Sicily - What to do in Catania and Palermo?

For "offbeat", try the Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo (I apologize and warn ahead of time that, for some people, if it seems very creepy, but I think it's fascinating and definitely memorable - don't click the link if you're squeamish). http://www.palermocatacombs.com/catacombs/
And then there are the spleen sandwiches, which I heard have an "interesting" taste (I'm a pescatarian, so I won't touch it but if I ate meat, maybe I'd give it a "go"). I would recommend to try all sorts of interesting fried things at the outdoor markets. Monreale is a "must" side trip from Palermo, so leave some time for that.

I went to Taormina for a day trip from Siracusa (it would be en even shorter and very easy bus trip from Catania - definitely take the bus, it's much more convenient than train). I thought it was well worth it, but was relieved that I didn't stay overnight. It's stunningly beautiful, has some very interesting sites, but way too touristy and expensive for me, relative to other wonderful more down-to-earth places in Sicily. Taormina is very compact so it's easy to see in a day trip. I really enjoyed my seven hours there, so I'd give it a "thumbs up".

I went to Malta from Catania as well...I loved my trip. How long are you planning to spend in Malta? My trip was woefully short because I split it with a side trip to Sicily. My big regret was not spending a few days in Gozo, but I was too crunched for time. I was based in Valetta and covered the area fairly well using their nice bus network.

Thanks, Agnes! I too am only staying in Malta for a short time... three days total.

Palermo and Catania both have interesting food markets.

The area aound the Catania cathedral and university is very walkable.

Palermo is chock-full of wonderful churches and oratorios, though for sure Monreale is #1. Days and hours of opening vary, so get an up-to-date list from the tourist office (ideally) or a current guide book. Saturday is a bit iffy for visiting active churches, because you may run into weddings.

here is a link I used for lots of planning for things to do in Sicily.
Best of Sicily

emily,

I quite enjoyed the Museo dello Sbarco in Catania, which covers the Allied landings in Sicily during WW-II. The Museum is really well done! One of the most interesting parts was sitting in a bomb shelter and experiencing what the local residents went through during an Allied air raid.

Mt. Etna is a fascinating side trip from Catania.

In Palermo - I did a street food tour and ate all sorts of good stuff, including the spleen sandwich. Really good, actually. Less stong flavor than liver, but obviously stronger than regular meats. Also went into the food markets
Monreale is well worth it, as is the Norman Palace. St John erimiti is also fascinating - half in ruins, very austere

If you never visited an active volcano before, the Etna is a great sight for a clear weather day. It is also an easy half-day trip.

Taormina can be packed at the heights of tourist season, but, as with many other interesting Italian towns, all it takes to avoid the worst of crowds is to take a couple side streets instead of the main pedestrian way. Taormina is surely worth the trip.

If you are traveling by car between Palermo and Catania, you can easily make a stop at the Villa Romana del Casale, which I consider to be one of the highlights of the island.

In Palermo, be sure to visit some of the street markets. A couple of them are huge, with all kinds of things being sold. Our favorite was a tiny one near our hotel. Vucciria, I think. Ballaro and il Capo are much bigger; you could spend hours there. I read somewhere recently that Vucciria was frequented only by tourists, but when we were there, almost everyone seemed local.

All of them have food stalls where you can get a sandwich (porchetta!) or a hot meal.

I would vote for Taormina, but if you go be sure to go down to the beach (Isola Bella). I enjoyed several sites in Taormina, but that was my favorite.

I have posted info about the street food Palermo tour on the forum before. I know they recently changed their name but if you google street food tour in Palermo, I'll bet you'll find the new one. We enjoyed it a lot-plenty of food provided as well as good and fun information on the walking tour. I understand they also run a similar tour in Catania but we didn't have time to try that one. By the way, I'll admit I liked the spleen sandwiches, too, although they were certainly different....I also second Ken's recommendation of the Museo dello Sbarco in Catania. Fascinating and quite comprehensive small(er) museum. Have a great time! I love, love, love Sicily!

Andi, I also enjoyed the spleen sandwiches, but DH wouldn't try them. His loss.