Ciao tutti, Thank you to everyone who has posted advice on this forum. I'm posting a trip report...albeit an abbreviated one! Im afraid if I start to write about anecdotes, they were so numerous, that I'll never get this done :)
We were a group of 5 travelers, 2 couples and 1 single. Its my 3rd trip to Sicily, my husband's 2nd, and for the others, it was their first time. We are in Mass/NH, so we flew Lufthansa from Boston>Frankfurt>Catania and on the return Catania>Munich>Boston. Got a good price on the flights and everything went according to schedule. We rented a car, as we usually do, through Auto Europe and got a good deal on a Fiat Tipo Wagon. It was enough for 5 adults and our bags in the back to be covered in the storage area... we all traveled with just carry on luggage. Our itinerary was to go clockwise around the island, and to visit places that I had not visited on previous trips, and ending in a small town where my friend's ancestors are from. So from Catania it was Modica5>Agrigento2>Segesta2>Taormina4>Bronte3. I should also mention that this was my 14th trip to Italy...I'm a tad obsessed with the place...and Sicily is my favorite. The people are extraordinary. Perhaps because its not overrun by tourists as it is in some of the mainland Italian sites? The land is beautiful . The food is fantastic. The weather is usually great....but not on this trip :( That was really the only downside and quite surprising. It was unusually chilly and rainy. In the 16 days we had maybe 1 or 2 days of sunshine. Most days were cloudy, some rainy, and a few quite cold. We still had a great time, though. I think if I had to give advice to someone who only had one opportunity to visit Sicily, I would suggest visiting in May to appreciate the sensuality of the island, with warm, but not hot weather. Here are the highlights...
Modica We stayed at a beautifully renovated apartment, Siparo Su Modica. 3 bedrooms each with its own bathroom, an enormous kitchen(we like to cook), and a large terrace with a stunning view of the old town. We stayed 5 nights...mainly because the first day of arrival you are exhausted and just need some time to decompress. We began our first full day with a guided tour of Ragusa/Modica with Barbara Sudano, a licensed tour guide from Modica. A nicer, kinder person you could not meet! Very warm hearted with a fun sense of humor. She'll craft an itinerary specifically to your interests. One of the places we visited was Gli Aromi, an herb farm in nearby Scicli. We had a tour by the owner Enrico, a real character...and lunch with seasonal vegetables and herbs. One of the highlights was the fried sage leaves...not like the tiny fried sage leaves you might find as a garnish in the US. Big leaves in a puffy tempura like batter. I bought some delicious honey and some dried wild fennel to bring home. Modica was a great base, easy to park, and easy to drive to the other Baroque towns in the area... Noto, Ragusa, Scicli. Also have to mention Rosy Bar, 2 km away from the old town. Its a bar/gelateria/pasticceria but is famous for its granita. I have to say that I've had granita before in Sicily, but this was really extraordinary. I would gladly return to Modica and use it as a "home base" on a future trip.
Agrigento I heeded the advice on this travel forum and stayed here 2 nights. It was perfect for a bit of relaxation and a visit to the temples. We were very fortunate that one of our sunny days was the day that we toured the Valley of the temples...the light was absolutely beautiful. The best part of Agrigento, though, was our stay at Villa La Lumia, a bed and breakfast . The family that runs this place,Piero&Dora& their son Luigi, put their heart and soul into it. They made and served a delicious breakfast every morning with fresh squeezed oj from the trees in their garden. And on Saturday night they cooked and served a delicious meal to the guests..Cont'd