Read the thread started by Bon Voyage with interest as we are going to do more or less the same thing (but in reverse) in September or October (with a few days in Napoli and Roma for my Roman Empire fanatic spouse.) We'll have about two weeks for Sicily--roughly half in the west and half in the east. My interests are primarily historical and archaeological and my spouse's are Rome, food and taking it easy on her injured knee.

I have the trip planned pretty well from Palermo to Agrigento (where I plan to arrive via auto in the evening and then do the temples the next morning) From Agrigento, not so sure of how to budget the time. Our must-sees are the Villa del Casale, Siracusa, Catania and Mt. Aetna. We have no desire to spend time in Taormina as we are not resort people and do not like "tour buses and English menus," as someone aptly put it in the comments. From Sicilia, we plan to take the ferry from Messina to Reggio to see the Riace bronzes and then drive north toward Rome. We may stop in Taormina on the way to Messina unless it is too much hassle with a car.

Don't need hotel and restaurant suggestions except for Agrigento, as the original thread had enough great suggestions. I'd like to park ourselves in the same hotel for as much of the time as possible rather than having to pack up, find the hotel, check in, repack, check out, etc. But I realize that I have to be somewhat flexible in that regard.

So--we'll probably have about a week after we arrive in Agrigento. How would you who are experienced with Sicilia spend the time in the eastern half of the Island?

Someone recommended going the Villa del Casale as a day trip, but did not say from where--Modica, Catania? I'd prefer to do it from Catania if possible.

I had thought of doing Siracusa also as a day-trip from Catania. It looks to me like, regardless of the importance of Siracusa historically, that there is today not more than one day's sightseeing there--basically the Greek stuff, and that the train or car to and from Catania would take no more than three hours round trip. Please correct me if I am wrong on this and if we need to stay overnight or for two nights. I really would like to spend more time in Siracusa if it warrants the time.

Thanks, you all.

You have not mentioned Noto and Noto Antico...whether your preference is for baroque or the much more ancient architecture, this was a must see for us. The ruins are amazing.

You may well be able to manage Siracusa/Ortigia as a day trip. I wouldn't want to as it deserves more and serves as a great base. I am much less certain of Catania, but only because I don't know it.

Mount Etna, on the other hand, is a mixed blessing, IMHO. Unlike Vesuvius where the events are shrouded in the balm of antiquity, Etna's destruction is raw and, while it is a worthy thing to do to honour the recently dead, my family group all decided it felt ghoulish and the time might have been better spent.

Totally agree with you about Taormina: I kept hearing that Monty Python episode about some English resort in Spain(Torre Molinos?) playing in my head...

Loved Sicily, Noto was our favourite place: if you are foodies, this has both the best version of the almond pastries and the best version of that curled-up sardine dish with the raisins that is SO Sicilian!

Thanks LJ.

Since I posted, I've been reading about Siracusa and have come to the conclusion that we'll have to stay there at least two nites. My big concern had been parking, but I think I can manage that.

Re Aetna: My wife's family came from Trecastigni, which is on the slopes of Aetna. I may see if we could stay there instead of right in Catania. Aetna also has some geological interest.

I had put Noto on the "maybe" list along with Modica and may promote it.

I'm glad you've decided to spend at least a couple of nights in Siracusa. it's great for archeology, food and just relaxing. Do stay in Ortygia if at all possible.

i spent 10 days in Sicily (south and east only) last December and 4 of those days were in Siracusa. I was supposed to do a couple of day trips during that time, but could not tear myself away. If you are interested in hotel recommendations for Siracusa, I stayed and loved Hotel Posta. I didn't have a car though so don't know about parking.

regarding villa del casale, it could be combined with piazza armerina and visited on your way from Agrigento to Catania.

There is a large parking lot on the northeastern corner of Ortygia. I was told it is 1€ a day. Drive onto the island & turn left on the 1st street. Drive to the end & you will see the covered lot along the water. There is free parking all around the outside road of the island also but you can only park overnight if you register your car with your hotel.

You could conceivably daytrip to Villa Romana del Casale from anywhere on the eastern part of the island. We did it from Modica with a stop in Caltagirone for ceramics. About 2 1/2 hrs from Modica to the Villa.

Search rkkwan’s trip report about Catania. He didn’t make it sound that desirable.

Ian

I found that a visit to Vincenzo Bellini's birthhome and museum in Catania to be an extraordinarily touching experience, as well as seeing his tomb in the Catania Cathedral nearby. If you are an opera lover, you won't want to miss either. Bellini is THE great Sicilian glory of all times.

Thanks, everyone. You all were very helpful.

Hi, dwdvagamundo -

Another option for visiting the Villa Romana del Casale is from Enna, which offers stunning views from a medieval hilltop town that doesn't get too many tourists.

In Agrigento, I had a lovely meal at Per Bacco: (Vicolo Lo Presti, 2) — Just off the main street of Agrigento’s old town (Via Atenea), Per Bacco offered a range of local specialties served under the friendly and attentive eye of its manager, Valeria. I enjoyed a salad and very good swordfish at one of the restaurant’s outdoor tables, tucked into a medieval close. The indoor area looked pleasant, too.

I don't usually like joining tour groups, but did so to see Mt. Etna and was very glad I did. It was otherworldly and amazing. I also enjoyed the scenery on the way there and back (I went from Taormina, and the tour stopped at the Gole dell'Alcantara on the way there).

And I'll second the recommendation to visit Noto - charming!

Hope that helps!

Thanks to all of you for your advice. We're leaving Labor Day weekend for somewhat over three weeks. Here's the whole trip as of now:

Fiumicino to Pozzuoli via auto (two nites).

Drop auto in Napoli and ferry to Palermo. Four nites in Palermo (which gives us four days because ferry arrives early in the morning.

Pick up auto and drive to Erice via Segesta. Picnic along way. Overnight in Erice, then to Agrigento for two nites.

Agrigento to Siracusa, probably looking at Noto or Modica on the way. Three nites in Siracusa.

On to Catania. Four nites in Catania--will probably do the Via Del Casale on one day from there, as the highway looks good from Catania to Enna.

Catania to Paestum (see other inquiry on this topic). Two nites in Paestum.

To Roma for four nites. Then home.

I'll try to check back in when we get back and let everyone know the problems. I won't talk about all the wonderful stuff we'll do, see and eat, because most of you know that.

Thanks for all your help.

I had to laugh at your remark about letting us know only the problems, not the "wonderful stuff...". I read a Trip Report last week that sounded as if the author had used that rule: what a litany of woe disguised as travel-lore.

Have a wonderful time: eat an almond pastry in Noto for me, would'ja?

WE LOVED ORTYGIA!
a charming and beautiful town.
Trend Girl

Sounds like a great trip. I loved Erice and Ortigia - glad you're visiting both. Didn't particularly like what I saw of Catania, but didn't spend much time there. Eat cannoli for me!

We were totally enchanted with Sicily but for some reason we did not like Siracusa as much as other sites and places.

And visit Ragusa and Ragusa Ibla if possible - the Inspector Montalbano series was filmed there.

Revised itenerary--

Based on responses to "Driving in Mezzogiorno", will cut one nite off stay in Catania and have booked a ferry Palermo--Napoli for that nite. We'll drive to Palermo via Enna (visiting the Villa de Casale en route), as map looks like there is a good road.

When we get to Napoli, we'll drive up to Orvieto and spend the two nites there. This gives us practically another day or more of sightseeing rather than driving through what looks like a relatively boring part of southern Italy or returing to Amalfi/Paestum area that we have seen in the past.

Thanks for the great help with this.