I always do a follow-up trip report as a thank you to all the wonderful help and suggestions I get on this website. This trip was a lot of work, but well worth it. We picked mid-March to use a airline credit that was going to expire, but it turned out to be the perfect month. Shoulder season for low hotel rates, easy to get reservations at restaurants, no crowds, excellent weather - no rain until the last day in Rome and in the high 60's) and the hotel savings were used on car services. Here we go:
Arrive in Rome and wait 3 hours for flight to Catania...pick up by car service (at this point we need a car service not a bus!) and go to Ortigia to settle in for 5 nights at Algila Ortigia Charma Hotel that include: Full day immersion with Serena (intagliata.serena@libero.it) in Syracusa and Ortigia plus a food tasting at a typical family home in Ortigia; half day tour (plus a car service) to Noto after walking through the market in Ortigia and grabbing an awesome lunch!; Full day car service to Taormina for an hour stroll then to the Gambino Vineyards for a wine tasting and lunch; Love Boat ride around the island of Ortigia and grottos/caves, shopping and Puppet Show at 5:00: Outstanding dinners at Macalle and Vibes. Hotel found guide and car service.
DEPART Ortigia with car service and take inland route through hills and stop at Villa Romano del Casale then on to Agrigento to stay at Villa Athena Resort. Walk the Valley of the Temples then dine at the hotel's restaurant (awesome). Next day 2 hour tour Valley of the Temple with Lorenzo Capraro - just amazing guide. (AgrigentoExperience). THEN car service to Catania Airport and arrive in Naples for a car service pick-up....drive to Pompeii for 2 hour tour with "Pompeiitour" and then drive to Sorrento for drop off to Palazzo Tasso. Next day take the train (quite an adventure because the direct train was cancelled and no one told us!) and a 2 hour tour at Herculean with Luciano (+39 338-810 9890) who was also amazing. He had a whole binder that had interesting pictures. I found a lovely small jewelry store with a large selection of silver plated jewelry and more called Eco Art. Ecoart@alice.it. I bought several lovely earrings for gifts for 15 euros each. We did a small load of laundry and night and next morning took the ferry to: CAPRI for 4 nights. We stayed in the city of Capri (thank you Suki!) We took the walk up to ruins and had a beer and split a sandwich at a bistro with a view; Took a crazy hike that took over 4 hours...We started at the blue grotto and walked to the lighthouse. Scary! Narrow rocky paths with sheer drops off one side and rock on the other; one day we toured Anacapri including the Red House Museum, St. Michelle; (too cloudy for ride up the mountains - I saw enough on that hike!) Then we took the ferry back to Sorrento, then a car service to Naples Train station for a fast train to Rome. Stayed at Palazzo Navona (thank you again Suki!). Just loved this hotel. First day we had drinks and a snack at the roof top bar and walked all around and did some shopping. The Borghese was closed for renovation so on our free day we went to Galleria Doria Pamphilj. It was marvelous and included an excellent audio tour. We went to the Jewish Ghetto for lunch at Beppe e i suoi formaggi. It used to have a restaurant attached but now it's an amazing cheese store but they also serve wonderful salads (we had the Chèvre Chaud) and homemade ravioli (Pumpkin Tortillas Cacio & Pepe and my husband had the Ravioli with natural blue and pears....14.50 euros and absolutely amazing!) Then around the corner is a small jewelry store with handmade jewelry by the owner....beautiful jewelry that start at 40 euros. The name is BovaConti Gioielli +39 339 277 9720. Just love my earrings for 60 euros! I can't write anymore, but I highly recommend traveling to Sicily in March!
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Thanks for your trip report! Sounds like a great trip!