First time trip to Sicily.

Travel is very easy via Regionale train from Palermo and Taormina. It's also very inexpensive. There are trains departing at least once an hour (I don't remember exactly) but you can literally buy one 30 minutes before you board the train. The tickets are very reasonable, as I recall I paid 20eu from Palermo to Cefalu and 20eu from Cefalu to Taormina.

With only six days, I'd fly into Palermo and spend two nights and two full days. Stay in the Old City Center, because you can walk to all the sites. From Palermo, take the train to Taormina. You will have to change trains in Messina. Leaving your last 4 (actually 3 days because day of departure usually doesn't count). Taormina has a beautiful Greek Theatre, a lovely seaside that you get to via the funicular, so you will be able to have one day on the sea. Taormina offers tours to Mt. Etna as well. I used a private guide/driver and got a very busy one day excursion that included Mt. Etna as well as a tour of Gambino Winery which I loved so much I did again on my second trip. If I go again, I'll do it again!

In Palermo I stayed at Centrale Palace Hotel which really is an Old Palace. It is right in the old section of town and we walked to the major sites. I happenned on a great deal for this hotel through booking.com, and loved every second of it. I was with two girlfriends, who are more accustomed to "American Accommodations," but if I wanted the Holiday Inn I'd stay home. The staircases are grand, the chandeleirs are beautiful, and there is a beautiful roof-top restaurant.

In Taormina we stayed in a BnB which we acquired through Legendofsicily.com. We also arranged tours through this company and we were ALL very pleased. The guide spoke perfect English, was charming, and funny, and very well educated as to the history of all of the Greek ruins, and Sicily in General.

There is a bus that will take you from Taormina to the airport in Catania. That is my advice, fly into Palermo, go to Taormina via train, and depart from Catania airport.

The first time I went to Taormina I booked an apartment through the above agency for 7 days and ended up staying 10. I was lucky the apartment was available. I took a number of tours with this compapny, having gone twice and enjoyed all of the tours they offer. I loved it so much I returned two years later, and I will return to Sicily as soon as I have a chance, next time hitting the West side of the islalnd. At that time I will be the one posting questions concerning the West side of the Island. You will love Sicily, the people, the Greek Ruins, the food are all so wonderful!

If you have questions, you can private message me through this website.