We are going to Sicily from October 28 to November 10. We arrive in Catania and plan to go first to Siracusa, then to Palermo and then back to Catania.Some towns we would like to take day trips to include Noto, Modica, Castalgirone Agrigento, Trapani, Erice, and Taormina. Would be interested in recommendations for nice, but inexpensive places to stay, authentic places to eat, interesting, off the beaten track things to do and any small tours that would highlight the art and culture of the areas we hope to visit.
Posted by
New Orleans
1225 posts
Sounds like a great trip you are planning! Before responding to some of your questions, it would help to know if you are you going to be renting a car for the duration (or specific parts) of your trip, or will you be mostly relying on public transportation? I see from previous posts that you have been considering both. I ask because a day trip from Siracusa (Ortigia) to Taormina is just under 3 hours each way, according to the trenitalia.com website schedules, with buses also approx. that duration, according to rome2rio.com. Going to Trapani from Palermo is approx. 2 hours each way (rome2rio), and from there you can get the gondola (or bus) to Erice. Are you considering small group day trips or private drivers if you aren't renting a car?
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11828 posts
Do you have a good guidebook? It’s helpful if you do some reading first then come back here with questions that are focused. The questions you ask are precisely what a guidebook is for and a Rick Steves has just come out with a Sicily guide,
We aren’t travel agents able to give you multiple choices in lodging whereas a guidebook can lay out neighborhoods, prices, etc. Your ‘inexpensive’ may be expensive to someone here on the Forum, so precision in budget — stated in Euros — is important. You can also do at least a cursory search on lodging at www.booking.com.
Posted by
Portland, OR
378 posts
Have you booked your flights? Makes more sense to fly into Catania or Palermo and out of the other as opposed to backtracking.
Would suggest you get the new "Sicily" book from RS if you haven't already. You have a short period of time to see a lot of the island. Consider staying in Ortigia when visiting Siracusa.
We had great luck with booking.com when visiting Sicily and you can put in the parameters as far as $. We found that Sicily hadn't been overrun with tourists when we visited in 2017.
Driving or using public transportation?
Posted by
Portland, OR
378 posts
Laurel responded first. We can't plan your trip, we don't know what you want to see and do. Get that guidebook and find what interests you.
Sicily is amazing, and I'm sure you'll have a great time no matter what you do!
Posted by
Old Pueblo
144 posts
Have you booked your flights? Makes more sense to fly into Catania or Palermo and out of the other as opposed to backtracking.
I find that true with a lot of itineraries, however on an island like Sicily, one can just as easily tour in a circular motion around the coast and leave from the same arrival point without necessarily having to back-track.
Cheers!