I am quite familiar with the Italian peninsula but have never been to Sicily. In April I am renting a car in Palermo but will only have 6 days/5 overnights. I'm used to traveling around fast and seeing a lot in a short time, but don't want to be foolish in that regard. History, architecture and cultural experiences with locals are always high on my list; not enough time for major culinary or recreational experiences. Any suggestions for a 6-day road trip beginnng at the Palermo airport would be appreciated.
Posted by
Cesena, Italy
791 posts
I'd say spend a full day in Palermo. I loved that city but only spent a few hours which is not enough to really see much. Pay attention while driving there. It's a lot crazier driving than on the mainland and even the smaller towns in Sicily. I never made it over to the eastern half of the island but these are the places I visited that I enjoyed. Corleone, Montelepre, San Vito lo Capo, Trapani, Marsala, Segesta, Agrigento, Castellamare del Golfo. Everything except Agrigento is within an hour or so drive from Palermo down the A29. Have fun!
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
551 posts
Sicily has a good highway system that is not overcrowded, and distances between major cities are short. Most of the major tourist attractions are on the coastline: Palermo, Erice, Segesta, Selinunte, Agrigento, Siracusa, Taormina, plus Monreale which is near Palermo, and Piazza Armerina which is inland. Maybe I missed a lot of more subtle attractions, but I saw the highlights of some of these stops in a few hours. I'd recommend a full day at least for Palermo and also for Siracusa. Probably my favorite single day in Sicily was off the beaten track. We heard about an archaological dig in the remains of a Greek town high up in the hills in central Sicily. It was definitely worth the detour from our planned itinerary. I guess my advice is to map out an efficient itinerary, but leave flexibility for unexpected opportunities. A good road map and viamichelin will help.
Posted by
Chicago
2876 posts
My list of the top sights in Sicily would exactly match Anita's. I would just add that the the reason for Piazza Armerina being on the list is so that you can see the amazing nearby Villa Romana del Casale. It is the remains of a Roman estate and the mosaics they've uncovered there are spectacular.
Posted by
DeWitt, MI, USA
199 posts
Roland, I would add Cefalu on Sicily's north coast, and if you have time, Lipari in the Aeolian Islands.
Posted by
gaston, oregon, usa
842 posts
Roland, Sicily in April is awesome! Make sure you bring your GPS, and don't drive In Palermo during rush hour. When we stayed in that part of the island we enjoyed visiting the hill town of Erice, the seaside at San vito di Capo (we were wading in the water in the end of April), and Montreale. Whatever you do, do not miss the Greek ruins...see as many as you can;Segesta is close. Then drive down thru the middle of the island on the A19 freeway. We thought the tiny hill towns of Petra Soprano and Petra Sottana were facinating. You will see no tourists in them. See the Roman villa at Casale. If you have time see the Valley of the Temples at Agriento. We did the East and NE coast and the Aeolian islands on another trip. The Aeolians are awesome with a fantastic museum. We found the Lonely Planet guidebook to be right -on-the-money. Enjoy!