Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I went back in 1989 but found it easy enough using the buses etc. to get around.


Don't dismiss Catania straight off - a big town but there are some interesting parts of it and a great market and it's handy for Etna.


Cefalu (north coast) was great but I think it's changed in recent years (more hotels etc. - though not necessarily a bad thing)


And Palermo itself - whilst a little maddening - has a lot to recommend it - especially the Capuchin catacombs if well-dressed corpses in various states of mummification are your bag.


I would say - eat at the markets wherever you are (cheapest food and often the best), use buses, drink ice cold birra grandes at the little street stands and avoid the outdoor cafe seating in the touristy places and you could stretch your budget a fair way.


Also beware of the 'private' beaches, they're often only marked by low fences or lines of beach-huts but sit in the wrong place and they'll try and charge you.

If getting trains around you have to validate your tickets on the little orange machines on platforms. No one really tells you about it, and if you don't do it you get a 100 euro fine. And in the more rural places trains sometimes (in the week we were there it happened three times) don't turn up so try and travel early rather than later in the day if doing a long-ish journey in case you need a plan B.

our holiday was actually quite horrible, we went for a friend's wedding and made a week of it. All other guests had a lovely time as they all hired cars and went wherever they wanted when they wanted to. We did it all by public transport so spent most of our time carrying our bags around, waiting for buses and trains then sitting on buses and trains. If doing it by public transport, don't try and do a new place each day as it's really stressful!

Though the fact that it rained the whole time we were there probably doesn't help. Hope you have better luck and a lovely holiday!

Ooh I just got back from Sicily yesterday. A four day eating and drinking marathon and i was lucky enough to be with an Itailian who has lots of friends in Palermo.


Didn't do much in the way of public transport, but I would definitely not want to drive there - it is totally mental in Palermo.


You also have to validate your tickets on the buses.

Cefalu is an hour by train from Palermo, and well worth a visit.


Must try food

pane e panelli - street food, deepfried pieces of chickpea batter, fried in olive oil and served in a fresh roll with a squeeze of lemon juice - AMAZING!


Caponata - I was never a fan of the aubergine but they do magical things with it

Aubergine rolls - the stuffing is incredible

Stuffed calamari - ditto.

Arancini - rice balls the size of a tennis ball

Sword fish - a speciality

Canolli - crisp rolled biscuit filled with sweetened ricotta. must be done daily if possible, they are incredible

Cassatella - look like green boobies with a glace cherry as the nipple - yummy


How this island is not full of clinically obsese peole I will never know


Enjoy!

8 nights is not long enough to see the whole island even if you spend every day travelling. Also, on public transport it's going to be very inefficient unless you stick to the main routes.


If you're flying into Palermo it makes sense to spend at least a couple of days there (try and go to the seaside at Mondello, at least for a seafood dinner). Cefalu is a great spot, but make sure you stay in the old town, as some of the accommodation further along the beach is quite a hike. From there you can either head further east to Milazzo (for the Eolian Islands), Messina (not worth stopping), Taormina and Catania, or south to Agrigento. If I were you I'd head for Agrigento and the temples, and save the eastern half of the island for another trip.


Alternatively, you could head west from Palermo, toward San Vito lo Capo and Trapani. I've never been there but I've heard it's nice.


And remember to eat an ice cream every day. At least one.

Huguenot Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> To get really excited about Taormina, watch The

> Big Blue before you go....



I spent 3 weeks in Taormina on honeymoon, and i have to say it's a real jewel. Breathtakingly beautiful especially the evening operatic concerts held in the ampitheatre with the ocean, the harbour and etna glowing in the background. The hotel Isabella is a nice place to stay. Great fireworks displays as well!!!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Surprised at how many people take the 'oooh it's great it got approved, something is better than nothing' view. This is exactly Southwark council's approach, pandering to greedy developers for the absolute bare minimum of social and affordable housing. It's exactly why, under their leadership, only a fraction of social and affordable housing has been built in the borough - weirdly Mccash chose to highlight their own failures in his 'near unprecedented' (yet unbiased 😆) submission. All the objectors i have met support redevelopment, to benefit those in need of homes and the community - not change it forever. The council could and should be bolder, demand twice the social and affordable housing in these schemes, and not concede to 8 storeys of unneeded student bedsits. If it is a question of viability, publically disclose the business plan to prove how impossible it might be to turn a profit. Once the thing is built these sites can never be used for social or affordable housing. The council blows every opportunity, every time. Its pathetic. Developers admitted the scale was, in this instance, not required for viability. The student movements data seemed completely made up. The claim that 'students are taking up private rentals' was backed up with no data. There is empty student housing on denmark hill, needs to be fixed up but it's there already built. The council allows developers years to build cosy relationships with planners such that the final decision is a formality - substantiated objections are dismissed with wooly words and BS. Key meetings and consultations are scheduled deliberately to garner minimal engagement or objection. Local councillors, who we fund, ignore their constituents concerns. Those councillors that dare waiver in the predetermination are slapped down. Not very democratic. They've removed management and accountability by having no nomination agreement with any of the 'many london universities needing accommodation' - these direct lets MAKE MORE MONEY. A privately run firm will supposedly ensure everyone that those living there is actually a student and adheres to any conduct guidelines. There's no separation to residents - especially to ones on their own development. Could go on... We'll see how many of the 53 social/affordable units that we're all so happy to have approved actually get built. 
    • I am looking for 1 unit which is working for £50 cash. Thank you
    • Can’t recommend the company enough, great service. 
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...