13 days in Sicily - need help please

Three days is so brief and there is so much to see in Sicily, that I would add those days to your island plans and save Naples/Amalfi for a future trip. Because you are likely to be on the mainland again but not might be on Sicily again, I would exhaust all of your available time there.

Thanks. We are staying 13 in Sicily. Should we even bother with Naples or Amalfi and just spend 16 in Sicily?

We spent 14 nights in Sicily and it wasn’t enough. I would have loved 2 more nights (actually even more!)

I would skip Catania and head right to Siracusa. We rented a car when we were leaving Siracusa for Ragusa and returned it at Palermo’s airport.

Thanks. I'm looking for advice on the 2 or 4 places we should stay in Sicily, when to pick up a car, etc. Things to see/do based on the interests I mentioned.

I would take the train from Rome to Naples and not visit the Amalfi Coast. Touring Naples and visiting Pompeii are worthwhile. The National Archaeology Museum houses many treasures from Pompeii and Naples is a unique city.

I enjoyed staying in Catania and two days there to visit the WW II museum, fish market and other sites is sufficient, I would take the train from Catania to Siracusa and not pick up your rental car until you’re ready to leave Ortigia. I don’t know if you’ve reviewed the itinerary for the Best of Sicily but please do so. I have made two trips to Sicily and I would not miss visiting the Roman Villa outside Piazza Armerina, the ancient Valley of the Temples in Agrigento and the mosaics in Monreale.

If Pompeii (and/or Herculaneum) is a priority for your ruins vs and historical stuff interests, then include Naples. If not, get in extra time on Sicily.

At the moment, your labs are essentially southeastern Sicily, plus Palermo. You are t including Agrigento and the incredible Valley of the Temples Greek temples- in better shape than what you’ll find in Greece. I’d put Agrigento on your agenda, and drop Ragusa. I’d actually have put down Modica in place of Ragusa, if you were set on a Catania/Siracusa/another southeastern town agenda.

So, Catania/Siracusa/Agrigento/Palermo.

Thanks Cyn! We've been to Pompeii, so no need to go again. Advice on when to pick up a car would be great as well. Do you suggest starting in Palermo and ending in Catania?

Thanks Philip - I'll review the itinerary you mentioned!

I did a 21 night trip around Sicily and still couldn't fit in all I wanted to see. Regardless of 13 or 16 nights you will have to prioritize and limit what you can see.

If you fly into Catania and base there for three nights you can see the city itself, Mt. Etna area and a daytrip to Taormina. Taormina's very popular but its Greek theater and beautiful scenery are truly beautiful. You could easily get to Taormina as a daytrip on your own by bus or train and maybe do a paid daytrip tour of Mt. Etna area. A car is not needed in Catania itself but could be helpful if you want to visit the wineries and Aci towns between Catania and Etna.

Then head to Siracusa and stay in Ortygia. Again easy bus and train transport to that area so no car needed. You need at least three nights there. You can use Siracusa/ Ortygia as your base, lots to see and do and do a small group one day tour to see your Baroque towns of Noto, Módica and/or Ragusa. From Siracusa either hire a driver or rent a car to take you to Agrigento with a stop to see Villa Romana del Casale and maybe Caltagirone with its famous steps and pottery. Stay in Agrigento two nights. You won't get their till late afternoon anyway so that gives you one full day to see the ruins at Agrigento. From Agrigento take train or bus to Palermo. I would stay in palermo at least four nights, maybe 5. You need at least two days to dedicate to Palermo itself. and a few hours in Monreale. Then you can join a small group tour or hire a driver to visit Segesta and beautiful mountaintop medieval Erice. You can also do an easy daytrip to Cefalu by train or bus on your own. You do not want a car in Palermo.

Or do the reverse and add in your stop in Ragusa. Fly into Palermo ( base 1) where you don't need the car. Spend your time there in the city and with a daytrip or two as mentioned above. Train or bus to Agrigento ( Base 2) Visit the ruins. Then rent a car to drive yourselves from Agrigento to Villa Romana and go as far as Ragusa ( Base 3) Stay to visit Ragusa. Keeping your car drive to Siracusa (Base 4) possibly visiting Noto on the way. Stay in Siracusa/ Ortigia and turn in the car. Take bus or train to Catania. Finish trip with last base in Catania with a daytrip to Taormina and Etna if interested, Allocate the number of nights in each base that best serves your needs.

You mentioned you like down time and beach views. If you can add some time on to your Palermo area, stay a night or two in Castellammare del Golfo or Scopello ( both on coast not far from Palermo).

Pat, you're amazing! Thank-you for the wonderful information. Most helpful. A question for you. We will be travelling with 2 carry-ons and on larger suitcase. Is there room to bring these on a train and/or bus?

No issue at all on an inter-city bus; luggage will go in the hold underneath. On a train you usually have to get the luggage up a few narrow steps (carriage design varies) and stow. The carry-ons can probably go right above your seats. The larger will have to go on a rack (often near the door) of perhaps between two back-to-back seats if it isn't too large. You will be happier if that bag isn't much larger than a carry-on.

If you were to pick up your rental car at the Palermo airport, it’s several miles west of the city, on the opposite side from where you’re planning on visiting other locations in Sicily. That said, it’s not an overwhelming distance, but you’d have to retrace some distance (some). If you were to turn in the car at the Palermo airport instead, you’d still have to drive out there at that time. Are you planning on being car free while staying in Palermo, or turning in the car just before flying back to Rome? Maybe it doesn’t matter, but convenience and efficiency might make dropping off at Palermo the better choice.

Hi Cyn: The plan was to be car-free in Palermo as I've read that you don't need a car there. Would you agree?

So, fyi, this is what we did, self-drive, which worked out great for us:

Day 1 - Travel to Rome, fly directly to Catania, drive to Taormina via Castelmola
Day 2 - Etna wineries, back to Taormina
Day 3 - To Ortigia
Day 4 - To Ragusa via Noto
Day 5 - Ragusa - Modica - Scicli - Ragusa
Day 6 - To Agrigento via Villa del Casale
Day 7 - Beach day, then Valley of the Temples in PM, stay Agrigento
Day 8 - To Cefalu
Day 9 - To Palermo via Monreale, drop off car downtown Palermo
Day 10 - Palermo
Day 11 - To Rome
Day 12 - Rome
Day 13 - Rome
Day 14 - Return travel

We loved Sicily! Cefalu was the only disappointment — very crowded, touristy and unwelcoming. Valley of the Temples at dusk was a highlight of the trip.

Yes, avoid having a car in Palermo.