Sicily--ever been??

Linda,

Have you considered the RS Sicily tour? That's probably what I'll be doing when I visit Sicly.

Cheers!

I LOVE Sicily but we've always rented a car. I'm not sure about visiting without a car. I will say driving in Sicily is much easier than on the mainland. Palermo can be a bit congested but it's a piece of cake compared to Naples.

Linda: I've been on a bus tour of Sicily and, as well, our own tour in a rental car. I enjoyed both, actually, but doing it ourselves was more fun. If you google Sita Buses, Sicily, to find out about the bus network, you could then plan your exploration around the schedules & routes. One thing I remember when we landed at Catania airport was that there were scores of buses waiting, all with a different destination marked, ready to take passengers all over the island.

Buon divertimento.

We've been with mother in law and kids...BUT...did rent a car...so no info on other kind of transportation...beaches were a bit messy, but food, scenery, sites all memorable because we were together..other than that..not a return destination. There is perhaps somewhere else for you to visit before the return to work in rome.

Did a bike tour on the western side of Sicily. Sicily is beautiful. The coastal areas nice. Not as touristy as mainland Italy.

We stopped in Palermo, Erice, Monreale, etc...

The Greek ruins are what drew us to visit Sicily, and we were not disappointed.

The people are so much friendlier than on mainland Italy too. The food fantastic.

All I can say is Sicily is different. We are considering returning to bike the eastern side of the island. I want to see Mt Etna, Notto, etc.

Went to Sicily for the first time last Sept. And, I have to say, my next Italian itinerary will be 90% Sicily. Can't really imagine trying to get around without a rental car though. I would reconsider, it's not that bad.

We spent a week in Siracusa without a car. We flew into Catania and then took the bus to Sirucusa, where we stayed in Ortigia (the historic center) area and walked everywhere. There was quite a comprehensive bus system that took you to the surrounding towns and beaches so we were able to site-see without any problems. So beautiful, and we ate so well too, I keep meaning to plan when we can go back.....

I, too, would suggest the RS Tour. I'm going on the Sept one and can't wait. Everything I read about Sicily makes me think it is Italian, but spicier! I met someone on a RS tour last year who had just been to Sicily and loved it, but he had rented a car.

We've done two 14-day trips to Sicily totally on public transportation. It can be tricky and time-consuming, but we consider it part of the adventure! We found in many of the smaller towns that the train stations were boarded up. The train still stops, but you must buy tickets from a machine or a bar/tabaccheria in town. (Also, it means no restrooms at the station.) Wherever the trains don't go, there are buses, though getting information about them isn't always straightforward. Try this site: www.Sicilia.indettaglio.it/eng/autolinee. I'll be happy to answer questions by e-mail.

I've only been to Sicily once, but can't wait to go back. You can easily visit cities on the north and east coasts by train and/or bus (e.g. Palermo, Cefalu, Taormina, Siracusa), but visiting Greek and Roman sights inland or cities on the south or west coasts is easier done on a tour. A mini open jaws (into Palermo - out of Catania, or vice versa) can be a good option and probably won't cost any more. You should go to Sicily. You'll love it.

I was in Sicily last summer- starting in the third week of May through the end of June. The weather was great until the last week or so, when it got hard to sleep at night due to it being hot. We were in the northeastern part, near Allume/Fiumedinisi.

While we generally drove, the few times we used public transportation impressed me. The train and bus system have a good reputation, and they go to all of the good places.

If you're interested in Archaeology, there are quite a few "must-see" spots- starting with Agrigento, Piazza Armerina, and Morgantina (near Aidone). The museum at Siracusa is excellent, that is if it's open (there is also a lot to see in Siracusa). On the northeast Coast I would recommend Tindari, and there are several other spots worth seeing (that others have mentioned, but I haven't seen).

A really nice day trip is to take a train to Messina, catch the ferry to Reggio de Calabria, and see the museum there. The bronzes are worth it!

And, of course, there is Taormina and Giardini Naxos.