pommybird

Ciao ragazzi, looking to come to Sicily next May. Not sure whether to visit Palermo or Catania or both. If both what is the easiest quickest way to get from Palermo to Catania?

We did think about hiring a car form the airport but very few hotels in the city have free parking and having had family in Rome I know how stressful the driving in Italy can be!! What are the trains/buses like between Catania and Palermo and would you say 3 days in each is enough to take in most of the main attractions?

scrubbedexpat086

Sicily was my first holiday in the covid era and I loved it. I spent eight days in the Catania area, didn't go anywhere near Palermo, and eight days wasn't enough. I would strongly advise against doing both in one trip if you only have six days. Get a car in Catania and see everything there is to see in that corner of the island, which is supposed to be the best bit. I'd recommend everywhere I went to which included Catania, Taormina, Savoca and Forza d'agro (if you are a fan of The Godfather), Noto, Siracusa and Ragusa. Really each place requires a day in itself, and then a little time to drive from one to another. Not sure if you're interested in doing what I did which was book a place in each in advance and just hotel hop, doesn't take as much effort as you'd think and well worth it. I also recommend going off the beaten track and checking out Portopallo di Capo Passero and taking a little boat trip out to the island, you may well be the only ones there when you go. Also Isola delle Correnti which is the southernmost point of Italy. Marzamemi is also supposed to be nice but I only saw it at night. If you look on the map, what I did was arrive in Catania, go north by car to Taormina and the GF spots, then go south back past Catania, always by car, to the places I mentioned. Then went west to Ragusa before heading back to Catania where I stayed for two nights and then flying out. It's all so beautiful and there's so much to see and eat. It might sound like a lot but it can be done, and the car rides from one place to another were not too long. I'm sure you'll love it whatever you choose. Next trip I hope to see Palermo region.

pommybird

Ah thank you, that is so helpful. Did you have an issue with places to park your car in the hotels you stayed in?

modicasa

I agree. IN 6 days dont try and visit both - so it depends which airport is easiest for you. Palermo - you dont need a car, to do the city, Monreale, and even out to Cefalu you can do on trains and local transport. Catania - the city, Etna, Taormina, Siracusa easily take up 6 days. Obviously it depends what you like to do and whether you like to rush around ticking boxes or taking things at a leisurely pace.
May is a great month to see the countryside - lots of wild flower meadows, all very green, but still not seaside weather really.

GeorgeYoung

I realise if the OP is coming from Australia as the username suggests that Sicily might not seem like a big island but most people find it is much bigger than you might expect. As the other posters on here say don't expect to see all of it in one trip.

I hired a car at Catania airport to drive down to Ragusa & Scicli a few years ago and was made aware that I would not be able to drive into Catania city without having a significant increase in my excess for any damage to the car there. I can't remember the details but I'm pretty sure it was a 4-figure excess, even with enhanced cover.

I also think Modicasa might have gone native if May is not seaside weather - coming from Trentino, I found my visits to Sicily in May to be really warm and sunny and lovely for visits to the beach without the crowds & heat of summer. I agree that Palermo public transport is good though, we used the modern train from Punta Raisi airport into town which was really good, plus buses to get around the town (we stayed out near the football ground in Favorita). Much easier than trying to drive in the city.

I'm jealous, Sicilian food is my favourite cuisine in the whole of Italy, just so good!

Geordieborn

I'm jealous too, but just at the idea of travelling. For us it has to be without any restrictions whatsoever, so it might be a long wait....

pommybird

Thanks so much for the advice, yes think we will stick to one area and go back at another time to do the other side. Think we will probably fly into Catania this time and stay and visit places nearby and do Palermo region another time.

I am living in the UK (moved back from Oz many, many years ago!). I take on board what you say about the driving, We are used to driving on mainland Italy and that is hair raising enough! For that reason we think we will rely on public transport. We are coming for a week now, if we based ourselves in Catania and wanted to visit Etna, Syracusa and Traomina, would that all be do-able using the train and/or bus and which is better the train or the bus service?

GeorgeYoung

It depends on how you want to visit Etna - we hired a car to drive up the mountain and stay up there, would have been a challenge to do that with public transport. But if you are more interested in exploring lower levels, there are things like the amazing Circumetnea railway line and bus services. We travelled by coach from Catania to Siracusa, which was fine, aside from the fact that the coach station is a 20-minute walk from Ortigia island, where we were staying, which is a fair hike with heavy bags.

Sicilian trains aren't brilliant or modern but they can be an enjoyable experience in themselves, providing you aren't in a rush to get somewhere. One of my happiest memories is arriving in Messina on the overnight boat train from Rome and then spending a few hours travelling along the north coast of the island to Palermo, in a compartment all to myself, staring at the sea sparkling in the morning sun. Magical. Though I would have a very different opinion if I had to live and work there!

pommybird

Sounds good, public transport it is then. We were discussing this and were saying part of the charm of exploring a region is getting on the public transport and experiencing things in a different way than if you had hired a car. We travelled along the Amalfi coast by public transport a couple of years ago, used the local boats and buses and loved it, although we were a bit surprised when a German tourist tried to get on the bus to Sorrento without a ticket and asked whether she could purchase one on the bus and the bus driver just shut the door in her face and drove off.....Italian charm at it's best!

offthepiste

Strongly recommend you know where the closest gommista is when you are travelling about and where there a ZTL and how to avoid it.