Sicily experts-need your help!
 

I am trying to organize another last minute trip to the western side of Sicily for my family in the next couple weeks. My daughter studied in Ortigia/Siracusa so my husband and I have "done" the eastern side of Sicily.
I want to fly into Palermo from Rome,rent a car and hit various places like Trapani,Egadie(sp?)Islands, Agrigento,etc. I think that we would have about 10-12 days to do this.

All of the past threads on Sicily hotels are rather lean or nonexistent or from 2000. Anyone been to the western side lately and can either recommend a fav hotel that is reasonable or things that we should include in our schedules?

We like to be "in town" and will have a rental car.We love beaches but only for beach combing at this time of the year-late March to early April. Also am keeping in mind the Easter holiday and how everything shuts down.Thanks so much!

I'd recommend looking for a private villa or flat to rent. I stayed in a really beautiful spot near Licata a few years back and people were friendly, the food was delicious and the beaches were beautiful. Apparently it's a big summer holiday spot for Italians and the Dutch, but is definitely of the beaten path for Americans. I was there in the spring and we were the only tourists.

We loved shopping at the markets, cruising around the small town and going to the beach. It was less expensive than a hotel and really fun!

I'm not sure how we found the flat, but remember that it was the result of an internet search.

Thanks for the info but I want to move around the island every couple days so we don't spend so much time driving.

Dutyfree, I'd recommend that you touch base with Vagabonda on TA's Sicily forum.

The last part of my TR covered the east - I would especially recommend Erice and Trapani (and Palermo), but maybe not the Egadi Islands - I got rather bored there. See http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ing-sicily.cfm

I stayed in good B&B in Palermo (Sky Sleeping) and a slightly tired but adequate place in Trapani,
Trattoria Ai Lumi, that gave a discount at the associated restaurant.

If you are going during Easter, are you at all interested in the extraordinary processions and Easter rites the Sicilians engage in? They are in various towns and you should try a couple of Google searches to locate which ones might interest you, if any.

I stayed in Hotel Vittoria in Trapani for a very reasonable price. There is a huge piazza in front of the hotel where you can park your car.
Stayed in B. and B. Villa Diana near Argrigento, an amazing place. The owners were charming and very helpful.

Sciacca is a nice town to spend a few days. Temples at Agrigento are about an hours drive. The beautiful Scala dei Turchi is on the coast road near Agrigento. Selinunte is about 1/2 hour. There are also some great "ghost" towns of Old Poggioreale, and the strange concrete "artwork" town of Gibellina about 1/2 hr. away. Sciacca has a nice passeggiata (evening old town stroll,)and I'm sure they have wonderful Easter festivals. Two nice hotels in the old town are Al Moro, and Hotel Garibaldi. Sciacca also has a nice piazza above the port, and thermal baths. There are also a number of large resorts nearby, if that's something you like. It's not easy to drive into the old town, so get a good map. Have a wonderful trip.

If you decide on Sciacca, there is a very interest spot about 2 miles east of the old town. It's called Castello Incantato. Have fun taking lots of photos.

This is great-keep the suggestions coming as I am firming up flights and trying to get a rental car.

Bon_voyage gave you the best advice: write in TA forum and ask Vagabonda. She answers very fast and gives a lot of details.

We stayed in Palermo, Taormina and Ortygia in May 2009. Without car, as the public transport by bus is very good.
Visited Monreale, Erice, Cefalu from Palermo; then Agrigento , Piazza Armerina and Castelmola from Taormina; then Notto from Ortygia.

Piaza Armerina with its superb mosaics is a must, IMO.
Notto is a small baroque town qith the most beautiful balcons in the world.

We stayed at pensions (recommended by Vagabonda) and they were perfect for us. In Palermo we had an apartment at Butera28, central, equipped with every thing you need (including detergents for clothes washing). The owner, Mrs. Nicolleta is a real lady.
In Taormina stayed we had a room in a pension on the main comercial pedestrian street, and in Ortygia stayed in a beautiful pension also in the center of old city.

Sorry, I did not pay attention that you are interested this time only on West Sicily