What's Sicily Like

I am considering going to Sicily. Can anyone answer these questions:

1. In the cities and countryside is there any violent crime I should
know about? I mean compared to Europe in general.
2. Are there snakes?
3. How is the food?
4. Is Taromina worth seeing? Is it a spectacular location?

Any other comments would be appreciated.

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I am considering going to Sicily. Can anyone answer these questions:

1. In the cities and countryside is there any violent crime I should
know about? I mean compared to Europe in general.

No.

2. Are there snakes?

Yes.

3. How is the food?

Depends on what you are looking for. Not a lot of McDonalds, but the Italian
food is good (as is the Sicilian wine)

4. Is Taromina worth seeing? Is it a spectacular location?

Yes.


JohnT

wrote:
I am considering going to Sicily. Can anyone answer these questions:

1. In the cities and countryside is there any violent crime I should
know about? I mean compared to Europe in general.
2. Are there snakes?
3. How is the food?
4. Is Taromina worth seeing? Is it a spectacular location?

Any other comments would be appreciated.

I do not think criminality in Sicily is common..
People are very good and warm
food is excellent and based mainly on Fish ( swordfish is the typical fish)
Taormina is one of the most expensive and famous palces to see in Sicily

we have only one type of snakes in Italy.. it is the Viper.. but normally it
lives in woods
Viper bytes are so uncommon. that hospitals are not obliged anymore to have
anthydotes.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I am considering going to Sicily. Can anyone answer these questions:

1. In the cities and countryside is there any violent crime I should
know about? I mean compared to Europe in general.
2. Are there snakes?
3. How is the food?
4. Is Taromina worth seeing? Is it a spectacular location?

Any other comments would be appreciated.

Try to include the Lipari Islands on your trip. We had two weeks travelling
in Eastern Sicily by bus and train and a week going from island to Island.
We went one March when it was completely tourist free.
http://www.bestofsicily.com/lipari.htm
Derek.

In article .com,
() wrote:

*From:* "
*Date:* 28 Apr 2006 16:19:57 -0700

I am considering going to Sicily. Can anyone answer these questions:

1. In the cities and countryside is there any violent crime I should
know about? I mean compared to Europe in general.

Parts of Palermo feel pretty rough, but (as so often) they are not the
parts you will be visiting as a tourist, unless you get lost like we did!
Otherwise, Sicily feels if anything above-average safe.

2. Are there snakes?
3. How is the food?

Excellent.

4. Is Taromina worth seeing? Is it a spectacular location?

Yes.

Any other comments would be appreciated.

Other places I enjoyed were Trapani, Cefalu, Enna and Piazza Armerina.
Personally I found Siracusa a little over-rated though the archeological
park is worth visiting.

The weather can change dramatically with altitude so pack accordingly.

Outside of the main tourist spots there is even less English spoken than
in the rest of Italy (and the accent is pretty thick too), so brush up on
your Italian.

Though public transport exists, it's one place where I really would
advocate having a car.


----------------------------------------------
The poster formerly known as .

wrote in message
...
In article .com,
() wrote:

*From:* "
*Date:* 28 Apr 2006 16:19:57 -0700

I am considering going to Sicily. Can anyone answer these questions:

1. In the cities and countryside is there any violent crime I should
know about? I mean compared to Europe in general.

Parts of Palermo feel pretty rough, but (as so often) they are not the
parts you will be visiting as a tourist, unless you get lost like we did!
Otherwise, Sicily feels if anything above-average safe.

2. Are there snakes?
3. How is the food?

Excellent.

4. Is Taromina worth seeing? Is it a spectacular location?

Yes.

Any other comments would be appreciated.

Other places I enjoyed were Trapani, Cefalu, Enna and Piazza Armerina.
Personally I found Siracusa a little over-rated though the archeological
park is worth visiting.

The weather can change dramatically with altitude so pack accordingly.

Outside of the main tourist spots there is even less English spoken than
in the rest of Italy (and the accent is pretty thick too), so brush up on
your Italian.

Though public transport exists, it's one place where I really would
advocate having a car.

We had absoloutly no problems with bus and train travel. The day we were
leaving Taormina there was a bus strike but we had the train as an
alternative. Enna was inside a cloud most of the time we were there.
Derek.

In article ,
(Derek F) wrote:

*From:* "Derek F"
*Date:* Sat, 29 Apr 2006 15:48:46 +0100


wrote in message
...
In article .com,
() wrote:

*From:* "
*Date:* 28 Apr 2006 16:19:57 -0700

I am considering going to Sicily. Can anyone answer these questions:

1. In the cities and countryside is there any violent crime I should
know about? I mean compared to Europe in general.

Parts of Palermo feel pretty rough, but (as so often) they are not the
parts you will be visiting as a tourist, unless you get lost like we
did!
Otherwise, Sicily feels if anything above-average safe.

2. Are there snakes?
3. How is the food?

Excellent.

4. Is Taromina worth seeing? Is it a spectacular location?

Yes.

Any other comments would be appreciated.

Other places I enjoyed were Trapani, Cefalu, Enna and Piazza Armerina.
Personally I found Siracusa a little over-rated though the
archeological
park is worth visiting.

The weather can change dramatically with altitude so pack accordingly.

Outside of the main tourist spots there is even less English spoken
than
in the rest of Italy (and the accent is pretty thick too), so brush
up on
your Italian.

Though public transport exists, it's one place where I really would
advocate having a car.

We had absoloutly no problems with bus and train travel

Oh, I don't doubt it's possible - my point wasn't really that public
transport in Sicily is bad, but that it's an island where one may well
want to stray off the beaten track: a place where it's especially
rewarding to get out of the towns and cities.

----------------------------------------------
The poster formerly known as .

" wrote

1. In the cities and countryside is there any violent crime I should
know about? I mean compared to Europe in general.
I've been there 2 weeks in september 2005. My experience is that it is safe
to travel in Sicily, and big cities like Palermo and Catania are no
exception.

For a comparison (again,based on my experience) Rome felt more dangerous,
for what I've seen and heard (screaming) on the Metro train.

2. Are there snakes?
Yes,there are, nothing to be worried about.

3. How is the food?
Very good and not expensive, it's a very important part of the experience.
You won't miss McDonalds, try Sicilian fast food, though some specialties
require lots of guts :-)

4. Is Taromina worth seeing? Is it a spectacular location?
It was the only place I didn't like during my stay, and run away as soon as
I could. Packed with tourists all around and consequently high prices.

Any other comments would be appreciated
Do not miss the coast and the sea. Transparent water allows a great
snorkeling experience. Some of the best sites are The " Riserva dello
Zingaro" not far from Palermo ( and Castellammare del Golfo, worth visiting
too); the "Riserva di Vendicari", some 40 Km. south of Siracusa ( with
Palermo, the most beautiful of the beautiful cities of Sicily); and
obviously, the Eolian Islands.

My itinerary covered Palermo; Erice; The "Riserva dello Zingaro" and
Castellammare del Golfo; Cefalù; Lipari, Salina and Stromboli in the Eolian
Islands; Taormina; Catania; Siracusa; Noto and the "Riserva di Vendicari";
Modica; Ragusa.

I did it in 15 days, as you see skipping all the south-west( Agrigento),
and it was barely enough time. I used public transportation: trains did
start and did arrive indeed, but slow and not on time; buses are a better
option than car when in Palermo, Siracusa or Catania, but be prepared to
long waiting to catch one. Cars, though expensive, are a better idea (
except for Palermo, Siracusa and Catania), the roads are in good conditions
and the traffic is low.

wrote:
I am considering going to Sicily. Can anyone answer these questions:

1. In the cities and countryside is there any violent crime I should
know about? I mean compared to Europe in general.

No. Don't be afraid of the criminals, be afraid of the local drivers.

Keep an eyes on your valuables at crowded bus stops in Palermo, the
pickpockets there are very skillful.

2. Are there snakes?

Don't know, haven't seen any.

3. How is the food?

Much like in the rest of Italy.

4. Is Taromina worth seeing? Is it a spectacular location?

Yes, and yes. It is very beautiful.

Any other comments would be appreciated.

My general impression of Sicily: it is not pleasant (with a few
exception), but it is beautiful. I don't like Italian food much, the
traffic is extremely annoying, the sidewalks are too small for comfort
and the air is very dry. All this nonwithstanding it was well worth a
visit, interesting and beautiful.

I've been to the following places:

Agrigento: the town itself is not much, but there are very interesting and
well-preserved Greek temples.

Siracusa: pretty. A bit overrated. Gives you the feeling that you have seen it in
a few movies, probably due to having in fact seen it in several movies.

Taormina: absolutely beautiful, great views. Very touristy. Very little traffic and
much better food than elsewhere. Visited Etna from there - was very interesting.

Catania: unimpressive.

Piazza Armerina: a pretty little town in central Sicily. Don't miss Villa Romana.

Cefalu: A very nice seaside town with a nice cathedral. I'll probably want to stay
there if I ever visit Sicily again.

Palermo: did not like the city itself, but was worth a visit, if not
for other reasons then at least because you can visit Monreale
cathedral from there. The cathedral is really great.

--
Vera Izrailit

"tile" wrote in message
.. .
wrote:

I do not think criminality in Sicily is common..
People are very good and warm

Right!
http://www.corriere.it/english/artic...03/pizzo.shtml