Sicily w/o a Car!

Angelina, I've traveled in Sicily many times without a car, since I usually travel solo I find renting a car is not cost-effective. Public transportation in Sicily is either by train (Italian rail system) or by bus (many private companies). I've "winged it" and have had tight itineraries, both worked out. There are fewer fast trains in Sicily than on the mainland, but I haven't run into major delays by train. Buses tend to have "hubs" (I kept returning to Catania to change buses, for some reason) and the connections between buses are not always the most convenient. So I would have to say that traveling by public transportation in Sicily is not quite as efficient as the mainland. Do you have particular places in mind that you want to visit? Sicily is large, and a good plan would be to connect the dots of where you want to go.

We visited Sicily last September. We didn't rent a car. Our base was Taormina. We flew into Catania. We took day trips from Taormina. We visited Mt. Etna, Agrigento, Villa Casale. There are great touring companies who run day trips to all the wonderful places in Sicily. We loved it. You can also try posting your question on Trip Advisor. There are some very knowledgeable destination experts on TA. I wouldn't wing it during the summer, you may want to reserve your lodgings in advance.

I really don't have a particular place in mind, I was told syracusa and cefalu are beautiful and palermo is lively and fun but, I'm not really sure where to begin. I'm in the process of reading up on Sicily now but thought I'd get some suggestions from "people in the know" on here. I'll be traveling alone so I do want to book lodging in a couple of places and do day trips from wherever I stay.

Thank you, I will post my questions on trip advisor; I hadn't thought of doing that, good suggestion.

Palermo is a must in my opinion. If nothing else at least do a day trip and walk Via Maqueda and see Quatro Canti. I love Palermo and could spend two weeks just there myself. Syracusa is great! Have'nt been to Cefalu yet but have always heard great things. I'd suggest if you go to Taormina to try to make it to Castelmola which sits above Taormina, about a ten minute drive. Views are awesome and a cool little town. Buon Viagio e Buon Anno!

Thank you, Ron, I will definitely take your suggestions!

Definitely Cefalu! Gorgeous mosaic in the Cathedral, and the town has a couple of beaches. While you are in Palermo, you can do daytrips to Segesta (and even Cefalu), Monreale, and Erice, a small town on a mountaintop. A long daytrip would put Agrigento within reach, or you could overnight there. Siracusa is also a great place. Great ruins and one of the best museums I've ever seen.

It depends on where you are going. If staying in a major city (Palermo, Agrigento, Messina or Catania) and going to places reachable by an easy bus/train connection, it might work. More diverse itineraries like mixing Val del Notto, villages on the Western (unspoiled) slopes of the Etna, specific wineries, remote capes or beaches - they you run into a problem. I personally hate the idea of getting bused together with other people to certain attractions with a guide in a tour, but sometimes that might work if renting a car is not an option - it is a personal choice. I would split such an itinerary within 3 "bases" from which I'd take side trips.. There are many buses in Sicily, but they are run mostly by private companies, there is no unified ticketing system and schedule information is not always easy to get.