Sicily 11 nights. Itinerary help

I see I've recommended my trip report several times to you before, and it seems like you're following a similar itinerary. It will be busy but certainly doable. The only potential problem is the return flight; if it's going to connect to the US that day, it will probably leave Catania airport VERY early. It's about a one hour drive from Taormina, but that doesn't account from time getting lost or time to return the car (and these can both take time). There is a bus from Taormina to Catania airport, but I don't know how early it leaves, and I don't know if there's a car rental return in Taormina.

So, investigate all this carefully; you may have to, as I did, return to Rome (or whatever your connection point home is) the night before.

Otherwise, looks great to me!

Overall it looks fine, but I don't understand the allocation of 3 nights in Agrigento. Sounds like too much to me. What are you planning to see/do in Palermo and between there and Syracuse?

Harold--in 2010, we flew in and out of Catania, staying in Taormina. I told Lorie previously that we did not drive but hired transport from Sicily Life to & from the Catania airport, and recommended they check the car back in at Taormina at the start of their two-day stay there, if there is a rental car place there. I can only assume there is, but this is Sicily! The transport is a little pricey, but worth it in this case, I think, especially for an early outbound flight.

And Lorie--no western coast? No Trapani, Erice? No prehistoric etchings on the islands of Favignana and Levanzo? I guess in 'only' 10 days in Sicily one has to make decisions, right? And from looking at the logistics on the Rome-to-Rio site, after driving east a little ways from Palermo you have a straight shot down to Agrigento. A trip west to Trapani/Erice--although beautiful I hear--compounds your driving time exponentially.

I'd love to take your trip, enjoy!

If your flight is very early, I would just spend the last afternoon and night in Catania instead of rushing back from Taormina. Folks seem to shun Catania, but there are things to do there that can easily fill up a half day. By the way, bus service from Catania is quite good and well connected. I got to Siracusa and Taormina from the Catania Airport within 2 hours on two separate occasions (I think it was even closer to 1.5 hours).

Good morning Harold,

My posts regarding Sicily earlier were in the just thinking about it phase. I am now in the definitely going phase so hence the same questions.
Our flight leaves CTA at 10 30am. I would expect to check in the airport by 8:30 . Would it be unreasonable to get a driver to leave Taromina at 6:30? There are several car rental agencies in Taromina. My plan was to return the car upon arrival in Taormina
Our multiciti flight is already booked so returning to Rome the night before isn't possible.

Thanks for the heads up.

Lorieann

Your plan sounds fine. The temples and museum can take a very full day, another day you can drive to Selinunte.

Segesta is unforgettable, if you can squeeze in a half day on your way to Agrigento. Cefalu is an hour from Palermo by train.

Chani,

While in Palermo I thought of visiting the catacombs, a day tip to Mt Pellegrino ( my husband's family name), maybe Cefalu,Trapani, Marsala? I'm not sure what is possible, that is where this forum comes in... I thought staying in Agrigento was geographically located almost equally between Palermo and Syracuse . Your recommendations are appreciated.
Lorieann

Hi Jay,

Ugh.... difficult decisions to make. What are MUST see and do near Palermo? Although Mt Pellegrino is perhaps not a MUST for most visitors but I think it would be great for my husband to see it! Is a day trip to Marsala or Trapani too much. We don't have any trouble getting around. Is there public transportation to these towns or tours from Palermo?

Your suggestions to leave the car when we arriveTaormina then hire driver to CTA early is probably our best bet. I'm getting a lot of information on Sicily Life.
Thanks again
Lorieann

There was bus service from Palermo to Trapani last year; I took it. Rome2rio is currently showing onky the designed-for-air passengers trip to the Trapani airport, but I assume the city-to-city service still runs.

I liked Trapani, but the reason for going there is to visit Erice or the islands. I did both and much preferred Erice. I had plenty of time, so I took the city bus to the stop near the base of the funicular to Erice, the the funicular. Taking a bus all the way might be faster. A taxi from Trapani to Erice might not be too expensive. On a day trip, unless you expect to have time to see Trapani as well as Erice, you'd want to avoid having to traipse into old town Trapani to get local travel information from the tourist office.

Lorie, one of my favorite spots in Sicily was Erice, where I spent my first two nights, after picking up a rental car upon arriving at Palermo airport. Loved the town in the misty and quiet early morning and evenings, without all the day trippers. My dinners at Monte San Giuliano were among my best memories in Italy, especially the couscous di pesce and the grilled lamb chops with pistachios, what a welcome to Italian cuisine! From Erice, I took a day trip to Segesta and Selinunte. Had planned to stop in Marsala and Trapani on the way back, but they were much bigger and more congested than I expected, and I ended up never find a parking space or stopping in either. It was great to arrive "home" in quiet little hilltown Erice for the evening.

Did I miss it, or has no one mentioned Monreale as a must-see when you are in Palermo? It has one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Italy, perhaps in the world. The mosaics are breath-taking. Be sure to include seeing the cloisters.

In addition to Monreale and Cefalu, visit the Capella Palatinate in Palermo.

Yes, if you've already returned your car and if you're getting a driver to take you from Taormina to CTA, you'll be fine. And 10:30 AM is much later than I envisioned (I had thought of ~6 AM!), so that gives you lots of leeway.

As for "missing" Trapani and Erice: in 10 days you will absolutely miss lots of Sicily. That's OK, because what you see will still be great. If you have good reasons for seeing what you're seeing, don't worry about what you can't see. As we're always saying on this Forum, you'll just have to come back.

For anyone else reading this, the link to my VERY detailed trip report is here: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/sicily-palermo-caltanisetta-siracusa-taormina

Ah. I asked because Agrigento, which has the not-to-be-missed temples and archaeology museum, has little else (in comparison) and is really too far for day trips to all the "goodies" mentioned above that would be seen between Palermo and Agrigento. The problem with Sicily is that there are so many wonderful things to see, it's hard to pick and choose.

After Palermo (do take the bus from the train station to Monreale), I suggest take 2 nights from Agrigento for somewhere between there and Palermo. I would not have missed the temples at Selinunte and Segesta - real highlights of my trip. I didn't find parking in Trapani, then I didn't get much time in Erice - it was a windy day, so the cable car was closed and I had to drive the narrow switch-back road with hairpin curves and find parking. What I saw was quite nice, including a great bakery with wonderful canoli. Not my best day :-(

Another highlight for me was the Villa Romano (mosaics !!) near Piazza Armerina. I spent the night there after a full day in Agrigento. Great dinner, then in the morning explored the lovely old city center, then the Roman villa, then drove to Syracuse. Look for lodging there in Ortigia, the centro historico.

It's about an hour by train from Palermo to Cefalu. The last train back is around 10 pm so you could have a full day there. I loved it, but I had a little more time that you do.