WorldGallery

We are considering adding on a few days in Palermo, Italy. Our plan is to flight into Rome June 1st for a week but we haven't booked flights yet. My maternal grandparents are from Palermo so that is where the interest comes from. I was able to find a little bit online about Sicily for kids but not enough to get an understanding of how to go about it.
Some questions:
1. What is the best way to get to Sicily from Rome? Or, should we fly into Sicily from the US and then make our way to Rome?
2. In Rome, we are staying in an apt. There were tons of options. We are a family of 7. What is the best option in Sicily?
3. How many days do we need?
4. Best things to see and do with kids?
Any other insights and suggestions are welcome.
Thanks!

dutyfree

Personally I would fly to Rome nonstop from the states and then take a flight from Rome/FCO to Sicily.The other option is flying from Milan but since you are already in Rome?

I would fly into Palermo and out of Catania or vice versa if you have at least a week over there as it is a wonderful place to vacation.However,if there are 7 of you that could make transportation expensive(flights) and difficult to secure as you would need a very big van to drive around.How old are your kids?

If this is your first trip to Europe with the kids there really is more than enough interesting things to do as daytrips out of Rome and in Rome proper.Give us some info as where you are flying from in the state;ages of your kids;interests of everyone;first trip to Europe,etc. and we will be happy to help you.

Leely2

1. We flew to Palermo from San Francisco. I arranged our international air so that we were on one itinerary to PMO. Then flew to Rome from Catania, got cheapo one-way tix bluexpress, booked through skyscanner.net. It sounds as if you are just planning to see Palermo and its immediate environs, though, right? In which case you could fly in and out of Palermo.

2. If just a few days in Palermo, I still think a hotel would be a good option. But I advise you to research on the tripadvisor Sicily forum, too. I got great info over there when planning my Sicily trip. There are a few regular Sicily visitors and some Sicilian posters, including a Palermo native.

3. What do you want to see?

4. Sorry, don't have kids, but how old are yours and what are their interests?

FWIW, I loved Sicily! My traveling companions and I had been numerous times to Rome, and we did an eight-days-Sicily, five-days-Rome trip this past spring. We all wished we had just devoted the entire trip to Sicily. It's a world apart.

[Okay, so if you rent a car the driving can be a bit unnerving at times. But I had an overly ambitious itinerary--take it slow and don't try to see too much. The island is bigger than it looks on a map.]

adrienne

1. Best (quickest and easiest) way is to fly. I always start at the farthest point and work my way back to the place I'll be traveling home from. If you fly home from Rome then see Palermo first and then Rome. You'll be near your departure airport.

3. 4 or 5 days for Palermo. A week (or a lifetime) for Rome.

4. Take the kids to a puppet show - the adults will love it too! This was one of the highlights of my Sicily trip. The one I went to was done by the Cuticchio family. It was a traditional Sicilian puppet show based on the Song of Roland, complete with dragon! I took a photo of their sign and the shows are on Saturday and Sunday at 18:30. The phone number is 091 32 34 00.

I saw many families by the harbor on Sunday. You can also go to the English Garden.

You can take a bus to the beach at Mondello.

There's the catacombs just outside Palermo.

Puppet Museum (Museo delle Marionette).

It would help to know how old your children are. Sometimes people say children when they mean adult children. Then there would be more to recommend.

WorldGallery

Thanks for the tips. My kids will be 11,13,14,15,18 next summer. I am not sure what we want to see but would like to have at least a half day at the beach and maybe some time exploring a village. I am going to try to find out more about my ancestors and go to that village.
It is so overwhelming trying to plan Rome and Sicily on one trip. Rome was somewhat easy because we will hit the main sites. Sicily is harder.

adrienne

If you don't speak Sicilian I would recommend hiring a driver who will communicate for you in the village you're going to. A driver will also facilitate getting there since public transportation to villages is not always convenient.

You're only going to Palermo so that narrows the focus. You should see Monreale. If you want an art museum go to Palazzo Abatellis. Palazzo Mirto is a furnished 19th c. mansion and try to see an oratorio. I saw the Santa Zita oratorio and it was great. Hire a private guide for a day to take you to some of the more popular sights in the city and give explanations of what you are seeing. This will also give you an introduction to the layout of Palermo.