Sicily and Malta
Oct 24th, 2015, 06:40 PM
#1
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Sicily and Malta
We are planning to go to Sicily and Malta next September either on our way to or from Australia
How long do you think we would need either using a hire car in both places or using public transport. We would like to do both places extensively. Is there a ferry we could use either with without a car?
Thank you
Lucy
How long do you think we would need either using a hire car in both places or using public transport. We would like to do both places extensively. Is there a ferry we could use either with without a car?
Thank you
Lucy
Oct 24th, 2015, 09:02 PM
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I haven't been to Malta yet, but think Sicily easily worth 2 or 3 weeks. You can see most of the highlights of Sicily without a car, although there are a few places that are more conveniently seen with a car. For example, I used a car for just 3 days of my time there. I spent only 2 weeks on Sicily and seriously regret that I did not give it more -- I had to skip SO much! But it really depends on what you want to see and experience....
There are a few old trip reports on this board that describe visiting Sicily using public transportation -- you might try to find them.
BTW, the Rough Guide was by far the best of the half dozen or so guidebooks I used when planning my time there.
It's an amazing place -- enjoy!
There are a few old trip reports on this board that describe visiting Sicily using public transportation -- you might try to find them.
BTW, the Rough Guide was by far the best of the half dozen or so guidebooks I used when planning my time there.
It's an amazing place -- enjoy!
Oct 25th, 2015, 03:12 AM
#4
Malta is is one of those Marmite places, you either like it or loath it. I'm in the letter camp.
We spent 5 days staying in Valleta and had a car to see the island. we did it in a couple of days, including a trip to Gozo. With Sicily as your other choice, I'd spend all of that time seeing that island and give Malta a miss, unless you have family reasons for seeing it.
We spent 5 days staying in Valleta and had a car to see the island. we did it in a couple of days, including a trip to Gozo. With Sicily as your other choice, I'd spend all of that time seeing that island and give Malta a miss, unless you have family reasons for seeing it.
Oct 25th, 2015, 03:32 AM
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There is a daily catamaran between Pozzallo (Siracusa province) and Valletta.
Flights from Trapani and Catania to Valletta are cheaper, however.
Malta buses go from Valletta to everywhere; no need of a car. Gozo has more nature (less towns) and buses too.
Malta is more interesting for sightseeing, however.
"We would like to do both places extensively"
So count about 3 weeks for Sicily (without all outer Islands) and at least 1 week for Malta and half a week for Gozo/Comino.
Flights from Trapani and Catania to Valletta are cheaper, however.
Malta buses go from Valletta to everywhere; no need of a car. Gozo has more nature (less towns) and buses too.
Malta is more interesting for sightseeing, however.
"We would like to do both places extensively"
So count about 3 weeks for Sicily (without all outer Islands) and at least 1 week for Malta and half a week for Gozo/Comino.
Oct 25th, 2015, 03:49 AM
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I have been to both. Sicily we spent 11 days and had a car. With the car, eleven days allowed us to see most of highlights. You could certainly use more time if you had it, and if you try to do it without a car it will require more time as the public transportation is not all that frequent. I agree with the above that if you include the outer islands (which we didn't get to) then three weeks would not be too much. However, if time is limited then 10-12 days with a car allows you to see the highlights without being rushed.
I spent a week (7 full days) on Malta and did not have a car. The public transportation is good, but traffic is heavy so it's slow going. Even though distances are not that far it takes much longer than you would expect. I didn't make it to Gozo because I decided it would just be too much to do it by public transportation on a day trip. Other than that though I did everything I wanted to and had a wonderful time. I spent a lot of time in Valletta itself plus a boat ride around Malta and to the Blue Lagoon,went to the fishing village of Marsaxlokk, to the old city of Mdina, to the ancient temples, to the “Three Cities” across the harbor, etc. Here's my trip report - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ta-in-july.cfm (has links to my photos)
I spent a week (7 full days) on Malta and did not have a car. The public transportation is good, but traffic is heavy so it's slow going. Even though distances are not that far it takes much longer than you would expect. I didn't make it to Gozo because I decided it would just be too much to do it by public transportation on a day trip. Other than that though I did everything I wanted to and had a wonderful time. I spent a lot of time in Valletta itself plus a boat ride around Malta and to the Blue Lagoon,went to the fishing village of Marsaxlokk, to the old city of Mdina, to the ancient temples, to the “Three Cities” across the harbor, etc. Here's my trip report - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ta-in-july.cfm (has links to my photos)
Oct 25th, 2015, 06:28 AM
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Lucy,
My own trip was Sicily only. Did not have a great interest in Malta as my company has a facility there and my coworkers who traveled there returned unimpressed. We do have to take in to account that they visited on business and not vacation, and that definitely makes a difference!.
I hav e a wide range of interests and the more I researched Sicily the longer I needed so my trip was 3.5 weeks and still it wasn't enough! I did spend 5 days in the Aeolians which were a priority for me. I used a car for 9 days, driving solo with no problems at all.
My TR from 2013 is here so click on my name. It may give you an idea of what can be done. I visited most of the typical highlights plus a few that are less visited. Even with a relatively long trip for a working American I still didn't get to any of my secondary list of sights.
I really could have used another week! Sicily has much to offer and the Scicilian people are very welcoming and lovely.
My own trip was Sicily only. Did not have a great interest in Malta as my company has a facility there and my coworkers who traveled there returned unimpressed. We do have to take in to account that they visited on business and not vacation, and that definitely makes a difference!.
I hav e a wide range of interests and the more I researched Sicily the longer I needed so my trip was 3.5 weeks and still it wasn't enough! I did spend 5 days in the Aeolians which were a priority for me. I used a car for 9 days, driving solo with no problems at all.
My TR from 2013 is here so click on my name. It may give you an idea of what can be done. I visited most of the typical highlights plus a few that are less visited. Even with a relatively long trip for a working American I still didn't get to any of my secondary list of sights.
I really could have used another week! Sicily has much to offer and the Scicilian people are very welcoming and lovely.
Oct 25th, 2015, 05:05 PM
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What a great illustration of the differences between travelers in travel paces, preferences, and definitions of "highlights" -- even with a car, I could not have visited all of what I considered to be the highlights of Sicily in 11 days (sorry to disagree, Isabel); and I would have needed at least 3 weeks even if I had skipped all of the outer islands (I spent just one afternoon on Lipari).
So it's back to you, Lucy84 -- you need to figure out what YOU want to see and experience.
The choices may be difficult, but whatever you decide, you'll see some wonderful things. :-=)
So it's back to you, Lucy84 -- you need to figure out what YOU want to see and experience.
The choices may be difficult, but whatever you decide, you'll see some wonderful things. :-=)
Oct 25th, 2015, 09:13 PM
#9
We had a trip from Australia to Malta and Sicily and loved Malta and thought Sicily was good but not as interesting as Malta. We particularly liked the Maltese who were so friendly, we generally like Italians but got deliberately short-changed a few times which is off-putting.
All up we had about 2 weeks in Sicily, 10 days on Malta and 5 days on Gozo, we did the whole trip on public transport - bus, train, ferry (to Lipari) and plane with Air Malta between the two countries. Public transport on Malta was good but in Sicily each region has its own transport so linking it all up was difficult at times.
We barely scratched the surface in Sicily, there is a lot to see, I'd say you could spend months there if you had the time. Malta is tiny and I think we saw everything we wanted to in the time we had.
Our trip was a long time ago but you could search for my trip report by clicking on my name.
Kay
All up we had about 2 weeks in Sicily, 10 days on Malta and 5 days on Gozo, we did the whole trip on public transport - bus, train, ferry (to Lipari) and plane with Air Malta between the two countries. Public transport on Malta was good but in Sicily each region has its own transport so linking it all up was difficult at times.
We barely scratched the surface in Sicily, there is a lot to see, I'd say you could spend months there if you had the time. Malta is tiny and I think we saw everything we wanted to in the time we had.
Our trip was a long time ago but you could search for my trip report by clicking on my name.
Kay
Oct 27th, 2015, 05:27 AM
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Just back from three weeks in Sicily, and there were lots of places we just didn't get a chance to see because we didn't have time. I think your best bet is to do a combo of places with and without a car. Having a car part of the time definitely gave us the flexibility to move around to see places that would be very difficult (or impossible) to access by public transportation. Plus, there are some lovely back road drives that you just would not be able to do via a bus.
