8 days in Sicily in Aug 2005
 

My boyfriend and I (20ish couple) are going to Sicily in Aug for 7 nights/8 days. We will fly to and leave Sicily through Palermo. Here are the places we are initially planning to visit, but find it difficult to fit them all in. Please advise how I should plan my trip or cut down my destinations. We do not intend to drive and are travelling on a budget.

1) Arrive in Palermo (stay here overnight)
2) Go east to Cefalu - we really want to visit 2/3 nice beaches. Any other suggestions other than the one in Cefalu? Is it better to stay overnight Milazzo for an easier journey to Lipari/Stomboli the next day?
3) Lipari/Stromboli - we would love to hike either the volcano in Stromboli or Mt Etna. However, I am not sure how we can go about this. As we are not driving, I think we will have to join a tour. Any suggestions? Shall I go for the one in Stromboli or Mt Etna?) If we are not hiking in Stromboli, we would want to escape from the tourists and walk around in Lipari. We are still not sure where to stay overnight.
4) Taormina (stay overnight)
5) (may be) Mt Etna
6) Siracusa (stay overnight)
7) Agrigento (stay overnight) We find it quite difficult to travel from Siracuse to Agrigento. There seems to have no direct train/bus. Any suggestions?
8) Palermo

My itinerary seems quite 'packed'. What we really want are some special experiences (like hiking volcano), enjoying nice beaches and scenery. Please suggest if my plan is possible or any other more exciting places.

Forget Siracusa and Agrigento.

For what you want, check out Cefalu, the Aeolian Islands and Taormina.

There are plenty of Web sites out there, let alone guidebooks.

I agree--keep it simple and stay north. August will be very hot--stay near the water.

Thanks for suggestions. I have considered just staying in 3 places as bases for day trips.

Palermo: 3 nights (day trips to Agrigento and Cefalu)
Taormina: 2 nights (day trip to Mt. Etna)
Siracusa: 2 nights

For alternatives, is there direct bus from Cefalu to Messina? Faster/cheaper than train? Any direct bus from Taormina to Siracusa? Is there direct bus from Siracusa to Agrigento? I can only find train, but we will have to change at Catania.

Thanks for your help.

Frankly, I really don't feel like doing your research for you.

You can look at this Web site:

http://www.orariautobus.it/content/category/21/2/

and you can Google <autolinee Sicilia> (without the carets, of course).

Generally, I would advocate buses over trains when travelling in Sicily but the exceptions would be if you are travelling straight along the north coast or east coast. For Cefalu to Messina (or Milazzo) you would find the train far easier/quicker and probably cheaper than the bus. Taormina to Syracuse, likewise.

As for Etna, again, you can get a bus as far as Rifugio Sapienza but to go further you have to go in an organised group.

I also think you are better in general doing the day trips but try to get to Monreale while you're in Palermo.

Eloise: Thanks for your page which summarises the bus companies in the main towns. I believe any travellers would be excited about their trips and do research and come here because they want to see if anyone has any experiences that can be shared.

vnh: Thanks for your comments for the routes <Cefalu-Messina> and <Taormina-Siracusa>. I will now definitely go for travelling by trains between these towns. As for Etna, I think I'll go for an organised tour as we are not driving.

Has anyone done any organised tour to Etna from Taormina? or shall I just ask at the tourist information centre?

There is a good travel agency right in the middle of Taormina that books daily tours to Etna--and the Aeolian Isles. Both are popular tours, but I think the latter is 3 times weekly.