Sanci1234

We are spending whole seven days in Sicily.We're arriving in Palermo.We plan to visit maybe Agrigento, Syracuse, Taormina,Etna.We have full seven days on Sicily. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

zola

Sanci1234:

It'd be great to have 14 days - but seven days could be enough (for your first exposure), dependent upon how many days you want to spend in any one place. Where are you coming from? Are you going directly to Sicily from the States or stopping in Rome for a few days first? (Arriving in Palermo from the US will necessitate some unraveling for jet lag)
If you're driving, you may be able to cover all your indicated locations, but even so it'd be a brief time in each - not that you can't take trains, but unlike the Italy mainland, Sicily does not have the fastest rail transportation and then there is always the possibility of other delays.
Another question is when are you going? Is it soon? Any time of year should be ok, but the shoulder or off-season (assuming decent weather) reduces the number of tourists with whom you'll have to contend.

Without knowing any of the above, my very general initial suggestions are driving: 2 days Palermo, 2 days in glorious Taormina - from where you can book an accessible 1/2 day tour of Etna, a day each for Siracusa (an under-rated gem) and Agrigento as you make your return to Palermo.
Or, reverse direction, starting in Palermo for 2 days, but then going to Argigento and Siracusa for one each, and ending up in Taormina - a short distance from Catania where you can fly out of Sicily. This may perhaps save a half to a day in travel in between points.

kja

With only 7 days, you will need to be EXTREMELY selective. I recommend that you get some good guidebooks (or spend some time with a few in your local library), identify the things you most want to see in each location, note their opening/closing times, and mark them on a calendar. Then pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from the train/bus station or whatever, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting oriented, etc.). Then see how things fit together.

And if you haven't booked your flights yet, plan on flying into Palermo and out of Catania or vice versa so you don't have to backtrack.

Good luck!

sandralist

If you are living in Palermo, you can easily vist all the places you mentioned in 7 days if you have a car. Most people would not take 14 days to visit the places you mentioned. Most of them are not sights that require a lot of time to see and understand. I would give the biggest chunk of your time to the Syracusa area.

As for being EXTRMELY selective, it looks to me like you already are. Besides, if you were going to Piemonte for 7 days, you would need to be EXTREMELY selective. If you were going to Tuscany for 7 days, you would need to be EXTREMELY selective. Of course you should have a guidebook, but if you already know want to go to Etna, Taormina, Syracusa and Agrigento, this is not some kind of huge complicated travel project.

Coming from Palermo, I would probably go to Agrigento first, Siracusa second, Etna third and Taormina last.

sandralist

Hi again -- re-reading your post, it looks to me like your first sentence is getting compressed in my screen -- so you are saying you are "arriving in Palermo". On my screen, it looks like "iving", so I thought you were saying that you are presently there.

But it doesn't change my advice. Pick up a car at the airport and head to Agrigento. If possible, fly out of Catania, but if you can't, then I would make the order of the trip Agrigento, Siracusa, Taormina, Etna.

My first trip to Sicily I didn't visit Palermo except to see Monreale on the outskirts. There is so much to see in Palermo that I didn't want to spend just a day or 2 there. I later visited Palermo on a return trip, and spent a week there. I really enjoyed Sicily my first visit without going to Palermo, so if you aren't keen to see it this trip, my recommendation would be to skip it.

mamcalice

Don't miss Palermo - it was our favorite stop on Sicily. I loved Monreale. We did your general itinerary but had 10 days. With 7, I might be tempted to spend at least 2 full days in Palermo, 1 in Agrigento, 2 in Siracusa and 2 in Taormina from which you can easily see Etna.

If you haven't made hotel reservations, consider the Villa Schuler in Taormina. Whe you make reservations, ask for a room with a view of Etna.

If you haven't made plane reservations, fly into Palermo and out of Catania.

Sanci1234

Thank you for all suggestions. We are going in August, we are flying from Split to Rome and then to Palermo. We have full seven days n Sicily.After that we are flying back to Rome from Palermo and we are spending four days in Rome.For Rome we have a plan but not for Sicily.I am thinking maybe Agrigento, Siracusa,Taormina,Palermo and then back to Rome.

sandralist

In August you will have a very late sunset, so it would be great if you could pick up the car in Palermo and head directly to Agrigento. I would try to get as far as you can that day so you can tour the ruins early in the morning of the next day.

For me, staying in Taormina itself in August would be pretty grim when it comes to lack of elbow room due to the crowds of tourists. If you don't like crowds, you could consider Castelmola right above Taormina -- same beautiful views, fewer people. Take a look at Villa Sonia if that idea appeals. If you are craving a beach swim, you could consider staying below Taormina, at the seaside, and get a funicular up to Taormina for the sightseeing.

Driving back to Palermo from Taormina, might be most efficient if you stop by Monreale on the way. Getting rid of the car in Palermo will be something of a test of nerves when it comes to driving into Palermo itself, although maybe in August traffic is lighter. Chickens like me would go so far as to consider dropping off the car at the airport and taking public transporation back into the city, but that is time consuming. At a minimum, I would probably talk on the phone with the car rental agency in advance to ask them what might be the easiest in-city drop off option either inside the city or a suburban location. Pay close attention to when the car rental office is open and closed. In Sicily, the afternoon closures can be quite lengthy.

If you want to see food markets in Sicily in August, I think you probably should plan to go very early in the morning. I cannot imagine how the food survives past 10 am or so, given how hot it can get.

I've avoided much of the south of Italy in August because of its reputation for heat, but many southern Italians have told me that it is actually a fun time to go because so many families who have relativies working in other parts of Italy are reunited for their vacations in August, so everybody is having a great time, and there are festivals everywhere. Enjoy your trip!

genevagirl

I think 3 cities would be just about doable. I spent 3 days in Taormina/Catania last March and was just perfect..

I can give you the details of our tour guide who was just perfect and went the extra mile. We were picked up at about 8.30 am from our apartment in Taormina, and taken on a tour of etna..which we climbed around for a couple of hours...down to a local farm store to taste local produce and buy olive oil, vinegars, olives, honey etc...taken to historic sites of interest en route via Lingualossa until stopping at Gambino vineyard for lunch which was just perfect. We had a plate of antipasti, a hot meal and all you can drink wine for 25 euros per person...and then a tour of the wineyard with a small group. Wow... the surroundings were spectacular and service was great as we spent a couple of hours there trying different etna wines.

We then took a leisurely drive back to Taormina arriving at about 7.30/8 pm while our driver Daniel satisfied my companions interest in the ‘Godfather’ and took us on a scenic route back to our apartment. We used the same company for airport transfers and were given extras on the way stopping off at place of interest. Would highly recommend

Sicily Day tours http://www.sicilyshoretours.com/

Very professional service.

For Catania, I didn’t really like this as it seemed quite grim with less to do than the other places we visited near Taormina coast. I must admit I enjoyed Taormina in March because it was off peak yet the small town was full enough for us and I can’t imagine how it would be in August...

Good luck :- )

zola

Sanci1234:

Since you've already booked your trip for August, ok. Just be informed that August is the hottest month of the year and you will know it. As I indicated before, driving is the best idea (and you may still want to reduce the number of stops for the trip) - but because you're already flying out of Palermo and 4 locations are yet what you want to hit, take the route I suggested in the direction toward Agrigento.
Palermo for two days first. It is nuts, (driving within the city will test you and parking is at a premium), but the place is interesting and exciting. I think you will also find that it is distinct from Rome and the Italy mainland.
among others, include some time in the Medieval Quarter where you'll see evidence of Roman, Moorish, and Norman cultural influence. Check out the La Kalsa section, a multitude of restaurants - outdoor markets, sandwiched so close in between streets that you may miss them. From Via Roma walk along Via Vittorio Emanuele toward the Duomo in the Il Capo area and then over toward Teatro Massimo. A tip for a place to stay: http://www.ambasciatorihotelpalermo.com
Yes, do a stop in Monreale.

Head to Agrigento and a short stay there, but then a nice full day in Siracusa (very manageable) where you'll see the interesting harbor and beautiful architecture with strong Greek influence.
While it's true Taormina may be crowded with tourists, (and it's been very commercialized) it is nonetheless unique and very rewarding. If you haven't booked your lodging there, do so sooner rather than later- and then get solid directions. It's not unusual to get lost along the winding roads going in and out and around the side of the mountain. I indicated above that it's possible to book a half day tour to Etna from there, but 2 days by itself in Taormina can easily be enough to fill your time.
Concluding your trip: the last time I drove back to Palermo from Taormina took me about 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. As others have suggested, look CAREFULLY for signs to get your entry back into the city. Incidentally, when I dropped off a rental car in town, it was a little dicey, but not that bad.
Z.

Sanci1234

Ok,thank you so very much.I am very aware that the August will be hot but it's OK.I am more consdired with what to see and what to do.As I read your suggestions and research online I think we will choose and minimalize are trip to Sicily so we can really enjoy in that.I don't want to spend all time on the road.Also as I read more I think I'll need to go back to Sicily again to see the rest...

kja

"we are flying from Split to Rome and then to Palermo. We have full seven days n Sicily.After that we are flying back to Rome from Palermo and we are spending four days in Rome.... as I read more I think I'll need to go back to Sicily again to see the rest...."

Have you considered extending your time in Croatia and in Rome, and waiting to see Sicily until another trip? There's certainly enough in those other destinations to keep you busy! Just a thought....

Sanci1234

Kja we will see.Thank you very much for all the suggestions. I think it will be Sicily and Rome.So as the song says what will be will be.