I have signed up for the Best of Sicily (off-season) in March, and am trying to figure out a reasonable flight plan.
I'm looking at the flight departures at the Catania airport, and see that many are in the 6-7am range if I want to get back to the US without an overnight. It would seem that I would need to be at the airport 2 hours before the flight. Is it reasonable or even feasible to catch one of these early flights from the hotel in Catalina - or am I just better off spending an overnight at one of the stopovers?
Posted by
Washington DC Region, USA
7049 posts
Catania is just like any other large city - in worst case, you can get a taxi any time of day (best to arrange with hotel and determine the price beforehand). The only question is if you want to get up early enough to catch the first flight home. City buses also go to the airport. They start running at 5am and it looks like they pick up from the train station every 20 minutes (obviously this would be feasible only if your hotel was close by. For example, Hotel Villa Romeo gets very good ratings on booking.com and is very close to the train station). The airport isn't far from the center of town...15 minutes or so, especially with no traffic.
http://www.aeroporto.catania.it/aeroporto/prima-di-partire/arrivare-in-aeroporto/
You didn't ask this, but consider staying an extra day after the tour so you can see Taormina. It's an easy day trip from Catania and I noticed it's not covered in your tour. I took a bus there and spent the day (a day trip was just the right amount of time since it's rather small).
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
There are airport shuttle buses with departures from several points in Catania, they start running before 5am in summer, don't know about March.
Or your hotel can arrange for a taxi (reserve it the night before). I took a taxi at about 4am, cost was about €25.
Posted by
OP
Takoma Park, MD
4 posts
So maybe the real solution is that I should not lock myself into a specific schedule. I'm retired, so I don't have to rush back to the States at the tour's end.
Posted by
Washington DC Region, USA
7049 posts
I'm retired, so I don't have to rush back to the States at the tour's end.
In that case, definitely add another full day to see Taormina, which is definitely one of the highlights in Sicily (I think the only reason the tour doesn't go there is a.) it's fairly expensive for Sicily and b) they would have to add more days to backtrack to Catania afterward - maybe the math and price just couldn't accommodate it). It would be a shame if you didn't get to see it since it's so easy to get to from Catania by an inexpensive bus option, which drops you right near the main drag (you have to walk maybe 5 minutes or so uphill before you get to the town gate). Maybe it makes sense for you to spend the night there if you want to take it very leisurely. There is something nice about not having to go back when it's dark and be able to enjoy dinner and breakfast the next day. But even a day trip would be fine. Also, you may want to add another day to Catania since your tour gives it very little time (there isn't that much to do there but I could easily fill another day).
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15591 posts
Slow down! Stay longer! Get to Palermo before the tour and see Cefalu. See Taormina. Fly between Sicily and the mainland and see more of Italy before/after the tour.