Sicily

Old Jan 15th, 2017, 04:06 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sicily

We are trying to finalize our 9 day trip to Sicily. Originally we were considering staying in two areas Palermo and Scopello and visiting Agrigento, Erice and Cefalu. However, I would like to visit Syracusa/ Ortigia and the southeast as well. Does it make sense to fly into Catania from Rome and stay in Syracusa for 3 nights, then rent a car and stay 1 night closer to Agrigento and on to Palermo for 5 nights? We would then fly out of Palermo to Naples.. Are you able to take a bus from Catania airport to Syracusa? Is there a fee to drop the car off at Palermo airport? Or.....should we choose either Palermo and west or Syracusa and southeast, not both.
kakathy is offline  
Old Jan 15th, 2017, 06:15 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,754
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Kathy

I think ot depends somewhat on where you are traveling from. Why only 9 days for Sicily? If you are in Europe or the UK somewhere, then its easy to return for another trip or two. If coming from further away, it s a differnt story.

What is your entire itinerary and when is the trip? That also is a factor.
Dayle is offline  
Old Jan 15th, 2017, 06:33 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,118
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I think you could do it. Maybe try Siracusa 3 nights, Agrigento 1 night, Erice/Trapani area 2 nights to see Segesta and Erice, then 3 nights Palermo, including one day trip to Cefalu.

Drop the car at Palermo airport on the way in, and take the bus to Palermo.

It would be very rushed, though. And if in the heat of summer, that would be really exhausting. It depends, too, if your trip is extended, then this may be too tiring, but if a shorter trip, you may do just fine.
sundriedtopepo is offline  
Old Jan 15th, 2017, 06:45 PM
  #4  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,089
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sicily is a delight, but honestly, 9 days is extremely little for an island with so many treasures.

3 nights in Siracusa would – depending on your interests and pace of travel – probably give you time to visit part (but not necessarily all) of Siracusa itself (which includes Ortygia and the archeological sites) – OR some small part of that and a quick trip to Noto.

For bus and other transportation information, you can always get a preliminary sense from rome2rio.com. You should always check what you learn there, as it is imperfect, but it suggest an hourly bus from the airport to Siracusa:
https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Catania-A...Siracusa-Italy

5 nights in Palermo sounds about right to me – except for how much of Sicily you are skipping. Your call!

If you return a car to Palermo, no reason to go so far as the airport – find a place close to public transportaion.

Hope that helps!
kja is offline  
Old Jan 15th, 2017, 07:03 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 10,256
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
My trip was similar in length and very rushed but still satisfying. We spent two nights in Palermo (arrived and went straight out to see the sights), one night Agrigento, two? or three nights Modica, three nights Ortyigia. Then I spent five days in Rome, which I'd visited several times before.

I would have liked on-to-two more nights in Palermo and another night in Agrigento simply because distances between sights meant drives were on the long-ish side. And I liked Palermo.

I should note that I am a pretty hardcore sightseer and can be busy all day without much of a problem. Did not go to Erice and west of Palermo because we simply didn't have the time. Another reason to return.
Leely2 is offline  
Old Jan 15th, 2017, 10:20 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,963
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Are those nine days full days on the ground, or travel days to and from Sicily? With nine full days on the ground, and flying into Palermo and flying out of Catania (no backtracking), you can just about make it.

Read up on what it is that you want to see in Palermo. Different strokes, different folks, be sure to consult a well illustrated guide book that shows you what the choices are - I recommend the DK Eyewitness series.

Get your car as you leave Palermo, don't even try to drive in the city! If you can't find a rental location that's handy to your exit from the city, take the airport bus (from outside the train station) and rent from there, it is on the "good" side of town and gets you going in the right direction in a jiffy.

Segesta is fine, won't take up very much of your time. Your choices are the temple - looks best from a distance where the weatherbeaten flaws don't so much show up - and the other thing you should do there is park and take the shuttle to the top, then walk to the amphitheater. Splendid!

Then on to Trapani, drive straight through town to the funicular/gondola contraption that takes you up to Erice. It is a pretty hilltop community, if you walk all the way through town to the far side you have great views that are different from the front (ocean side).

If you can make it as far as Marsala that evening, stay at the Villa Favorita (google it), a splendid property. We stayed in one of the funny igloo-like space capsules in the garden park, cute as heck and surely "different" but comfortable. You'll see them on the website. Or stay in the main building, a veritable palazzo. Fine cuisine, marvelous breakfast - exquisite but didn't break the bank.

Then head east. No need to head up into the hilltop town of Agrigento, not an easy proposition with your car anyway - the temples and the archeological museum are below the city - find a hotel nearby and save time. But give it a full day, two nights, the "valley" of temples (actually a hilly ridge, not a valley) and the museum are fabulous and there's a lot to walk and see.

Then head further east and see how much time you have left before leaving from Catania airport.
michelhuebeli is offline  
Old Jan 16th, 2017, 07:28 AM
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We are arriving in Rome from Canada and flying directly to Palermo or Catania.(I do not have that flight yet) We will be in Sicily for 9 days and then we leave for Naples and Amalfi Coast for a week and then back to Rome for 5 nights.
kakathy is offline  
Old Jan 19th, 2017, 06:07 AM
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for all your suggestions. I have booked Palermo for 5 nights so that I can spend a couple of days there but also do some day trips to Monreale, Cefalu and Agrigento. I'm leaning towards staying on the western side and visiting Scopello, Erice and Trapani. I just think it will be too much driving to get to Siracusa with the other 4 nights.
kakathy is offline  
Old Jan 19th, 2017, 06:31 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 25,422
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
There are coaches to Agrigento from Palermo which you can book on line it would take a whole day but I'd not stay in Agrigento, especially as the new motorway will be finished by the summer. There is a taxi service E3/person to take you to the end of the long ridge walk, in high summer that is worth it.

Monreale again is an easy bus (I think 389 from Independance square, every 70 minutes takes 20). Visits plus a snack would take about 4 hours.
bilboburgler is offline  
Old Jan 19th, 2017, 11:18 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,118
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
bilboburgler are you back from Sicily? Will you post some impressions?
sundriedtopepo is offline  
Old Jan 19th, 2017, 05:15 PM
  #11  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,089
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I think staying to the west makes a LOT of sense! That should give you time to see the highlights of that part of the island.

IMO, whether to spend a night in Agrigento is a very person choice: I was enamored of the opportunity to see all three of the temples along the ridge lit at night, and from the patio to my room (which, apparently, no longer exists), and I don't mind relocating as often as every night. AND it meant that I could start out on my visit to that largely shadeless site earlier than I would otherwise have done. Other people hate one-night stays, etc.

While in Palermo, consider a puppet show -- ridiculously loud and ostentatious, but fun!
kja is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
BelTib
Europe
10
Jan 8th, 2019 08:02 AM
Piccolina
Europe
11
Jul 8th, 2018 04:27 PM
mama_wanderlust
Europe
26
Jan 11th, 2017 03:53 PM
lreynold1
Europe
90
Sep 24th, 2016 07:09 PM
jjmmll
Europe
19
Jun 29th, 2016 12:50 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -