dcarollolaw

Hi All,

Below you will find my trip outline. I was hoping for some comments on what sights listed in my Sight Seeing lists are "must sees". I will be traveling with a toddler so cramming everything in will most likely not be an option. Thanks in advance for your input. I'm looking to see what sights should be cut out.

Arrive in Palermo on Saturday May 7th at 10:45 am

Drive from Palermo Airport to Cefalu

Cefalu (May 7 -9):

Check into Hotel Le Calette

Sight Seeing:

Sight Seeing:

1. The Duomo

2. The Beach

3. The Cloisters

4. Piazza Duomo

5. Museo Mandrasilica

6. La Rocca

7. Corso Ruggero

8. Tempio di Diana

9. Lavatoio

10. Bastione Capo Marchiafava

11. Salita Saraceno

12. Ciccio Shoes (Custom sports shoes)

On May 9th Drive to Port Milazzo - take hydrofoil to Salina

Salina (May 9 – 12)

Check into Hotel Capfaro

Sight Seeing:

1. Boat Tours (Salina Relax Boats) 345 216 23 08 www.salinarelaxboats.com

2. Salus Per Aquam (Hotel Signum Spa – hot spring soak or steam bath)

3. Rinella (Port)

4. Pollara (Il Postino Beach) – boat ride?

5. Lingua (Tiny Village/Salt Lagoon)

6. Day Trip to Stromboli – salina relax boats (Volcano) (Eat: Da Zurro/Punta Lena/Ai Gechi)

7. Monte Foass delle Felci (2 hour climb)

8. Santa Maria Salina (Main Port)

9. Malfa (largest settlement in Salina)

Hydrofoil back to Milazzo and then drive to Taormina

Taormina (May 12 – 15th)

Check into San Domenico Palace Hotel

Sight Seeing:

1)Teatro Greco (Greek Theater) *

2) Day Trip to Mt. Etna (Either drive or take funivia – Short Trek) *

3) Castelmola *

4) Boat Ride (Taormina, Isola Bella, Grotta Azzurra) *

5) Corso Umberto (Walk the street) *

6) Mazzaro Beach (Need to take Funivia Bus)

7) Piazza IX Aprile, Piazza Duomo, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele

9) Parco Duca di Cesaro (Public Gardens)

10) Giardini Naxos

11) Church of San Giuseppe

12) Monte Tauro (20 min climb up steps)

13) Palazzo Corvaja

14) Palazzo Duca di Santo Stefano

15)Santuario Madonna della Rocca (Small Church)

16) Saracen Castle

17) Villa Comunale (Public Gardens)

18) Porta Catania

On May 15th drive from Taormina to Siracusa

Ortigia, Siracusa (May 15 – 18th)

Check into Des Etrangers

Sight Seeing:

1) Visit Noto (Either morning or after mid-day closing –sunset) *

a. Corso Vittorio Emanuele

b. San Nicolo Cathedral

c. Chuch of Santissimo Salvatore

d. Church of San Carlo al Corso

e. Church of San Domenico

f. Church of Saint Chiara

g. Palazzo Ducezio

h. Palazzo Landolina

i. Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata

j. Piazza Municipio

k. Café Sicilia (granite) or Corrado Costanzo (gelato – pistachio or amaro)

l. Trattoria Crocificio del Bagliere (roast octopus/lasagna)

2) Piazza Duomo & Duomo

3) Boat Trip around Ortygia (Compagnia del Selene Tel:340-0558769)

4) Temple of Apollo

5) Fountain of Arethusa

6) Chiese di Sante Liucie

7) Parco Archeologico della Neaplois (Archeological Park)

8) Museo Archeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi (Museum)

9) Castello Maniace

10) Santa Lucia all Badia (17th Century Church)

11) Ipogea di Piazza del Duomo

12) Castello Eurialo Castle (outside city)

13) Catacombe di San Giovanni (Catacombs beneath church)

14) The Mikva (miqwe) Jewish Baths

15) Puppet shows

16) La Giudecca (Old jewish quarter)

17) Lido Maniace (Rocky platform of sunbeds)

18) Palazzo Arcivescovile

19) Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco

20) Palazzo Lanza

21) Palazzo Municipale

22) Palazzo Platamone

23) Santuario della Madonna delle Lacrime (Modern church)

24) Beaches (Forte Vigliena, Lido Arenella, Ognina, Fontane Bianche)

25) Guided Tour (Syrako Tourist Services half or full day 093-12-41-33)

26) Megara Hybalea Ruins

27) Boat trip up the Cyane River (ruins of Olympeion) just outside city (Palazzolo Acreide)

28) Temple of Zeus

On May 18th drive from Siracusa to Agrigento

Agrigento (May 18-20th)

Check into Azienda Agricola Mandranova

Sight Seeing:

1) Day Trip to Villa Romana Del Casale (Piazza Armerina & Morgentina)*

2) Valley of the Temples and Old Town (Eastern zone if only time for one) – Full Day*

3) Scala dei Turchi Beach

4) Torre Sale

5) Eraclea Minoa (archeological park and beach –natural mudrock facial)

6) Vulcanelli Macalube (mud volcanoes)

On May 20th drive from Agrigento to Segesta (2 hours 10 minutes)

• Temples & Theater(2 hours to see all sights)

Drive from Segesta to Erice (40 minutes)

Erice (May 20 – 21st)

Sight Seeing:

Erice Monuments Circuit (5 attractions *) buy at churches

1) 2 church Walks (Blue and Red Lines)

2) Ruined Castle(Castello Pepoli) and Public Gardens (Villa Balio)

3) Castello di Venere

4) Church of San Giovanni *

5) Church of San Giuliano *

6) Church of San Martino *

7) Duomo

On May 21st drive from Erice to Palermo Airport

sundriedtopepo

Nice trip! A lot of these things won't take as long as you might think. I can't comment on aeolian islands, but otherwise I would say start at the top of your list and play it by ear. Although with a toddler I might put the granite and puppet show nearer the top!
And some of it is just personal choice that you will have to decide when you get there. Do you want to see a palazzo or go to the beach? Leave your options open, and just relax with your toddler. You and he/she will enjoy it more.

kja

Should be a great trip! Just a few comments:

Is there any chance that you will have jet lag upon your arrival? Many people don’t realize that driving with jet lag is just as dangerous as driving drunk, so if there is any chance of it, consider taking public transportation to Cefalu and picking up your rental car only when you are ready to leave.

Re: Taormina – The views are magnificent. Unfortunately, IME, the town can be so filled with daytrippers as to be truly unpleasant until they leave. Be prepared!

I loved Ortygia!

I also loved Noto, and would encourage you to go later in the day and stay a bit after things close so you can see it as the sun begins to set.

I don’t see mention of the Cathedral of Monreale, just outside Palermo, which I thought truly magnificent. You might consider making time for it.

Hope that helps!

neckervd

Some remarks:

There is much more to see at Palermo than at Cefalu. May be you spend the first 2 nights at a beach close to the airport and visit Palermo and Monreale from there. Cefalu is a scenic place, however.

Mazzaro beach at Taormina isn't really interesting, but rather crowded, despite the almost frozen seawater in May. The beaches around Marina di Noto and Tellaro Park (where you would find another roman villa, BTW) are much better.

It might be easier to visit the roman villa of Casale on your itinerary from Siracusa to Agrigento instead of backtracking half the way from Agrigento.

You could easily visit the Greek temples of Sellinunte on your way from Agrigento to Segesta.

annhig

Hi dcarrowlaw,

I've ben planning my own trip for myself and my husband [10 days flying into and out of Catania] and had we more time, I think that this is a great itinerary and one that I might have chosen for myself, but for you there is one big difference - you have a toddler in tow.

you don't say how old your infant is, but IME, once they get past 12 months or so, this sort of trip becomes a bit of a nightmare as it interferes with their sleep and other routines.

Personally, I would pick 2 places [3 at a stretch] where I could base myself and do day trips. Moving on every 3 days is probably going to prove very disruptive for your child and make life difficult for you.

Sorry not to be as positive as you might have hoped.