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Sicily

I will be going to Sicily end of June first week in July for 9 to 10 days. Any suggestions? Hotels? Sights? We want to rent a car and drive......just the 2 of us. Thanks in advance.

Posted by
11247 posts

You really need to start with a good guidebook and consider what draws you to Sicily. Rick Steves will have one out next year, but the one from Lonely Planet is insale at 30% off right now.

Once you narrow down a possible itinerary, we can better help with detailed questions.

Posted by
26840 posts

It is likely to be extremely hot. I really like Sicily, but are you sure that's where you want to be in July?

You definitely shouldn't drive in Palermo, but the car will be helpful in seeing the small Baroque towns in the southeast (fairly near Siracusa), in getting into and around the interior, and if you want to visit the Greek ruins in places like Agrigento.

Sicily is a minimum-2-week destination for me, even with a car, so you won't be able to cover all parts of the island. You need to get hold of a guide book to Sicily and read it to see what areas sound most appealing to you.

Posted by
3551 posts

There are some tour operators u could consider for part of your trip then rent a car for where they do not go. That way hotels, guiding and transport is effortless for a while. They are quite reasonable in Sicily as compared to the rest of Italy. That is what i did and it was excellent and relaxed.

Posted by
15043 posts

www.bestofsicily.com

I would spend
3 nights in Palermo (no car recommended while in the city)
3 nights in Scopello
Agrigento on the fly.
3 nights in Siracusa
2 nights in Taormina
Used 11 nights already

Posted by
15560 posts

Sicily is a really big island. There are lots of sights, natural landscapes, and about 2500 years of history. What are your interests?

Are you planning to fly directly from the US?

Posted by
11294 posts

I was in Sicily for a similar amount of time in April/May 2014. If you want a long read, here is my trip report with ALL the details; it should give you some ideas to start your planning: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/sicily-palermo-caltanisetta-siracusa-taormina

As everyone is saying, with only 9-10 days, you have to be brutally selective, and accept that you will only get a "tasting platter" of the island. And do look at flights now; the connections to Sicily can be surprisingly complicated, particularly the return flight to the US (many people have to spend a night in mainland Italy or elsewhere in Europe in order not to miss their flight back to the US).

I am at the bookstore trying to find a Rick Steve’s guide but I see I’m a year too early! Have been to Italy 4 times in the last 5 years and ALWAYS take his most recent guide (as if he were with us!) so we have worked our way from the Alps and Lake Country down, saving Sicily for last. Watching he most recent shows on Sicily this week so will take notes. Last year spent a month in Sorrento/Umbria and Capri and he was spot on as to hotels, trains, everything. We are committed to trains after our last trip so hoping we can do it without a car.
Regards Marilyn

Posted by
26840 posts

I traveled through Sicily without a car, as I have through many other parts of Europe, so I'd be the last person to discourage you from doing that. However, with only 9 or 10 days, you'd accomplish quite a bit more with a car. You wouldn't need a car for Palermo, Cefalu, Taormina, Catania or Siracusa. But when you head off to other areas, you'd move quite a lot faster if you weren't tied to bus schedules. (And it would mostly be buses outside the listed places.)