Sorry, but have been gone for 5 days.
We did not find the driving bad at all. Have a good navigator and study the map in advance. You really need a car to see Sicily well. Have fun !

thanks Bob! we're off tomorrow morning! will let you know how we get on!

Bob, your photos are wonderful!

LouiseG6- SAFE TRIP TO SICILY.
I leave next week!

Lisaannmack:
Please report back on your visit to THE AEOLIAN islands...........they sound wonderful.
Will you visit Panerea Island?
We had thought about "squeezing in" a visit to 1 of the Aeolian Islands, as a day trip, but decided it was just not to be included on this trip, due to not enough time.

ciao
Trend Girl

Grazie !
Yes, I too hope to hit the Aeolians some time.

Hi Bob:

I've enjoyed this report a couple of times!

I wonder if you did a report here on your visit(s) to Puglia? I noticed that you wrote a report on SlowTrav,but the Lecce section appeared to be missing! (I was interested in the hotel you stayed at in that city).

On another post here you mention a week-long stay in Puglia but I cannot find anything..is there a link about that trip that I could read?

Many thanks!!

Here it is--I had almost forgotten it. We were on the cheap this trip ---2 guys moving fast:
http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=104

Thanks! I did see it, but was hoping that there was some info about Lecce! That section may have been left out(??)..

Did you like the Lecce hotel you stayed at?

It was OK---good location. I did like Lecce--not like most of Italy.

Bob: Can you elaborate about that a bit? (the "not like most of Italy" part)??

I am sorry to tag it to this thread, but was not sure how to "find" you.

Lecce and the Salento remind me more of Sicily and Greece than Italy. More arid land--rocky landscapes, and the people in Leccce look more " earthy"--not unlike Sicily. It just has a different feel to it--does that make sense?

Yes! Thank you! I am trying to formulate a rough plan so any and all information/opinions are very helpful.

Bob, I'm just beginning to plan our trip for next year to Sicily. We're just back from Portugal but I need to begin planning next year's holiday already!

I'm thinking that we would actually start in Naples for 2 nights then Sorrento for 3 nights then head to Sicily. We would have still 11 days for Sicily. Would you suggest flying from Naples to Taormina? And then I would like to follow your itinerary but would need to lop off 3 days. Would you suggest staying North? Thanks for your expertise Bob, always much appreciated.

Lily, Bob is navigating Lake Como and environs right now. I think he'll be home in about a week.

Thanks Ms Go. I hope he's having a great trip.

bookmarking

Bob,

reading your report to plan our trip in Sicily. When you say 2 hours to Agrigento, that is from ...? Thanks.

That was from the agriturismo in the middle of Sicily near Piazza Amerina. We enjoyed Selinunte more than the ruins at Agrigento.

Bob,
DH and I are planning our 6th trip to Italy, this time Sicily is our focus. However, we are traveling with another couple who have never been to Italy so, of our 16 nights, we will spend the first three in Rome. That leaves us with 13. We have considered renting a car in Rome and driving down the coast stopping for one night south of the Amalfi coast, then continuing on the next day hoping to reach Taormina. For the return trip we would drive from Palermo to Rome (all in one long day) and stay the night in Rome before flying home the next day. The 3 nights in Rome are not negotiable. DH and I have seen the Amalfi coast, but have not seen the coast from there south. Would you recommend we simply fly between Rome and Sicily, picking up our car on the island and returning it there, rather than trying to make the drive down the coast? If we fly, we have 13 nights in Sicily, if we drive, we have 11. If we end up with 11, which three places would you pick (of the five from your trip)? Taormina seems to be one -- judging from your posts. I am curious, given the tourist hub it has become, why this would be so. We have tentatively talked of just one night there before going on to Syracuse and using that as one of our three bases.
Other pertinent information: our trip will be in May. DH has driven many times in Italy and will likely be doing all of the driving at least until we reach the island.

And last, but not least, I'd love to hear opinions from any others who have traveled to Sicily.

Hello Marta, I would start in Sicily and end in Rome, and I would fly between them. Fly via Rome and bite the bullet and fly into Palermo that same day. You will not want nor need a car in Palermo. Give it perhaps 3 days.
I would end your Sicily time in either Taormina or Siracusa since either is close enough to Catania airport for a flight back to Rome. These flights should not cost you more than 130E or so--maybe less. What to see on Sicily is another topic--set your itinerary and timing first.
We loved May on Sicily---as will you. I trust you have seen my photo gallery---love those spring flowers.

Loved Sicily--here's the link to my trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ecial-trip.cfm