltagirone and VIlla Romana during to journey. Sleep in Agrigento to watch the Temples at night.
Day 9: Get up in Agrigento, watch the temples plus: Should we check out Scala dei Turchi or Favara or Falconara.
Our plance leavues late nights so Day 9 we have time until 5-6 PM to make this work.
Next to the questions I asked before:
How is my timetable looking like according to you?
Is it safe to visits sights during the journey with a car packed with luggages? It makes so much sense but it looks dangerous. Maybe the small villages of the south it should not be a problem?
What else should we include?
Looking forward to your replies:
Peter
Mar 23rd, 2017, 10:41 AM
#2
I'd make days 4 and 5 into one day, the town is not that big.
I'd not have a car packed with luggage, limit what you take and make sure it is packed out of sight.
"Maybe the small villages of the south it should not be a problem?" why? Basically get it out of sight.
I'd try and fit western Sicily in as well. Even Agrigento's temples do not take more than 4 hours.
I'd not have a car packed with luggage, limit what you take and make sure it is packed out of sight.
"Maybe the small villages of the south it should not be a problem?" why? Basically get it out of sight.
I'd try and fit western Sicily in as well. Even Agrigento's temples do not take more than 4 hours.
Mar 23rd, 2017, 10:43 AM
#3
Catania is a bit meh or even worse than meh. Palermo on the other hand is great but I'd not want a car there.
Have you considered doing most of your visits by bus and train. You'd need a car for the centre but much of the rest can be done without
Have you considered doing most of your visits by bus and train. You'd need a car for the centre but much of the rest can be done without
Mar 23rd, 2017, 01:32 PM
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Hi PatterZone, can you give a bit of information about who you are/who you will be travelling with? For example are you 25 or 75? Are there 2 of you or 6 of you? What kind of things are you hoping to see? Nature, art, architecture, history, food? I guess those are givens, but if you're not able to climb stairs easily, or you really like hiking, or you don't like going in churches, for example, then it might change what I would suggest for you.
Do you have experience driving in Europe? Some find the small towns with their small streets a challenge.
What kind of traveller are you? Do you like to do hardcore sightseeing, or more into sitting in the piazza in the late afternoon with a glass of wine? Do you like busy places, or quiet places?
I take it you are leaving from Catania as well? Also, where are you flying to/from?
I would find your days a bit rushed but I might not have the stamina that you do.
So, before making any suggestions, can you give us more info?
Do you have experience driving in Europe? Some find the small towns with their small streets a challenge.
What kind of traveller are you? Do you like to do hardcore sightseeing, or more into sitting in the piazza in the late afternoon with a glass of wine? Do you like busy places, or quiet places?
I take it you are leaving from Catania as well? Also, where are you flying to/from?
I would find your days a bit rushed but I might not have the stamina that you do.
So, before making any suggestions, can you give us more info?
Mar 23rd, 2017, 07:31 PM
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You are wise to limit yourselves to just ½ the island! Sicily can easily take 2.5 or 3 weeks.
Taormina is beautiful, but even in May, it can be so crammed with day trippers during the day as to be truly unpleasant. Be prepared!
I took the full day tour of Mt. Etna from Taormina that included the Gole Alcantara. The primary reason for visiting the Gole Alcantara is not to go into the water – it is, I believe, to see the very rare (and beautiful) sight of fractured basalt.
No need to pick up a rental car until you are ready to leave Siracusa, and having a car while in Siracusa could be a major disadvantage.
You might want more time in Ortygia – 1.5 days there is not much, IMO.
I prefer to sleep near my departure flight. If you are flying out of Catania, consider shifting your day for sightseeing there until the end of your trip.
I'm sure you know the "usual" guidelines for leaving luggage in a car, but here's my list:
- Don’t ever leave anything in the car that can be seen through its windows
- ALWAYS keep key documents including your passport, cash, and bank cards with you (preferably in a under-the-clothes passport pouch, with only what you need for the day outside of that pouch), and be sure that that pouch also has a copy of any key documents you might need on one or more days
- Don’t ever move things from the interior to the trunk in the place that you will leave the car – do that somewhere else, even if it means pulling off the road briefly a mile or so from your destination
- Try to park in a well lighted area where other people might have eyes-on (not so much because they might act, but because their presence might discourage thieves)
- If possible, park your car in a way that would make it difficult for thieves to gain anything – for example, consider backing the car up to a wall to make it difficult to open the trunk or remove anything from it
- Be sure you know how to contact your rental car agency and insurance agency as soon as possible after any incursion
- Only leave your car with things in it if you are willing to come back and find that they are gone.
Hope that helps!
Taormina is beautiful, but even in May, it can be so crammed with day trippers during the day as to be truly unpleasant. Be prepared!
I took the full day tour of Mt. Etna from Taormina that included the Gole Alcantara. The primary reason for visiting the Gole Alcantara is not to go into the water – it is, I believe, to see the very rare (and beautiful) sight of fractured basalt.
No need to pick up a rental car until you are ready to leave Siracusa, and having a car while in Siracusa could be a major disadvantage.
You might want more time in Ortygia – 1.5 days there is not much, IMO.
I prefer to sleep near my departure flight. If you are flying out of Catania, consider shifting your day for sightseeing there until the end of your trip.
I'm sure you know the "usual" guidelines for leaving luggage in a car, but here's my list:
- Don’t ever leave anything in the car that can be seen through its windows
- ALWAYS keep key documents including your passport, cash, and bank cards with you (preferably in a under-the-clothes passport pouch, with only what you need for the day outside of that pouch), and be sure that that pouch also has a copy of any key documents you might need on one or more days
- Don’t ever move things from the interior to the trunk in the place that you will leave the car – do that somewhere else, even if it means pulling off the road briefly a mile or so from your destination
- Try to park in a well lighted area where other people might have eyes-on (not so much because they might act, but because their presence might discourage thieves)
- If possible, park your car in a way that would make it difficult for thieves to gain anything – for example, consider backing the car up to a wall to make it difficult to open the trunk or remove anything from it
- Be sure you know how to contact your rental car agency and insurance agency as soon as possible after any incursion
- Only leave your car with things in it if you are willing to come back and find that they are gone.
Hope that helps!
