I am in a hospitality and tourism management class and one of our projects is to plan a 10 day trip to a European location of our choice. I have chosen Palermo, Italy. I would also like to take a ferry to the Aeolian Islands and the volcano Stromboli. I have a budget of $6,000 per person and would love to know any travel, lodging, unique cultural activities, and food suggestions you may have. I would greatly appreciate input on this. Thank you so much in advance!
Posted by
Chicago
2876 posts
I would urge anyone going to Sicily to find a way to see the magnificent Greek ruins at Segesta, Selinunte, and (especially) the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento. The latter is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is spectacular.
Another incredible site is the Villa Romana del Casale, an unearthed Roman palace near the town of Piazza Armerina, but it is considerably further from Palermo as well as off the beaten path.
Finally, the clifftop medieval town of Erice is yet another outstanding Sicilian site, not far from Palermo.
Posted by
gaston, oregon, usa
842 posts
Tom has given you some great options/ideas for Sicily. The Aeolians islands are a great idea also! Pick up a Lonely Planet guidebook and do some reading about the islands. It is a great source of info. Also post this same question on Trip Advisor; there are some people there that are great Sicily experts.
One year we did the Aeolians and part of Sicily. There is an overnight car ferry that leaves Naples, with small cabins, and it arrives just off Stromboli in the early morning, sometimes just as a show begins! (but we missed the overnite ferry, and took the train to Sicily.....a absolulety beautiful, but long trip trip! They load the train, complete, on a ferry and take it across the water at the tip of Italy.
We stayed in Lipari, in Lipari town, at Diana Brown's B&B. lo-cost and fabulous. Believe it or not, they have a fantastic museum in Lipari. We used the frequent hi-spped ferries to travel to differnt island whe we were there.
There are lots of lo-cost airlines that fly out of Palermo and Catania, so that makes for another good transportation option.
Sicily is fantastic in the Spring and EARLY summer, but then it heats up pretty goood!
One thing you must do is stay in an Agrtourisimo...what fun, and some offer some great home cooked meals!
And yes, the Greek and Roman ruins are fantastic.
Each time we have gone we have rented a car. It is really the best way to see the island.
Don't forget some of the other Sicilian towns; Taormina, Syracuse, etc.