wondering if anyone has stayed in either city and what hotels would you suggest? i would prefer to be on the sea. want to see catania because my grandparents were from that city. i have been told to sleep in taormina instead as it is safer and i will be alone. need more feedback.

"as it is safer" - really, I spent three weeks in Sicily this spring and felt safe everywhere. Taormina is unquestionably more scenic than Catania, although I much preferred Siracusa as an east coast base. Taormina is also a major tourist trap, and is not on the beach but up a cliff. My trip report for Sicily is at http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35133064.

Letojanni is a very nice beach town below Taormina. Accommodations are good and it's right on the main train and bus line of Catania / Messina.

for thursdaysd
thanks for all the info. i read your posts on sicily. doesn't seem you really spent time in catania?

for travmimi
how far by bus/train is letojanni to catania? thanks.

We stopped for a brief (hour or so) tour and lunch in Catania, plus I wandered around for a little while on my own. What specifically were you warned about re: Catania?

I would recommend Taormina, not b/c it's safer, but b/c it's very scenic and beautiful. There is bus service directly between it and Catania, which takes about an hour, so you can have easy access. I have done day trips from Taormina to Catania.

Taormina is not directly on the beach, but there is a cable car that takes you from the town to the beach, and also local buses.

My personal preference when traveling is to stay in smaller towns, rather than cities, but if your only concern is safety and you really want to stay in Catania, then go for it.

That is like comparing Hoboken with Newport---there is none.

coricw - the trip from Letojanni to Catania is about an hour.

I thought the place below Taormina was Naxos (or Giardini Naxos).
Better to stay there and visit Taormina (walk, cab or cable car)
Giardini Naxos rail station is beautiful!
Catania is bigger, less pretty and more bustling. You may have slightly more chance of being robbed by a thief, but much less chance of being robbed by a hotelier or restauranteur. Taormina is a tourist trap, but well worth a visit.

My daughter and I stayed at the Best Western in Catania the first time that we went to Sicily to check out her school in Siracusa(Ortigia).It was a good base for a day or so especially after flying overseas from the states to Rome and then Catania.We did a Mt. Etna tour with Geoexplorers out of Catania and they even picked us up at the hotel.I have also spent a few days in Taormina which would have been fine for one day for me.

Taormina was just too touristy and crowded for me. Catania is big,somewhat dirty and noisy but better shopping,restaurants and things going on- a regular city.

Personally,Siracusa(actually Ortigia) is the perfect eastern base as others have suggested. Its about a hour bus ride or about 45 minutes on the train from Ortigia to Catania.You are surrounded by the sea and its a mile by mile and a half of great walking and living in history.Good restaurants,fun shops,great historical sights and "heaven on earth" which I hear Marriott is ruining with a big hotel.

Bob, I love your analogy - you always get right to the point.

Coricw, I suggest you stay in Taormina. It's gorgeous. So many on this board bemoan those areas which are "too touristy." But these sites are popular for a reason.

Personally, I know that I am a "tourist," and don't pretend to be otherwise. But I do love Europe, and Sicily in particular.

Enjoy!