Hi everyone, My husband and I are travelling to Sicily from the last week of next May for two and a half weeks. I will be arriving in Palermo and travelling to the southeast and then up to Messina where I will catch a ferry to leave for Calabria.

My tentative itinerary is:
Palermo - 2 nights;
Trapani - 7 nights (day trips: Scopella, Segesta, San Vito lo Capo, Erice, Trapani);
Selinunte - 1 night (day trips: eastern temples, Valley of the temples, farm cultural village);
Modica - 5 nights (day trips: Ragusa, Scicli, Noto, Syracuse);
Giardino Naxos - 2 nights (day trips: Mt Etna, Taormina); and
Lampedusa or Stromboli - 2 or 3 nights.

Does anyone have any suggestions about this itinerary - especially if you can recommend which island to stay at? Also, if you have any suggestions for accommodation? I would love to stay in agriturismi or unique B&Bs for the locations where we have longer stays.
Cheers!

We`re just back from an 8 night road trip across Sicily, from Palermo to Syracusa, and can recommend a few interesting places to stay:

-we loved the Ambasciatori Hotel in Palermo for its elegance and its beautiful rooftop bar-restaurant, 7. The rooms are not luxurious, but they are a good size with nice furnishings, the ensuite bathrooms are quite large, the beds and linens are good, there is air conditioning and a lift.

-we stayed one night in Scopello at Pensione Tranchina and wish we could have stayed for a week. The meals were wonderful, the owner is present and very warm and engaging, the service was great, the rooms were charming. The village itself is super small, but is a good base for hiking in Lo Zingaro.

-you must stay at Foresteria Baglio Della Luna when you go to Agrigento to see the Valley of the Temples. A little more expensive, at 130 Euros per couple per night, but worth every penny. A charming place with beautiful rooms (we stayed in the tower), common areas and grounds. The restaurant at the hotel, Accademia del Buon Gusto, is an excellent choice for dinner and the free breakfast served there is also excellent and extensive.

-we stayed in Villa Boscarino in Ragusa and really enjoyed this property. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the juxtaposition of the old building with the new windows and floors was very attractive to us. Great breakfast here as well.

Have a wonderful trip!

Don't pass up Marsala, a cute little town with a fantastic collection of historic tapestries that are like huge illustrations to a history book.
It's called Museo degli Arazzi fiamminghi (Museum of the Arazzis), at Via Giuseppe Garraffa 57 in Marsala.
Open 9:30 AM-1:00 PM and 4:30 PM-6:30 PM
It's a house like any other in the middle of town.

Hi, Joy2131, and welcome to Fodor’s!

May is a glorious month for a visit to Sicily – the wildflowers should be out, and the temperatures still in the bearable range.

IMO, 2.5 weeks can suit a trip to Sicily quite well. That said, I do have some comments for you to consider:

Palermo is one of my favorite cities, not just in Sicily, but anywhere – it is dynamic and energetic and filled with an amazing array of sites. I wish I’d given it more than 3 days, so you might want to consider giving it a bit more, particularly if there is any chance that you’ll lose part of your time there to jet lag.

And whatever you do, do NOT skip the cathedral (and cloisters) of Monreale, just outside of Palermo (and easily visited by bus from the city) – it is, IMO, a gem among gems.

You should, I think, be able to visit Segesta en route to Trapani.

You should, I think, be able to visit Selinunte en route to Agrigento.

I, personally, would not attemt to visit Agrigento (the Valley of the Temples) as a day trip. I spent about 6 hours on site and barely skimmed one huge section, and that doesn’t count my time at the museum, or roaming the evocative streets of its medieval city, or admiring the views of the back-lit temples at night from my hotel….

Five nights in Modica would have driven me crazy; YMMV. I loved Ortygia (a part of Siracusa) and would strongly encourage you to give it a second look. You might give some thought to a stay of (at least) 3 nights in Ortygia and 2 nights in Modica or one of the other Baroque towns. (Noto is less than an hour from Ortygia and easily reached by public transportation from it.)

I was not impressed by Giordino Naxos, but can understand that it would be a good base for Mt. Etna and Taormina, if those are priorities. Note that Taormina can be quite unpleasantly mobbed by day-trippers; time your visit there accordingly!

One last comment: Consider making time for the incomparable Villa Romana del Casala just outside of Piazza Armerina. It is truly special. (IMO, one of the 2 or 3 most magnificent of Sicily's many magnificent sites.)

One recommendation for lodging: If you decide to spend time in Ortygia, see if the L’Approdo della Sirene meets your needs.
http://www.apprododellesirene.com/rooms.html

FWIW, the <i>Rough Guide</i> was, by far, the most useful of the half-dozen or so guidebooks I used when planning my time in the area.

And there are a LOT of planning threads about Sicily on this Board – you might find some value in looking through them. You’ll get a wide range of reactions and thoughts if you do.

Hope that helps!

You might want to take a look at my trip report; click on my name to find it.

Thanks for all the great tips, Liz!

I already have accommodation sorted in Palermo, but I think we might stay an extra day there now.

I had a look at the website for Pensione Tranchina in Scopello. The place looks lovely and the prices are very reasonable.

I've decided to stay in Agrigento rather than Selinunte so Foresteria Baglio Della Luna might be a good choice...

Villa Boscarino in Ragusa seems amazing, so I wish! The prices are probably too high for our budget.

Cheers.

Hi michelhuebelil, I think I might drive through Marsala on the way to Selinunte. Maybe go to the museum and perhaps a wine tasting somewhere if we have the time.

HI kja, Lots of amazing tips for me to think about!

Yes, I am getting the impression that I should spend more time in Palermo and reduce my time in Trapani. Originally, I was reading posts that suggested Palermo was a waste of time, but more and more I am hearing about all the amazing things to do in and around Palermo - including Monreale.

I will visit Selinunte on the way to Agrigento and spend one or two nights there I think.

I am glad about the tip about not spending so long in Modica. I had intended to visit Ortygia but perhaps I will stay there instead...(PS. I will have a car so I can make day trips to surrounding areas easily). The accommodation you suggested looks good - do you have any idea about their rates (I can't find them on their website).

Thanks

I realise that Giadini Naxos isn't the best location to stay, I just thought it might be a little relaxing to stay outside of Taormina, which I hope to visit in the afternoon after most tours have left (if that's correct).

And yes, I will definitely be going to visit Villa Romana del Casala. I am an archaeologist but my husband is not, so I will be dragging him around to as many archaeological sites and museums as he lets me!!

Parking in Ortygia is extremely limited, so be sure you know what you will do with your car while there. You can search for parking as a criterion on booking.com, where you can also look for prices for L'Approddo delle Sirene.

Or, better yet, return your car upon arriving in Siracusa. You can easily use public transportation for the rest of your journey, and honestly, a car could be more of an impediment than an asset for that part of your trip.

You might want to check the hours for the Teatro Greco and anything else you want to see in Taormina before deciding on Giardini Naxos -- I don't think you'd want to wait until day-trippers leave, only to find that you can't visit the things you want to see in Taormina! Actually, if seeing Taormina is a priority, it might make more sense to plan to stay there for a night or two and to see the theater and anything else that interests you before day-trippers arrive, and to plan on being away during the day. Just an idea.

Given your interests, don't miss the small, but delightful (IMO), archeological museum in Palermo, where you can see the metopes from Selinunte.

In Agrigento, consider staying in one of the places that gives you a view of the back-lit temples at night.

Enjoy!

I think Foresteria Baglio Della Luna was our most expensive lodging at about 130 E per night per couple. Villa Boscarino was much less than that, so I think you probably can afford it!

We stayed in Modica three nights and loved it. This was almost five years ago, but at the time we appreciated that it didn't feel as touristy as other places we visited in Sicily. It's very hilly though, so people who have problems walking might not want to stay there.

You could split Modica 3 nights/Ortyigia 2 or vice versa. We drove up to Piazza Armerina to see Villa Romana del Casale from Modica. A long day, but a great one.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I think my travel plan is finally taking shape.

I just need to fill in the gaps regarding accommodation.

Also, can anyone recommend which beaches are best to visit and which I should avoid. The only beach I have included in my itinerary so far is Sav Vito lo Capo.