My husband and I are planning to visit Italy in October 2019. I have Rick's Italy 2018 book, but it doesn't cover Sicily. We each have a grandparent who was born in Sicily, so we definitely want to spend some time there. We know we can't do everything we want in 12 days, and honestly the book is somewhat overwhelming as there are SO many choices. We're not really into art or museums, but we love sightseeing and historical places (e.g. colosseum, castles, etc.). We have a friend of a friend who lives outside of Rome, so we'll likely spend 2-3 days there. Cinque Terre looks gorgeous as well, so ideally we'd like to spend some time there if time allows. I'm thinking we concentrate on going down the coast from Cinque Terre and hit Siena, Rome, & the Amalfi coast prior to (Sicily) - - - or start in Sicily & reverse? Is that too much? Should we try to start closer to Sicily and leave Cinque Terre for a future trip (which we'll hopefully be able to do)? I'd love advice from any seasoned travelers. Thank you.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6863 posts
Sicily is an outlier. Cinque Terre is a bit of an outlier - so is the Amalfi Coast. Given the short time you have, I don't think it's realistic to try and include all of those (plus the "core" of Italy).
What else is on your list? Most people want to include Venice, Florence, and other places.
With a short trip, you need to pick and choose.
Posted by
11673 posts
Rick Steves’ Sicily guide book comes out next spring, 2019.
Sicily requires at least two weeks to see.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
12036 posts
. I'm thinking we concentrate on going down the coast from Cinque Terre and hit Siena, Rome, & the Amalfi coast prior to (Sicily) - -
5 locations, 12 days and spread across the length of the country. That is not 'concentrated'. That is spread thin to the point of transparency.
Visit your friend in Rome and spend the rest of your time in Sicily.
If I were doing this I would end in Rome to make return logistics simple
Posted by
🏝️ Hobe Sound, FL⛱️
3302 posts
I agree with with joe32. If you want to visit Sicily because of your family history, by all means do it. It will give you a new feeling of being grounded on the island. I remember taking my daughter to the small German town where my dad was born. We visited the cemetery and she saw the gravestones of many relatives. To this day she feels a remarkable connection to the tiny town of Steinfeld in Oberfranken. Sicily is becoming a “hot” destination. See it before an influx of tourists burns it down.
Fly into Rome, visit your friends and then take the 1 hour flight to your ancestral home. The island is loaded with beautiful scenery, historical places, wonderful food and amazing people. Savor it! Don’t rush. Dolce far niente!