Sicily with a 3 Year Old - Help please!

Sicily is a large island. You won't be able to see all of it from a single base.

I really enjoyed Siracusa, which is south of Catania. The historic area, Ortygia, is very picturesque. Great for wandering. There are several Baroque towns within striking distance of Siracusa, including Ragusa, Modica, Noto and Scicli. Siracusa itself has a good archaeological museum and archaeological park.

You might spend the first five nights in Siracusa and the last two in Catania. That would give you time to visit Catania's market and the area around the cathedral. You'd probably need to be back near Catania the night before your return flight, anyway. If you leave Siracusa early on the day you change bases, you'll have time to see Taormina, which is north of Siracusa.

There are many other options; it's a fascinating island.

I also enjoyed spending 5 nights in Ortigia. It was easy to drive in and out for day trips, but I spent most of my time in the city. You son might enjoy a puppet show there.

I'd recommend starting with a couple nights in Taormina without a car, then Ortigia. It's easy to drop a rental car at the airport before your flight home.

La Villa Romana del Casale is a long drive (2 hours or more from Ortigia - a lot less from Catania), but worth it.

I also recommend a Siracusa (Ortigia has a big parking garage near the daily market, which you will want to shop). Daytrips are listed in a previous post.

Catania (stay near the Duomo/university area) would be a good base for a couple of nights, you could do a daytrip to Taormina (you can ditch the rental car when you get to Catania, bus service to Taormina and to the airport is very simple, take the inexpensive Alibus).

I agree with the others. Ortigia has a huge old fortress, Castello Maniace, that your son would have fun exploring. There’s also an aquarium which he might enjoy (we didn’t go in but walked by numerous times).

Great pizza at Pizza Mario — can buy by the slice & sit outside for a great lunch, or they deliver.

Don’t miss the Caravaggio in the church near Piazza Duomo.

My very long post vanished. I'll restart with "Cliff Notes" version.
1. No rental car. Red Alibus (4 euros) from Catania airport into Catania. CiVITA exit from bus. Stay at Hotel Biscari B&B.
www.hotelbiscari.com (a walk the length of 5 cars to the hotel - yet on a side street) Superb rooftop garden for breakfast.
2. Bus from Catania to Siracusa. Approx 1 1/2 hours. 8 euros? Maybe.
3. In Ortigia, stay at Argonauti.
[email protected]
www.argonautisiracusa.com
Via del Crocifisso, 30
excellent location. King bed with bunk beds in alcove. small kitchen, bath. Flat streets.
close to Opera dei Pupi (they save the front row seats for kids), fish market.
eat: La Lisca in fish market. Viola cafe, Via Roma, 43. (only small door opening into very large place, excellent food - the locals eat here); Domus Bistrot, Via Capodieci, 15
Swim at small beach next to Artemisia Fountain. Safe for 3-year old.
Realize that you can't do Palermo, Seliuente, Agrigento, Trapani Salt Flats, Cefalu ... and you won't be frustrated.
If you want Taormina, its a very short bus ride from Catania for a day trip. But very touristy.
You can see the ampitheater in Siracusa instead of the one in Taormina for this trip.
I've done 3 trips to Sicily. The shortest was 2 weeks, the longest was 3 weeks. Still not enough. To taste Sicily requires time and joy of discovery. Your one week will be a great introduction leaving you with the desire for more.
Don't know your city of origin. I fly SFO -Zurich-Catania with Swiss Air, partnered with Lufthansa through Munich for return flights. So wonderful ... and cheap. Have a great adventure! Be sure to do the puppet show!

Oops!
Forgot to mention that Luana, at Argonauti in Ortigia will PICK YOU UP and RETURN YOU to the bus station with her car! You don't need to walk/taxi/bus. She's a wonderful person. Half American so her English is good. If you stay with her, please tell her hi from Fran. I've stayed with her twice.
And in Ortigia, take the 15 euros boat ride around the island and into the caves. They start with a 20 euros fee, but everyone ends up paying 15 euros. Your child will like the boat ride and the caves.
So, you have beach, boat ride, puppet show, ice cream, pasta ..... everything a small child (and big child) would enjoy.

Thank you!!! All these replies have been fantastic! Looking so forward to our trip!

What a wonderful trip, so glad you saw some good fares to take advantage of. I agree with everyone who's said to base in Ortygia, it's SO lovely and interesting. Have a great time!