Rome to Sicily

The best way is to fly from Rome to Palermo. You can then take a bus directly from the Palermo airport (which is sometimes referred to by its old name, Punta Raisi), directly to Sciacca. Unfortunately, although there are several buses each day from downtown Palermo, only one stops at the airport, at about 2:55 PM. The airport is about 20 miles outside the city. The bus company is called Autolinee Gallo. Here's a link to their current schedule: http://www.autolineegallo.it/orari.pdf Alternatively, you could rent a car at the Palermo airport. A few years ago we drove almost the entire coast of Sicily, clockwise from Messina down to Taormina, Siracusa, Ragusa, Agrigento, then across to Palermo and up to Cefalu. We also went inland to Piazza Armerina to see the Roman villa. Except for Palermo itself, the driving wasn't difficult at all, and we easily visited most of the sights along the way.

Ditto Tom. Use Whichbudget or Skyscanner.com to search for lo-cost inter EU airlines that ply your routes. We always rent a car when we explore Sicily, and usually rent thru Autoeurope, a broker here in the US. We bring our GPS from home and a Michelin fold out map of Sicily. By all means do not drive in Palermo during rush hour. We use the Lonely Planet guidebook to research/plan our trips in Sicily.

Love the input. Thanks!

Debbie, My suggestion would be an EasyJet flight from Rome to Palermo, as that's quick and easy. That's the method I used when I travelled that route last September. They may also have flights into Catania, but I haven't checked. As the others have mentioned, the "best way" to get around is probably via rental car (especially with several people), but don't drive in Palermo! Public transit may also be an option depending on how many places you want to visit. Buon Viaggio!

Just make sure you weigh your luggage in advance if you use Easyjet -- and if it's over the weight limit, pay it online before you go. Last minute baggage fees can be brutal! Enjoy!