Hello!

In a few weeks me and my girlfriend will stay in Sicily for 11 days. We will land in Palermo and fly out from Catania and will probably not rent a car. We are not sure where to base ourselves during our stay. My initial thinking was to stay for 3-4 nights in Palermo and then move to the east/south-east side of the island and stay there in 1-2 different locations. We dont want to switch accommodations too often so 2-3 different bases during the trip at most is our preference :) Any recommendations?

We are both in our early thirties and are active, enjoy tasting local food, good coffee, beaches and beautiful towns/streets. We will probably visit some historical sites and such but that is not of main importance to us so we are not really trying to “see everything”. More trying to relax and enjoy life while eating good food and drinking good coffee in the sun, preferably near a beautiful beach (we are from Iceland so we don’t get to do that often!)

Thanks in advance!

I will be staying in Castellemare del Golfo for four days in late June and would like to drive to Scopello. I would love to get the tickets for Tonnara di Scopello, but for a family of four (with a 13-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter), is it worth it? Or should we go early and try to go the free public beach? #Tonnara #Sicily

Je vais avec mon copain à Palerme , la dernière semaine de juin .
Je voulais savoir si on pouvait fumer dans la rue un petit joint ou si c’était chaud ?
La police est comment par rapport à ça ? Et avec les touristes du coup ?
On fumerai en se promenant tranquille dans la ville
On se promènerai jamais avec plus que un ou deux joints max.

I'd appreciate some advice on rental cars in Sicily. I'm going to Sicily in October and am planning to rent a car for a week. The trip will be split between bases in Naxos/Taormina and Ortigia. I've never driven outside the US and plan to get the car at the Catania airport after an overnight flight. I know to avoid ZTL areas and I plan to avoid city center driving. Generally, how hard is it to drive in Sicily for someone used to US city driving? Should I purposefully try to rent a very small car? I've avoided renting cars in Europe but it seems like the best way to get around for this trip.

Hi all i will be in Palermo very soon and I'm quite keen in visiting Agrigento. How much time would I need to fully enjoy Agrigento? Is it easy to get public transport or organise a tour from Palermo?

Thank you

Ciao a tutti. Fra poco mi troverò a Palermo e io avrò molta voglia di andare ad Agrigento per esplorare un po' il posto. Quanto tempo mi consigli per andare lì? Perché voglio sapere se posso prendere un pullman da Palermo per arrivare ad Agrigento e se posso vedere tutto in un giorno. Grazie.

I asked about some recommendations for Etna style Salsiccia Semplice and Salsiccia Condita

I ended up finding this one myself. This place did not disappoint.

La Chianina - Nicolosi

Visiting family this time in July. Debating on if it's worth staying in Trappani for 2 days then going over to Favignana for 3 days. Curious how it will be with a 3&1 year old . Will it be a pain ? Like the traveling on the island , I know they have bikes with the wagons we can attach , do they have golf carts ? Or is it just small cars. I'm debating on skipping Trappani and Favignana all together and just staying in San Vito , is like to do something different , we are staying on the west of sicily . Any suggestions for the first 5 days would be great

Hello dear Sicilians, I really need your help/guidance. I’m a 30-something girl and will be visiting Catania this weekend. I’m very excited but I just realised, that my flight will land at 23:15 at the airport in Catania and I have to go to Randazzo in the middle of the night. I saw that the busses don’t drive at that time. I could uber for 190€ or go with connecto-taxis. What do you think is the best way or even the safest way to travel? I’m meeting my friends there, they booked the apartment 🙈
Grazie mille ❤️

My wife and I just finished a 10 day trip of Sicily. We started in Catania and drove all around the island; Catania -> Noto -> Marzamemi -> Siracusa -> Ragusa -> Agrigento -> Favignana -> Scopello -> Zingaro -> Palermo -> and finally back to Catania to board our flight.

10 days was probably not enough for every landmark, but we wanted to go on a full island trip to see what fit our interests best. Here's some of my personal takeaways!

What we loved about Sicily:

1. Favignana was probably the best part of the trip for us. We stayed two nights and spent one day doing a boat trip. All around, the vibe in Favignana was perfect - laidback, relaxed, and plenty of time to bike around the island.

2. The food! I can go on and on about how delicious the tuna was, how many different types of pasta dishes we tried, and most importantly, how much food! There were so many meals where we thought we were about to blow up because we had so much food. And the desserts were all so fantastic! Especially the pistachios and lemon flavored dishes. And the granitas were absolutely delicious!! (Shoutout to whoever made almond granitas)

3. So many flowers and nature! As both lovers of nature, we were so delighted to see so many vibrant colors all across the island. We couldn't take our eyes off the walls of flowers every LIDL had and the amazing sunsets the island boasted each evening.

4. Most importantly, the people of Sicily were so kind to us. Even though we didn't speak a word of Italian, everyone (and I mean every person we spoke to) was patient, always greeted us, and treated us like one of their own. So much kindness all around!

Some things that could be improved.. 😅

1. The infrastructure and roads of a few parts of the island (especially Palermo) could be improved, IMO. I've driven in other parts of Italy before, but driving in Palermo was a bit more chaotic to me than others. There seemed to be no rules to traffic, with drivers popping out of nowhere or making turns unexpectedly. The roads also had no lane markings or they were almost completely erased. The lack of accessiblity for pedestrians was also a bit stressful. It was difficult crossing streets without having to signal drivers beforehand. A lot of potholes as well!

2. A lot of smoking, especially in areas where there were families and kids. As a former smoker myself, I understand the urge to smoke after a nice meal or a few drinks, but there seemed to be no limits to where people smoked. In different parts of Asia where I used to live, there are now designated spots to smoke so that people around won't be affected by the secondhand smoke. I think it would be great if the city can start to designate certain areas where people can/can't smoke!

Overall, we had a lovely time on the island. My wife and I could not stop talking about how we would love to be back in the near future. Thank you so much to the people of Sicily for making this trip so memorable for us. Grazie!

Hi everyone!
We are a young couple visiting Sicily for 6 days in June. Since our trip is so short, we want to make the most of our time and plan the trip well! So now I’m writing in hope of advice!
📍🌅🏖️🌋🚤🛳️🚘

We are starting off with 2 or 3 nights in Palermo (we arrive late in the evening). After that we’re considering spending the remaining days in Trapani and Favignana, with a day trip to Erice.

We're unsure whether it's better to stay in Trapani and visit Favignana as a day trip, or stay on Favignana itself? We have also looked at some organised boat tours around the Egadi Islands departing from Trapani. Any thoughts or experiences? Which would you choose and why? Trapani or Favignana - or both? (3 nights, or 4 nights if we steal from Palermo).

Other recommendations, experiences or places on the north-west coast of Sicily we should consider?

Any recommendations, tips, favourite places, routes or hidden gems would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!!

We are interested in lively and authentic places, Sicilian culture and good food, theatre and history, hiking, swimming, snorkelling, beautiful nature and beaches, budget friendly and not too touristy! We are quite broad.

Hey everyone,

I just got ripped off at Catania Airport in Sicily and want to know if this is a common scam.

I booked a car through Check24/Enjoy Travel with the local supplier Differental for €259. At the counter, the agent refused to accept my Visa credit cards (Hanseatic Bank & TF Bank) because they are from "online banks" and not traditional branch banks. I have used these exact cards for over 20 rentals in 5+ countries without any issues. She didn't even try to swipe them. I thought, a credit card is a credit card?!

She gave us an ultimatum: either pay €650 extra for their local "Platinum" insurance to bypass the rule with a debit card, or walk away with no car. Being stranded, we felt completely coerced and paid.

After digging into the tiny print of the broker's terms later, I actually found a hidden clause: "It [the card] must also have been issued by a physical bank branch." On the final contract, they typed: "VIRTUAL BANK AVARDA BANK NOT ACCEPTED".

Even if it's legally hidden in the T&Cs, this feels like a massive scam to trap tourists and force overpriced insurance on them.

Has anyone else experienced this "online bank" rejection in Italy? Do I have any chance with a bank chargeback, or am I screwed because of the fine print?

I am trying to send letters, two in Italy and two internationally. Every Tabacchi says, “finito”. No stamps.

Where are the stamps!!

I’ve been in Palermo, been around a few towns, no one has any.

Edit: li ho trovati!

Salve a tutti, devo andare a Barcellona e vorrei noleggiare un veicolo. Ho letto sul sito di Centauro che è possibile acquistare una copertura premium (o smart, non ne ho capito la differenza onestamente) per non pagare la cauzione.

Qualcuno ha avuto esperienze? chiedono qualche deposito cauzionale "a sorpresa"? chiedono carta di credito al ritiro? perché io non ce l'ho la carta di credito e questa cosa mi preoccupa.
Inoltre cosa significa pieno-pieno. Capisco che devo riportare allo stesso livello di carburante, ma devo pagare qualche deposito per il pieno? perché online ho letto anche cose del genere.
Scusatemi, è la prima volta che noleggio un veicolo.

Hi I am planning to visit Sicily this October, and I wanted to know if its realistic to get around without a car. Ibwas planning to stay in san vito lo capo and travel around nearby with buses.

Please if anyone has any advice!

Hi! I'm visiting Sicily for a week at the end of June, landing in Catania. I'd like to see as much of the island as possible without renting a car, including the cities and beaches. I've seen that there are a few trains that run between the big cities, but would be possible to also reach the most beautiful beaches only by public transport? Also, what would be the best area to stay in order to have a nice beach nearby and also have good public transport connections?

Thank you!

Hello,

My boyfriend and I are interested in visiting the Aeolian Islands this summer in July. Unfortunately, we can’t take a holiday at any other time. How busy is it at that time of year? Is it too crowded? Or is it fine, with the possibility of finding quieter spots?

Thank you for your reply

Which is the best smoothest drive to Palermo?

Hi all, my husband and I are planning a trip to Sicily this September. We've never been before and want to see as much of it as we can while still leaving time to relax and enjoy the "slow life" that is a part of Sicilian culture.

We chose Sicily because of its plethora of historic areas to explore, combined with beautiful beaches and delicious eats. We're in our mid-30s, both very active, and love to hike and explore.

After some time in Rome, we will be spending 9 days total with travel time in Sicily and plan to hop around to a few spots. Below is our timeline so far...

Day 1: Fly into Catania > Explore Piazza del Duomo and drive to and stay in Taormina
Day 2: Explore Mt. Etna / Enjoy the Vineyards
Day 3: Hike to Castelmola / Beach time at Isola Bella
Day 4: More beach time in Taormina
Day 5: Drive to and stay in Syracuse / Explore Archaeological Park
Day 6: Drive to and explore Valley of the Temples / Stay nearby
Day 7: Drive to and stay in Palermo > Possible stop at Segesta > Walk around Ballaro Market
Day 8: Explore Norman Palace > Catacombe de Cappuccini
Day 9: Fly home from Palermo

Is all of this realistic to do in 9 days? Are we missing anything major? I'm worried we will be doing too much, but also worried we may miss out on major points of interest all at the same time and have regrets. Any suggestions are welcome, thank you in advance.

EDIT: for context, we are from America and this will be our first and only time traveling to Sicily.

Hi! Anyone traveling next week to sicily? I am thinking about doing paragliding. Anyone interested to join?

hello everyone, I’m planning to go to Sicily for two weeks. I’ll be in Palermo for a week and that’ll be my base to travel to see a few different destinations. I’m spending another week but I want to stay at one place and I don’t know where to go yet. I want to be near the beach but in a smaller city. Something that feels kinda familiar. A few restaurants and bars. I’d love to hear your recommendations :)

Visiting Sicily in July and we’ve come up with this itinerary. I already know it’s not perfect but we both want a mix of relaxation and culture/exploring- and we’re arriving and leaving from Palermo airport.

So far we’re thinking Palermo (2 nights) -> cefalu (2 nights) -> terrasini (2 nights) -> mondello (1 night). Then home.

We don’t have a car, so we’ll be using train and bus to travel- are we missing anywhere that could be an easy stop off or a good place to stay? Any advice would be a massive help as we’re completely new to the island :)

Hi! I’m about go to to Sicily for 17 days on a historical tour and will have a free day in Syracuse.

I’m looking for some things to do during the day that are moreso academic (museum, library, etc).

But also curious about possible nightlife stuff? Any suggestions? Im queer so a queer or queer inclusive bar or something would be awesome :3 alt things would be rly cool too !

I’m open to any fun ideas tho !! Especially things that might be less touristy/busy :)

Thank you!!

Hi everyone,

I have a work trip coming up at the end of June/early July and will have about 4 days in Sicily.

Our passengers are staying in Taormina, which is where we were originally supposed to stay as well. I was really excited about that area because it seems much more in line with what I was hoping for: beautiful, coastal, romantic, relaxing, good food, pretty views, sundresses, pasta and wine. Unfortunately, it sounds like there may not be parking available for our aircraft there, so after dropping them off we may have to reposition to Palermo instead.

I’ve been to Palermo once before for work and honestly didn’t love it. It felt chaotic and not really like the beautiful coastal Italy vibe I had in mind. That said, it was years ago, I was with a different company, didn’t have the best hotel, and wasn’t with the best colleagues, so I’m wondering if I should give it another chance.

For this trip, I’m hoping for somewhere beautiful, peaceful, and a little luxurious. I don’t love super touristy or crowded places. Our hotel budget is probably around €300 to €400 per night. My boyfriend is also flying in to meet me, so even though it’s technically a work trip, we’re trying to make it feel special. We’ll be coming from Vienna and then spending 4 days in Sicily before heading back to Canada.

Would you stay in Palermo and give it another chance? Are there any beautiful boutique hotels or calmer areas in or near the city? Or would you rent a car and drive 1 to 2 hours somewhere prettier and more relaxing?

Would love any recommendations.