Advice? 2 weeks in Sicily with our 4-year-old
 

Hello! My husband and I are fortunate enough to have an opportunity to bring our 4-year-old son to Sicily for 2 weeks next August. We're incredibly excited and looking to make the most of our wonderful vacation. We love the beach, hiking, visiting markets, and practicing our (rusty) Italian with the locals. We were thinking of possibly flying into Palermo, renting a car and driving eastwards towards Syracuse, possibly with a stop at one of the Aeolian Islands. Neither of us has ever been to Sicily and would appreciate any suggestions for what to see, where to go, and where to avoid. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

You'll get lots of better answers but you can also look on trip reports about Sicily or similar questions. We have had some recent threads in the subject. Just type Sicily in the search box.
I would add that Italians are great with children - really nice and that having a car will allow your child to sleep in it - quite handy.
Take a child seat with you. Most airlines allow it on top of your luggage. Car rentals charge a fortune for it.
My highlights were Palermo and the cathedral not far from it, agrigento, villa casale and Etna.

Oh and Taormina. Quite lovely.

In August you should head for the beaches.

We were in Sicily in September and there were times that it was extremely hot, so unless you are used to very high temperatures, you might like to factor in spending a few hours every afternoon having a nap.

Otherwise I would agree about the beaches or at very least accommodation with a swimming pool. With a small child in tow I wouldn't want t one moving around too often - with 2 weeks I would reckon on having a maximum of 3 bases.

As we never got to the west of Sicily [we only had 10 days] I can't speak for where might be suitable over that side of the island; of the places that we stayed in/went to, the nicest was Ortigia [the "island" attached to Siracuse] but there is no beach there. For a family holiday Marina di Ragusa looked very nice with a very safe, long beach but with easy access to places like Modica, Scicli, and Ragusa.

West of Palermo, there are some nice beaches in Castellammare del Golfo and San Vito Lo Capo.

The good news: Sicily is wonderful! The not-so-good news: It can be brutally hot in August, and with only 2 weeks, you’ll need to be selective.

I would urge you to consult some really good guidebooks (I found the <i>Rough Guide</i> particularly useful). You can also look at the many trip reports on this board, and particularly the planning threads, where you can get lots or useful information.

Just one question - does it have to be August?

You'll have to watch for closures too as around Ferragosto Sicily (and Italy) goes to the beach. There will be crowds but with careful planning, you can manage.