I will make that change. Thank you.

When and if you visit Erice from Palermo, do add Segesta. A highlight for us in Sicily!

Segesta is very special, IMO -- but do you have time for either Erice or Segesta? I'm not sanguine about that if you have only 3 nights in Palermo,

we too recommend the Colleverde Park Hotel for Agrigento. Very convenient and very close to the park.

I hope you are all still with me and can comment on this new itinerary.

Day 1 Palermo: arrive from Rome
Day 2: wander Palermo
Day 3: Cefalu day trip (full or half day)
Day 4: Monreale (thanks for the suggestion) - public transportation or shuttle transfer
Day 4 more of Palermo.
Day 5: check out and take bus to Agrigento, book evening sunset tour of the Valley of Temples
Day 6: Agrigento - suggestions? - do I check out and travel to next destination or stay another night
Day 7: take public transportation to Ortigia
Day 8: Ortigia
Day 9: Ortigia
Day 10: Ortigia Ragusa
Day 11: Ortigia Noto
Day 12: Ortigia
I then have 4 glorious days to fit in another place. I would love some suggestions! Do I go on to Taormina or Catania, add Trapani or another seaside beach town...





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Sounds like you've made some great progress in refining your itinerary!

Re: Day 6 -- If it helps you decide, I spent about 5 or 6 hours exploring the Valley of the Temples ... and I skipped most of the Temple of Zeuz. I also spent 1.5 or 2 hours at the archeological museum in Agrigento, and would have liked more time there. Also, I don't think you said when this trip will occur, but the Valley of the Temples has very little shade and it can get HOT. I suspect that many people would want a mid-day break. So two nights might be better ... but maybe you wouldn't want that much time at those sites.

IME, Taormina was beautiful ... but so overrun by day trippers as to be truly unpleasant. If you decide to go there, consider ways to stay away during the better part of the day. (Options would include a day tour to Mt. Etna and the Gola del Alcantara and/or a short visit to Castelmola.)

I didn't have time to visit Trapani or Erice; if I every go back to Sicily, I'll include them. Likewise, I didn't have time for Catania, though I suspect I would like it.

I did spent part of a day on Lipari; if you're looking for a beach experience, going to Lipari or one of the other Aeolians might make sense.

Other ideas: You might consider a day trip from Palermo to Segesta, which is quite different from Agrigento. I think you can get there by bus. And if you can find a way to get to the Villa Romana del Casale, I don't think you would regret it. Unfortunately, I don't think it's easy to reach without a car.

Hope that helps!

This is super helpful! Thank you ! Based on other advice you have so graciously shared, I think you are right about Agrigento. It will, indeed, be hot and I want to do the sunset tour to get a glimpse at night then decide if I want to return. The archaeological museum sounds fascinating and is now on my list.
I have Segesta on my list and I found an escorted tour to Villa Romana del Casale.

I am going to check out the flights from Taormina to see if I can fly back to Rome from there. Is it busy like Venice mid-day busy? I don't think it makes much sense to back track to Palermo just to get a flight back to Rome.

You found a way to visit the Villa Romana del Casale! Awesome. :)

I don't think there's an airport in Taormina. I think your choices are Palermo or Catania, but check.

In saying that Taormina was busy mid-day, I mean that even in 2007 (the year I visited), the streets were so crowded that I ended up with bruises on my sides from where tour groups smashed into me and pushed me against a wall. Literally! Sigh.

Yikes! Ok...and you are correct, no flights out of Taormina...so plan B - It does look so pretty. I guess the next best will be to Catania ...

I would spend my last day/night in Catania, giving me at least an afternoon to explore and be close to the airport for departure. (It's not what we did, but it's what in retrospect it's what I wish we had done because I suspect I would have liked Catania.) You could either take a night from Agrigento or a night from Ortigia. I would probably take the night from Agrigento, but I think you're not driving, right? In that case, maybe two nights in Agrigento would be better, just to give you some breathing room.

Thanks. I am torn between staying in Taormina or Catania for those last 4 days. Noted on Catania. I have read so many conflicting opinions.

Four days would be a LOT for Taormina, especially because getting there and back is a time-sink.

It might make sense to consider splitting your time? Maybe 2 nights in Catania to make sure you are ithere before your flight and 2 nights somewhere else. You have a lot of options, including those already noted.

I agree that 4 days in Taormina is a lot...

We are on the tail end of a two-week trip to Sicily right now, with a somewhat similar itinerary. We spent one night in Agrigento, so we could see the Valley of the Temples later in the day. We arrived in the city around 3 pm, and went into entered the temple complex around 4 pm. By the time of last admissions (7 pm), there were few people around and we had the Temple of Juno all to ourselves. We also spent a couple of hours at the archaeological museum when it opened the next morning. We stayed at I Segreti delle Valle and can highly recommend it. It is near the aforementioned Colleverde Park, but smaller - excellent breakfast and hospitality. It was a 10-15 minute walk from the B&B down to the east entrance of the Valley of the Temples, and the museum should be walkable as well (we had a car).

We loved Palermo and wish we had more time there. We also did a day trip to Cefalu, which is beautiful but was flooded with people. We went on a Sunday, so that may have made a difference. Also glad you found a way to see Villa Romana del Casale - it is fantastic. We spent a night in Piazza Armerina so that we could go see the mosaics late in the day. We are ending our trip in Ortigia and taking a train to the Catania airport for our (evening) flight out.

Oh, shoot, sorry, didn't notice your latest itinerary. What about two or three nights in Modica or Ragusa after Agrigento and before heading to Ortigia and then after Ortigia your final one or two nights in Catania? Is that too arduous on public transportation? But then by now you've probably already explored all your options.

We didn't go to Taormina--we found even Ortigia a bit touristy relative to our other stops in Sicily. But you will likely enjoy whatever you decide. And I can understand wanting to relax a bit.

I appreciate your post. I am still figuring things out. I am now thinking of stopping for a couple of nights in San Vito lo Capo…on my way to Agriento…Alternatively, Giardini Naxos after Ortigia.

I think I am overcomplicating !

IMO, Giardini Naxos is uninteresting. It would, however, give you access to Taormina, Mt. Etna, and Catania.

I am so torn…maybe 2 trips😀