Chrisjim,

Glad you enjoyed it! I think I got a glimpse of the bikini girls under the tarp covering the renovations, but if you're not going until the fall they may have moved on to another area. I'd recommend a visit anyway, but I really go for mosaics! I wouldn't go out of my way to visit Piazza Armerina, but it's not a bad stop if you're not going anywhere else in the interior.

I think Mt. Etna would be more interesting if you got further up (and away from all the tour groups, lol!) Do be aware that's it's likely to be very cold up there.

I would say that Ortigia and Erice were my favorite places, along with Monreale and the Villa Casale.

bookmarking

Fabulous trip report & very informative :-)

Thanks

bookmarking

bookmarking

Great report. Two friends and I will be in Sicily for the first time in late March. Your report will be of tremendous help--and it's also so enjoyable to read. Thanks, thursdaysd.

Bookmarking for all the useful info. Thanks Thursdaysd.
I am trying to decide whether to rent a car or use public transport for my upcoming May trip to Sicily.
Dayle, from other threads I see we will be there around the same time. Have you been planning this since 2008?

ahotpoet - I would rent a car. When I looked into the bus schedules I found a lot of waiting time for connections. A car will be more expensive but will give you freedom.

However, it depends on where you'll be traveling. If from city to city then a bus would be better. If you want to see smaller towns then a car would enable you to move around as you want to.

Sigh...yes I have been planning this forever! I've had to delay for 2 years due to work and another year due to elderly parents. NOW I AM GOING!

I think it's time to post for a GTG. There are several Fodorites going around the same time. I would be great to meet up for a great dinner if at all possible.

I'm traveling from April 19 to May 12.

Buon viaggio,
Dayle

We didn't have problems with buses:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-november.cfm

So nice that people are still reading this! I loved Sicily, envy those of you headed there. If (hopefully when) I go back I'll use buses and trains, but that's partly because I travel solo and it's not cost effective for one person to rent a car - especially an automatic! Plus I don't want to have mess with parking.

That's the great thing about trip reports. They keep on giving! So glad you took the time to write it. If I could type you all would be hearing from me a lot more. Blah, blah, blah.

Marija, I just finished your trip report too. I see you we're carless and managed to make do just fine. I also noticed you stayed at some really nice hotels that were out of my range as a solo traveler. sigh
Also the pickpocket episode freaked me out. No better way to have a trip ruined. It has happened to me.

Adrienne , I am considering a combination of car rental for a week here and there.
I can drive a stick, no problem so I consider that my indulgence and that gives me the option to find more moderately priced accommodation.

Dayle, yes, let's have a gtg. Where should we post it? Europe board or the lounge? Hopefully your trip will be so spectacular and worth the wait. I will be arriving in Palermo on the morning of the 30 April and will not be jet lagged since I am sailing Transatlantic . I don't know how long I will stay but I was thinking of doing day trips from Palermo so I booked the Hotel Joli for 5 nights.

I enjoyed reading your blog about Sicily—such a great title!--and the comments made by others, since I’ve just finished a very similar trip to Sicily. My husband and I took a group tour with the Rick Steves organization, guided by Alfio, who was your guide as well. I liked almost everything about the tour. Most of all, I appreciated Alfio’s expert guidance, good humour, and generosity of spirit. As a Sicilian (who lived in the U.S. for many years), he shared his passion for Sicily unstintingly with us and we all ended up admiring and being very fond of him. The Rick Steves guides are given quite a bit of leeway to make their own decisions about restaurants for group meals (ours were amazingly good!) and activities. Before we signed up, my husband and I had some doubts about touring with a group, since it was our first time. We normally organize our own trips, but we are now fans of both Sicily and Alfio. If we go back to Sicily, we’ll probably rent a car and tour on our own, but if we want to head off the beaten path again, we’ll check what the Rick Steves organization has to offer because the trips are well organized and very good value. Quite a few members of our group mentioned that they’d like to do the “best of Italy” tour with Alfio as well.

Glad you enjoyed Sicily, it is on my revisit list.

I have since done the RS Bulgaria tour (click on my name for the TR) and the guide was very good.

Bravo. A brillant and helpful trip report. I'm headed to Sicily in September and now have a few must seem places on my list.

Gratzi.

I really loved Sicily, lucky you! Hope you'll do a trip report.

Just now considering Sicily for our 4th trip to Italy. Thanks, thursdaysd, for your detailed report.

DH and I have always done independent travel, but after reading the itinerary for the RS tour, we are considering doing that.

Mary Novik, besides the guide, what did you and your husband especially enjoy about the RS tour? What didn't you like?

Glad it was useful! Do try to spend some extra time in Sicily before and/or after the tour if you take it. I didn't make it to the Aeolian islands, but would want to do so on a second visit.

BTW, I see on the RS website there is an offer of $200 off on the Sep 26 departure.

Have just organised myself another trip to Sicily. First one was 2005. Sicily made my 'must return' list too. Have tentatively arranged to fly into Catania and spend the first 5 days in Siracusa. Bus to Noto, Modica, Ragusa. Then a week in the Aeolians, then the last 4 days in Trapani (plus Segesta, Erice, possibly an island) before a brief return to Palermo to fly out. These are places I missed first time. How does that sound?? Thing is, I simply can't see how I can get to Piazza Armerina and Villa Casale. No car. The only thing I m hoping for is that there will be a day tour from Siracusa. Any thoughts?

Looks like it may be possible by bus: http://www.villaromanadelcasale.it/i...come-arrivare/

Have you checkd Lonely Planet?