First time to Sicily

The link below will take you to all the discussions of Sicily on this forum, many of them discuss where to home base

click here

Thank you so much! This is the first time I've ever had to "wait" for an answer on the graffiti wall.

This is an awesome website to share information with people who have been where you want to go! I've used it for four European trips, and within minutes had all kinds of responses almost immediately! So "had to wait" meant I posted, waited, checked the computer periodically, and didn't hear for a few hours. Not bad. It's summer and people are traveling, etc, and Sicily is not the most popular destination compared to my last trips, like Florence, Rome, Madrid, Seville, etc.

Donna: Thanks for the clarification. Sometimes you'll get a reply or two within the first hour, when your question first pops up. But a wait of up to 8 or more hours is actually normal on this forum--the reason for this surprises some forum participants, which is that--compared to some internet forums that have a large # of participants--this forum (the Helpline, which is part of a larger site called the Graffiti Wall) has a surprisingly (to some) small number of regular repliers: there are roughly a hundred regular users of the Helpline ; and of course only a fraction of those hundred are connected at any one time.

The Helpline is a small forum.

With only a week, fly to Catania and base around Siracusa. Hopefully you will be renting a car. You would be able to see Siracusa, Noto, Catania, Taormina and Mount Etna.

Thank you. We may be able to add days or even a week to our trip. It's looking better all the time.

Maybe rent the apartment for a week in the east and tour around the west for the second week.

Which city you rent the apartment in, make sure there is parking available for your rented car!

Or stay at an agriturismo in the countryside as a base and enjoy touring the area without worry about parking.

Siracusa and Ragusa provinces are wonderful bass for touring the entire east and southeast.

I highly agree with Giovanna, Siracusa makes a great home base if you're staying a week. Lot's to see and all within a manageable drive for day trips. My wife and I did that last year. Ortigia also has a huge, free parking garage on the north side of the island. A whole week there and I never had problems parking after a day of sightseeing

Otter, if that is the same municipal parking garage that we used, it is only free in the daytime. We had to pay to park overnight.

The parking at Talete is free from 5.00 to 20.00, Monday until Sunday. At night, from 20.00 to 5.00, it costs €1 to park. It also will cost €1 on Sundays and holidays. Molo S. Antonio isn’t free, and will cost €0,50 per hour.