progol

I'm planning a 14-night trip to Sicily for the last 2 weeks of May 2016. I haven't yet bought my tickets, but I'm currently thinking of flying into Catania and out of Palermo. As others have said, planning a 2 weeks in Sicily is hard with so many choices.

We are 60s, moderately active, and our interests are in really getting a feel for the cross-cultural influences on the island over the centuries. That means seeing the major architectural sites (Segesta, Selinunte, Agrigento) and of course, Villa Romana is essential. We enjoy the usual suspects - scenic vistas, good food (but not looking for high end places), comfortable hotels/B&Bs, with the emphasis on the interpersonal connections. We usually mix up our accommodations with a few "nicer" hotels (usually in the middle range of whatever the going rates are) and guest houses/B&Bs.

We'd rather do a 1-night stay in a location than do a long day trip (ie, staying in Piazza Armerina is preferable to driving to Villa Romans for 1 1/2 hrs r/t from another location). Consequently, we will likely end up doing several 1-night stays to see all the sights. It's not my ideal, but I'm just starting out in the planning, so suggestions are most welcome. I would like to visit 1-2 of the Baroque towns, but not sure to do it as a day trip from Ortygia or as a sleepover. I'm also taking very seriously the idea that we don't stop anywhere with our luggage unless it can be safely stored. We have traveled many times and stopped along the road for sightseeing with our luggage in the car, but I'm going to play it cautiously here and avoid doing this.

So far, my traveling plans eliminate Taormina. Though it's very beautiful, I know, I'm not keen on staying in one of the heavily touristed cities and it doesn't flow well into an itinerary.

So, very initial plans: I'm looking at flying out of NYC on May 14, arriving Catania on Saturday, May 15. Returning from Palermo on Sunday, May 29. Tentative itinerary for 14 nights:
Ortygia - 3 nights (possible day trip to Baroque town(s) or...
Modica - 1 night
Piazza Armerina - 1 night (Villa Romana)
Agrigento - 1 night (Valley of the Temples) - stay in an agriturismo stay?
Selinunte - 2 nights (want to stay in Villa Sogno; see Selinunte, relax)
Erice - 1 night
Scopello - 2 nights (see Segesta, walk through Zingaro Nature preserve; stay at Pension Tranchina)
Palermo - 3 nights (visit Monreale, possible day trip to Cefalu)

I welcome suggestions on where I can consolidate the trip and recommendations for hotels/agriturismos/B&Bs are most welcome!

My inclination to consolidate would be to eliminate Scopello, as long as we do visit Segesta -- a must see. I could also see a 1-night stay at Selinunte, so where would you add the day? I think the 1-night at Piazza Armerina is a must so that we can see Villa Romana, unless you have a recommended town to visit that warrants a 2-night stay.

Feedback most welcome! And please, be gentle on me and limit the critique over 1-night stays!

Thanks for all your help --
Paule

progol

Or, 1 night in Scopello to see Segesta? Add the day to Modica?

Thanks again for any feedback!

sandralist

I've not been to all the places you are targeting, but unless I am going to some place like Naples or Florence, I prefer to road trip in Italy, rather than "commute from a base", with a mix of one or two night stays, and finishing up (like you will) with a longer stay without a car. Especially for Sicily, where the mid-afternoon is hot and the "pausa" is long and deep, being where you want to be for sightseeing in the morning, immediately. and then heading to the next town after lunch while the Sicilians are resting at home, gives you maximum exposure to the people, rather than just the buildings.

For getting a feel for the personal in Sicily, I think your instinct to seek out agriturismi stays is right, plus I would focus on b&bs in the towns and cities. Sicilians are very, very hospitable in my experience and really open up to people interested in their island, who don't shove mafia jokes in their faces.

I really enjoyed 2 nights in Modica, but have never been to Scopello, so can't make the call about which you should favor. Modica has some tourist shops and services, but overall it is overwhelmings a very small (beautiful and reather wealthy) Sicilian city with its own structure and economy, and of all the places I went in Sicily, it was the one that most changed my preconceptions of what Sicily is.

If possible, consider booking a "home food" dinner in Palermo.

yestravel

I think you've got a nice itn. Road tripping in Sicily is delightful and easy driving for the most part (big cities excluded). I agree that one nighters while not always desirable make sense in your plan. You are wise to skip Taormina due to its heavy tourist presence. It's beautiful, but so are lots of other places you'll visit.
We didn't get to Ragusa or Modica this last trip. We did enjoy Noto although we stayed out in the countryside so didn't have overnights there. If you want to cut out the one nighter you could easily visit Noto from Siracusa. Not sure how much further or nicer Modica or Ragusa are. I've got a friend staying inRagus next month I can let you know their thoughts.
Your 2 choices of where to stay get great reviews and we couldn't get reservations at either, so plan ahead.
Two towns that you can visit that are both on the way or very near your draft itn are Caltigirone, a ceramics town on the way from Modica to VdR. It's a lovely small town and one of the ceramics centers in Sicily. You'll see pictures of the steps there although I thought the pictures more impressive then the steps in real life. Down near Selinute is Marza del Valle which is also a fun town to check out .

Tried to visit Cefalu on the way from Scopello to Monreale, but it was impossible to find parking midweek. It was packed. We ended parking illegal and one of us stayed in the car while the other ran to see the Duomo. It looked like a cute beach town when not overrun with people.

Also agree that in general we are careful about leaving luggage in our car. We had a car with a covered hatch and we did leave our car in many places and luckily had no problems. Sometimes we do the back into a wall or whatever to make it difficult to at least break into the trunk/hatch space.

HappyTrvlr

For your night in Agrigento take a look at Baglio della Luna. They also serve dinner.

EYWandBTV

Hi progol,

It's fun to see you beginning to plan for Sicily, after having read your preparatory Fodor posts for your trip to Spain, and then your excellent TR about how your Spanish trip unfolded.

Here are places we visited in Sicily a few years ago and some thoughts (we went in early November, so places were not deluged with tour groups):

--first observation: the people are extraordinarily nice (the ones we met), welcoming, friendly. If you know no Italian, do some crash studying and master the basic phrases and sentences. Sicilians will melt once you say "hello how are you and by the way where is the Duomo, etc."

--food: so fresh, tasty, especially seafood on the coasts

--the sun in November was intense; be prepared whenever you go

--driving: if you rent a car, the secondary roads are very easy to use and well-marked. If you use the autostrada, BEWARE. This is no joke. We were almost crushed as we entered the autostrada near Modica; there was plenty of room for us...there was a car, a little speck, on the distant horizon way behind us. Well, in three nanoseconds that car, going the speed of sound, zoomed up behind us, almost crashed into us, and swerved around us, only a few centimeters away from our fenders. The sequel to this story: five minutes later as were were driving down the autostrada, we saw two cars, driven by Italians, pulled aside, one had crashed into the other, and the cliche shouting match was in full swing. Enough said.

--Taormina: breathtaking, but again we were in the non-tourist season so perhaps wise for you to skip it. It is away from your route.

--Siracusa: stay in Ortigia by all means. We stayed for four nights and loved it. Our B&B: L'Approdo dell Sirene with a corner room overlooking the water. (Title means something like "landing place of the sirens") Perhaps the best breakfast coffee I have ever had.

--Modica: did a day visit. Yes! Splendid baroque church high on a hill in the centro. Drink chocolate (the Spanish, who controlled Sicily at the same time that they were conquering Mexico, brought chocolate from Mexico into Sicily; our street side cafe had Aztec designs on the chocolate cups!)

--Ragusa: stayed two nights, can't remember hotel. Yes!! More splendid Baroque.

--Agrigento: oh my goodness Yes Yes! The Valley of the Temples is extraordinary. Excellent museum. Visit the Kolymbetra, which is a reconstruction of the Arab gardens and irrigation system. Look at the photos on the web. The Greek colonies abroad started evolving different urban plans, different from the standard layout in Greece. Here, the temples are lined up in a row on a ridge overlooking the sea but the agora and town were built higher on a different ridge. We loved the old town, which most tourist guide books say to skip. We loved it. Especially the evening passeggiata on the main drag, the narrow winding Via Atenea. Our B&B was excellent: Le Terrazze di Montelusa. Check out the comments on the web site which gives "advice" on "trips". Francesco is the colorful, kind, and quadrilingual host. It's on the second floor of a large house which was his family's home. Awesome breakfasts on the terrace. If he has time he will drive you to the temples down below and help you in other ways. Follow his suggestions for dinner places.

--Palermo: triple quadruple yes. Much grittier, more intense, more "Naples" than Ortigia in Siracusa. Watch your back. Watch your wallet. Great remains of Arab-Norman-Byzantine architecture. Have breakfast rolls stuffed with ice cream for breakfast, bought from street vendors.

--Monreale: superb / splendid / breath-taking. An easy bus ride from Palermo.

--Segesta: beautiful intact Greek temple in silent countryside; bits and pieces of the city also. A bit farther from Palermo.

Based on your reactions to Andalucia, you will fall head over heels for Sicily.

Ciao!

Adelaidean

Am very envious progol, your tentative itinerary sounds wonderful, I have to travel vicariously for awhile, so will look forward to another wonderful trip with you

kja

I think you have a good initial plan!

In Ortygia, you might consider staying at L'Approdo Delle Sirene:
http://www.apprododellesirene.com

I skipped Modica and Ragusa, but loved Noto. I spent the night there, and enjoyed seeing it’s very playful facades in different lights, but it is very easy to see as a day trip from Siracusa, as it is only about an hour away – AND you can do so by public transportation.

Consider waiting until you leave Siracusa to pick up a rental car, and drop it off as soon as you arrive in Palermo.

An agriturismo could be a good choice for Agrigento – OR one of the places that gives you a view of the lit temples after dark.

I gave Palermo only 3 nights, about 2.5 days, and seriously wish I’d given it more. Depends on what you want to see and experience! The cathedral in Monreale (and its cloister) is among my favorite buildings anywhere in the world.

May is a glorious time to be in Sicily!

Dayle

Hi progol,

My own trip was in mid-April to mid-May and I did have more time, but like you I prefer short driving distances for day trips and chose to do 5 1 nt stays.

Re: Scopello in the off season. I was there for 1 nt in April to hike in Zingaro. Unfortunately that was a rainy day so my hike was shorter than planned. Not due to heavy rain, but due to very thick sticky red mud on the trail. Once it got to be about 2 inches thick on my sneakers, I headed back..... Scopello in April was all but shut down. I did find one restaurant open and I had lunch and dinner there. It had great views and I really enjoyed my two meals there. Dinner of stuffed scallops was one of the very best on the 3.5 week trip! So, I would suggest staying in Erice for 2-3 nights and visiting Scopello to hike from Erice. It's not a long drive and the backroads are very scenic. Then, you could have a bit more flexibility if the weather didn't cooperate one day.

My favorite pictures of Sicily are from the Greek amphitheater at Segesta. Beautiful views, especially in spring!

My favorite museum was the Arch Museum in Syracusa, although the Agrigento museo was excellent too. In Syracusa be sure to go down to the basement level and see the coin collection. Amazing.

I loved La Via della Guidecca on Ortigia.

I chose to stay in Scicli rather than other better known Baroque towns. Honestly untouristed and excellent food! Didn't visit the others.

I stayed 1 nt at Il Gigliotto wine estate in the country between Piazza Armerina and Scicli for my Villa Romana lodging. Gorgeous views and restored monestary buidings, comfortable room, so so dinner, good wine. Very, very quiet at night.

I would add a night at either Ortigia, or Menfi near Selinute. La Foresteria Planeta Estate was heaven.

Leely2

Segesta is easy to see on your way to/from Palermo. And probably other places. It's not a big, far day trip. Unless there is something else you want to do or see in the immediate vicinity, it doesn't have to be an overnight stop.

Add a night to Modica. We had two nights and it felt rushed (granted, one day was dedicated to arriving and then a ?-course tasting menu). We stayed at Casa Talia, the splurge of the trip, and just loved it.

I haven't been to all the places on your itinerary, so I can't advise what to cut. Had the same problem when planning my Sicily trip.

progol

Wow, such wonderful suggestions and advice! I will need to reread this thread and digest it to come back with more questions, but there you have all provided very helpful information with great detail, and I will look carefully at all the recommendations. It is so hard to make choices here.

<<Based on your reactions to Andalucia, you will fall head over heels for Sicily.>>
Thanks, EYWandBTV-this is very reassuring and very glad to hear it. After reading so many glowing trip reports, I'm pretty confident we will, too.

RE: L'Approdo dell Sirene. I have written to them but no response. The booking.com site says it's booked up, but I suspect that reservations for 2016 are not yet available. It looks lovely, but there are many alternatives that look good, just in case they are not available.

I really appreciate the reassurance, too, that 1-night stays are appropriate here. sandralist, yestravel, kja -- your comments are so very helpful in approaching this as a road trip and knowing that it makes sense to do this. I'm going to try to limit them, but I feel better after reading your comments.

Many, many thanks to all of you who have taken time to read, write and comment.
Paule

progol

Ahh, I think I found the correct place to book L'Approdo dell Sirene and will look further into this. The place does look lovely!

EYWandBTV

Finally found my old notes of our trip....

Re L'Approdo delle Sirene: we went three years ago. At that time it was run by a family who had moved from Rome (they were delightful, I hope they still own the B&B). The mother also gave cooking classes. Her older son and wife had a little boy just under one year old. The younger son also helped out at the front desk. The breakfast room has nice glass windows for views and you can also go outside on a little terrace for breakfast. They have (had) very good staff, in addition to the family, for breakfast and for cleaning. From here you can walk all over Ortigia (it is not a huge island)...the very ancient Temple of Apollo, remains, are just a few blocks away. Look for one of the donors' names carved on one of the steps.

At the far end of Ortigia is the Castello Maniace, built by Frederick II in 1239. Great photo ops, with the massive masonry walls, rooms, angles against the blue of the water and the sky. Still on the island, the Piazza del Duomo is a grand baroque space. The Duomo incorporates the ancient Temple of Athena; the temple's interior columns are intact and form the sides of the nave and side aisles.

Just across the bridge going back to the mainland, one block away, is a very important site which you must visit...a fun laundromat! Called Wash and Dry Siracusa. It is run by Davide (Sicilian) and Maria (his American wife). It is self-service or they will do it for you. And then you can walk to the impressive Greek amphitheater.

For a treat, reserve a tasting dinner at Porta Marina, on Ortigia, via die Candelai 35. Herewith our menu:
Bottle of Baglio del Cristo Sirah
antipasto #1: carpaccio of baccala with green apple puree
antipasto #2: fried octopus with paprika on chickpea sauce
primo #1: spaghetti with sauce of shrimp, tomato, and smoked swordfish
primo #2: tagliolini with triglie (mullet), basil, and a little tomato
secondo #1: tuna and onions agrodolce
secondo #2: squid in its own ink
dolce: pistacchio tiramisu
Limoncello
Amaro - Averna
Wow! Wow! Wow!

As you can see, we love Sicily.

progol

I'm pretty comfortable with the initial part of my itinerary and am starting to book accommodations. I'm trying to keep rates no higher than 100-125 Euros, but will go a bit higher, if needed.

1)Ortygia (3 nights) - L'Approdo delle Sirene (pick up car after our visit)
2)Modica (2 nights) - recommendation needed; not sure where to stay but I'd like to be within the city so we don't need to drive in and out to visit.
3) Piazza Armerina/any nearby town (1 night) -- need recommendation. Casa Talia looks lovely, but a bit higher than I want to spend. Do I want to stay in town or outside?
4) Agrigento - (1 night). I booked Villa La Lumia. It looks pleasant and has a view of the ruins: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...to_Sicily.html
5) Selinunte (2 nights) Villa Sogno
----
6/7 - Erice and/or Scopello (stay in Pensione Tranchina; need recommendation for Erice)

7 or 8) Palermo - (3 nights). Still checking out the various hotel/b&b options. No rush. The big must-see, of course, is Monreale; we'll probably not end up visiting Cefalu, but that's fine.

Here's where I need your advice. I'm torn between 1 night each in Erice and Scopello or consolidating and staying 2 nights in one town or the other. Erice sounds lovely and atmospheric to stay, but I'm afraid that it's difficult accessibilty would mean that we'd probably not end up doing a day trip to Segesta. But I'd love to sleep over for the atmosphere. Should I forget about this idea and stay in Scopello for 2 nights, and visiting as a day trip?

Segesta is a must-see but I want to be staying somewhere when I visit to avoid having our luggage in the car.

Vagabonda on TA and others have said that Scopello has less to offer and can be pretty busy in May. Although, it would be nice to visit Lo Zingaro, it's not a necessity--we are not hikers, and a moderate walk is fine. So do we stay in Scopello 2 nights, stay in Erice 2 nights or do we do 1 night in each?

Thank you all for the wonderful ideas, suggestions, advice and reassurance!

Paule

progol

One more idea -- add a 3rd night to Villa Sogno and visit Segesta from there. Does this make sense?

I would then stay in either Erice or Scopello for 1 night - not sure which one.

And end with 3 nights in Palermo.

Thanks again.

EYWandBTV

Could you not stay two nights in Erica and drive during the day to Segesta, visit it, then return to Erice for the second night? I visited both many years ago, but my memory is that going to Segesta is a very different experience from the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. Segesta, today, is a beautiful, empty landscape with this single temple on a hill. I took a pokey train from Palermo, walked toward the temple, declined the offer of a donkey ride from a local fellow, trudged up the hill in strong sunlight. Was there just with a few other people walking around.

It's the kind of place that you visit slowly, drink it in, carry a snack, sit down...just pause a while. If you are going to Segesta mainly to see the architecture embodied in that single temple structure, well, you will have seen that already, several times, in the temples of Agrigento.

Erice is indeed a special, atmospheric place, high up on the hill. It would also be a special experience to have two nights there.

EYWandBTV

Here's a 360-degree photo of the temple of Segesta and the landscape, courtesy of Google maps. Turn it around, zoom it in and out and you will get a feeling for the temple and its surroundings and then you can decide if/when/how you want to spend the time to visit. I really enjoyed the site.

EYWandBTV

Oops, forgot to post the link:

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.9413...!7i4696!8i1603

Dayle

Hi progol,

If you click on my name and look through my trip report, you will find my lodging recommendation. I don't think visiting Segesta from the Selinute area makes any sense. Segesta is a short drive from either Scopello or Erice.

I didn't find Erice to have "difficult" accessibility. I had a car for 2 of my 3 nights there and simply parked at the town gate. You pay to park, but the overnight hours are free. No big deal. It's a very small town and not that hard to walk to your lodging with a small roller.

Again, details in the trip report. I would recommend everywhere I stayed 11 different places, except for the B&B in Agrigento which doesn't matter since you are set for Agrigento.

If I can answer any specific questions, I will be happy to!

kja

As EYWandBTV note, the entire site at Segesta can be seen in a couple of hours, give or take. I didn't worry about parking at Segesta with luggage in my car, but I understand that not everyone feels comfortable doing that. There used to be easy bus transit from Palermo to Segesta; I don't know whether that is still an option.

Are you sure you will have time enough in Palermo to see everything you want to do there? It is full of wonderful churches and plazas in a variety of styles, has a wonderful market, etc. Three nights would not have been enough time for me there.