Monreale, Erice and Segesta from Palermo

Old Feb 14th, 2018, 11:11 AM
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Monreale, Erice and Segesta from Palermo

We will be spending 4 nights in Palermo and are wondering how easy it is to arrange to get to Monreale, Erice, and Segesta without a car. We're thinking of doing Monreale on one day and Erice and Segesta on a different day. Are there buses or tours that can be easily arranged? We'll be staying at the Ibis Style Palermo Hotel, which is near the harbour, I believe. Also, I've made note of Jackie Alio for a city tour of Palermo, which was mentioned in another thread.

And since I'm asking, is it easy to arrange to see Mt Etna from Taormina (where we'll be for 4 nights)?
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Old Feb 14th, 2018, 12:00 PM
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Montreale is a part of Palermo - I walked there but buses go to. Check out also the old church near it full of skulls and bones in the crypt -forgot name.

Trains and buses go to Segesta - buses are better as train station is farther away than where buses drop you. Takes about an hour each way. Did not go to Erice.

For lots on trains and getting around Sicily check BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.

I'm sure there are lots of tours from Taormina to Etna - the main viewing spot in on southside of volcano but the one near Taromina is fine too.
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Old Feb 14th, 2018, 04:28 PM
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As PalenQ notes, Monreale is an easy bus ride from Palermo.

For your other transportation options, I recommend that you consult rome2rio.com

BTW, Palermo itself has a wealth of sites – you might want to be sure to think through your priorities in advance if you are trying to fit both Erice and Segesta into your 4 nights there.

It should be esy to arrange to see Mt. Etna from Taormina – depending on what, exactly, you mean by “seeing” it.
  • If what you want is a view of it, then you would, I think, be hard-pressed to find better views than from Taormina’s Greek Theater and from Castelmola, an easy bus ride up the hill from Taormina.
  • If what you want is to visit the top of Mt. Etna, yes, you can easily arrange a tour from Taormina, whether on line in advance or through your hotel or a travel information desk once there. Please see some information I provided just yesterday about such tours: Sicily suggestions?, post # 23
  • I’m sorry I can’t help if what you want is a visit of Mt. Etna’s wineries.
If these things are not covered in your guidebook, I strongly encourage you to get, or at least consult, a better one!

I trust you realize that Taormina can be unpleasantly crowded during the day -- seriously, truly, undeniably unpleasant?
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Old Feb 14th, 2018, 07:27 PM
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For Erice you can get a bus to Trapani and then a bus to Erice. I recommend seeing Trapani as well as Erice.

Are you locked into four nights in Taormina? For me two was the absolute max. As kja says, far too many other people visiting, although if you can avoid cruise ship visits that would help.
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Old Feb 15th, 2018, 03:32 AM
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Be sure to book with Jackie far in advance. She is very busy!

​​​​​​​one night in Taormina was more than enough for me. I regreted it.
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Old Feb 15th, 2018, 11:17 AM
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I stayed in the seaside resort area below Taormina and loved it - walked up to Taromina a few times (also a lift) and enjoyed the area below a lot. Stayed right by the train station - which was key to me as I was day tripping by train to Catania, Syracuse and Mt Etna (ascending on south side from Philosophers Tower - and went around Etna on CircumEtnea narrow-gague train - cool ride thru lava flows and numerous towns - going right down streets of some -to Randazzo and got bus back to Taormina.
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Old Feb 15th, 2018, 11:34 AM
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Make sure you visit Segesta. It is an incredibly setting for the ancient temple and theater.
Look at Sicily Life near Taormina for tours to Mt. Etna, and/ or it’s wineries. They were highly recommended to us but we did not use them.
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Old Feb 15th, 2018, 12:47 PM
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I did a lot of research on visiting Erice and Segesta from Palermo, and decided not to do it as a daytrip. There are several bus or van tours online, but they all required more hours than I was willing to commit (7 or more). There are also private drivers, but they were too expensive for my budget.

In the end, we decided to spend a night in Erice with a visit to Segesta. We aren't going until April and I will report then.
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Old Feb 17th, 2018, 03:48 PM
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Thanks to everyone for all the thoughtful comments.
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Old Feb 17th, 2018, 04:51 PM
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I don't think you mentioned what time of year you will be visiting? I agree that Taormina can be unpleasantly crowded with tourists in the daytime. The evenings, however, can be very pleasant in Taormina, with the buses gone and the crowds gone back to their cruise ships. It is a resort town, but it also has one of the most beautiful views in Sicily, with Etna close by and its being perched high over the coastline. To see this view from the Greek/Roman theater, get up early and be there when it opens.

If you wish to do daytrips from Taormina, take buses from just off the main street, as the train station is a taxi ride down the hill in Giardini Naxos. During the day stay off Corso Umberto where the crowds are. Take a bus up to Castelmola to see the view and perhaps have a meal, but it's too isolated and difficult to get to as a place to stay.

Erice is a very atmospheric town, and you might want to take a night from Taormina to stay overnight there on the way to your next destination. Unless you are planning tosee Selinunte or Agrigento, I would not pass up the opportunity to see the Greek temple in Segesta, which is a short distance from Erice.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2022, 10:26 PM
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Details for Jackie Alio - Palermo

Originally Posted by tomandjudy
We will be spending 4 nights in Palermo and are wondering how easy it is to arrange to get to Monreale, Erice, and Segesta without a car. We're thinking of doing Monreale on one day and Erice and Segesta on a different day. Are there buses or tours that can be easily arranged? We'll be staying at the Ibis Style Palermo Hotel, which is near the harbour, I believe. Also, I've made note of Jackie Alio for a city tour of Palermo, which was mentioned in another thread.

And since I'm asking, is it easy to arrange to see Mt Etna from Taormina (where we'll be for 4 nights)?
Hello, may I please know the thread which talks about the tour guide in Palermo, Jackie Alio? I checked the new-iso Master List for tour guides and unfortunately she hasn't made it into there yet. TIA.
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Old Aug 24th, 2022, 01:46 AM
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A quick Google search turned up Jackie Alio’s website: Palermo Tour Guide - Escorted Day Tours of Palermo, Sicily, Italy - Monreale - Palermo Jewish Tours - Palermo Shore Excursions - Private Tours of Palermo Italy - Walking Tours of Palermo Sicily - Sightseeing with author Jacqueline Alio

She is still active and receives great reviews, given recent reviews on Trip Advisor.
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Old Aug 27th, 2022, 02:15 AM
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Jacqueline Alio Tour Guide - Palermo

Originally Posted by progol
I wasn't sure I had enough information, so thanks for your help with this.

I read all your TRs about Puglia and Matera. I just booked a place in Matera and they made a couple of suggestions about parking. The cost is €20 plus €10 taxi each way to hotel. Does this sound about right? I realise where we are going is not conducive to car travel so any recommendations would be appreciated. The hotel is Il Belvedere, Via Casalnuovo 133, Matera, + 39 083 531 1702.
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Old Aug 27th, 2022, 02:40 AM
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Red,
Oddly enough, I had originally made a reservation at the hotel as it’s more accessible by car than where we ended up. I think this is a great choice - the view is really spectacular. When I originally booked, I remembered reading about free parking, so your question took me by surprise - and so, I found this in a recent TA review:
The hotel staff can guide you to either on street free parking nearby or a secure parking station which is a few minutes drive away and provide a shuttle (for a small fee) to and from the hotel.”

​​​​​So, unless there was a change in parking, there is a choice between free and paid parking. You might inquire why they didn’t offer this option, if you still want it. Otherwise, the rates seem very appropriate. I think the garage we were directed to in the newer part of town was £25/night, though we got a free shuttle!
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