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Sicily Itinerary

  • 11-04-2012 7:48pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24


    My boyfriend and I are planning a two week holiday to Sicily in July, flying in and out of Catania. I have read lots, about lots of different places, but I would love to hear from others who have been there.

    * What area would be best to base ourselves in for touring?
    * Where best for beach / relaxing?
    * We usually do a week in one place and then move to another...Where would people suggest?
    * Is transport easy to access or would it be best to hire a car?

    I would really appreciate suggestions...Thanks :D


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 865 ✭✭✭Unshelved


    Taormina is gorgeous but expensive, and the beach isn't great. It's worth spending a couple of nights there though because the town itself is so nice. Catania is an interesting city and the nightlife is lively - again maybe base yourselves there on the last night so you can sample the nightlife and then it's handy enough for the airport. Cefalu on the north coast is lovely - a great beach and very good restaurants. It's also a good spot if you want to sightsee in Palermo for the day.

    Consider a trip to the Aeolian Islands. Lipari is gorgeous and Stomboli with the volcano is amazing.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 865 ✭✭✭Unshelved


    I forgot to say - we did all those towns without hiring a car. Public transport is pretty good and we had no problems with it. Taxis are expensive though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 361 ✭✭litup


    I'm heading to Sicily for 10 days in September, flying into Palermo, but I haven't really booked anything yet so I'd be interested to hear how you get on.

    Sorry for crashing your thread!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24 fattybumbum


    Unshelved, thanks for taking the time to reply...Great tips there :-)
    Litup, I'll let you know what we plan and how we get on!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 865 ✭✭✭Unshelved


    I forgot to say that the town beside Taormina, Giardini Naxos, has a gorgeous beach and could be a cheaper alternative to staying in Taormina. Having said that it's a pretty humdrum town with only the beach as the main attraction, and if you decide to go to Taormina for the evening, the buses stop early and taxis are expensive.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24 fattybumbum


    Just wondering how you would go about arranging a trip to the Aeolian Islands...???
    Did you stay on them overnight or is it just a day trip.
    Thanks :-)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 427 ✭✭teddansonswig


    hey fatty,
    have spent a few months working/farming in Sicily! and just did a long weekend in Palermo for my birthday thanks to ryanairs new route

    If your staying in Catania i'd recommend checking out Mt Etna, there should still be some ice up near the summit, its like being on another planet!
    and around the east side of etna are some lovely towns serviced by a train called the 'circumetna' you can pick up from catania, or heading out towards taromina on the main train, it serves smaller towns like Giarre Reposto, great for seeing small towns like Linguaglosa.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrovia_Circumetnea

    Taromina is a lovely place to spend a few days, Its built on a hill top, so my advice is stay down at sea level for 1/2 the price. if your up for the steps/climb!

    if your interested in traveling further, head to syracuse , that was the ancient greek capital for a while, well worth a look!

    and further away, a town called modica is as rustic as you can get, with amazing valleys that people carved out houses/vilages in the sides of the valleys pre-greek times, lived in until the 40/50's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ispica

    then even further south west, the valley of the temples! Agrigento
    where the greeks intended on bulding the biggest amphitheater of their empire! they all fell but have been reconstructed, well worth a day trip!
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_the_Temples_(Sicily)

    im not so sure where you would head for a beach holiday, i think sicily has seen its heyday for beach tourism, most of the spots i have seen were kinda ghost towns, but the beaches are still there!

    anyway im rambling, id say rent a car (park outside citys! mad drivers), but public transport is absolutely fine there
    enjoy!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 326 ✭✭John C


    I have just returned from Sicily. It was 25 C. In July it could be warmer.

    Transport
    Palermo - Catania by bus, one way 14.50 €.
    The train route is via Messina and is longer.

    It did not rain when I was there. In Catania and Palermo was on a
    sightseeing bus to get an overview of the sights. The day after I
    saw more of the churches and Duomo by visiting them on foot.

    Vehicle Rental
    In Catania I asked a motorcycle rental firm for a scooter. The only
    scooter they had was not roadworthy enough for my 50 km trip.
    The firm offered a car which I declined.

    Driving habits in Sicily were different to those in my district. Drivers
    were more flexible with red lights, stop signs and pedestrian crossings.
    I noticed many cars with damage to their wings and boots. Mabe
    public transport is better in a strange city.

    I saw Mount Etna. Bus from Catania 0815 hours to the cable car station
    by Nicolosi. Cable car to next level. Off road bus to southern crater.

    Beach
    In Sicily I made no enquiries about beaches.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 865 ✭✭✭Unshelved


    From 19th June there are about four hydrofoils daily from Messina to the Aeolian Islands (I recommend basing yourself in Lipari) - http://www.usticalines.it/ . Before that date there is about one daily or you may have to change at Messina and take a further train to Milazzo for the more frequent ferries between Milazzo and the islands.

    Messina is about an hour by train from Giardini Naxos (take a shuttle bus from Taormina). The hydrofoil takes about two hours to Lipari. It's too far for a daytrip - stay a couple of nights and be sure not to miss the volcanic eruptions at Stromboli!

    I think that only locals are allowed bring cars on to the islands so if you have hired a car you might want to check this out.


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