Hi-
My mother and I spent the same amount of time there 2 years ago. It was a fantastic trip.
What sort of things interest you?
I really enjoyed Palermo. It's a big, crowded city, but the markets are amazing-so lively!
Also, Sicily has some of the best Greek ruins in the world, some of which you can still walk through. Don't miss Agrigento and Segesta.
Also, there's no shortage of great food and wine there.
If you want to get some ideas from my travelogue, go to my website:
http://www.wired2theworld.com and look for the Sicily 2003 trip. That trip focuses on the center and the west coast. I have another trip in 1999 that was mostly the east coast (see the RTW trip on my website.
Have fun!

Sicily is full of wild geraniums that grow everywhere!

Feel free to read my trip report. Just put "Betty's Consolidated Sicily Trip Report" in the search box, and it should come up.

I took my trip in May 2004.

WE were in Sicily in October, 2003 and enjoyed it very much. Here's the URL of my web page describing the trip. Maybe it can help you...


http://www.travel.stv77.com/sicily/sicily.htm

Monreale has awesome cathedral. Enjoy your trip!

My daughter and I went to the eastern side of Sicily this past March to check out a school that she is going to do an exchange with next spring. We loved it!!! We flew to Rome and then took another flight to Catania(what a fabulous view out of the plane going by Mt. Etna). We spent most of the time down near Sircusa (actually Ortigia where she will study). The food,scenery and people were wonderful. The one thing that I am interested in is why Sicily for your first trip to Europe? The reason that I ask is that because "in my opinion" Sicily is a different kind of Europe traveling (ie, not the usual public transportation, harder language barriers, not having one city that you could use as a base,etc.) Just curious?

Here are some shots of Sicily to pique your interest:
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/23970/index.html

Someone just did a trip report and mentioned Villa Casale (spelling? sorry but I can't find the thread)-friend of mine said it's spectacular. We couldn't work it in our visit and think you need to drive? Hope you will do a report. It's a wonderful place to visit.

Chris, it's under Sicily Journal.

"Roman Villa of Casale near Piazza Amerinas"