SuY

Hi,

I am planning a trip to Sicily in April next year and was wondering if I could ask a couple of questions

1. Am planning to arrive on Easter Monday and stay till Saturday morning. I know Easter is widely celebrated. Will everything be shut on Monday?

2. My husband and I love to eat and will be planning our trip based on restaurants we would like to visit. I have been reading about a list that Elizabeth from Canada had posted. Could someone either post it or email it to me? Would greatly appreciate it. Email is [email protected]

3. Any thoughts with respect to which is a better airport to fly into? Had originally thought of flying into Palmero and out of Catania. Do I have enough time for that or should I stay in one part of the island?

Thanks much!

grosenb

We were in Sicily this past Easter and yes, most places were shut down for Easter Monday. Don't expect any of the major attractions to be open and the really good resturants will also be closed.

There is no difference between Palermo or Catania airports. We flew into one and out of the other. It all depends on where you start and end your vacation.

You will love Sicily! Happy travels.

Gail

nessundorma

I flew into Catania and out of Palermo. I visited Taormina, toured the base of Etna, went to Siracusa, Noto, Ragusa, Modica and Agrigento, cut across to Monreale and returned my car to Palermo airport without visiting Palermo at all for lack of time. I was in Sicily for 9 days, and I felt I had tried to pack in too, even though I only saw a fraction of the island.

So you are wise to suspect that Sicily is not a speed travel destination and that, as islands to, it is a very large one (with islands of its own), so you can't see the whole thing in less than six weeks. So it's best to pick just one part of it for such a short stay.

No matter which airport configuration you choice, try not to drive within Palermo. You can pick up or drop off car at Palermo airport and return to the city by train to do your sightseeing there.

For Italians, the long Easter weekend is a 3-day holiday, which they use to go vacationing -- sometimes to Sicily! So all the tourist amenities will be open. But perhaps not some of the museums or shops or even some restaurants.

Buon viaggio!

SuY

Thanks for getting back to me. Was everything open by Tuesday (after Easter Monday)?

Looks like I am going to have to stick to one part of the island. From a food/restaurant standpoint, any thoughts on which would be a better bet?

nessundorma

I don't know any reason why things wouldn't be open on Tuesday.

I felt that much of the most sensational food I had in Sicily was street food, and almost preferred it to the sit-down meals I had. But in my limited tour, I found the area around Ragusa/Modica/Noto to have the most wonderful dining. In Modica, I particularly liked Fattoria delle Torre.

Should you go to Agrigento, there is a restaurant specializing in fish and seafood near Pirandello's house, whose name I have forgotten but your hotel can direct you. (It's also near the hospital.)

A great place to stay in Modica is L'Orangerie. In Agrigento, it's Camere con Vista, with a view of the monuments and near Pirandello's house.

Taormina is very touristy, and the restaurants reflect it. But I had a delightful meal in an enoteca tucked into a corner of a tiny piazza (called Divino, as I recall, and I believe the restaurant name is L'angolo di Divino or something like that).

Even though I was in Mondello, a suburb, and not Palermo proper, the food was cheap and fantastic.

I have heard there a destiantion restaurants in Catania. I think the New York Times did an article on them.