10 days in Sicily-need 20...include Palermo?
 

My husband and I are in our 60s and love to travel independently. On our forthcoming September 1 trip, we only have 10 days in Sicily. I'm a history, architecture, scenery buff and people observer. Weeding out the many great destinations is very difficult on this trip...so much to see.

I do have our first 2 nights scheduled in Palermo and am questioning if this is our best use of time. The only museums we're interested in for this trip relate to archaeology and history My husband has been churched and castled out from previous trips and only the most special churches can be included in our itinerary.

We arrive in Palermo midday on the 1st and intend to spend the rest of the day exploring Palermo.

Day 2-Train to Cefalu.

Day 3-pick up car and head to Segesta, Erice and overnight in Selinunte. (best order of stops)?

Day 4-visit Selinunte and head towards Agrigento. This involves eliminating Marsala and some coastal areas. I also would love to visit a winery and olive farm- lunch?

Day 5 -visit Agrigento and head via Noto to Ortigia. ( again, would love to stop and visit Modica and Ragusa Ibla) time?

Days 6 and 7 -explore Ortigia and sites in Siracusa.

Days 8 and 9 head up to Taormina- relax, visit the Greek theater, and possibly do a Mt. Etna tour.

Day 10- early flight from Catania to Rome

Should we eliminate Palermo and thus have more time on the west coast? build in more time on the east coast for the baroque towns? Despite this itinerary, we really don't love to have a whirlwind tour-ironic! We prefer to arrive at our destination by mid afternoon and relax.

Thank you for your help.

If you only have an afternoon in Palermo (a shame because it really is an outdoor musuem in itself), take the hop on hop off bus from Politeama square. You probably don't have time to hop off and explore, but at least you'll see the architectural and historical beauty from above the open bus.

Hi! You are essentially following a route I took two years ago in reverse -- and my husband and I share your general interests. My only regret: Cefalu. I know people love it, but it takes you afield of an otherwise logical route for very little benefit (nice shops, pretty sea view, interesting cathedral, but nothing to knock your socks off). I would SO recommend using that time to explore Palermo -- amazing history, fascinating street life and markets, wonderful food. We were there for two days and there was still more to be seen when we left.

sha - wow, that is almost exactly my trip. We had 11 days so over-nighted near Erice but other wise exact same itinerary, including the train trip to Cefalu. Anyway, we loved our trip and would repeat it again in a heartbeat so I think you are ok. Here's the link to my trip report - you can get an idea of how long we spent at each place, etc. http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-and-switz.cfm

It is a busy schedule, but seems doable. Personally, I don't feel you would have time to do anything other than one of Modica, Ragusa or Noto on the way to Siracusa.


Everybody has a different travel style - I would be tempted to spend more time at fewer places.

Two places are obvious omissions from your list in my opinion - the Cathedral at Monreale and the Roman mosaics at Piazza Armerina.

I know you said you stated "only the most special churches" , but Monreale is most definitely special.

I am a great lover of ancient, particularly Roman history. The mosaics at Villa Casale are the most spectacular I have ever seen.

Cefalú is a great little town. Picturesque, good beaches and restaurants, a fabulous puppet theatre* and a famous cathedral. Much as I like it, I am not sure I would take a daytrip there if my time were limited.

Enjoy your trip - I think Sicily is fabulous and hope to return next year.

I was pleasantly surprised by Palermo. I wouldn't pass it up if only to see the Capella Palatina and the Cathedral at Monreale.

I agree with GaryCA totally and willit about Piazza Armerina as well. Take a look at books about Sicily and see what else is of interest in Palermo.

2 sights I would include: Monreale (go by bus from Palermo) and the Roman villa at Casale near Piazza Armerina. And I'd drop Cefalu. You never can do it all, alas.

We did a similar trip. We picked up our car at Palermo's airport, well out of its traffic, and drove to Segesta, which wasn't far. Missing the west coast, we overnighted in Agrigento and outside Piazza Armerina. From there we drove to and past Siracusa to Noto, then backtracked a half hour and dropped our car in Siracusa. We took a train to Taormina, which was a pleasant and easy trip.

We loved Palermo and were there 3 days. We didn't do all we wanted to. It's a colorful and interesting city. Another vote for the cathedral at Monreale - high on my list of favorite sights in Sicily. You can get there by city bus from Palermo.

I thank all of you for your valuable replies. Maybe Cefalu has to go and then we can include Monreale. The Roman villa from what I've read is under reconstruction and thus we decided to eliminate it and press on to Noto. I think it's a good idea to include at least one of the baroque towns.

Any winery or olive oil farm suggestions?

Sounds like a good plan. While in no way would I disparage Cefalu, you're going to get similar experiences in Taormina and Erice. I loved Noto. Sicily really offers a lot of diversity and you are going to get a good taste of it all.

The Roman villa was under reconstruction when I visited it two years ago (click on my name for my TR) but I still found it very worthwhile - not all of the mosaics are covered at the same time.

Monreale takes about half a day by bus from Palermo.

Not all of the mosaics are viewable at the Roman villa at Casale, but many. Well worth a detour.

I suggest some changes:

1. half day Palermo We arrive in Palermo midday on the 1st and intend to spend the rest of the day exploring Palermo.

2-Eliminate Cefalu; half day Monreale ; half day Palermo
Cefalu is nice, has nice views , but you will see similar or more beautiful in Taormina

Day 3-pick up car and head to Segesta, Erice and overnight in Selinunte. (best order of stops)?

Day 4-visit Selinunte and head towards Agrigento. This involves eliminating Marsala and some coastal areas. I also would love to visit a winery and olive farm- lunch?

Day 5 -visit Agrigento and head via Noto to Ortigia. ( again, would love to stop and visit Modica and Ragusa Ibla) time?
** We spent a full day in Noto. I think that you will be very tired after Agrigento to spend a half day in Noto.
No timer for Modica, Ragusa

** I would change , and I would replace Agrigento by Piazza Armerina. We were very impressed by mosaics, the biggest that we have seen till now , and very beautiful.

Days 6 and 7 -explore Ortigia and sites in Siracusa.

Days 8 and 9 head up to Taormina- relax, visit the Greek theater, and possibly do a Mt. Etna tour.
** visit also Castelmola, will take 2-3 hours , you will see all Taormina, G. Naxos, Isola Bella from there.

Day 10- early flight from Catania to Rome

Thanks to all of you. Points well taken. Bye Cefalu and hello Monreale!
Agrigento is a highlight for me and I prefer not to give that up. We've been fortunate to have seen several ancient Roman villas with mosaics and thus given the choice of seeing a baroque town (Noto) or the spectacular Roman villa are opting for Noto. Hopefully, I'll still be the usual energizer bunny while travelling.

OK, you've made your choices.

For other prospective travelers, I've seen mosaics at quite a few Roman sites, and those at Casale are several magnitudes bigger and better. Even with some parts closed. In fact, the villa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the mosaics.

As a 60-something visitor to Piazza Armerina I was over-
whelmed by 1. the heat underneath the glass roof - really
stiffling; 2. the huge slow-moving jams of fellow-tourists
and 3. the wonder of the mosaics and how I would love to see
them in, perhaps, January.

Montreale is an absolute astonishing jewel.