My husband and I have an interest in visiting Italy in April.
We want to visit both Florence and Tuscany and Sicily and are deciding where to go this year. We will choose one or the other this year and visit the other location in the future. Please recommend your favorite places.
In addition, in Sicily - we plan to stay in Sirenuse, Taormina and are open to other places.
We love being by the water and wandering through old towns.
You should verify historical weather stats on a website like timeanddate.com, because I haven't researched that info for April, but I think the temperature in Sicily is likely to be better. I found Sicily to be very hot during June 2015 and would definitely recommend going earlier in the year.
I assume you mean Siracusa not Sirenuse? Sicily would have a better chance of excellent weather. Do not stay more than two nights in overcrowded ( cruise ship mobs) Taormina. Book a hotel with views from above of the sea, coast, and Mt. Etna such as the lovely Hotel Villa Schuler.
Stay on Ortigia Island in Siracusa in a waterfront/waterview hotel or apartment. Add Palermo, Agrigento, Villa Romana Casale and a Baroque town or two-Ragusa, Noto, Modica. You can see Noto as a day trip from Ortigia. Fly into either Catania(CTA) or Palermo (PMO) and travel clockwise or counter clockwise around the island.
Go to TripAdvisor's Sicily Forum, and search for the very helpful expert Vagabonda. It will be a fabulous trip!
The weather in both locations at that time of year is similar with Sicily being slightly warmer. My choice, if you have a minimum of 10 days, would be Sicily. Fly into Catania and leave from Palermo. I would spend the first two nights in Catania. (Fish market, WWII Museum, visit to Mt. Etna). Taormina is actually a small resort town that in April might be Dead but worthy of a day trip from Catania. I’m assuming you meant Siracusa and if so, definitely stay on the island of Ortigia. (Hotel Domus Mariae overlooks the sea and has a nice roof-top terrace.👍👍👍.) Great day tripping to Noto, Modica, Scicli and Ragusa. The latter also nice for an overnight stop.
Piazza Armerina is the town near Villa Romana del Casale where the remarkable mosaics might awe you. Onward to Agrigento and the Greek temples. (Baglio della Luna great rural hotel with nighttime views of the temples.) Then to Trapani on the west coast from which you could make a day trip to the hilltop town of Erice. (Residence La Gancia is a moderately priced waterfront hotel in Trapani.)
Now you drive to Palermo with visits to the Greek sites in Segesta and the magnificent Cathedral in Monreale. Palermo is almost a giant ZTL so make sure you get rid of your car before entering one.
April should be slightly warmer in Sicily than in Tuscany, however neither should be cold, unless unusual weather takes place when you go (which occasionally happens, this year it snowed in late May in Tuscany).
Siracusa area is a good base for the southeast.
Taormina/Giardini Naxos is a good base for the northeast
Palermo is a good base for Palermo.
If you don’t have a car Palermo is also a good base for the northwest.
If you rent a car, it is a good idea to stay outside of Palermo (Scopello or Castellammare)
The area of Agrigento is good for Valle dei templi and scala dei turchi
Piazza Armerina is a good base for central Sicily/villa Del Casale.
It’s a big Island with lots of important things to see, so you need multiple bases and at least a couple of weeks.
My Sicilian experience was two weeks, April-May, 5 years ago. I started in Palermo for 3 days, Cefalu 2N, back to Palermo to pick up a car which I kept until I flew out of Catania. What I remember most are the beautiful sea views (Greece is the only place with sea views as scenic) and the incredible plethora of wildflowers, especially on the western side of the island. The Greek ruins are exquisite, the old towns are charming.
Thank you so much for the feedback! It looks like she will put our focus on Sicily.
Our absolutely favorite part of Italy is the Amalfi coast and Capri.
Is there any place in Sicily that might have the same type of beach feel and beauty?
Cefalu
Taormina
Aeolian Islands
You might also like the Zingaro Natural Reserve next to Scopello.
Aeolian islands are the bomb, if you like the sea (google image it)
LaurDi - here are a (very) few of my photos of Sicily. Most are labeled with the place. Among the last few are 2 shots of the beach in Cefalu, one at 9.30 and one at sunset,
Thank you for all of the information! I really appreciated seeing photos. Thanks
Taormina is fabulous. Make sure you reserve a night at the Greek theatre.
Taormina is not too far from Catania.
You have buses from Catania airport to Taormina. Some Taormina hôtels also organise direct mini bus connections. Taxi costs around 90-100 Euros. Where is Sirenuse? Do you mean Syracuse by any chance? Cefalù is also very beautifuL
It’s on Sicily Northern coast. Go to the Zingari natural reserve.
April is nice in all régions, quieter, nicer to do visits. Sicily should be a little warmer. There are plenty of fabulous places in Sicily but Tuscany is also exceptional.
