Off the beaten path Sicily

I don't know if you'd enjoy the Baroque towns of the Val di Noto in Southeastern Sicily, but I thought they were delightful. Here are some reading links and photos (my favorite was Ragusa - the lower and upper towns were stunning and chock-full of UNESCO churches and palazzos). The towns are similar in look (and a bit in feel) and you can access them all by train/bus if need be. I used Siracusa as my base for seeing these towns but regret not having a second base.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/juyoungseo/2016/06/28/the-definitive-guide-to-sicilys-val-di-noto-region/#203d5225255a
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1024

Lonely Planet also covers this region well and you can just purchase that section from the entire Sicily book, if you need it (I just brought a PDF excerpt covering only southeastern Sicily with me on my trip).

Thank you Agnes. Each of the towns in the link you attached look like places we would like to see and explore. Much appreciated. Margaret

I agree with Agnes.

My second thought was the Aeolian Islands, but I haven't been there. I was underwhelmed by the Egadis and this year by Porquerolles (France), so I'm becoming a bit gun-shy about small islands. I don't care about beaches, and I think uncrowded/pretty beach result in raves for places that just aren't all that scenically pretty. To me "nice enough" doesn't cut it when a place is awkward to reach, as so many islands are. But I have a feeling the Aeolians really are interesting.

You didn't mention Palermo or Catania. They're both large cities so lack the cute-small-town vibe, but they are both interesting.
Both have great food markets. Catania has a pretty historic area, and Palermo has nearly uncountable beautiful churches and other religious buildings.

Not off the beaten path anymore, but Segesta is beautiful, especially late in the day.

I've been to Sicily only once and went to the same places you did, more or less - not off the beaten path. Have you been to Mt. Etna? While not off the beaten path at all - it is quite touristed - it is also well worth it.
Also - did you spend any time in Palermo? The food and markets are wonderful, as is the architecture and history.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I hadn't considered the islands off of Sicily but will look into the logistics of getting there and if it will be worth it for the amount of time we will have in Sicily. A few people mentioned Catania or Palermo and I was thinking about them but have heard mixed opinions from people as far as their attractiveness vs grittiness. The biggest deterrent I was thinking, would be having a car in either of those cities. But maybe staying on the outskirts and using public transportation would work. Would love to see the markets in Palermo. I forgot to mention that we had been to Segestra on our previous visit and I agree, it was lovely. And we were there late afternoon and actually had it all to ourselves. Thanks for the help.

Not exactly close to Floridia, but since you'll have a car, I'll recommend venturing into the Madonie mountains. We've been only as far as Polizzi Generosa but would have loved the opportunity to explore the small towns further up the road. Reading Vincent Schiavelli's book Many Beautiful Things (Tanti Beddi Cosi) enticed us to visit Polizzi and we are so happy we did.

Having read the various "warnings" about Palermo, I was expecting Naples on crack. I found it to be a slightly scruffier Rome, and not nearly as intense as Naples. And it has tremendous variation; the oldest section (where some of the markets are) is a bit scruffy, while the fancy section (where Gucci, Prada, etc have their stores) is only about a half hour walk away, and looks like Rodeo Drive. I stayed in between, on a pedestrian-only street, and it was (to be honest) much nicer than I expected, having heard all the rumors.

So, don't stay away from Palermo; but do see it either at the beginning of your Sicily time before renting a car, or at the end of your Sicily time after returning a rental car. You'll be much happier that way.

I second the recommendation of Ragusa and Noto. I didn't get to Catania.

Some friends and I recently stayed in Mondello, very close to Palermo, and took the local bus into the city. It's a seaside town, close to a large nature preserve.

Catania has a lovely area near the university and the Duomo.

Don't know about logistics of getting to the Aeolian Islands from Sicily, as we were on a sailboat, but hiking to the top of Stromboli to watch the volcano erupt just as darkness falls is one of the most amazing experiences that I have enjoyed while traveling. Definitely off the beaten path.

Ferries from Sicilia to the islands leave from Milazzo; take the bus there, since the train station is rather far from the dock.

Thanks everyone for the help. Although they look beautiful, not sure about having time for the islands. I usually tend to over plan and don't want to do it this trip. I'm thinking Ragusa and/or Noto, a ride up through the Madonie Mountains and then seeing Palermo. Thanks again

Ragusa is lovely. It was included on the RS off season Sicily tour but they have swapped it out for Taormina now. We stayed in apartments in Ragusa. Easy walking town and bus to upper town. Very nice restaurants, good gelato ( chocolate with peppers, just slightly spicy as an after taste).

Visited Sicily last year (2016) for ten days. Travelled about in a rental car from Palermo. One town to add to your list is Modica, which is known for its chocolate. We really liked the feel of the town, and the people were very friendly. Suggest you give it a shot!

Thank you. Both Ragusa and Modica look like places we would enjoy. Will definitely try to get to one of them.

They are both very worthwhile, but there's a lot more to see in Ragusa.

The Baroque towns are worth visiting, but do try to see some of the towns around Mt. Etna. Bronte, Linguaglosa, etc.; in fact, most of the towns around Mt. Etna are worth visiting. Try not to miss Palermo, which is one of my favorite cities anywhere. I agree that it is better to visit before or after you do the car thing. The markets there are incredible, and there are a lot of them. You can also go up to the town of Monreale to visit the cathedral there, which is not to be missed. Lucky you.

Thank you. We will probably opt for Ragusa over Not or Monica and save a day or two for Palermo.

Try for 2 days in Palermo. Monreale is about as near a must-see as exists in Sicily, and it's outside town so takes a while. There are many, many interesting churches and oratorios in Palermo, plus fascinating markets. Also museums. It's definitely not a one-day destination unless you pretty much just want to hit Monreale and see a market.