Rome to Sicily, what's the best way to travel?
Dec 23rd, 2011, 08:32 AM
#1
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Rome to Sicily, what's the best way to travel?
We want to spend 2 and 1/2 weeks between Rome and Sicily. We want some info from people who have gone to Sicily. What do you recommend?Rome is definitely the focus. How do we get from Rome to Sicily? Any info is greatly appreciated. We would be going in the summer.
Thanks
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Dec 23rd, 2011, 09:55 AM
#2
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The best way to travel from Rome to Sicily is by air. Most people who fly choose either Palermo (PMO) or Catania (CTA), and there are many flights out of Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) on several carriers to choose from. From time to time during the year, very low fares are offered on these routes.
www.alitalia.it
www.volawindjet.it
www.blu-express.com
www.easyjet.com
There are also some incredibly low air fares from Rome Ciampino Airport (CIA) (NOT Fiumicino-FCO) to Trapani on Ryan Air:
www.ryanair.com
If you prefer to travel overnight (to save the cost of a hotel room), I suggest taking the train to Naples, then the overnight daily car ferry to Palermo (Tirrenia or SNAV) or to Catania (TTT Lines):
www.tirrenia.it
www.snav.it
www.tttlines.it
www.fsitaliane.it (Trenitalia)
There is also daylight and overnight service by train, but it's very long (over 11 hours) and not particularly recommended (although there are some very low promotional fares ("MINI" fares) available from time to time with a long advance purchase).
For overnight travel, the ferry is preferable to the train.
www.alitalia.it
www.volawindjet.it
www.blu-express.com
www.easyjet.com
There are also some incredibly low air fares from Rome Ciampino Airport (CIA) (NOT Fiumicino-FCO) to Trapani on Ryan Air:
www.ryanair.com
If you prefer to travel overnight (to save the cost of a hotel room), I suggest taking the train to Naples, then the overnight daily car ferry to Palermo (Tirrenia or SNAV) or to Catania (TTT Lines):
www.tirrenia.it
www.snav.it
www.tttlines.it
www.fsitaliane.it (Trenitalia)
There is also daylight and overnight service by train, but it's very long (over 11 hours) and not particularly recommended (although there are some very low promotional fares ("MINI" fares) available from time to time with a long advance purchase).
For overnight travel, the ferry is preferable to the train.
Dec 23rd, 2011, 10:41 AM
#3
Last spring we flew to Palermo from SFO (Delta/Alitalia), spent eight days in Sicily (rented a car), and flew BluExpress to Rome from Catania. Then spent a little under a week in Rome.
Our Sicily itinerary was wonderful but too rushed:
2 nights Palermo, picked up car at airport on the way out of town
1 night Agrigento
2 nights Modica
2 nights Ortygia (old island part of Siracusa)
I'd been to Rome several times. This was my first visit to Sicily--and I <b>loved</b> it! Since you're going in the summer, you might want to spend more time on the coast/islands/beachy areas than we did in late-March/early-April.
Have fun.
Our Sicily itinerary was wonderful but too rushed:
2 nights Palermo, picked up car at airport on the way out of town
1 night Agrigento
2 nights Modica
2 nights Ortygia (old island part of Siracusa)
I'd been to Rome several times. This was my first visit to Sicily--and I <b>loved</b> it! Since you're going in the summer, you might want to spend more time on the coast/islands/beachy areas than we did in late-March/early-April.
Have fun.
Dec 23rd, 2011, 11:50 AM
#5
Another vote for flying. I took the train from Naples to Siracusa, because I wanted to ride the train on the ferry, but I'm a bit of a train geek. It's a long, slow and rather boring trip aside from the ferry.
Sicily is a great destination with lots to see and good food. My TR is here: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ing-sicily.cfm
Sicily is a great destination with lots to see and good food. My TR is here: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ing-sicily.cfm
Dec 23rd, 2011, 12:50 PM
#6
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As everybody said, fly!
Here is the report of my trip of 2 weeks in Sicilia. Hope that you can find there some ideas:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-and-malta.cfm
Here is the report of my trip of 2 weeks in Sicilia. Hope that you can find there some ideas:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-and-malta.cfm
Dec 23rd, 2011, 03:05 PM
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If you're going to mostly spend time in Rome but only a few days in Sicily, probably best to concentrate on what interests you the most.
You can see old ruins if you're into archeology, so go to Agrigento, maybe Seliunte if you have time. Erice is also a nice day trip, if it's a clear day.
If you like Baroque, then Siracusa, Ragusa and Noto are all great. They all have renovated duomos which are all magnificent. I stayed in Siracusa and Ragusa and day-tripped to Noto. Could have spent more time in these cities.
Of course Taormina has a resort quality, somewhat like the Amalfi Coast, under the shadow of Etna.
I skipped Catania and spent only a couple of days in Palermo. Preferred the smaller towns much more.
You can see old ruins if you're into archeology, so go to Agrigento, maybe Seliunte if you have time. Erice is also a nice day trip, if it's a clear day.
If you like Baroque, then Siracusa, Ragusa and Noto are all great. They all have renovated duomos which are all magnificent. I stayed in Siracusa and Ragusa and day-tripped to Noto. Could have spent more time in these cities.
Of course Taormina has a resort quality, somewhat like the Amalfi Coast, under the shadow of Etna.
I skipped Catania and spent only a couple of days in Palermo. Preferred the smaller towns much more.
