Sabbatical in Europe - Sicily

I have no answer to your question, but you might want to delete both of your posts here in the "General Europe" section and repost just one of them over on the "To the Boot" section. This will get you more attention to your question.

I'm half Italian and have been in Sicilia many times. As you have already visit the the north coast and Palermo, I'd suggest you to divide your stay with a base in SE Sicily (Modica, Ragusa or maybe Siracusa) and another near Agrigento. On the Southeast, you should definitively check out Modica and Ragusa, hilly cities with amazing culinary and not swarmed with tourists to the extent of Taormina, for instance. Both have easy car access to many beaches like Posalo and Capo Pesaro (this one is a MUST to visit, if only for a few hours). They are, though, not mere villages, and they offer a basic range of services and own attractions not to keep you bored if you stay there one week. You also have the "Notto valley" baroque area, with some wine tasting in the area. The freeway linking Siracusa to Catania has been opened, making access far more easier should you go to/from there. As for the Agrigento area, besides the Temple Valley, you can make it a base to explore the center of the island.

We were in Sicily in May and rented a car in Catania and spent 2 weeks driving around the perimeter of the country ending up in Palermo. On the eastern side we stayed near Acireale to visit Taormina, and other cities nearby. We also spent 3 nights in in Ortigia which was our favorite city in Sicily. In the west, we found that Trapani made a good base. From there we went to Erice, Marsala, Scopello, and Mozia. We also liked the southern coastal town of Sciacca. You'll have a great time in Sicily!

Thank you for your recommendations! Is it possible to explore Sicily without a car? Can we manage by taking trains/buses?

I'll reply here since this thread seems more active than the duplicate one on Italy's board (and I saw it here first). We did 2 weeks in Sicily via bus & train, and it certainly is doable, especially with four weeks, but a car is more convenient. You'll have to weigh the advantages of freedom of movement against the cost of a rental + parking and the stress of dealing with Italian drivers. I found trying to keep track of all the bus schedules, figure out where to buy tickets, and get on/off was fairly stressful in its own way but if you are a planner and have time to do the legwork in advance, public transportation is a good option. Especially if opting for public transportation, I would recommend Siracusa (Syracuse) in the east and Trapani in the west. Both have good connections to other parts of Sicily and the older, historic parts of both I found to be quite charming. You have to transfer through Palermo to get from one to the other, though.

I have been looking for another place to explore after our week in Tuscany in September. Ive never been to Sicily, you are making me want to try it!

Use a rental car, and stay in at least three places. Sicily is a very big island, and three bases, rather than two would allow your day trips to be shorter distances. We also stayed in the Trapani area, and used it as a good base to explore the NW. Also consider at least a day trip to the Egadi islands. If you are going to be staying for extended stays, look into renting apartments thru VRBO.com, and Homedays.com. We have had good luck using these two agencies in the EU. Of course, you understand that it will be very hot that time of year, so make good use of the beaches! One more possibility is the Aeolian islands, just off the NE coast. They are just fantastic, and would be so much fun that time of year. We based ourselves on Lipari Island (in Lipari town) and took day trips to the other islands. Each one is totally different. You can reach these islands by high speed ferry from Millazzo, Messina, etc. No car is needed there. We used the Lonely Planet guidebook to plan our Sicily vacations. It has good suggestions, and excellent transportation info. There are also some very knowledgable people on Trip Advsior that can provide you with a wealth of info on Sicily.

"Also consider at least a day trip to the Egadi islands." Hmmm. I stayed on the Egadi islands, and maybe it was just too early in the year, but I was seriously bored. Loved Trapani, adored Erice, but the islands were a waste of time. If you want islands I think the Aeolians would be a better bet. Highly recommend Ortigia on the other side of the island.