Dlemma

I will be visiting Sicily in September with DH and his parents. This is our first visit to Sicily. After two nights in Siracusa, we will be staying for a week in Carini (near Palermo) and daytripping to various places from there.

I've heard that things tend to shut down from approx. noon until 4pm or so. What do tourists do during that time frame? Are restaurants open? In which case we can go to lunch...
How about museums or archaeological sites? How about churches/cathedrals?

If we are too far from home base to return home for a nap, I suppose that one strategy would be to visit one spot in the morning, and use the siesta period to move to a new spot for the afternoon.

Any suggestions? What have others done during their trips to Sicily?
Many thanks.

zeppole

Eat. Have sex.

bobthenavigator

What a great answer. At least the first part is most feasible. It is really 1300 to 1600 so plan to have a 2 hour lunch and then write post cards or your journal.

bobthenavigator

Here are some images as a sneak preview. We loved Sicily.
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3828

Oisa

You may like to spend time at Segesta or walking around Cefalu. Drive through the Madonie Mountains ... We spent siesta time in Polizzi Generosa just absorbing the quiet atmosphere and beauty of the village. If we are near "home" we take a siesta ... very enjoyable and rejuvenating. My suggestion would be to not hurry through Sicily. Enjoy.

travel2live2

It's true - many places literally shut down. We've been to a few that look like ghost towns in the afternoon!

If you are renting a car go for a drive and see the sites (most are open during siesta). Some towns don't shut down (i.e. Cefalu) and Erice.

ciaolaura

Photograph the art and architecture of the area with unobstructed views...after you eat and write in your journal, of course.

thursdaysd

If you're planning to lunch on a sandwich from an alimentaria make sure to get it before 12:00. Attractions will definitely close - you could always add a nap to the other suggestions here.

franco

Shops close at 12.30 or 1 pm. Churches close between 12 and 1 and reopen at highly unpredictable hours anytime between 3 and 5 pm. Restaurants are open till 3 in general, usual lunch time is at 1.30 or 2. So you'll rather have time before than after lunch, and if and when having sex seems less than practicable, enjoying scenery (natural or urban, depending on where you are) is the best option. Also keep in mind that only the churches' interior will be closed; no, I'm serious on that: what I'm often doing is visiting a church from outside during lunch break, and its interior after lunch.

zeppole

Needless to say, I was just joking about having sex after eating your lunch if you are a tourist in Italy.

If you are a tourist in Italy, you will be eating lunch in a restaurant, and therefore you will be stuck waiting endlessly for your check to arrive. You'll be lucky if you make it back to the sites before they all close again for the night.

I'm afraid it's only those of us who live in Italy and therefore can eat lunch at home who have the option to -- er, spice up our journal writing after lunch.

On a recent overnight trip to Firenze, I of course had to take lunch at a restaurant, and after waiting close to 30 minutes for the check to arrive, my husband finally got up from the table to track down our waiter. He found him behind a door locked in a passionate embrace with a woman who had been eating at a table next to ours. I'm serious!

I'm surprised Franco thinks are times when sex after lunch isn't practicable. Try the waiter!

But exteriors of churches is an equally fine choice.

Mimar

When in Sicily, do as the Sicilians do: eat, have sex, rest. If you get up early, do a lot of sightseeing, have a late lunch (but go before 2 o'clock), you'll be ready for a little rest in the heat of the afternoon. And it will still be hot in Sicily in September. The parents will certainly be ready for a rest; you two can have sex.

We like to have our biggest meal at lunch, then eat lightly in the evening. It's cheaper, and you sleep better. (Eating lightly often means just gelato!)

TDudette

Can't you get cramps having sex less than 2 hours after eating?

Eat in Mondello (bus ride from Palermo) and walk on the beach.

gruezi

I like Zeppole's answer best.

Nothing like afternoon sex.

gruezi with the Italian husband...

zeppole

Tdudette,

You eat more slowly in Italy.

Didn't you always know that had to be a really good reason Italians have been so reluctant to part with that four hour lunch break?

And why the re-opening hours of churches is so hit and miss?

mhyde1

Is it possible to walk from Palermo to Cefalu?

mhyde1

Bobthenavigator--What was your favorite place in Sicily? Where would you stay if you only had three nights?

thursdaysd

"Is it possible to walk from Palermo to Cefalu?" - viamichelin says it's 67 km by car, mostly on motorway. Presumably it's at least as far on foot. One hour by train or bus.

italiannotebook

Everything closes down for a reason. It's hot! Although museums and churchs usually can be visited only in the morning, restaurants are indeed open. A long lovely lunch,followed by a coffee in a shaded bar should take care of the time if you can't go back to nap,but that is the ideal. Dinner won't be until 9ish which makes for a late evening,so a refreshing nap is the answer. Of course, you can write postcards, photograph the sites, and use the middle of the day for travel, but you'll enjoy the second half of the day,the evening, if you've had a siesta.

Dlemma

Wow, thanks for all the responses!!

Of course, my in-laws are still pretty lively. It could be that they are the ones "spicing up their journal" and it is DH and and I that are taking a nap

In any case, I guess that we will enjoy lunch and hope that we get the check eventually. And we won't stress out about it - it's a vacation after all.

bobthenavigator

Please do not ask me to choose. My wife would say Taormina, but that was early May before the big crowds. We did not do justice to Siracusa because of a car problem that cost us a day. I did enjoy Selinunte and Monreale. Search here for my trip report under the title of " Navigating in Sicily" for more details.