I'm planning a three week October trip. Flying into Sicily (w/car) for a week +-, then to Malta (no car) for three nights +-, and then to the Heel (w/car). Current plan, Palermo, Agrigento, Caltagirone, Ragusa, Noto, Taormina, Malta, Lecce, San Pietro, Savelletri, Bari. These were overnite cities thoughts after mapping. Requesting help with must-do's, special hotels, excellent restaurants. Not on a budget. Adults, no kids. Wanting to avoid tourist dense places. Not interested in religious things like church's. Not a lay on the beach person.

Thanks

Since you are wanting to avoid tourist dense places, heres my advice

Palermo: skip the city center - it can be dense with tourists
Agrigento: skip the Valley of the Temples - it can be dense with tourists
Malta: skip the cities of Valletta and Mdina. Both can be dense with tourists

sounds like a lot of driving from city to city - too much moving around for my taste.

You've given us a list of things you don't want to do and paltry little of what your interests are. I suggest you read some guidebooks on each of the places you've chosen and come back with specific questions.

Three weeks. You have a lot of a list to cover in three weeks.

What do you consider "tourist dense?" You have chosen some locations that are very popular, especially with the Game of Thrones trope...

As to the "must dos" that falls to you. Clearly you have your reasons for choosing to travel to these areas - that is what should determine your itinerary.

One note: ask the mods to remove the trip report tag.

Welcome to Fodors. "Wanting to avoid tourist dense places." Some 'tourist dense places' are popular for a reason -- the best things to see in an area will draw visitors. However since you are traveling in October I wouldn't be quite as discouraging as J62

But I agree all we really know about what you DO want is to avoid tourists and churches. What sorts of things are you hoping to see/do?

was posting the same time as Travel_Nerd . . .

Hopefully your Malta stay is more than 3 nights? Valletta is busy, particularly when cruise ships are in. Gozo would be much quieter but not as much to see. There are some wonderful views from Valletta, the views would be high on my list but I'm not you.

Sicily - We went to Agrigento as part of a day tour from Taormina. I wouldn't recommend it but others liked their visit. The same day trip included Piazza Armerina and the mosaics were fabulous, we had little time there, a downside of being on a tour.

Let me elaborate in hopes of helping you all help me. We have looked at travel books, maps, online things and aside from the obvious popular items, we're hoping to get some insider type finds or recommendations, especially regarding hotels and restaurants. We are looking for hub towns for daytripping but that might not be realistic due to so much backtracking and driving time. We arrive Palermo and wonder if staying in Palermo and driving out for days trips is better or worse than staying outside of Palermo and driving into Palermo for a day or so to see it's sites? For example, lodge in Monreale for a base, then day drives to Palermo, Cefalo, Segesas, Erice? With traffic and parking, and the intensity of Palermo might not be as enjoyable as a smaller town. The driving to Agrigento, yet someone so no, interesting, are the views of this valley of temples not that great? Often we find that you spend hours going to a site and end up spending 10 minutes there to snap a few pictures, trying to avoid that. Caltagirone was suggested to me because it's known for pottery and that might be a shopping opportunity. Regusa and Noto were highly recommended, wondering which to stay in, and then onto Siracusa. Then up to Taormina for Etna and whatever else. Lots of the Etna tours involve a winery visit, my wife doesn't drink and spending a half day with that is not wanted, but maybe there is something else on the Etna visit.

When I say I want to avoid touristy areas, I meant tourist traps, thus towns mostly full of shopping for trinkets or high end luxury items, we prefer more local artisan type places, more authentic versus towns totally transformed for tourists. Regarding religious places, we have seen most the great cathedrals of europe. I realize towns can be proud of their church's but I'm interested in the architecture, not naves. Not being Catholic I cannot appreciate all the intricacies of a church. Yet I love Familia Sagrada.

In Malta we'll look for a guide to show us around. In the Heel, I think we have the areas mapped out.

Of the areas we're visiting, maybe someone can provide something bespoke, something special you tripped upon that never hits someone's list. Even a viewpoint in a town or adjacent area for spectacular vantage point or overlook, since we'll have a car.

In all the areas (Sicily, Malta, Heel) any recommendations for hotels, restaurants, guides, or just a wow place you'd say don't miss this.

Them, on our way home we'll have an afternoon & evening in Milan, recommendation for a hotel not to far from Malpensa APT (MXP), would like to go into town (been there once) for some clothes shopping (season end sample deals), not sure how to locate that area.

Thank you

Of the places you mention in Sicily, the only one I'd call a "tourist trap" is Taormina. The other places can get busy, but they are not filled with tourist shops. Well, let me correct myself: Caltagirone has a mass of tourist shops near La Scala -- one of the few things to see there. Palermo, for example, may get a fair number of tourists, but it's about as authentic as a Sicilian city gets -- enough so that many people find it too UN-touristy. On the other hand, it's certainly not a "local artisan type" place -- it's a dynamic, lively, some would say "gritty" city. Palermo and Siracusa are, IMO, incredibly interesting for their architecture, inside and out, church or not. IMO, if you are interested in architecture, skipping churches seems decidedly odd.

If you are flying into Palermo after a transoceanic flight, please wait AT LEAST a day or two before trying to drive. Driving after crossing time zones is MUCH more dangerous, to yourself and others, than most people acknowledge. And there's no need for a car in Palermo -- you can reach Monreale (only 30 minutes from downtown Palermo) and many of the other locations you list as possible day trips easily by public transportation. Check rome2rio.com

IMO, there are some nice views from the Valley of Temples, but I wouldn't go for the views, unless you count seeing the temples lit at night. (And that, IMO, is a glorious sight!) One goes to Agrigento to explore its magnificent ruins.

Noto is only a half hour or hour from Siracusa by public transportation. It's lovely at night and I'm glad a spent a night there, but I don't mind relocating every night or so. Most people would visit it en route or from Siracusa.

There are two types of tours of Mt. Etna -- one that includes the wineries, one that does not. The later includes going to the top and often includes visiting the Gole di Alcantara. I'm surprised your research didn't reveal these tours.

And with only 3 weeks, I'm surprised you think you can see all the places you list. It seems you will be missing much of what makes these areas so fascinating to many of us. YMMV. You might consider skipping either Malta or Puglia.

If you are going to Puglia, your list of destinations seems to me surprisingly scanty.

In Siracusa, stay in Ortigia. Other than that, I haven't been to Malta and my time in Sicily and Puglia was too long ago for me to feel comfortable recommending hotels or restaurants, but I'm sure you've noticed that there are many threads on this board about these locations in which people have provided recent recommendations, whether on planning threads or trip reports.

I hope you enjoy your trip!

Welcome to the Fodors Forums. We removed the Trip Report flag

Take a look at staying a few nights in Trapani.
If you do that, I can offer a couple of restaurant suggestions. Hotel in Trapani, LA GANCIA, suite with large terrace facing the sea. Easier to drive in and out of there than from Palermo.

"Hidden (sort of) places to eat:

RAGUSA, upper town; GUIMMARA...take out only, no English, MUST go....

COAST near Ragusa: SCALA in PortoPalo; no English; oral menu offered by waiter. Order lobster pasta a day in advance and ask if they have Ricci di mare (sea urchin). If they do, you want it!


Coast in SW: DA VITTORIO.....seafood in upscale restaurant on the beach. A local landmark.

https://www.hungryonion.org/t/sicily...-2023/34398/32

Where do you plan to stay near Savelletri? WE've stayed at Torre Maize about 4 times...not since it was taken over by Rocco Forte, however.



Is Matera in your plan and if not, you should reconsider.
Even better, include TURSI. It's far off the tourist trail for now and we had one of our best meals in Italy there last September..... If you go you will thank me....... There are two great hotel options and its only an hour from Matera.

I think you are planning FAR too much to see in such a limited time of only three weeks.....
Me---I'd go to either Sicily OR Puglia and Basilicata....

I don't think you want a car in Palermo, use the local bus
Visit Montreale by bus and travel to Agrigento by pullman

The is no where called the heel, its name is Puglia.
I'd recommend Lecce and stay in the old town not the new bits and pieces.
Train is pretty good in Puglia but if you need a car then ask your host to sort out parking
https://www.wanderingitaly.com/maps/...-rail-map.html

Matera can be reached by train on two lines, the one showed on the map from Altamura but also the one from Taranto to Potenza

Have a look at atlasobscura.com for obscure food, travel experiences and sites.