We have a great 3-weeks planned for late April, early May 2008. First a week in Sicily with just my husband and myself, then an organized hiking tour in Cinque Terre with our daughter and her husband, then the four of us are going to Tuscany and flying home from Venice.

We are fllying into Catania and thought we'd go to Taormina for 2 nights, then Siracusa for 2 and either Piazza Armerina (definitely want to see the mosiacs) or Agrigento or both and then one night in Palermo before flying to hook up with our group in Cinque Terre. I would love to fly to Genoa but there don't seem to be direct flights. I also wonder if we are doing too much, maybe we should skip Agriento. Is one night enough for Palermo-we could also fly from Catania?

I have been looking at b&bs through StayinSicily.com-has anyone used them. They are really inexpensive and some look quite charming-one in Taormina and Siracusa. I have booked the Ambasciatori hotel in Palermo-any opinions on that?

We plan to go to the Siena area from Cinque Terre and I have booked a "farm" which really looks nice right outside Siena. We have 8 nights-I thought of 4 nights in Tuscany, one night in Bologna and 3 nights in Venice. We could stay 3 nights at the farm and one in Florence or go to Florence from Siena. I am considering Beatrice B&B in Bologna and Al Tre Ponti B&B in Venice. Any opinions. We are treating our kids to this trip as a wedding present and don't want to skimp, but need to be a bit frugal.
Thank you so much for any and all help!

Hi, snorklesue -

Sounds like a wonderful trip!

The mosaics of the Villa Romana del Casale are wonderful. Given your schedule and other interests, you might consider stopping there for a few hours, rather than staying in the area over night.

In deciding whether to stop in Agrigento, note that it is the only place you mentioned as a possible stop that has a well-preserved Greek temple (as well as several less well-preserved ones). I spent an evening and the better part of a long day at there, and am very glad I did.

Whether one night is enough for Palermo depends on what you want to see and do! I spent about 3 very busy days there, and didn't see everything I wanted to see. On the other hand, I wouldn't have wanted to miss seeing the Cathedral in Monreale, even if that is all I could see!

I can't help with your other questions, but hope this information helps.

If you plan to see the CT I would start with air connections--perhaps into Pisa or Genoa. That is your potential glitch. With 6 nites in Sicily, I would stay east and fly from Catania. Look at Agriturismo Gigliotto as your base for Piazza Amerina and see Noto and Caltigirone from there as well.

Thank you, I will look into flying out of Catania, I want to have time to appreciate and learn about where we are and not be always driving off to the next place. Gigliotto looks good too. What if I fly to Catania, drive to Siracusa for two nights, then to Agregento for two nights, one night in Piazza Armerina, then end with two nights in Taormina before flying from Catania to CT? Still too much for this length of time?

Snorklesue, all I can comment on is the Hotel Ambasciatori in Palermo. It is a lovely hotel, 2 blocks from the train station and within walking distance from the sites like the Norman bridge, Museum, lots of churches etc.

We found all the staff very helpful and the hotel has a lovely terrace where you can have breakfast or a drink in the evening - with a view over the rooftops of Palermo.

I envy you - enjoy Sicily!

Hi Sue - For flights from Sicily to Genova/Pisa see Airone or Windjet:

http://www.flyairone.it
http://w4.volawindjet.it/

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Thank you-it is all very helpful. Looks like I can get a direct flight from Catania to Pisa, then should be able to catch a train to CT.

Still hoping for some hotel/B&B advice-in Venice especially.

I would skip Agrigento---too hard to get to. I would add the Barouque towns south of Siracusa and stay east the entire time.