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Sicily in December
We are travelling for two weeks between Xmas and New Year to Sicily. The
weather will not be at its best, because usually the winter is the rainy season there. The southern coast supposedly is more dry, but also less interesting I heard. I guess it won't make much sense visiting the islands, would it? And I also guess we should stick to the coastal areas, because the interior will probably be colder/rainier? Can somebody give me some tips regarding the itinerary? Personally I'm interested in photography, but my wife and the kids will be with me, so it won't be all churches and historical places. We also need to build places where the kids (4 and 8) can play and relax. And the wife likes to shop. By the way, which would be the naturally most scenic places? Is the Etna accessible in winter? Forgot to mention, we are flying in and out of Catania and are renting a car. -- Alfred Molon http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe |
#2
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Sicily in December
On Sat, 10 Nov 2012 11:01:16 +0100, Alfred Molon wrote:
We are travelling for two weeks between Xmas and New Year to Sicily. The weather will not be at its best, because usually the winter is the rainy season there. The southern coast supposedly is more dry, but also less interesting I heard. Although the weather is unpredictable, the chances are great that you will enjoy mild and sunny days in Sicily. http://www.gotaormina.com/it/taormin..._taormina.html Expect blooming mimosas, pistachio trees, Christmas carols, new year fireworks, and the finest Italian dishes. To be seen: Nebrodi, Nicosia, Pozillo lake, Caltagirone (ceramics), Modica. |
#3
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Sicily in December
On Sat, 10 Nov 2012 11:01:16 +0100, Alfred Molon wrote:
Can somebody give me some tips regarding the itinerary? Personally I'm interested in photography, but my wife and the kids will be with me, so it won't be all churches and historical places. We also need to build places where the kids (4 and 8) can play and relax. And the wife likes to shop. Living cribs: http://www.eventiturismo365.it/en/ri...e-vivente.html http://www.eventiesagre.it/Presepi_P...e+Vivente.html http://www.presepeviventedicustonaci...ew/default.asp |
#4
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Sicily in December
Alfred Molon wrote:
We are travelling for two weeks between Xmas and New Year to Sicily. The weather will not be at its best, because usually the winter is the rainy season there. The southern coast supposedly is more dry, but also less interesting I heard. I guess it won't make much sense visiting the islands, would it? And I also guess we should stick to the coastal areas, because the interior will probably be colder/rainier? Can somebody give me some tips regarding the itinerary? Personally I'm interested in photography, but my wife and the kids will be with me, so it won't be all churches and historical places. We also need to build places where the kids (4 and 8) can play and relax. And the wife likes to shop. By the way, which would be the naturally most scenic places? Is the Etna accessible in winter? Forgot to mention, we are flying in and out of Catania and are renting a car. Oooh! I almost missed this actual travel posting! I visited Sicily in very early spring, so I can't comment on winter, but there are certainly many photographic possibilities. My own interests are heavily historical, not shopping, and I wasn't traveling with children, but Sicily has many kinds of attractions 8-) -- Erilar, biblioholic medievalist with iPad |
#5
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Sicily in December
In article , Paul Aubrin says...
Living cribs: http://www.eventiturismo365.it/en/ri...e-vivente.html http://www.eventiesagre.it/Presepi_P...e+Vivente.html http://www.presepeviventedicustonaci...ew/default.asp Ah... ok, that is something to think about. Thanks for the tip. -- Alfred Molon http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe |
#6
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Sicily in December
In article , Paul Aubrin says...
Although the weather is unpredictable, the chances are great that you will enjoy mild and sunny days in Sicily. http://www.gotaormina.com/it/taormin..._taormina.html Expect blooming mimosas, pistachio trees, Christmas carols, new year fireworks, and the finest Italian dishes. To be seen: Nebrodi, Nicosia, Pozillo lake, Caltagirone (ceramics), Modica. Thanks for the tips. With two weeks of time, should we loop once around the coast or what other itinerary should be take? -- Alfred Molon http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe |
#7
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Sicily in December
when i was there in early spring, the schoolkids realy enjoyed the parks in palermo, such as the english garden and the pay botanical garden. also they enjoyed the cefalu shoreline walk, or rather watching people like me almost getting swept away from the high waves there at the time.i teased the kiddie spectators by for instance crossing bridges at the rare moment they werent engulfed by water... i think they were cheering the waves to soak me.
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#8
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Sicily in December
In article ,
Paul Aubrin wrote: On Sat, 10 Nov 2012 11:01:16 +0100, Alfred Molon wrote: We are travelling for two weeks between Xmas and New Year to Sicily. The weather will not be at its best, because usually the winter is the rainy season there. The southern coast supposedly is more dry, but also less interesting I heard. Although the weather is unpredictable, the chances are great that you will enjoy mild and sunny days in Sicily. http://www.gotaormina.com/it/taormin..._taormina.html Expect blooming mimosas, pistachio trees, Christmas carols, new year fireworks, and the finest Italian dishes. To be seen: Nebrodi, Nicosia, Pozillo lake, Caltagirone (ceramics), Modica. I liked antiquities like Agrigento but also Ragusa and Siracusa. This site shows decent weather in Palermo. http://www.thebesttimetovisit.com/we...icherville.php |
#9
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Sicily in December
On Sat, 10 Nov 2012, Alfred Molon wrote:
We are travelling for two weeks between Xmas and New Year to Sicily. The weather will not be at its best, because usually the winter is the rainy ... I guess the weather will be sort of a lottery. It could be substantially warmer than here in the north (I had a colleague from Palermo that carried an overcoat only when he came to Milan ... and he usually forgot it here) if you are lucky, but if it gets colder, it will be "effectively" colder because they have poor heating, and limited heating time during the day (this was the impression of a colleague who once did a vacation in Sicily around New Year in a bad weather year). I guess it won't make much sense visiting the islands, would it? WHICH islands ? Eolie ? Egadi ? Ustica ? Pantelleria ? Lampedusa ? I guess the latter three will be too far (by sea) for you. Egadi are possibly closer to the coast, but are at the opposite side of Sicily (in front of Trapani). Eolie (the only ones I know personally) are worth a visit, but connections will be interrupted in case of rough sea (it happened to me in September, we had to spend one night on the mainland coast). Also I do not think there are car ferries connections. Can somebody give me some tips regarding the itinerary? Personally I'm interested in photography, but my wife and the kids will be with me, so it won't be all churches and historical places. Since you are landing in Catania, you should of course visit Taormina (scenery + archaeology) and Siracusa (archaeology and nice museum). Up to you how far to go on the northern coast (beach landscape near Tindari, cathedral and scenery in Cefalu' ... then Palermo ... Erice over Trapani is a nice place, but it is rather high and can be in the fog, and/or cold (I'd been there twice for conferences in May and November and it was never very warm). I believe the main connection between Palermo and Catania is the motorway running inland, but I never did it. If you go south from Siracusa there are Noto and Ragusa with baroque churches. Modica is renowned for its chocolate (it's very peculiar, worked according to old recipe WITHOUT cocoa butter, just cocoa and sugar, try it). If you continue west on the southern coast you reach Agrigento with the temple valley, an extraordinary archaeological site. Maybe the oldest of you kids could be interested (I liked this sort of things at his age), tell him the story of Empedocles, or of the Bull of Falaride. Almond tree are said to blossom in February. Porto Empedocle (on the coast immediately close to Agrigento) should be one of the warmest places (I believe it's the only mainland place in climatic zone F). More greek temples in Selinunte (further on on the southern coast) and Segesta (slightly inland between Palermo and Trapani), this one is really impressive (and not truly Greek, but by the Elimi). By the way, which would be the naturally most scenic places? Is the Etna accessible in winter? AFAIK, Etna is a ski resort. Beware that it is more than 3000 m high, so it will be cold as a real mountain. One thing I never did, but should be very nice, it's a train trip around the volcano, there is a nice gallery on this excellent railway site http://www.miol.it/stagniweb/Foto6.a...ighe=100&Col=5 I also never did the Gorges of the Alcantara (north of Etna), or the Necropolis of Pantalica (south of Catania). The sight over the beaches of Tindari from above is worth a look. I never had enough time to visit the sights around Siracusa. In greek times it was a very large city, later it reduced to the island of Ortigia. The Aretusa Spring (with papyrus plants) is a sweet water source at a few meters from the sea (I liked it when I was a child). One archeological zone with the Latomie (quarries, and Dyonisius' Ear, the cave where the tyrant listened to the talks of the prisoners) is near the archaeological museum. There should be another one near the Eurialo Castle, which should be one of the largest fortresses of greek times. I heard there are also boat excursions on river Ciane (another place with papyrus). Make your own web search using these names as keys, and enjoy the trip. |
#10
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You should definately also visit he church of Saint Giovanni Battista, on Vittorio Emanuele Avenue, it's a brilliant site and on a good sunny day you can snap some rpetty amazing shots. |
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