Sicily by car; 7 or 8 days

I'm traveling to Sicily this September. We are going to fly to
Catania, and plan to stay for 7 or 8 days. I'm looking for
suggestions. We definitely want to go to Taormina, Siracusa and Mt.
Etna. I would also like to go to Agrigento, but I am concerned that it
will take too long to get there. We will have a car. Can anyone tell
me approximately how long it would take to drive to Agrigento from
Taormina? From Siracusa? Any help will be greatly appreaciated. Thanks.

In article . com,
" wrote:

I'm traveling to Sicily this September. We are going to fly to
Catania, and plan to stay for 7 or 8 days. I'm looking for
suggestions. We definitely want to go to Taormina, Siracusa and Mt.
Etna. I would also like to go to Agrigento, but I am concerned that it
will take too long to get there. We will have a car. Can anyone tell
me approximately how long it would take to drive to Agrigento from
Taormina? From Siracusa? Any help will be greatly appreaciated. Thanks.

Hi, I spent two weeks driving in Sicily last Fall. What you propose is
quite reasonable - about half what I saw in half the time.

The main motorway from Syracuse north to Catania and Taormina is quite
fast, I'd guess maybe 2-3 hours (?) total. So that's no problem. So a
day each in Siracusa, Taorimina and circuiting Mt. Etna is very
do-able, maybe 5 days amongst the three.

The driving trouble may be between Syracuse and Agrigento. There is a
major motor under construction, but the map I follows said it would be
finished in April 2005. If that is really when it is finished, then
the leg from Sircusa to Gela should be easy. Otherwise, the roadage
between the two is pretty primitive... I spent all morning driving from
Agrigento to syracuse, arriving some time in the afternoon (I forget
how late). But Agrigento really is amazing - the temple area, that is.

One unsolicited suggestion is to cut over to Piazza Armerina, because
just outside town are the ruins of a Roman Imperial villa called Villa
Romana del Casale, with some totally amazing mosaics on the floors.
Highly recommended.

PS - just to be clear, i think the path from Taormina should be through
Siracusa. Possibly the roman villa is the route back.

--
Dan Stephenson
Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

In article . com,
" wrote:

I'm traveling to Sicily this September. We are going to fly to
Catania, and plan to stay for 7 or 8 days. I'm looking for
suggestions. We definitely want to go to Taormina, Siracusa and Mt.
Etna. I would also like to go to Agrigento, but I am concerned that it
will take too long to get there. We will have a car. Can anyone tell
me approximately how long it would take to drive to Agrigento from
Taormina? From Siracusa? Any help will be greatly appreaciated. Thanks.

Hi, I spent two weeks driving in Sicily last Fall. What you propose is
quite reasonable - about half what I saw in half the time.

The main motorway from Syracuse north to Catania and Taormina is quite
fast, I'd guess maybe 2-3 hours (?) total. So that's no problem. So a
day each in Siracusa, Taorimina and circuiting Mt. Etna is very
do-able, maybe 5 days amongst the three.

The driving trouble may be between Syracuse and Agrigento. There is a
major motor under construction, but the map I follows said it would be
finished in April 2005. If that is really when it is finished, then
the leg from Sircusa to Gela should be easy. Otherwise, the roadage
between the two is pretty primitive... I spent all morning driving from
Agrigento to syracuse, arriving some time in the afternoon (I forget
how late). But Agrigento really is amazing - the temple area, that is.

One unsolicited suggestion is to cut over to Piazza Armerina, because
just outside town are the ruins of a Roman Imperial villa called Villa
Romana del Casale, with some totally amazing mosaics on the floors.
Highly recommended.

PS - just to be clear, i think the path from Taormina should be through
Siracusa. Possibly the roman villa is the route back.

--
Dan Stephenson
Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

On Tue, 01 Mar 2005 00:18:19 GMT, Dan Stephenson
wrote:

In article . com,
" wrote:

I'm traveling to Sicily this September. We are going to fly to
Catania, and plan to stay for 7 or 8 days. I'm looking for
suggestions. We definitely want to go to Taormina, Siracusa and Mt.
Etna. I would also like to go to Agrigento, but I am concerned that it
will take too long to get there. We will have a car. Can anyone tell
me approximately how long it would take to drive to Agrigento from
Taormina? From Siracusa? Any help will be greatly appreaciated. Thanks.

Hi, I spent two weeks driving in Sicily last Fall. What you propose is
quite reasonable - about half what I saw in half the time.

The main motorway from Syracuse north to Catania and Taormina is quite
fast, I'd guess maybe 2-3 hours (?) total. So that's no problem. So a
day each in Siracusa, Taorimina and circuiting Mt. Etna is very
do-able, maybe 5 days amongst the three.

The driving trouble may be between Syracuse and Agrigento. There is a
major motor under construction, but the map I follows said it would be
finished in April 2005. If that is really when it is finished, then
the leg from Sircusa to Gela should be easy. Otherwise, the roadage
between the two is pretty primitive... I spent all morning driving from
Agrigento to syracuse, arriving some time in the afternoon (I forget
how late). But Agrigento really is amazing - the temple area, that is.

One unsolicited suggestion is to cut over to Piazza Armerina, because
just outside town are the ruins of a Roman Imperial villa called Villa
Romana del Casale, with some totally amazing mosaics on the floors.
Highly recommended.

PS - just to be clear, i think the path from Taormina should be through
Siracusa. Possibly the roman villa is the route back.

I agree, and you should avoid Gela, however funny the story with
the turtle seemed while you were at school. Gela is not too nice
a place now.

If you are in the Syracuse area, Noto may be a good alternative
to the villa if you prefer Baroque architecture to late antique
mosaics.

I drove from Brindisi to Messina and around Sicily anti-clockwise
and back to Brindisi, in 2001 in about 10 days. The last leg in
the east was a bit rushed, so I cannot help too much there, but
if you want my opinion on what I saw in Syracuse and Agrigento
let me know.

Cheers,
Stelios
--

The address in the headers is real and does not need de-mungeing