tuscanlifeedit

I've been hesitant to post this, but I think I must.

I've been doing a lot of reading here about Sicily, where we are headed next April, and many posters insist that one must have weeks of travel time to appreciate or enjoy Sicily. This message comes up frequently in threads about the island. I wonder why.

I know Sicily is big, but so is England. I can't recall ever reading advice cautioning travelers not to go to England, or France, or Italy, or Texas for that matter, unless they have weeks to spend there.

We never have weeks. Our trip is planned for two full weeks from home to Italy, leaving and returning the same day of the week. If we leave here (Pennsylvania) on Saturday, we will get to Rome on Sunday, and immediately travel on from FCO to Palermo.

This is a rough plan but I'm thinking about
4 nights Palermo (possibly 3?)
2 nights Erice
see Selinunte on the way to
2 nights Agrigento
visit Piazza Armerina on way to
2 nights Taormina or Ortigia
depart on the next morning from Catania, to head to Rome.

I can more these days around, but I don't really want to add another overnight stay.

We will then spend 3 nights in Rome, because we love Rome.

I can fill this out a lot, but it doesn't seem ridiculous to me, even adding a good deal on to driving times quoted on mapping sites.

I don't know if I'll have another opportunity to visit Sicily. I'm getting older, our life at home is challenging and we think we can do this now. My husband likes to drive, blah blah blan.
Because of the frequent messages saying one must have more time for Sicily, I'm feeling as though I ought to justify or rationalize this plan.

Can someone please tell me why it's so often mentioned that one "must" have more time in Sicily? I wish I had more time everywhere, including here on Earth.

PalenQ

One can always spend more time but you can't see everything even in a month or more.

I did about what you are doing and that was enough for me.

I did-

Palermo 3 nights
would have considered staying in cute Cefalu a few days

Went to Segusta and its awesome Greek Temples from Palermo

Agrigento 2 nights

Taormina (actually Naxos-G on the seaside)

and from there went to Syracuse on day trip and did the Circum Vesuviana train (can drive) - would have gone up to crater but it were closed at that time due to volcanic activity.

Just passed thru Catania but thought it a really nice town - better it seemed for me than Palermo.

You are driving so you will spend less time in transit. Was enough for me though there are things I wanted to see but could not.

NewbE

I don't know beans about Sicily, but I wanted to say that I get so tired of those sneering criticisms of trips that are seen as too short: well, if all you want to do is drive; you won't remember anything you see; why bother? and so on.

I hope you get useful responses to the itinerary you were brave enough to post! PalenQ's seems a good start.

Not everyone has months and months to travel, and no one should be made to feel bad about that, or told to not bother and stay home.

massimop

First time I went to Sicily, I went for 7 days and had a WONDERFUL EYE-OPENING trip. Learned a great deal, remember everything -- would have done some things differently of course -- that's true of every trip -- but would not have added time. (I spent the 1st week of that trip in the Amalfi).

I am sorry you were hesitant to post what you did and I am sure I am not alone in being glad that you did. There is a difference between travel advice and travel dogma, and the "advice" that anybody going to Sicily should abandon their plans if they can't give it 3 weeks ("IMHO") is dogma. All dogma is boring to read (even the 1st time, let along the 3,000th) and it is totally useless to live by!

Keep it in perspective. It is one or 2 people posting it ad nauseam. Bear in mind also that some people always approach foreign travel as wanting to "do" a place and be "finished" with it. Because Siciliy is an island, many think it one isolated destination to "complete". Also, they don't relate it to the mainland -- oh look, it's just stupid. Forget it.

Regarding your specific itinerary, you might not need 2 nights in Agrigento, so I would suggest, spending 2 nights in Ortigia and your last night in Taormina, just to see the Greek theater.

kja

I think your rough plan is good! As for Taormina vs. Ortygia, I thought the views from Taormina spectacular, but I found the crowds very off-putting. In contrast, I loved Ortygia. Without information about your priorities, I don’t think I can provide further comments about your allocation of nights at this point.

I readily admit to being someone who has provided cautions about short visits to Sicily. If I’ve done so in a way that seems that I think one “MUST” have more time there, then I apologize sincerely and will try to be more careful in my phrasing in the future. As a rule, I try to emphasize that visits to Sicily of 2 weeks or less require that travelers prioritize their objectives, acknowledging that all travel choices depend on personal interests and preferences. I mention timing with Sicily (but not necessarily elsewhere) for two reasons – first, it takes a greater investment of time to get to Sicily from the U.S. than to get to (say) London or Paris or Rome (and to me, the ratio of time on the ground to time in transit is a major consideration when planning a trip of ANY length); and second, many posters seems to think they can “cover” Sicily in about the same time it would take to visit, say, Capri or Santorini (and IMO, that isn’t likely to be true – and before anyone jumps on me for that statement, let me add that, of course, it depends on what one wants to see and experience).

Thanks for asking for clarification of this important issue, tuscanlifeedit!

IMDonehere

We were so impressed with the antiquities that we simply got the impression, there is more is always more to see. It turned out to be one of our favorite places.

I agree with Pal that Cefalu is worthwhile as is Mt, Etna, and Monreale.

The driving is insane and one should embrace it, rather than fight it.

No matter how long you stay, it is impossible not to enjoy Sicily.

tuscanlifeedit

Oh, such great responses. I thank each of you very much.

I do have some rough priorities. The antiquities are very important to us. Palermo is attracting me for a couple of reasons: the Baroque architecture (fully realizing that it's not a Baroque town, per se) and a chance to see Monreale and some of the spectacular buildings and mosaics in Palermo itself.

We could see Segesta from Palermo, but it seems that Erice is attractive too. I wanted a more medieval or old little town and as much as I would like to see the Madonie towns, Erice seemed convenient for the "old" little town and for Segesta. I'll be working on this decision.

I was hoping that I would get my fill of the Baroque in Palermo, and not being a huge fan, and being short of time, I thought that we could skip the Baroque towns.

Taormina is on the list for the views, a glimpse of Etna for my husband, and a little seaside time.

To summarize our priorities: Greek temples and theaters, Roman mosaics, churches, views and scenery. We generally travel for art but don't think we can find as much in Sicily; I'd be happy to hear otherwise.

We don't drink so we won't be stopping for wine, and any shopping we do is very incidental. We'll look in a cute shop, but aren't shoppers. We do love coffee, Sicilian sweets, and my husband loves seafood. Sicilian artichokes are something we look forward to. We like to eat and we like big flavors. Southern Italian food usually pleases us more than Northern.

I'll be posting much more about this trip. Thanks.

IMDonehere

The food was sensational. The catches of the day are popular as are many dishes and drinks with lemons. Many places are proud of their homemade Limoncello which I believe is illegal to make but is part of the romance.

kja

You and your husband will certainly find more than enough to see and do and eat to absolutely savor your time in Sicily!

Some comments:

- Palermo does have some extraordinary Baroque architecture (particularly, its oratorios), but also has an astounding array of Norman-Arab-Byzantine (Romanesque) treasures – and not just the cathedral of Monreale (with it’s cloister, one of the most impressive man-made spaces I’ve been fortunate enough to see!), but any number of other places, too.

- I skipped Erice (one of my regrets), but loved Segesta. I refuse to place the Greek theaters I saw in Sicily in rank order, but I can easily say that there were some features of the theater in Segesta that I preferred to the theater in Taormina, although honestly, I’m just glad I saw both. While you could spend hours at Segesta, it doesn’t require an enormous investment of time, as it’s basically one incomplete (and possibly sham, if nonetheless interesting) temple and the theater.

- If the Baroque is not of special interest, skipping the Baroque towns of the Val di Noto makes perfect sense to me.

- Given your interests, you might consider a day trip from Palermo to Cefalu – it’s cathedral was recently added to the same UNESCO World Heritage Site inscription that includes Monreale’s cathedral, and it is seaside, so might be of interest to your husband. I haven’t been to Cefalu, though, and so can’t make a strong recommendation one way or the other. If you give yourselves enough time in Palermo, you could easily make a choice while there.

- Yu do have some options to see notable works of art that you might want to consider. For example, the relatively small Palazzo Abatellis in Palermo includes a few pieces that I thought outstanding, and Siracusa is home to Caravaggio’s Burial of Saint Lucy.

So, from what you’ve said of your interests so far, I would think you might want to consider 4 nights (not 3) in Palermo, particularly since you will be recovering from jet lag while there. If you can add a night to Ortygia (with its stunning cathedral of ancient elements and Baroque exterior, and it’s charming plazas, and the ruins in Siracusa), I don’t think you’d regret it. If you are willing to entertain the idea of one-night stays, you could free up some time for these options by spending a single night in Agrigento (assuming you time your arrival and departure to allow the better part of a day for your visit to the Valley of the Temples) and a single night in Taormina (for the views).

Just some ideas to consider….

Leely2

I had a week. It wasn't enough (because I liked Sicily more than. I thought I would and wanted to stay longer!), but it was a wonderful trip. We had two nights Palermo, one night Agrigento, stopping at Segesta on the drive down, three? nights in Modica which I loved but I am a stair master and have no problem with hills, and two? nights in Ortigia. Might have been two nights Modica and three nights Ortigia, can't recall.

Have a great time!

dotheboyshall

<i>I can't recall ever reading advice cautioning travelers not to go to England, or France, or Italy, or Texas for that matter, unless they have weeks to spend there. </i>

The main problem from my viewpoint is that it is surprisingly hard to get there with a direct flight from the UK unless you are in London. AFAIK the only other flights are 4 times a week from Manchester

bilboburgler

I spent a week in Sicily and found it enough. No I didn't go up Etna and I did go in winter (slight snow and rain) so no queues no traffic issues etc.

Certainly enough time to get a flavour.

annhig

Having stayed in both Ortigia and Taormina on our trip to Sicily last September, I have no hesitation in recommending Ortigia over Taormina; admittedly it does not have the views of Etna, but that is about the only disadvantage. We found both it crowded and expensive which detracted from any merits it might have. So Ortigia which I think people here find universally charming has it hands down.

But - if you could manage a day trip to Etna, I should think that in the spring that might be delightful.

As for the rest of your itinerary, as you have no interest in the Baroque towns I think that the decision to avoid them is a sensible one; my only quibble would be that a night in P. Armerina would be a good idea to allow an early morning visit to the Villa before it gets too hot, but perhaps in April that will not be so much of a problem. The town itself is also worth an hour or two, not least because it's medieval not baroque and therefore has a completely different feel to other places you may have seen in Sicily.

OTOH I would happily give up a night there and one in Agrigento to be able to spend another night in Ortigia.

massimop

When are you going in April?

If you love artichokes, the town of Cerda outside of Palermo has its giant artichoke festival April 25. You can look it up on the web. Even if you can't make it to the festival, if you are picking up a car when you leave Palermo, you could see Monreale in the morning and then go to Cerda for lunch. After that, go to Erice. It would add driving time to your trip to Erice, but might be worth it. (If your husband really likes to drive, you could go to Erice via Corleone, but I would skip the mafia tours and probably would stay in agriturismo near Segesta rather than in Erice, but that's just me)

http://users.libero.it/gimatta/insicily/cerda.htm

sundriedtopepo

Tuscanlife I think others have stated well that it is certainly possible to get a taste of Sicily in 2 weeks. For those who ask if it is possible to see Sicily in 4 or 5 days, I say no for a few simple reasons; the relatively small size of most towns/sites which means that one would not want to spend a great amount of time in them, and the distance between each, which means that you must spend time to travel between each.

Also, it's not as convenient to get to Sicily, so it doesn't really make sense to make the effort to get there and only see a couple of places.

Especially since your main interest is in the antiquities, I think your plan is good. I think it would be wise to choose either Selinunte, or the Villa Romana del Casali , because Selinunte will take enough time out of your travelling day to Agrigento that you will need 2 nights so you can spend a day in Agrigento to see the temples and museums.

I agree with annhig that if you want to stop to see the Villa Romana it is best to stay overnight and get there early before the school buses and tour buses. The crowds in the Villa made our late afternoon visit quite unpleasant, and difficult to actually see the mosaics. So you could take a night from Agrigento for that.

I would have a difficult choice between Taormina and Syracuse/Ortigia, especially in April, a quieter month. You might also find the prices in Taormina lower in April. We loved the few days to just relax and enjoy the views in Taormina, but loved Ortigia for its pleasant piazzas and lovely location. It's also got a fun market, but if you get to the Palermo market, then you might not mind missing the one on Ortigia.

I'm sure you will really love your visit to Sicily whichever way you decide.

patandhank

Please post a trip report when you return! On our "to do" list and would like to read about your experiences.

Enjoy your trip.

bilboburgler

If you follow my name back to Jan or Feb this year you can see what I did. I think Ann's was 2016

massimop

It may not make sense to some people to make what they would consider a lot of effort to see only a few places in SIcily (or anywhere for that matter), but other people travel with a much different agenda. I have made a lot of effort and gone "out of my way" to see and do not only specific things in Sicily during a short visit, but other parts of Italy and Europe. This includes traveling by plane and car for long hours to eat a specific food, or see a specific historic site or artwork or go hiking in a certain landscape. I done this in Sardegna as well as Sicily.

Again, Sicily is a region of Italy separated by an extremely narrow bit of water. It is not a separate country, and you can find much to appreciate and enjoy in Sicily in a week just like you do in Tuscany or Umbria. It can also be a beautiful & delicious backdrop for a purely relaxing vacation that includes very little sightseeing.

There is no basis for discouraging people from going to Sicily for short breaks and short visits. Obviously it meets with the disapproval and disbelief of some people who prefer to travel differently, but plenty of other people do it for their own reasons and have a lot of fun and beautiful experiences.

PalenQ

No one ever goes to Corleone?

panecott

I think you have received some excellent advice, and you can get a nice taste of Sicily in two weeks. Don't hesitate to go!

Just a few random thoughts to add to what's already been said.

Cefalu is an easy day/half day trip from Palermo, just about an hour by train. The Duomo is magnificent and the coastal scenery along the way is beautiful.

Would you consider staying in Rome at the beginning, rather than the end of your trip? That would mean your first day in Palermo would not be a jet lag day and would give you more time to enjoy the city. Since you've been to Rome before, and your time in Sicily is limited, that might be something to think about.

It's a shame to have to choose between Taormina and Ortygia b/c both are special places. If you can find an extra day somewhere, perhaps you can do 3 nights in Ortygia, with a day trip to Taormina to see the views and the Greek theater.

You seem to be stopping at some popular tourist spots on your way to your next destination. Just be very careful to keep luggage out of sight and any other indications that there might be something inside the car that would be of interest to thieves. (I tend to leave my maps, etc., on the front seat!). I'm driving around Sicily in September and have already been warned about this.