Base near (or in) Palermo
Mar 28th, 2016, 05:28 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Base near (or in) Palermo
I've been advised in other threads to explore the western (vs. eastern) region of Sicily for my 5 day trip in August, exploring the towns around Palermo.
Should I stay in Palermo, and drive to the towns each day? Or, is there a beautiful town that is good for staying in?
For example, when I explored Tuscany, I stayed in a beautiful B/B in Montalcino, but drove around each day. I really liked this!
Should I stay in Palermo, and drive to the towns each day? Or, is there a beautiful town that is good for staying in?
For example, when I explored Tuscany, I stayed in a beautiful B/B in Montalcino, but drove around each day. I really liked this!
Mar 28th, 2016, 07:40 AM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,534
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you are planning on seeing small towns in the area of Palermo, they are not well served by public transportation and having a car in Palermo is highly problematic. It is quite similar to Tuscany in that way, where staying in some place like Montalcino with a car is fabulous, but staing in Florence with a car is not advisable.
Some people use Palermo as a base for excursions involving public transportation to places like Cefalu and Trapani plus Monreale, so that is also an option if you aren't yearning to see small towns.
Have you asked your questions on TripAdvisor? There are natives of Sicily and even Palermo who answer questions on the Sicily message forum. They could probably pinpoint for you the best accommodation for your needs in either a small town in that area, a farm or in Palermo itself.
Some people use Palermo as a base for excursions involving public transportation to places like Cefalu and Trapani plus Monreale, so that is also an option if you aren't yearning to see small towns.
Have you asked your questions on TripAdvisor? There are natives of Sicily and even Palermo who answer questions on the Sicily message forum. They could probably pinpoint for you the best accommodation for your needs in either a small town in that area, a farm or in Palermo itself.
Mar 28th, 2016, 08:27 AM
#3
What towns are you looking to visit from Palermo? Will you have a car or use public transportation? Parking is an additional ~20 euro a day. I would not advise driving in and out of Palermo every day. We drove into Palermo and parked our car for the duration of our stay. We did not have any problem driving into or out of Palermo other than there is a lot of traffic and it's not something I would enjoy doing on a daily basis. Like you did in Tuscany when we plan day trips my preference is to stay in a small town outside a major city to avoid dealing with traffic in a city. Or we stay on the outskirts of the town with free parking.
If you are only going to be in Sicily for 5 days I hope you plan to spend a couple days exploring Palermo -- it's a wonderful city.
Agree that there is at least one person on TA who is very knowledgable of Sicily. There are also lots of trip reports on this board that might provide you with some ideas.
If you are only going to be in Sicily for 5 days I hope you plan to spend a couple days exploring Palermo -- it's a wonderful city.
Agree that there is at least one person on TA who is very knowledgable of Sicily. There are also lots of trip reports on this board that might provide you with some ideas.
Mar 28th, 2016, 10:01 AM
#4
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,118
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I agree with yestravel that you would not want to have a car in Palermo.
To answer your question, it would be very helpful to know if you plan to spend any time in Palermo, and which other towns interest you?
You do need to do a little research so you can make some decisions and prioritize what is important to you. Then it will be easier to establish a base to use.
Flying into Palermo, you can rent a car and go directly to Castellamare del Golfo, which has easy highway connections.
Or use Erice, an idyllic hilltop town, but not quite as convenient logistically.
http://on-sicily.com/in-the-area/sic...are-del-golfo/
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/sicily/erice
Use either of these bases to see Trapani and the salt flats, Segesta, the closest Greek temple and theatre ruins, San Vito lo Capo, as well as Scopello and a hike through the Zingaro park.
http://www.thethinkingtraveller.com/...y/segesta.aspx
https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserR...ve-Sicily.html
From there you could return your car to the airport, take the bus into Palermo for a very fast one day tour and overnight before leaving the next day.
If you use Palermo as a base, there are tours that you can take to Agrigento (a long day) Segesta, and Erice, without having a car. I am not sure of the public transportation options to these places, but I'm sure others are more familiar with those.
Also an easy day trip is about a 1 hour train ride to Cefalu, where you can take a short hike up to the top of the La Rocca, with lovely views.
http://www.thethinkingtraveller.com/...ly/cefalu.aspx
Another half day can be spent going to view the mosaics at Monreale.
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/i...eale-cathedral
Let us know what interests you because it would be impossible to visit all these places in 5 nights/4 days.
To answer your question, it would be very helpful to know if you plan to spend any time in Palermo, and which other towns interest you?
You do need to do a little research so you can make some decisions and prioritize what is important to you. Then it will be easier to establish a base to use.
Flying into Palermo, you can rent a car and go directly to Castellamare del Golfo, which has easy highway connections.
Or use Erice, an idyllic hilltop town, but not quite as convenient logistically.
http://on-sicily.com/in-the-area/sic...are-del-golfo/
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/sicily/erice
Use either of these bases to see Trapani and the salt flats, Segesta, the closest Greek temple and theatre ruins, San Vito lo Capo, as well as Scopello and a hike through the Zingaro park.
http://www.thethinkingtraveller.com/...y/segesta.aspx
https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserR...ve-Sicily.html
From there you could return your car to the airport, take the bus into Palermo for a very fast one day tour and overnight before leaving the next day.
If you use Palermo as a base, there are tours that you can take to Agrigento (a long day) Segesta, and Erice, without having a car. I am not sure of the public transportation options to these places, but I'm sure others are more familiar with those.
Also an easy day trip is about a 1 hour train ride to Cefalu, where you can take a short hike up to the top of the La Rocca, with lovely views.
http://www.thethinkingtraveller.com/...ly/cefalu.aspx
Another half day can be spent going to view the mosaics at Monreale.
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/i...eale-cathedral
Let us know what interests you because it would be impossible to visit all these places in 5 nights/4 days.
Mar 28th, 2016, 10:23 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cefalu may be a great base - I took the train there and back and thought 'man I should have stayed in this lively pleasant fishing town and resort on the sea than Palermo - if I had a car I would - always a little fear of leaving car overnight in Palermo if hotel does not have parking.
Segesta is reachable by bus or train from Palermo - bus is better as it drops you right by the temples - train station is unstaffed (when I was there) and desolate looking and graffitied every inch of - looked like an abandoned station.
Segesta is reachable by bus or train from Palermo - bus is better as it drops you right by the temples - train station is unstaffed (when I was there) and desolate looking and graffitied every inch of - looked like an abandoned station.
Mar 28th, 2016, 06:35 PM
#7
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,118
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So you have 5 days? Even so, I stand by the recommendations I offered on your other thread: If you want to visit Palermo, then stay IN Palermo, see what you can, and take day trips as your time and interests permit. Another option would be to skip Palermo entirely on this trip, as it is among the easiest places to reach in Sicily -- unless, of course, you are flying out of Palermo, in which case you would (I think) be well advised to stay there at least the night before your flight. And if you decide to fly into Catania, then stay on THAT side of the island, perhaps in Ortygia with day trips as possible. JMO.
Here's the OP's other thread:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...m#last-comment
Here's the OP's other thread:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...m#last-comment
Mar 29th, 2016, 03:34 AM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,534
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's good you provided a link to the other thread because everybody can see that the OP has expressed a preference for seeing small towns.
There is no reason to stay in Palermo to see something of Palermo. In fact, it becomes much more difficult to see small towns if one is staying in Palermo.
Like all of the larger Italian cities, to spend 1 day/night there means seeing only a small portion of the many things there are to see in the towns. But thousands and thousands of people go sightseeing in Palermo for a day, or Milan for a day, or Florence for a day or Venice for a day and have an absolutely wonderful trip, because the rest of the time they are seeing the other things they want to see in Italy.
Of course thousands of other people travel differently and will give different advice based on their experience, but there is nothing instrinsically difficult or dissatisfying about making a short visit to Palermo but otherwise spending time in small-town Sicily.
There is no reason to stay in Palermo to see something of Palermo. In fact, it becomes much more difficult to see small towns if one is staying in Palermo.
Like all of the larger Italian cities, to spend 1 day/night there means seeing only a small portion of the many things there are to see in the towns. But thousands and thousands of people go sightseeing in Palermo for a day, or Milan for a day, or Florence for a day or Venice for a day and have an absolutely wonderful trip, because the rest of the time they are seeing the other things they want to see in Italy.
Of course thousands of other people travel differently and will give different advice based on their experience, but there is nothing instrinsically difficult or dissatisfying about making a short visit to Palermo but otherwise spending time in small-town Sicily.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
shellio
Europe
45
Sep 27th, 2015 10:22 AM
