Sicily itinerary for next spring

We're planning a two week vacation in Sicily for next April or May and would
like some help. Thinking about three or four nights in Palermo, 2 nights in
Agrigento, and perhaps the rest in or near Taormina. We'd like to rent a car
but are open to other means of travel if convenient. Would you spend more or
less time in each of these areas? Would also appreciate info on more unexplored
areas any of you have discovered - and perhaps special places to stay in the
moderate price range.
Have heard there are some pretty inns outside the big cities but then again
we'd like to see the cities at night...so debating which way to go.

Thanks, Doris

In article ,
(Bluegrassdoris) wrote:

We're planning a two week vacation in Sicily for next April or May and
would
like some help. Thinking about three or four nights in Palermo, 2
nights in
Agrigento, and perhaps the rest in or near Taormina.

Snap - I was about to post a rather similar query! Except we're going for
a week in January.

Like you, we're thinking of three bases (2x2 nights + 1x3 nights). I
haven't really started researching where to go yet, as my mental clock
still thinks it's August. What made you choose Agrigento?

"Bluegrassdoris" wrote in message
...
We're planning a two week vacation in Sicily for next April or May and
would
like some help. Thinking about three or four nights in Palermo, 2 nights
in
Agrigento, and perhaps the rest in or near Taormina. We'd like to rent a
car
but are open to other means of travel if convenient. Would you spend more
or
less time in each of these areas? Would also appreciate info on more
unexplored
areas any of you have discovered - and perhaps special places to stay in
the
moderate price range.
Have heard there are some pretty inns outside the big cities but then
again
we'd like to see the cities at night...so debating which way to go.

Thanks, Doris

2 nights in Agrigento is probably more than you need. Definitely visit
Syracusa. Taormina is nice, but on the pricey side, and very heavily
touristed (though most of the tourists are Italian). We spent a couple of
nights in, if I recall correctly, Ragusa, which is split between an upper
and lower town -- very pretty place to visit.

We rented a car when we went. Driving is easy in Sicily, except in Palermo
where, apparently, yielding the right of way is considered unmanly.
Complicating this are a series of one-way streets. Oh, and if you drive in
Ragusa, watch out for sheep!

We enjoyed Sicily very much. You should have a wonderful time.

(Bluegrassdoris) posted:

We're planning a two week vacation in Sicily for next April or May and
would like some help. Thinking about three or four nights in
Palermo, 2 nights in Agrigento, and perhaps the rest in or near
Taormina. We'd like to rent a car but are open to other means of
travel if convenient. Would you spend more or less time in each of
these areas? Would also appreciate info on more unexplored areas any
of you have discovered - and perhaps special places to stay in the
moderate price range. Have heard there are some pretty inns outside
the big cities but then again we'd like to see the cities at
night...so debating which way to go.

Thanks, Doris
Maybe you'll find some good ideas in my photo report of a trip circling
Sicily:
http://buten.net/max/index.html#SICILY
- Max
--
MisterMax
Slideshows of Angkor Wat, Bali, Crete, France, Malaysia, Maui, Morocco,
Mt Holly, Sicily, St Tropez, Singapore, Thailand, Tour de France:
http://buten.net/max/
(Yes,RemoveDoubles is part of my email address. The double letters in my
last name are not.)

On 30 Oct 2003, Bluegrassdoris wrote:

We're planning a two week vacation in Sicily for next April or May and would

probably the best season to do it

like some help. Thinking about three or four nights in Palermo, 2 nights in
Agrigento, and perhaps the rest in or near Taormina. We'd like to rent a car

contrary to my usual approach (travel by train) I am afraid I have to
agree with you. Train service in Sicily is poor, the locals use buses,
but it is not easy to find information.

I could recommend the following places :

Palermo, Monreale (very close to Palermo, nice Norman cathedral with
mosaics, then turn west along the coast, stop at Segesta (archeological
"elimian" temple and site), continue along the coast, possibly stop at
the natural reserve Zingaro (although it was badly affected by fire),
continue to Erice (you'd have to drive up on a mountain), a well
preserved medieval village (I'm not sure how easy is to sleep there
because hotels are always booked by scientists attending conferences at
the Majorana centre).

I was not greatly impressed by Trapani (on the west tip at sea level
just under Erice), I have never been to the Egadi islands (in front of
Trapani) but I've been told they are interesting (phoenician remains). I
also do not know the west coast around Marsala.

Anyhow from there, or from Segesta cutting through the interior you
could reach Selinunte on the south coast, an important greek
archeological site.

Then along the coast to Agrigento and its Temple Valley.

It is up to you whether to follow the coast, or drive towards Catania in
the interior (stopping at Piazza Armerina to visit the roman villa, with
its famous floor mosaics).

Catania itself is a baroque city (it was rebuilt after an Etna eruption
in 1600). You should ascend on Etna (a 3000 m active volcano), you
should be able to get at least to 1800 m.

Siracusa is south of Catania, has an excellent archeological museum and
important archeological sites.

I have never been to Ragusa (but since it is the scene of a popular TV
series, it looks quite nice), Noto (renowned for its baroque buildings,
unfortunately ruined by earthquake), and Pantalica (a pre-greek
necropolis).

North of Catania you should visit Taormina, and maybe the Alcantara
gorge (I've never been there but heard it's nice).

The motorway goes around Messina and then turns on the north coast to
Milazzo. 30 years ago I did instead Taormina-north coast via the
interior (Novara di Sicilia) and the mountain area was quite nice.

If you want to return to Palermo, Cefalu' with its norman cathedral is
worth visiting. Otherwise you could fly back from Catania.

If you have time for a detour, from Milazzo you could take a ferry or
hydrofoil to the Lipari islands, and visit at least the main island,
Vulcano, Panarea and Stromboli. Mixture of archeological places (nice
museum in Lipari, prehistoric site in Panarea) and nature (active
volcanoes on Vulcano and Stromboli). Buy capperi and cucungi if you like
them.

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(Bluegrassdoris) wrote in message ...
We're planning a two week vacation in Sicily for next April or May and would
like some help. Thinking about three or four nights in Palermo, 2 nights in
Agrigento, and perhaps the rest in or near Taormina. We'd like to rent a car
but are open to other means of travel if convenient. Would you spend more or
less time in each of these areas? Would also appreciate info on more unexplored
areas any of you have discovered - and perhaps special places to stay in the
moderate price range.
Have heard there are some pretty inns outside the big cities but then again
we'd like to see the cities at night...so debating which way to go.

Thanks, Doris

Flew into Palermo from Rome 11/97. Since we don't like cities avoided
Palermo
and spent several days in the delightful hill town of Erice nearby.

Drove around the coast spending time in Segesta, Agrigento and most
important IMO Siracusa which rivaled Athens in importance for the
ancient Greeks. Have
been to Athens and found antiquities have been protected better in
Siracusa.
Proceeded then to Taormina for a few days and then Catania for flight
back to Rome.

Driving wasn't bad but we couldn't average more than 30 to 35 mph
behind slow
moving vehicles on narrow winding roads. Kept running into a group of
American senior citizens on an elder hostel van tour and they asked if
we were suicidal
since we were driving ourselves. They saw several wrecks on their tour
and each time were concerned it was us (just wife and myself) but we
made it OK without major incident. If you drive plan refueling
carefully because stations are not
always available or open during siesta.