Thoughts? Do I need another day anywhere? Any other info or advice appreciated
4 nights Palermo with day trip to Cefalu, walking food tour, hamman
4 nights San Vito with day trips to Erice and Egadi Island boat tour
3 nights Taormina
4 nights Ortigia with day trips to Ragussa and Noto
2 nights Catania and fly home from there Mostly trains but car rental in San Vito and Ortigia
I presume you are going in summer (to best enjoy the beaches of San Vito and nearby Zingaro reserve, as well as the Egadi).
I also presume you are driving from San Vito to Ortigia, in which case you could stop along the way in Agrigento (Valley of the Temples) for two or three hours to visit the beautiful temples Archeological park.
While in San Vito, on the day you visit Erice, you could also visit the temple of Segesta. They are not far from each other. The Egadi needs to be its own separate trip as it would take most of the day.
If you plan to pass by Agrigento, you should go to Ortigia first and then to Taormina after Ortigia, before heading to Catania.
If you are traveling in summer, consider staying at Giardini Naxos instead of Taormina, on the beach. Better prices, cheaper parking and nice beach. Make sure you look for a hotel with parking or garage arrangements. From Giardini to Taormina it is only 10 min and I usually park here and walk to the city center. Parking in Taormina isn’t cheap, but what is cheap in Taormina? If you stay three nights in Taormina proper, between hotel and parking, it will cost you as much as the rest of the trip. A day visit from Giardini is more than enough, and your wallet will thank you.
Thanks Roberto for the advice about Giardini. We plan to go in late September through early October when some of the crowds thin out a bit. We were planning on using trains to get to our destinations so not driving but after looking at train routes, buses and travel time, perhaps this is not a good idea. I will further check into your route and see if that will work better. I hear driving is chaotic there but perhaps only in the big cities and popular tourist areas. Now I am thinking to skip San Vito. Only picked that spot as we would like to have a couple days on a nice sandy beach. Do you have other suggestions for this?
Based on Roberto's info, here is a new possible itinerary. Please share thoughts.
Travel night
* Cefalu 3 nights, train to Palermo
* Palermo 3 nights then pick up rental car
* Trapani area 2 nights (Erice and Egadi island tour)
* Ragusa 2 nights. Tour Noto 2nd day
* Syracuse 2 nights (drop off car first upon arrival) Train to Taormina
* Taormina 3 nights Train to Catania
* Catania 1 night then fly home
I have left out San Vito and submitted beach time in Cefalu. Also car rental for 4 continuous days seems more appropriate.
The only place where traffic is notoriously chaotic is Palermo, and Catania. Therefore avoid renting cars while you are staying there. In the rest of the island roads will have zero to little traffic.
If I were you I would fly to Palermo (PMO) and spend the first 4 nights there to visit Palermo and the Basilica of Monreale. Cefalu is an easy train day trip from the Palermo Central station. Find accommodations north of the Central station and south of the Teatro Politeama, anywhere more or less along the Via Maqueda corridor. It’s a very elegant part of Palermo and very safe.
Once you are done with Palermo, rent a car in the city and get out of town. Head west first. I stayed in Scopello a very quaint small village next to the Zingaro Reserve (great beaches, albeit pebbly and cliffs, no sand beaches). From Scopello or anywhere else in the area (Castellammare is also nice), you can take daily driving trips to Erice, Trapani, Segesta, San Vito, Selinunte, wine country (the province of Trapani produces the most grapes in Italy), even the Egadi (ferry from Trapani). Everything is within 30-60 min radius). Stay there nights that you deem necessary in western Sicily.
Then take the southern highway via Sciacca and Agrigento. Visit the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. If you like beaches see also the Stairs of the Turks beach. You could do it all in a day without spending the night, but if you have time you could spend a night or two in Agrigento.
From Agrigento head to Piazza Armerina and visit the Roman Villa del Casale. You might want to spend one night there too.
Next head to Ortigia. Cars are not allowed in parts of the island but there is a large parking structure where you can park. Hereis the parking place. Ortigia can be used as a base to visit Noto, Ragusa, Modica, unless you want to spend nights there. If you prefer an agriturismo outside of town instead of Ortigia, I can suggest one.
Finally head to Giardini. 3 nights are more than enough. Taormina can be seen in half a day.
Drive to Catania for your last night and return the car as soon as you get there. Next day you go home from Catania’s Vincenzo Bellini International airport (CTA)
