If you decide to visit and see Sicily, then you cannot do without road transport. Railways do not connect all interesting places and cities, and trains run quite rarely. The most convenient way is to rent a car and drive around the island. However, driving through Sicily has many important features.
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Rental. It is worth starting with the choice of a rental office; there are a lot of reviews on the Internet about problems with this action. Southern Italians are very cunning and love other people's money, most likely they will try to make money on you - to include different options in the price, hang scratches and the like. This is the fault of all Italian offices that are not satisfied with your measly 100 euros for a car rental. However, large international companies also turn out to be not very honest. Budget / Avis deceived me personally for 325 euros (in Italy, this is one office). Despite the paid rent, they turned on all sorts of items after the delivery of the car - a different class of car, administrative fees, gasoline, etc., etc. I am still trying to return the money, the office of the company itself refuses to communicate with me. And the administrative fees for any services there are simply astronomical. And having received the car, do not forget to check its condition, during an additional inspection, we found about 10 scratches, dents, etc., you can be sure that after the car is handed over they will be hanged on you. Therefore, check carefully what you sign and do not refuse additional insurance - a third-party company or a rental office to drive safely, especially in Sicily, all cars are badly scratched and dented, you won't scratch, they will scratch you.
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Roads... The roads in Sicily are bad. They say that this state of affairs is supported by the Sicilian mafia, which is good for it. Poor condition is expressed in permanent holes on the road, repair of individual sections, lack of asphalt in certain places, etc. You can go, but you can go with a breeze in few places. It is especially fun on the highways, where you can drive 130, and the locals drive under two hundred. There are a lot of test sites for the suspension - holes, bumps, irregularities. Relatively good tracks between Pozzalo and Catania, the track from Catania to Palermo, from Catania to Messina, Messina-Palermo and Palermo-Trapani, that is, the north of the island, south of the middle (Catania-Palermo Highways) is much worse. The estimated speed there on the navigator is 50-70 km per hour. You go off the road and further can be anything. It is especially difficult at night - the roads are not illuminated at all, reflectors are not everywhere, many tunnels are not illuminated, visibility is 10 meters ahead without high beam headlights, I am silent about the axial markings, signs and restrictions, they like to forget about them here.
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// think-head.livejournal.com
Is in Sicily and toll road sections... There are two of them, and in terms of the quality of the canvas, they are no better than the free ones. The first is the Catania - Messina track. There are mainly tunnels, the length of the section is about 150 km. The section from Catania to Taormina (middle) costs 2 euros, from Taormina to Messina - another 2 euros. But for travel on the highway from Messina to Palermo (185 km to the connection with the Catania-Palermo highway) you will have to pay 10 euros and 10 cents. I advise you to make a small detour and go along the free Catania-Palermo highway, it will even be better.
They are easy to use. When approaching a toll section where access corridors are located, try to choose the extreme left passages, and not those where only Telepass is indicated - an automatic payment system that only local people have. In your case, you need a passage, where you drive up, press a button (or the machine issues itself) and get a ticket. At the entrance to the highway, such buttons should be in all openings. But leaving the toll section of the road, you choose the passages where the money or the cashier is drawn. That is, there is a living person in the booth, you give the coupon, the cost is displayed to you and you pay. It seems that besides cashiers, there are also machines that accept credit cards, but if you enter the passage where only the Telepass system cannot be paid, then expect a fine. In general, nothing complicated, before entering there is always a place and time to think exactly where you need to. I prefer to deal with a living person. The first time I entered the toll road, I did not take a coupon ... however, when paying, I said where I was coming from and paid 2 euros without any coupon.
// think-head.livejournal.com
When entering a toll road, make sure that you don't need anything - there are only emergency telephones, there are no cafes, gas stations, workshops or anything else, just a road and more pockets.
Orientation... In general, the island is small, there are not so many roads, there are mostly signs. You can drive without navigation and maps, but it is better to make a couple of printouts, follow the geolocation or use a navigator, at least it will tell you the shortest way. However, in all three cases, you still have to stray. And if you are going to a small town, the ruins of an ancient city and something like that, then the route must be laid in advance, to small objects there are signs only a couple of kilometers away.
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Driving rules... I have not seen the traffic police on the roads. There are cameras, they are of two types - they hang over the road and can be seen from a distance, and several that are directed at you from the opposite lane. Whether they work or not, I don't know. The locals run around regardless of any restrictions, but in some places they crawl like turtles. Speed \u200b\u200bin the city is 50, on normal roads 90, on the highway 130. But due to poor coverage, there are a lot of restrictions, up to 30 km per hour. If you follow them all, you will not get anywhere. Otherwise, everything is clear, the road is not overloaded with special signs.
Behavior on the road... Locals do not follow the rules of driving at all - they drive as they want, turn signals do not turn on, they can dazzle with a high beam, overtake, crawl up, rebuild as they want, not look at you before turning, climb somewhere. It is especially bad here with priorities, on many roads they are not there - who should yield to whom is not clear. You will not be allowed to pass. Whoever got on the road first is right. It's not so scary on the track yet, but it's difficult in the city, be very careful. Especially watch out for mopeds, they go as they want and to any light (motorists also do not always look), they can get out from any side.
Along the track... There are almost no gas stations along the roads, mostly they are at exits or in settlements. Pay attention to the fuel level. Cafes and shops are also rare, unless you are driving through the city (obviously not a highway). Also on the road you can hardly find a tire service or service .. I punched a tire in Sicily and drove for 4 days with a temporary one, I found a tire service only in Messina in the city center, they are not on the road and this is very strange.
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Safety... At every corner you will be warned that you cannot leave something in the car - even a hat, even an empty bag - it is highly likely that they will climb into the car. There are streets and areas where the probability of being robbed is almost 100%. In a rental office, for example, I saw a list of such streets. Locals also advise not to leave anything. If you are parking, then choose crowded and lighted places.
Gas stations... There are a lot of gas stations, but they are usually in settlements or at the entrance, there are almost no ones on the highways - the owners are simply inconvenient to go there, given that the majority are private. There are rumors that even here you can be deceived, underfilled, cheated ... especially near the airport, where the car is rented. I, it seems, did not come across. You can refuel with diesel and 95 gasoline, diesel can be of two categories, premium diesel costs as gasoline. An interesting feature of Italian gas stations, here you can refuel yourself. There are not always employees, and in the evenings and on weekends there is definitely no one there. So, refuel yourself. You drive up to the desired column, where self-service is indicated, find a machine next to it, insert a card or bills there - 5/10/20/50, then click on the column number and then just go to insert the hose with the required fuel. It is important not to mix up the order here! If you insert the hose first, and then pay, the machine will eat your money and issue a check. A bearer check on the column, if there is an employee, give it to him, get the money, if no one is there ... well, you understand yourself. I knew about it and at the last gas station I was distracted and I pressed the wrong button, and then took the pistol. The machine issued a check for 20 euros and I could not get money at this gas station. They helped at the hotel, where the owner took the check and gave the money. Well, we agreed, but this was the only chance.
It also happens that as soon as you leave the machine, they drive up to it, make a cancellation, take a check and leave. Otherwise, everything is simple, after you insert the hose and press the pawl, fuel will go exactly for the amount deposited. If you press the check button right after payment, then after refueling you will be given a check with the cost of gasoline. You can also refuel at a person, if he has one, but usually in this case a liter costs 12 to 25 cents more, which is 10 to 40% of the total cost. But this is not everywhere and it is better to do everything yourself, and no one will deceive. But how to make a full tank, paying yourself - I don't know ... if you have a place for 5 liters, and you paid for 10, then either you will start to spill fuel, or you will be given a check with an unused amount, after the tank will fill up. Be careful when returning a car in the evening or on weekends, it will be difficult to find a gas station with a refueller, in such a situation I had to be smart - collect 5 euro pieces of paper and refuel so that in front of the car drop-off office I had a full tank. Perhaps you can pay with a credit card more selectively, but it is difficult to determine how many liters you need before a full tank on your own.
// think-head.livejournal.com
Parking... Parking in Italy and Sicily is difficult, here on every street you can either park or not. If possible, it is usually paid. The streets are narrow, there are few places, and there are so many local cars. In the season it is really bad here, at other times it is easier. Be guided by the signs, if there is a parking sign on the street, then the conditions and cost, if any, are indicated below it. Usually there are time limits and on the days of the week, for example, on weekends for free. But there are parking lots and only for residents. Paid places are usually marked with blue paint, white ones are free. Yellow ones are for disabled people. If you have entered a paid parking lot, then look for a parking meter where you pay for the required number of hours. On average, parking costs from 60 cents to 1 euro per hour. Then put the check under the windshield so that the inspector can see it.
However, there are usually many parking lots around and free ones - at shopping centers, shops, in squares, along ordinary streets and avenues. During the day, there are definitely no problems with a temporary stop, in the evening you have to look, try to choose hotels with private parking. If you are not sure whether this is a paid parking lot or not, look under the glass of neighboring parked cars, there is a ticket - paid - no - free. Sometimes you can park in free parking lots only for a couple of hours, under the sign of a special sign. Which matches the cardboard watch you have under your glass (found on all rental cars). On the clock under the glass, you set the time of arrival and return, respectively, no later than the required time (after 2 hours, for example), or simply change the time as you pass by.
// think-head.livejournal.com
Under prohibitory signs, you can stop for half an hour or an hour without any problems, and the locals do this too, but of course you can't leave your car here for a day. However, I have not seen valets or tow trucks in Sicily.
Yes, and when choosing a car at the rental it is better not to take a Hummer - it will be much more difficult to put it. Choose better Italian small cars.
I remind you once again that you can't leave anything in the car, I did leave my suitcase, but I did it during the day and in decent places, it just didn't fit into the trunk.
// think-head.livejournal.com
In large cities, free parking lots are operated by assistants, Italians or migrants who provide incomprehensible services ... usually the service consists in the fact that he waves his hand at you, like it's free here, stop by ... that's all. They will not guard the car, follow, help to leave or something else, when I was in the car, the car drove out and decently touched another car, this one was standing nearby and did not react at all. For services they want money .. they say that one euro is enough, but I heard them asking for 5. I rarely parked in such parking lots and did not give money. In general, it is unpleasant, you drive by, and some chum is waving to you. And when you leave, he runs to you, shakes the money, shows with every kind that he needs to be paid. True, they keep parking lots all the time and should not harm the car in case of non-payment, and I did not see much to pay.
// think-head.livejournal.com
Two Africans are standing in the distance, they hold this parking lot on the waterfront of Palermo
Zone ZTL (Zona Traffico Limitato).This is Italy's headache and a lot of nerves and spoiled mood. In Italy and Sicily, cities provide their place for transport by prohibiting non-residents from entering certain parts of the city. You drive up to the center - "bam", there is a sign and a camera ahead. Somewhere this zone is not, somewhere there is only a zone near the cathedral, but somewhere half of the city is in it. Drop in and get a fine from 40 to 120 euros. On the Internet, maps of this zone are available only for large cities, and even then not for everything. Conditions of travel usually hang under the signs, sometimes a non-resident can enter early in the morning or late in the evening, but usually it is better not to bump into this and go around the city center so that the navigator does not speak. Sometimes, if you live in a large hotel in the center, the administration can send a paper to the police and they won't take a fine, but not everyone wants to do this and not all hotels have the right to do this, it's better not to get involved, I think.
// think-head.livejournal.com
Sometimes I considered the option to hide the rear numbers with a piece of paper or a rag when entering, the same thing when leaving, but this is an extreme case, they will catch you .. beware! I myself have not seen such machinations.
There is a slight relief with the zone out of season, according to local residents, in winter, and I went in January, the system does not work ... as a result, I entered the zone once. They say on the Internet that often the entrance to the zone is on a narrow street, from where you do not lead and you can only drive forward, I have not come across this. Signs hang obviously, often warn and mostly in the very center.
If a highway passes through the city, even if it is past the cathedral, then it is not a problem, there will be no zones there. However, it is better not to tempt and not go to the very center, leave the car on the outskirts of the town or within the center. Yes, you will have to walk, but it's calmer.
// think-head.livejournal.com
In Sicily, in the main cities with the zone, the situation is as follows. In Catania, the ZTL is only around the cathedral and on a couple of adjacent streets. It is difficult to get into it. In Taormina, the whole city is in the zone, how to get to the city on the mountain without a car - I don't know. Well, don't you drag your suitcase up a couple of kilometers. It was here that I stopped by, although I spent a lot of time figuring out, walking, etc., there are no alternative ways. In Messina, the main streets are no problem. In Palermo, there is a zone only in the old town, park immediately after entering the center - 2 km around the cathedral, but the busiest streets do not contain restrictions, only small streets, entrances to houses. In Montreal, you will not be able to enter the center. In Ragusa, the car should be left at the roundabout around the Old (lower) city, but everything is obvious there. In Syracuse, boldly enter the island of Ortiga, where the Old Town, only the very center of the island is closed, the main roads with many free parking lots are free to drive. In the end, if you are careful, there should be no problems.
I hope that this detailed story of mine will help you to visit Sicily without any problems and go around everything you need.
// think-head.livejournal.com
think_head
01/02/2016 11:00
The opinion of tourists may not coincide with the opinion of the editorial board.
Route planning
1) First, determine which route to go, where to stop for the night (perhaps for a few days with an inspection of the nearby beauties), and where to stop by on the way. In my opinion, in Sicily, you can make two types of route: with a survey of the entire island in one trip (circular route) or divide it into two parts (western and eastern) and look piece by piece in two "sitting".
View of Mount Cofano on the way from Erice, Sicily
My own photo
2) An important part of auto-travel is hotel selection, because not all of them are suitable for spending the night for your iron horse. In the historical centers of Italian cities, there is not always even a parking space, and if there is, it will be very expensive. With a car, it is best to stop on the outskirts of the city or even in the countryside. By the way about the village! Recently, agriturismo hotels have been gaining popularity in Italy, which I have already mentioned earlier.
Agriturismo Galea Farm House with a swimming pool overlooking Etna, and from the other side overlooking the Ionian Sea - whoever likes what better)
My own photo
3) Companions of any auto-travelers are navigator and road map of the region (in Italy I like maps published by De Agostini), always bundled with each other. Firstly, because the navigator is an electronic thing, which means it can break. But the main second - among the narrow Italian streets, Russian navigators begin, excuse me, to blunt so that they can chase you around for hours. In addition, many of these technical wonders do not see minor roads, are unaware of track repairs, and much more. And I would also advise in advance to "hammer" into the navigator all the GPS coordinates that you will need during the trip (addresses of hotels, attractions, parking lots in cities, etc.)
My own photo
Car booking and insurance selection
The basic rules for booking a car around the world have already been told, so now I will only touch on the Sicilian (or Italian?) Features of this process.
1) Since the country is unsafe in terms of car theft, some rental companies (for example, Sixt) may knowingly exclude certain regions or cities even from full insurance with zero personal liability. This is especially true for the southern regions (Sicily, Campania and Calabria). In our case, a shadow of mistrust also fell on Apulia, and in Sicily, only Catania was considered unsafe. It is better to inquire about such surprises in advance, because even after carefully reading the rental rules on the company's website, you may not even notice the foreign text in small print. Yes, and I recommend taking insurance with zero personal responsibility, since in addition to theft, the car can also be damaged when parking from neighboring "smart guys", this is another distinctive feature of the country.
Classic Italian-style parking
My own photo
2) Another feature is the total "know of problems" in words and its complete absence in practice. therefore if anything seems strange to you when you receive the car (any scratches, non-functioning functions inside the car, incomplete gasoline tank, etc.) it is better to prescribe these little things in the contract. Otherwise, upon handing over the car, all the "flies" can turn into "elephants" and you will regret that you bought into cute Italian smiles. If something suddenly went wrong and the rental office did not consider it necessary to fix the problem, defend your rights and ask for "compensation". Italians are non-conflict people and easy-going, usually all issues are resolved peacefully or generally by themselves)
On the road to Corleone (the same!), Sicily
My own photo
During the journey
1) Many Russians are afraid of panic toll roads, since we do not have them in our country. So in Italy (at least in Sicily) you don't need to be afraid. During the entire trip around the island, we met only two toll routes and spent only 3.5 euros on them. The system works as follows: the entrance to the road is organized through the checkpoint, where you need to queue up WITHOUT the inscription "Telepass"; take a ticket from the machine and drive through the opened barrier; at the end of the toll section of the highway, go through the checkpoint again (where there is NO sign "Telepass") and pay for the fare in cash or by credit card. The main difference between such roads and ordinary ones is that they pass outside cities and do not wind around, adjusting to the terrain. The result: saved fuel, time and frustration.
Toll road entrance, Tuscany
My own photo
2) The biggest problem when traveling by car in Italy is parking in cities... So, there are several types of them:
- huge parking lots of several floors - very expensive, but there are always free spaces;
- ordinary parking lots - much cheaper, there are almost always places, but there are much less of them;
- multi-colored parking spaces in cities: white free (try to find a free space!), blue paid (also completely packed during working hours) and yellow private (you can’t take them).
- unscrewed free places where you can leave the car - it is recommended to ask the local about the possibility of parking in such situations "Mi scusi, signor / signora! Il parcheggio qui e gratuito?", the answer "si" or "no" will be understandable even without Google- Translator "a.
The payment system is different. Everything is clear with organized parking lots - payment to a person in the booth. But with blue parking spaces, there are variations: payment to the "caretaker" (usually this happens near attractions); payment at the machine (I recommend contacting the locals and explaining on your fingers how many hours of parking you need to pay); special coupons that are sold in the nearest tobacco shop (see the comment to the previous point only regarding the seller, because it is not very easy to understand the coupon, but you can ask me additionally in the comments to the post)))
Due to the lack of sufficient parking space, sometimes you have to do this
My own photo, the car is not mine \u003d)
3) Refuel in Italy I advise in the daytime and on weekdays, when this can be done with the help of station workers, and tipping is not accepted (but not prohibited). At night and on weekends, many gas stations operate in self-service mode, but it is not always easy to figure out what's what, and there is no one to ask. In the north of the country, this can happen even during the day, so it's best to always have some fuel in stock before looking for a gas station.
On the road to Corleone (the same!), Sicily
My own photo
4) The quality of Italian (and especially Sicilian!) Roads very good, they say, the mafia for its Lamborghinis tried) But with road signs and even more signs it's not always easy to figure it out, so when the road forks, be on the alert and navigate the map! Driving style: the further south you climb, the more chaotic the situation on the roads, but at the same time everything is quite peaceful and calm. The main traffic rules are to respect all participants in the traffic rules and not be angry at violations of the written traffic rules. And another important point: newbies behind the wheel It is not recommended to travel by car in Italy, after all, it can be too hard on mountain serpentines, and even more so on the narrow sloping streets of towns. Even our experienced driver was sometimes just shocked by how we had to dodge and maneuver.
All the complexities of a motorist's life in Sicily in pictures:
to the topic about pointers and signs
My own photo
Serpentine ascent to the town of Savoca (where "The Godfather" was filmed), Sicily
My own photo
Travel preparation
About Sicily, we have heard so many enthusiastic reviews from friends who have been there that soon we ourselves began to rave about the trip.
When we finally decided to go, friendly advice and Guide Verte Michelin "Sicile" helped to determine the route (it may have been translated into Russian). In general, I am a longtime fan of Mishlyan guides, they have never failed with the choice of routes and restaurants on numerous trips.
Routard acted as an auxiliary guide. This was the first close acquaintance with this guide, and I was pleased with him - it is certainly less convenient to choose a route with him and the restaurants are not always the best, but in Rutard you can find where to eat delicious ice cream (checked!) And it is written in a very lively language (with this is a bit tough for the Michelin guide) - the rutard is easy to read and gives a good introduction to the new place.
So, the route was chosen as follows: Taormina (+ Etna volcano) - Palermo (+ Monreale) - Castellammare del Golfo (+ Segesta + Erice) - Agrigento (Valley of the Temples) - Ragusa Noto - Syracuse.
A little about the timing of the trip: all guides advise avoiding July and August, I can add to this that already in the second half of June it was HOT. Therefore, it is probably better to go in general in May. We planned to relax according to our favorite formula - in the morning and in the evening the beach (until it is insanely hot), in the afternoon - to look at the beauty. But this formula works well if there are mountains or the sea nearby (in Sicily, in places where it was not hot during the day - Etna, Erice, and quite tolerant in the Zingara reserve, as the sea is nearby), and on flat terrain, especially in cities, it is hot everywhere during the day. Narrow streets (if any) save a little more. So the hottest months are best avoided in order not to ruin your trip.
And a little about the route: We got it quite dense and rich. We have visited wherever we have planned (and even more) and were satisfied, but still sometimes it was tiring (especially hard for those who drive - in Sicily it is quite a nervous activity). So if in doubt, it is better not to try to be in time everywhere, especially since you can painlessly shorten the route if you avoid "repetitions". Well, for example - the ruins of Greek theaters are the same everywhere, the same applies to Greek temples. The biggest difference is the area where they are inscribed. In choosing a place, the Greeks had no equal, as well as in the art of carving huge columns, so their landscapes are also a work of art. If we take our route, then it seems to me, if desired, one could sacrifice the Valley of the Temples of Agrigento in favor of Segesta (where the temple and the theater (especially) are framed by a fabulously beautiful landscape). Ragusa is a pretty town, but if time is tight, then it is better to spend it on Noto .. (We ourselves really reduced only the Greek theater in Syracuse, we watched everything else as we intended). In general, look at your own strength.
A little about driving: In Sicily, driving a car is an extreme sport (at least it was so for me). On the road, cars, mopeds and pedestrians move as they want, road alarms (especially speed limits) are completely ignored (as well as solid dividing ones). There is very little information - street names are often not visible. Therefore, I strongly advise you to take the GPS Navigator and before the next move to a new place - to hammer in the coordinates of the parking lot (which is preferable to localize on google maps). Do not just “downtown” into the navigator - this is often not what you need and not the place where you can park! If the guide has parking on the plan, then it is better to localize it again in google maps and fill in the verified coordinates into the navigator - this will help minimize driving in cities where the traffic is completely crazy (and guides often make mistakes).
And more about the car: When moving between hotels, there are often some intermediate stops, interesting places, and it can be very difficult to observe the golden rule "do not leave anything in the car." Those. if you manage to never leave anything in the car - this is great, if not - then you should try to at least follow the rule "do not leave anything in the car that could be seen through the window". As a rule, two full-weight suitcases do not fit into the trunk of inexpensive rental cars, so it is better to take one suitcase and one soft bag, which can be tamped into the trunk together in a suitcase.
Selection of hotels and car rental:
I have booked all the hotels through http://www.booking.com/. The site is excellent, I use it often and am very satisfied. The principle of choice was the following - the cheapest of the hotels with a good rating and reviews + convenient location (I always looked on the map where it is located). The result was good - out of six hotels, I liked some more, some less (I'll say a few words when I talk about the point of visit), but there were no problems or special disappointments associated with any hotel.
The cheapest car rental option was found at http://www.ebookers.fr/ (http://www.ebookers.com/). I honestly looked for others, but it was not cheaper, and besides, the office was well-known - Hertz (which really disappointed with the wildest mess on the day we took the car - we probably killed about two hours for this, besides, they were in this madhouse for me we got the option “buy gasoline from us - return an empty tank.” I don’t think I lost a lot of money on this, but still this is a clear scam in favor of the distributor, do not get fooled).
Below is our preliminary travel plan (the time in the "plan" column is the time of moving from one city to another), a list of hotels and their prices, to give an approximate idea of \u200b\u200bthe budget (there are no restaurants in the list (we got one bill for two about 40-50 euros) and tickets to museums, etc.)
(the flight was on the route Paris - Catania - Paris)
In the following issues, some useful information and impressions of the places we visited:
Taormina and surroundings
Palermo (+ Monreale)
Castellammare del Golfo (+ Zingare Nature Reserve + Segesta + Erice)
Agrigento (+ Valley of the Temples + "Turkish Rock")
Ragusa, Noto
Syracuse
Enjoy your trip to this incredibly beautiful and very hospitable country!
Self-drive travel ideasIn general, if we talk about independent travel, then getting around Sicily is usually recommended by personal transport. Fortunately, renting a car is easy - travelers can find sites such as www.rentalcars.com and www.economybookings.com to book a car in advance, as well as numerous local car rental companies that can often save a lot on rental.
In addition, there is always the opportunity to hire a private guide who will not only take you to a particular attraction, but will also tell you a lot of interesting things. There are many Russian speaking guides in Sicily, many of them have their own websites and blogs. It also makes sense to look at sites like where you can find and book excursions online.
Be that as it may, the ideas for traveling in Sicily proposed here take into account the possibilities of public transport, since it is quite possible to reach many interesting places without a car - by train, bus and other types of public transport.
Where to go and what to see in Sicily
CC BY 2.0, flickr.com) "\u003eSicily is multifaceted. Here you can find attractions and entertainment for all tastes. Where to go? There are a huge variety of options, it is unlikely that you can see everything at once. So you have to choose. The whole question is what to choose? Let's try to outline a number of landmarks.
So, what to see in Sicily first?
The answer to this question will largely depend on how you plan your trip: where you start, how you move around the island, etc. The most obvious option is to start your trip to Sicily from Palermo or Catania. These are the largest Sicilian cities, which are easy to reach from anywhere in Italy or even from Russia directly. Direct flights from Moscow to Palermo are operated by Alitalia, and to Catania - in addition to Alitalia, there is also S7 Airlines. In addition, do not forget about transit flights, which are often much cheaper. You can find suitable flights here:
Then you can settle for a few days in one of these cities, since each of them is of considerable interest. In addition, both Palermo and Catania are quite convenient day trips around the area. Thus, you can visit Syracuse and Taormina, and the Noto Valley, and Etna, and Sejestu, and many other places. More on this topic is written in the following articles:
- Where to stay: Catania, Palermo
- Where to visit: from Catania, from Palermo
If you do not get attached to any one place, then the options are countless. For example, you can create a circular route: Catania - Syracuse - Agrigento - Trapani (or Erice) - Palermo - Cefalu - Messina - Taormina - Catania... Or you can go deep into the island. For example, along this route: Palermo - Sejesta - Enna - Caltagirone - Catania... In short, the scope for imagination is extremely wide, especially if you are traveling by car. However, as already noted, it is possible to get to many interesting places by public transport, including all of the above. The main thing is to understand where you want more.
It is also important that what time of year are you going to Sicily... It is one thing to travel to Sicily in the summer, when the air temperature rises above 30 degrees (and this is not uncommon even for September). And it is quite another to focus on the winter months, when quite comfortable weather is established in Sicily, albeit rainy at times. If you plan to actively move around Sicily and want to travel around as many attractions as possible, then, in our opinion, it is better to focus on October – May. Perhaps the worst time for frequent trips around the island is July and August. At the height of the summer season, it is much more pleasant to spend time by the sea, combining a beach holiday with short sightseeing trips for half a day or a day. Read more about Sicilian beaches.
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