We are thinking of going to Sicily in2013 and plan to do the Amalfi coast and Sicily then to Bari to Dubrovnik and the to the coast of Bosnia Herzogovina to Croatia and to Solvenia to Venice then home. Has anyone done this type of trip, and if so how did it work out for you. We are both in our early 70's and like the challenge of travel. We have had great experiences with the rick steve's books, but he has little info on Sicily. We would take public transit .
Anyone have a book recommendation on a book on Sicily?
Posted by
Alexandria, MN, USA
175 posts
Too bad Rick doesn't have a book on Sicily. We're going there for 4 days in April on an Odysseys Unlimited tour. I just ordered the Eye Witness Top 10 book on Sicily. The Michelin Green Guide has a section on Sicily. Go on Amazon travel books to look for more. When in Bari be sure to see Matera and Lecce too. Good luck.
Posted by
Twin Cities, Minnesota
1825 posts
I took the RS Sicily tour in 2009, but went to Taormina on my own a few days early. I really liked the Lonely Planet Guide. Public transit will be more of a challenge than some other parts of Europe, but is doable if you plan. Sicily is wonderful and you will have a great time.
Posted by
roswell, ga, usa
1501 posts
I used "go Sicily" because I like to see pictures. Lonely Planet also. I rented an apartment two years ago in Taormina for a week and ended up staying 10 days. Wouldn't have left then, but the landlord had a renter coming in! Here's his website:
www.holidaysinsicily.co.uk His name is Claudio, and he's quite a character; my husband and I are in our 60's and I pretty much have adopted him! He has many apartments, we ended up renting his seaside villa, which was so unbelievably beautiful, but I have a very bad back, and it was @60 steps up to get into it. Looked intimidating at first, but got better at it every day. Again, he brokers many apartments, and he's very honest. We should have listened to him about the taxi. Would have saved time and $$ He's lived in Taormina his whole life, and he LOVES his little town and has many connections that can help you. This was the best trip we've ever had in our lives!! Feel free to PM me if you would like more info!
Posted by
Toledo
653 posts
Lonely Planet guides, and if you are really into Sicily, the Blue Guide. Public transit is fine, I take it every time I go to Sicily. Trains/buses are a little slower in Sicily than on the mainland, and the bus companies are all (or mostly) private, so schedules don't always mesh. How much time will you have in Sicily?
Posted by
OP
Dallas, TX, usa
323 posts
Lots of helpful information. Thank you all. We have spent as long as two months in Italy. We are just in the planning stages right now and I (Stelly) have not really decided if I want to go to Italy again. We have been there three times and loved every minute. Twice for two months. Right now I am looking at Spain and Portugal as a possibility for 2013. And someone says we really would love Paris.(I'm not convinced even though my ancestry is French). But we know we have to start planning soon.
We do love Italy and have roamed over a lot of it thanks to Ricks books. But we have not been to Sicily and I have become so hooked on the great places he has recommended that I wonder why he has nothing about Sicily. I guess you could say that worries me. So thank you all for your advise and we will look into all the suggestions.
Posted by
San Diego
1540 posts
Here is a website I used when I went to Sicily. lots of good info.. http://www.bestofsicily.com/
Posted by
Gaston, Oregon, USA
931 posts
Sicily is fantastic (huge, too!), but so is Portugal, Spain, and of course France (and Paris!) Don't rule any of these out. Do some reading, lots of talking, and pick one, or two. When Rick does not cover an area we use the Lonely Planet guidebooks, and have had great success. We use Whichbudget.com to find cheap inter-EU flights. This lets us easlly hop around from country to country during a trip.