Putting the final touches on my itinerary for a 3 week trip to Sicily in October.
I'm planning on two full days in Syracuse and three full days in Taormina.Mt. Etna. Is this enough time to see and experience these two locations? If I had one more day to add would it be in Syracuse or in Taormina/Mt. Etna?
As usual, thanks in advance for all the expert advice.
I would add it to Siracusa. Two nights is one full day, plus a few hours. Siracusa has a great museum, archeological zones, and old city (Ortygia).
Allen, we spent 5 days in Syracuse last May, staying in Ortigia, the old town, and never got out of the city. Did not get to Taormina, and saw Etna only as we flew in and out of Catania airport.
I would suggest adding a third day in Siracusa. We visited the archeological park and museum one day, took a boat trip to the sea caves [narration only in Italian but it was still fun], visited the castle Maniace at the tip of Ortigia, the Arkimedion, the Duomo, ... okay, I'll stop babbling. One oddball recommendation near the beginning of your stay, if you are interested in history - see Syracuse 3D - Reborn, a brief but fun introduction to the Greek history of the town. It's shown in a small building on the corner of the Piazza del Duomo. I also warmly recommend the wine bar Barcollo, not far from the Duomo; they serve a light buffet along with drinks, and we ate there twice. Have a wonderful time!
Both are fantastic. What are your interests? Siracusa has more history than Taormina, but Taormina can't be beaten for beauty. If you are thinking of touring Mt. Etna, I would suggest that you stay in Taormina as it is closer to that town. Whatever you decide, you can't go wrong.
I would stay the extra night in Taormina
I love both cities. Taormina is Very Beautiful, but smaller. The Greek Theatre is amazing, and so are the restaurants, views, etc., and there's a gondola that takes you down to the sea. I don't know if those pizzerias, pubs, etc. on the sea will be open in October, however. It's much easier to get to Mt. Etna from Taormina, however. Make sure you set time aside to do this. There is a tour company based in Taormina that I've used on two separate trips: legendofsicily.com and they took us on two long day trips one of which included both Mt. Etna and a fabulous winery (Gambino Vino) if that interests you.
Syracuse, of course has a more city atmosphere, and the museum. I guess it depends on your interests.
Rick's 10-day tour moves quickly and covers the highlights with only two-night stays in each of those cities. It sounds like you'll have enough time to see each more thoroughly. The Archelogical Museum Paolo Orsi was closed for remodeling last winter, so it should be better than ever.
Allen, both Taormina and Siracusa (especially Ortygia) are wonderful. To spend extra time, I would choose Taormina. Not only can you take a day trip to Mt. Etna, but one special area is the tiny hill town of Castelmola, high above Taormina, and also the nearby tiny Madonna della Rocca Church, carved into the rock. The town is a hilly one, with beautiful views of Taormina and the nearby countryside, its own lovely church, a castle now closed for renovation (I guess), and a small number of shops and restaurants. I stopped in one small shop where an older lady offered me a taste of almond wine, very tasty. I asked her if it was made there in Castelmola, figuring it was not. "Oh yes," she responded, "it was made by my father, that's his name on the label." So of course I got a bottle which I lugged all over Italy and back home with me, still waiting for the right special occasion. Hope it ages well. The Madonna della Rocca Church is all by its lonesome on a separate hill somewhat nearby, and is by far the most low-ceiling'd and intimate church I've visited in Italy, very old and really special. I met and chatted with an elderly man in his 90s standing outside the church, looking down on Taormina and it's Greek Theater from afar. "Taormina used to be the most beautiful place in the world," he reminisced, "until all the people showed up." To get to these two sites, 5 of us negotiated a cab at the piazza near the path to the Greek Theater in Taormina for 45 euros, up and back and less than an hour up top. Doing it again, I'd prefer to spend more time up there. It might be possible to make the trip via a very hilly, curvy and probably slow bus ride, and I've read you can hike it, but that seems pretty ambitious.
Syracusa may have more "sights," but the atmosphere of Taormina is magic, while to me, Syracusa was more prosaic. So I'd add the time to Taormina, but as you can see, different people have different experiences. From Syracusa you can take day trips to Noto or Ragusa.
Note that I didn't go up Mt. Etna because on the day I planned to do this, it was clouded over. As is said often of the Swiss Alps, mountains make their own weather, their weather changes very quickly, and it's not worth paying to go up when the weather isn't clear. So if this is a priority for you, keep a flexible schedule, and be prepared to go whenever the view is good.
