Sicily - Itinerary Suggestions
Jun 27th, 2007, 10:40 AM
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Sicily - Itinerary Suggestions
I'm planning a trip to Sicily in early October and would love some suggestions on which towns are a must and which ones I can skip. I'm planning a 10 day trip and some towns/cities on my list are Palermo, Cefalu Scopello, Segesta, Argigento, Mt. Etna and Taormina. Any suggestions on where to go and how long to stay would be greatly appreciated.
Jun 27th, 2007, 12:18 PM
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My trip report from May 2005 may help !
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2
Jul 5th, 2007, 09:21 AM
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My husband and I love to sightsee (castles, museums, churches) and we also love nature (hiking, beach). I'd like to do as much as I can in 10 days without feeling too rushed.
I would like to find out how many nights to stay in each town and how long it takes to drive to each location.
I'd like to visit the following towns and would love some suggestions on where to stay and how long to stay in each town: Palermo, Monreale, Cefalu, Argigento, Segeste, Seliunte, Erice, Siracusa, Mt. Etna and Taormina.
This sounds like a lot, so please let me know if it's crazy to do in 10 days and what to remove.
Thanks!!
I would like to find out how many nights to stay in each town and how long it takes to drive to each location.
I'd like to visit the following towns and would love some suggestions on where to stay and how long to stay in each town: Palermo, Monreale, Cefalu, Argigento, Segeste, Seliunte, Erice, Siracusa, Mt. Etna and Taormina.
This sounds like a lot, so please let me know if it's crazy to do in 10 days and what to remove.
Thanks!!
Jul 5th, 2007, 09:33 AM
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If it helps you plan, here's how long I spent in the places you list:
Palermo - 2.5 very busy days, including a half-day trip to Monreale.
Segeste and Selinunte - a few hours each on the way from Palermo to Agrigento.
Agrigento - overnight and most of the next day for the site and museum.
Siracusa - 2 very full days.
Taormina - 2 very full days, including a day-long excursion to Mt. Etna.
I could have easily enjoyed longer stays in Palermo, Siracusa, and Taormina, but saw the things that were highest priority for me. I didn't visit Cefalu or Erice.
For driving times, check out www.viamichelin.com
Palermo - 2.5 very busy days, including a half-day trip to Monreale.
Segeste and Selinunte - a few hours each on the way from Palermo to Agrigento.
Agrigento - overnight and most of the next day for the site and museum.
Siracusa - 2 very full days.
Taormina - 2 very full days, including a day-long excursion to Mt. Etna.
I could have easily enjoyed longer stays in Palermo, Siracusa, and Taormina, but saw the things that were highest priority for me. I didn't visit Cefalu or Erice.
For driving times, check out www.viamichelin.com
Jul 5th, 2007, 03:27 PM
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If you don't like to pack up and move every couple of days, consider 4 full days, 3 nights in Palermo.
From Palermo we were able to do day trips. One day we went to Agrigento. We left at 8:40 in the morning by train and were back by maybe 5 or 6 pm. Here's an excerpt from my trip report (Oct 2003):
" The next morning after a large delicious breakfast also included with our room, we went to the train station and got tickets for Agrigento. It departed Palermo at 8:40 a.m. and took 2:20 minutes. Tickets were less than 27 euro/2 round trip. Upon arrival at Agrigento Centrale (there are two stations in Agrigento) buy two tickets per person at the bar for your bus transportation from the train station to the ruins and back. To exit the train station, take the elevator UP to the street level. (We were perplexed for a bit.) Take the orange bus either number 1, 2, or 3 from the station to the ruins. It's only a 10 minute bus ride. Upon your return to the station, take ANY orange bus. They all stop at the train station. You also need to flag down an orange bus as it rounds the corner or they won't stop. You have to wave your arms to get the drivers attention. Remember to validate your tickets on board. They booted off a chick who was riding for free." (Here I wrote about my impression of Agrigento)...
"We rode an empty, except for us, one car train back to Palermo. When we arrived back in town, we dined at a casual but delicious place called Ristorante Pizzeria Italia. For 26 euro we walked away stuffed with pizza, chicken, salad, wine and beer."
You can see Monreale in a half-day or less, return to Palermo and see the Catacombs, Norman Palace, Vucciria outdoor market, etc.
Cefalu is about an hour away by train...another easy day trip from Palermo.
I'd also recommend at least two nights, but really 3, in Taormina. You can do a day trip to Etna from there. You can enjoy Taormina and spend a few hours in the town above, "Castelmola", and take the funicular down to the beach. Most people love Taormina for its beauty and views.
You still have two nights left. I have never been to Segesta or Scopello. We did go to Siracusa but only spent a day and a half there. We found it to be very dirty, so we decided to move on.
I will say that MOST of the Fodorites LOVE Ortigia/Siracusa! We were able to see the Greek ruins which were good to see, but we loved the ruins in Agrigento more. To each his own.
Have a great trip...and count your change. Maybe it's coincidence but at least 3 times in two weeks in Sicily we were short changed. We caught it because we always pay attention with our cash transactions. No one ever argued with us, it was always, "Ah, mi dispiace!" (Oh, I'm sorry!)
From Palermo we were able to do day trips. One day we went to Agrigento. We left at 8:40 in the morning by train and were back by maybe 5 or 6 pm. Here's an excerpt from my trip report (Oct 2003):
" The next morning after a large delicious breakfast also included with our room, we went to the train station and got tickets for Agrigento. It departed Palermo at 8:40 a.m. and took 2:20 minutes. Tickets were less than 27 euro/2 round trip. Upon arrival at Agrigento Centrale (there are two stations in Agrigento) buy two tickets per person at the bar for your bus transportation from the train station to the ruins and back. To exit the train station, take the elevator UP to the street level. (We were perplexed for a bit.) Take the orange bus either number 1, 2, or 3 from the station to the ruins. It's only a 10 minute bus ride. Upon your return to the station, take ANY orange bus. They all stop at the train station. You also need to flag down an orange bus as it rounds the corner or they won't stop. You have to wave your arms to get the drivers attention. Remember to validate your tickets on board. They booted off a chick who was riding for free." (Here I wrote about my impression of Agrigento)...
"We rode an empty, except for us, one car train back to Palermo. When we arrived back in town, we dined at a casual but delicious place called Ristorante Pizzeria Italia. For 26 euro we walked away stuffed with pizza, chicken, salad, wine and beer."
You can see Monreale in a half-day or less, return to Palermo and see the Catacombs, Norman Palace, Vucciria outdoor market, etc.
Cefalu is about an hour away by train...another easy day trip from Palermo.
I'd also recommend at least two nights, but really 3, in Taormina. You can do a day trip to Etna from there. You can enjoy Taormina and spend a few hours in the town above, "Castelmola", and take the funicular down to the beach. Most people love Taormina for its beauty and views.
You still have two nights left. I have never been to Segesta or Scopello. We did go to Siracusa but only spent a day and a half there. We found it to be very dirty, so we decided to move on.
I will say that MOST of the Fodorites LOVE Ortigia/Siracusa! We were able to see the Greek ruins which were good to see, but we loved the ruins in Agrigento more. To each his own.
Have a great trip...and count your change. Maybe it's coincidence but at least 3 times in two weeks in Sicily we were short changed. We caught it because we always pay attention with our cash transactions. No one ever argued with us, it was always, "Ah, mi dispiace!" (Oh, I'm sorry!)
Jul 5th, 2007, 09:43 PM
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If I was wealthy, I would live in Ortiga (old Siracusa) half the year and the other half here in Chicago.My daughter spent a semester in college there last spring and our family thinks that it is a wonderful place to experience Sicily!
Jul 6th, 2007, 02:56 AM
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Even with a car, you're going to feel rushed trying to do as much as you've listed.
You shouldn't drive in Palermo. If you are arriving in Palermo, don't pick up a car until you leave (and perhaps arrange to pick up one in Cefalu).
I thoroughly love Sicily and encourage you to drive there. That said, it is not always relaxing or necessarily easy to drive in Sicily. Roads are two-land and heavily trafficked by trucks. If you look at a map you will see that your itinerary has you zigzagging to three different corners of the island.
It is hard to pick some else's "musts." For hikers, I would suggest staying on Mt. Etna and only visiting Taormina (to see the Greek theater). In Palermo, try to include Monreale, a world wonder.
Agrigento is a toss-up. If you are very interested in Greek antiquity, they are fascinating. But if you just feel obliged to go, be aware they are often under scaffolding and poorly located in relationship to other places. The Greek theater in Taormina may be enough to satisfy your interest in tasting the antiquiy of Sicily.
How much you like Taormina may depend on your tolerance for tourists and touristy places, and how many other beautifully situtated Italian seaside towns you've been too. It's jammed with high-end, designer-good tourist shops (and tacky ones too) and the cruise-ship and squealing teenage girl foreign tourists to go with them. I think Castelmora is nicer, but to get a real taste for Sicily, stay nearer Mt Etna or someplace else off the beaten track.
You shouldn't drive in Palermo. If you are arriving in Palermo, don't pick up a car until you leave (and perhaps arrange to pick up one in Cefalu).
I thoroughly love Sicily and encourage you to drive there. That said, it is not always relaxing or necessarily easy to drive in Sicily. Roads are two-land and heavily trafficked by trucks. If you look at a map you will see that your itinerary has you zigzagging to three different corners of the island.
It is hard to pick some else's "musts." For hikers, I would suggest staying on Mt. Etna and only visiting Taormina (to see the Greek theater). In Palermo, try to include Monreale, a world wonder.
Agrigento is a toss-up. If you are very interested in Greek antiquity, they are fascinating. But if you just feel obliged to go, be aware they are often under scaffolding and poorly located in relationship to other places. The Greek theater in Taormina may be enough to satisfy your interest in tasting the antiquiy of Sicily.
How much you like Taormina may depend on your tolerance for tourists and touristy places, and how many other beautifully situtated Italian seaside towns you've been too. It's jammed with high-end, designer-good tourist shops (and tacky ones too) and the cruise-ship and squealing teenage girl foreign tourists to go with them. I think Castelmora is nicer, but to get a real taste for Sicily, stay nearer Mt Etna or someplace else off the beaten track.
Jul 6th, 2007, 01:20 PM
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In case this information helps:
None of the temples at Agrigento was surrounded by scaffolding when I was there in May.
Neither Ortigia nor any other part of Siracusa was dirty when I was there - quite in contrast, it was spectacularly clean and beautiful.
No one anywhere in Sicily short-changed me at any time. I'm sure such things happen, but I'm glad to report that it is not inevitable!
None of the temples at Agrigento was surrounded by scaffolding when I was there in May.
Neither Ortigia nor any other part of Siracusa was dirty when I was there - quite in contrast, it was spectacularly clean and beautiful.
No one anywhere in Sicily short-changed me at any time. I'm sure such things happen, but I'm glad to report that it is not inevitable!
Jul 6th, 2007, 01:58 PM
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Just to clarify "dirty". On that trip, we spent two weeks in Sardinia followed by two weeks in Sicily. We walked from our hotel (Grand Hotel in Ortigia) to the museum. It was closed so we walked from there to the Parco Archeologico where we saw the Greek Theater and other ruins. From there we walked back to Ortigia. We spent most of the walk saying to one another, "Watch out for the...." or "Watch your step", etc. There was dog crap seemingly everywhere. It was absolutely the worst of all the villages we visited. What a shame. The crap was so ubiquitous that we left town. That was our experience.
The good think about traveling in October is that it's easy to find rooms. Except in Taormina, which was more limited due to its popularity, we had our choice as to where we wanted to stay and for how long.
The good think about traveling in October is that it's easy to find rooms. Except in Taormina, which was more limited due to its popularity, we had our choice as to where we wanted to stay and for how long.
Jul 6th, 2007, 03:48 PM
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Agrigento, Segesta, and Selunite are all three greek ruins. IMO unless you are really interested in antiquities, I would choose one of these. Of the three I beleive that Agrigento is the largest but my personal favorite is Segesta. The setting feels more remote and almost mystical. You can easily stop by Segesta on your way to Erice. You might also want to find a book called "Hiking in Sicily" to find some interesting hikes. Among the suggested paths is the walk around the rock above Cefalu as well as the hike up the hill to Castel Mola from Taormina.
Jul 6th, 2007, 05:33 PM
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I was going to visit Sicily this year's September and my itinerary was 4 nights in Palermo (day trip to Cefalù
, 3 nights in Taormina and 4 nights on Lipari (Aeolian Islands). I had to postpone it because I got the opporunity to travel to Morocco instead, but I'm definitely doing this itinerary when I have the chance.
, 3 nights in Taormina and 4 nights on Lipari (Aeolian Islands). I had to postpone it because I got the opporunity to travel to Morocco instead, but I'm definitely doing this itinerary when I have the chance.
