So if I can figure out a way to get to Ragusa or Ragusa Ibla, are the buses there reliable to get us around since we don't have a car?

The long distance coaches are reliable.

The local ones ok but less so

Hi Plambers, Totally understood about your not wanting to rent a car. I don't drive.

About 12 years ago I took a 10 day trip to Western Sicily and Palermo in early September using only public transportation. I loved what I experienced in that wonderful region. (I'm afraid at that point I wasn't taking any trip notes so writing a belated TR isn’t possible. I also wasn’t doing a ton of research, partly because I was traveling with a friend who was anti-planning and thought I just needed to go with the flow to avoid frustration.) Palermo of course was totally fine with public transport. Western Sicily (I Ioved it) was hard with public transport (I used pullmans--i.e., the long distance buses that several people have mentioned). While they were clean and safe and got me where I needed to go, I felt that too much of the trip time was taken up with organizing departures/arrivals around a quite limited and either too early or too late bus schedule. It wasn't a very long trip so wasting that time was an issue. And it wasn't always easy to find my accommodations from the bus stop. I was less inclined financially and "temperamentally" then to use taxis for transfers from the bus stop, and I didn't enjoy hauling my excessively heavy luggage from place to place. I've never been one of those enviable light packers and I’ve just come to accept that about myself.

During a spring 2022 trip to Palermo and Eastern Sicily, I decided to try private transfers to move from one town/city to another. That also wasn't a terribly long trip [13 nights, if I remember correctly. But to your question on transfers, it was my first time using private transfers. I have to admit I was a bit nervous about it (in re something going wrong...not being picked up and being left stranded, being ripped off by a driver who added “surcharges”), and a bit uncomfortable in re the extra cost and my sense of self (re the latter I thought of myself as someone who always uses public transport). Well, wrong I was on all counts! I LOVED using private transfers. It made a not long enough trip feel longer because pickup/dropoff schedules were of my own making, it was so easy and comfortable, and it felt like one less thing to worry about or remember in terms of getting from place to place. From threads in this forum and also some wonderfully well informed folks in the Tripadvisor Sicily Forum I put together a list of private drivers. I contacted a few of them after looking at the websites of some of the folks mentioned. (A few looked more like they sent a fancy limo such as you might use for a destination wedding.) I contacted the folks who looked like they could offer more low key (less fancy) service as that is what I was seeking to keep costs down. They were all responsive over email (one or two used WhatsApp chat) and all quoted me prices by email for each transfer. Only one driver was willing to make all four of the transfers I needed (Catania airport to Modica; Modica to Ortigia; Ortigia to Taormina; Taormina to Palermo) . The price was also competitive when I compared against the more "a la carte" options that would involve working with a few different people. I also liked the ease of just dealing with one contact person. (I can try to dig out name and contact info for the person I worked with, if that would be helpful.) It could not have been more seamless or easier. I paid at the end of each transfer in cash (that was how I was told to do it—never any issue with pricing). The time of each transfer and pickup point (at my lodging) was always confirmed the day before by WhatsApp chat. The drivers were lovely people (a son in law and father seemed to alternate with our transfers) and I could also speak my middling Italian, which was a plus for me. Honestly it made that whole trip a breeze. I loved the ease of it.

I didn't book any transfers with stops, which was an option with everyone I contacted (i.e., where you can make a stop en route and do some self guided touring in some place you select for an extra fee). In retrospect, I should have done that. Then your luggage is being watched by someone, which seems a real plus. Next time!

During a more recent trip to Puglia, I also decided to do the private transfer thing. It was also not a very long trip and it was during the pre-season (late March/early April). This time I went about arranging it a bit differently. I contacted the proprietor of each of my B&Bs and asked if they could arrange a driver to get me from their city/town to my next base. Each of them did that for me, getting me pricing, and they coordinated with the driver. That was even easier. I'd probably go that route during future trips to regions not well served by public transport to avoid doing the research myself. I've come to prize ease and seamlessness the older I get (and the more my appetite for travel grows, though the trips are still never for long enough given work commitments).

By contrast, during an even more recent trip to Andalucia and Madrid I used public transportation exclusively (pullmans and the train). Plambers, you were one of the folks here who helped me plan that trip. In Spain, public transport worked perfectly bec between the bus and train schedule sthere was a direct transfer available almost every hour of the day. Then I took cabs from the bus or train station to my lodging.

Apologies for the long response. I wanted to explain how I came to embrace private transfers during two trips to Southern Italy since you are contemplating doing the same for the trip you are planning.

I�m Italian. It�s great that you�re going outside of high season. For 20 nights, you might find Sicily to have more things to see� and as long as you don�t mind taking trains and buses and using Uber to get to small places, you will be able to get around without a car. The train line across the north of Sicily from Messina to Palermo is good. There�s not much in Messina but I would recommend a stay in the Aeolian Islands. Lovely and at that time of year. Cefalu is worth at least a night or two. Taormina is superb. If you like baroque churches, and narrow alleys with street markets you will love Palermo. Stay a couple of days. The Cathedral of Monreale is breathtaking. I personally find the tourist spots of Southern Sicily to be less interesting but others find them fascinating. Wherever you plan to go do your research first and then just let yourself explore and be surprised. My advice is to stay in a few places multiple nights to get a feeling for the everyday life. Get to know your neighbors and people in the local coffee places (The �Bar� in Italy is perhaps the quintessential Italian institution.) We don�t eat a lot in the morning because early afternoon we will have a big lunch. Italians are mad about good freshly made coffee and pastry. The best stuff you�ll find is in the �Bar.� Avoid what the hotel offers as �Breakfast�. A cornetto with cappuccino is heavenly in the morning. Always more authentic in a regular �Bar�.

Interesting post studenttobe...thanks for sharing

Thanks so much for this thoughful response and I am so glad I was able to help you with Spain, where transportation is excellent and cabs abound. However, planning this trip is giving me pause with the transportation issues. I'd love your driver contact information if you can find it. I don't want to take a 6 plus hour bus ride at 7 am from Agrigento to Ortigia so that would definitely need a driver.I know EK has posted some names so I need to start reaching out for quotes. We are only 2 people and we dont need a Mercedes van that seats 12. Will also ask our lodging as you suggested. Are taxis usually readily available?

My biggest questions now:

If I am doing a Noto day trip from Ortigia, is 3 nights still suggested in Ragusa Ibla?
Could I do a day trip to Erice from Palermo? For some reason Trapani isn't vibing with me.

I think I also need a buffer with the Aeolian Islands given weather issues and ferries not running.

New itinerary:
Palermo 5 nights day trip to Erice and Monreale
Agrigento 1 night with private driver to next destination
Ortigia 5 night wiht Noto day trip
Milazzo - 1 night before ferry to Lipari
Lipari-5 nights bc I dont' want to have to rely on transportation on a Sunday. Was 4 nights
Cefalu-2 nights
Cefalu for flight from Palermo to Linate
Linate final night

I need to check flights next but how does this look? Is there anything glaringly missing? I like to have a base and get a feel for a place so will do day trips.thanks again all for the super thoughful and helpful responses.

As already mentioned, the Villa Romana del Casale.
Otherwise, should be great!

Following this thread. I had to use transfers last year in Croatia after a bout with Covid. I agree with Studentobe, it is so seamless and cuts down on the time of getting to stations, waiting around and the like.

I'm with KJA about Villa Romana del Casale.
And I'm also with Kelsey about transfers.

I am done. The 19 nights

so my updated agenda is good but i need to include Villa Romana del Casale? Where would I do that?

If you have a driver from Agrigento to Ortigia, you could make that a stop on the way. It is a lot to see the Valley of the Temples and Villa Romana on consecutive days (as we did this past May), but we thought it was worth the effort.

Personally, I wouldn't try visiting both the Valley of the Temple and Villa Romana on the same day. FWIW, I spent about 4 hours at the Valley of the Temples (skipping most of the extensive Tempio di Giove) and another hour and a half at the museum. I spent about two hours at the Villa Romana.

Some options:

• Make sure you get to Agrigento early one day, visit the temples and perhaps museum that day; spend the night; next day, have a driver take you to the Villa Romana and then on to Ortigia (as ms_go suggested).
• Spend two nights in Agrigento, then on by private transfer as above. (I believe you've ruled out public transportation?)
• Visit the Villa Romana on a day trip from Ortigia.
• Add a night to Milazzo and visit the Villa Romana from there.

I hired a few drivers last year in Sicily; if you want names, let me know, but you need to book as soon as you get your plan fixed.
I will use another driver this month after we return our rental car in Catania.
He will drive us to Milazzo for the ferry to Salina and two other transfers.

Sorry, I should have been clearer in my response. I was not suggesting to visit both sites on the same day - that would be way too much to absorb (it's also a lot for two days, but we had to find a way to make it work within our limited time). Here's how we did it.

In May, the Valley of the Temples archaeological park is open until 8 pm, with last entrance at 7 pm (note that sunset in May is after 8 pm). We traveled from Palermo (~2 hours), arriving in Agrigento around 2 pm, giving us time to get settled. We entered the park around 4 pm and stayed until 7:30 pm. That worked out well, as we missed the peak sun/heat and crowds. In fact, there were few people there for our last hour.

The next morning, we went to the museum when it opened and spent a couple of hours (there's a lot to see). We then drove to Piazza Armerina. We didn't rush to get to Villa Romana del Casale - we were spending the night in Piazza Armerina, so we waited to visit the site around 4 pm. But, it should be entirely feasible to have a driver take you from Agrigento to Piazza Armerina (~1 hour, 20 minutes), where you can visit Villa Romana and have lunch, and then go on to Ortigia (~2 hour drive).

thanks again all for suggestions. any ohter feedback on itinerary?

Plambers, Few things--have been offline for a few days. 1) On the driver I used for all of my transfers, here is the contact info. Radio Taxi Comiso, [email protected]; whatsapp for Katia (who seems to manage the booking process for this small company --she is very responsive) 393280350565. My initial inquiry was by email. And just BTW, the other two companies I contacted (and which were highly praised by some folks here and also in the Tripadvisor Sicily Forum) were: New Travel Services Christian Guardionehttps://www.newtravelservices.net/ and SicilyLife -https://www.sicilylife.com/sicily-transfers. Both were also responsive to me when I wrote. But I went with Radio Taxi because the price was competitive and they were willing to handle all of my transfers. 2) On your revised itinerary, I can't really comment on it because I haven't gone to the islands and didn't make it to Noto. I also didn't get to Villa Romana del Casale. These were tradeoffs I had to make on a not very long trip. But it certainly your plans look very thoughtful, and with private transfers the few one night stays will be manageable because you won't be tired from the hassle of getting from one place to another. 3) On the prevalence of taxis, I saw many of them around the airports and in Palmermo. I didn't notice lots of them elsewhere, but that was probably because I wasn't looking for them since I had the driver. In Modica (where I stayed) the innkeeper arranged a R/T taxi for me because I wanted to spend a day walking around Ragusa. 4) I understand the challenge of putting together a trip to Sicily. I found the planning really, really challenging, largely because the island is so full of wonders that it was hard to decide what to do and what I couldn't do during my two trips. Still so much more that I want to see and revisit.

EK, when I read your trip report on Ragusa Ibla, it seemed like you were confused when there. Noto is an easy day trip from Ortygia but we can stay 2 nights in Ragusa Ibla if it's that amazing. Is it?

Like studenttobe, we didn't visit the islands and had a much shorter trip, However, five nights in pretty but touristy Ortigia would be two nights too many for me. I'd probably stay a couple nights in Modica or Ragusa or Scicli or another Baroque town before heading to Ortigia/Siracusa. However, I understand wanting longer stays so the trip feels more relaxed. I tend to keep things moving.

Leely, thanks. We were going to do a day trip to Noto from Ortoygia. Isn't Noto a baroque town? Or is it better to stay in one for a few nights?

I spent a night in Noto (which is, indeed, a Baroque town) and was glad I did -- seeing its golden yellow stone buildings in the different lights of day, sunset, and night was, to me, magical. BUT I have absolutely no objection to one-night stays.