Sicily - day trips
 

Hi,

Can anyone recommend tour companies they have used for day trips in Sicily. I am happy to use public transport but I think some places might be easier by an organised tour?

Staying in Palermo we would like to see Segesta and Erice; and potentially even Agrigento. Also considering basing ourselves in Ortiga (Siracusa) and spending a day to see Modica; Ragusa and Noto (I think this will be easier by an organised tour).

We are in Sicily July 9 - July 20 and will see other places like Taormina and potentially Catania - do people recommend this place? A day trip to Mt Etna as well.

Thanks

A tour or private driver will be easier than getting to Erice on public transportation. I looked into this and depending on where you are staying in Palermo it would be a very full day getting there and back because of bus connections in Trapani and the long bus ride from Palermo. You can take the 12 minute ride from Trapani to Erice on the funivia but it doesn't run if there are strong winds or cloud cover.

If you go to Agrigento try to see the temples lit up at night.

I was underwhelmed by Mt. Etna. The parking area is a bunch of souvenir shops and there are some craters to see there. I guess I was expecting so much more. You can take the cable car to 9,000 ft but if it's overcast you won't see much.

If the weather is cooperating, you can have wonderful views of Mt. Etna from Taormina. Somehow it is more impressive from a bit of a distance.

Catania is not a highlight and with the amount of time you have, I suggest giving it a miss to allow time for other things.

I joined a group for a day trip to Mt. Etna and the Gola Alcantara from Taormina using a tour company recommended by (and bookable through) my hotel. I found the experience of being atop Mt. Etna quite powerful: To feel the heat of the surface through my very thick shoes while needing extra layers of clothing to keep warm in the bitingly cold winds (this was in May) was, for me, a potent reminder that I was standing on a living earth.

Ortigia-Siracusa is definitely worth a stay! Heaven on Earth!

I agree that the views of Etna from Taormina are wonderful. My best shot of the trip was of Etna from the public gardens.

http://modigliani.shutterfly.com/sicily2011/216

And here's another one from the arena.

http://modigliani.shutterfly.com/sicily2011/213

Thank you for all your responses. I will definately try to get an organised day tour then to see Segesta/Erice. Do you think the Hotel can help organise this? I just can't see much online..
I will be sure to make time to spend in Ortiga then and look to take a day trip from there to see Noto/Ragusa/Modica. Do you think it will be ok to organise these trips whilst out there/day or two before?
Thank you

Large hotels will have tour information for you or they can at least recommend a driver so bring info from guide books with you in case you need to hire a car and driver.

The locations you've chosen for tours are very popular so you shouldn't have a problem. You'll have to organize Erice from Palermo and the Baroque towns from Syracuse/Ortigya as they are on opposite sides of Sicily.

Another vote for Ortigia -- my favorite place in Sicily.

Agrigento is easy to do by public bus (Cuffaro Buses -- www.cuffaro.info) from Palermo. If you want a tour when you arrive there, you can use Sicily Tour Guides: www.sicilytourguides.net This company offers other tours as well including Segesta and Erice.

I believe that Ragusa and Modica are on the same train line so you could do both in one day (from Ortigia) by public transporation.

I agree that, with you timeframe, you can skip Catania.

Have a great trip -- Sicily is truly wonderful!

It may be out of date information because I haven't been to Siracusa since 2005, but there used to be a fairly frequent publc bus service to Noto and Modica from the Bus station just next to the bridge joining Ortigia to Siracusa proper.