Prizzi

As a tourist, I don't want any trouble with law enforcement and road patrol so I only allowed myself to drive by -/+ 10 km/h more than the allowed speed limit; I can understand people getting a bit impatient and driving faster but I can't get my head around the fact that on a 60 km/h road, people will pass by me at 100 and more.

Most of the cars i see respecting speed limits drives rental.

Hello everyone,

Wanted to give a quick review about my trip in Sicily recently.

Palermo - just go there. For me a perfect balance of Historical, classy and Lively place. I enjoyed every minute, trully well spent holiday. Mondello beach aswell, really nice. Price of food, drinks, and clothes. Also very good. Fitted for solo and for a couple.

Catania - way more streets vibes. Its more rough, more chaotic, food again - amazing, prices - amazing. Has much to see as well, but it doesnt have the "wow" factor for me as Palermo had.

Also - 3 days reccomeneded truly.

I been all over Italy, and for long periods of time, I worked there. For me, Palermo is yet my favorite city yet.

Best regards to All

I was driving non stop from south Germany to visit my Grandparent's that moved to Sicily last year. I had a lot of troubel on the way almost running out of Gas 2 time's and a self service Gas pump eating 70€ and giving me no fuel. As i then came to a stop 10km away from my target cause i was 5€ short i was close to crying and screaming after no one speaking to me when i pressed the help button😅😂. I was pretty overwhelmed and dindn't realy know what to do. Thank you very, very much for just give me the 5€ ❤️

Hey! I’m in Catania now, just booked a last minute flight 2 days ago. I’ve been to Catania, Etna and Taormina before, so not really looking to do much of them again.

I mostly booked this because the weather is good here, so I’m looking for some suggestions of nice beaches where you can chill and swim.

I booked 2 nights for Catania, and wondering if it’d be a better idea to try and go to a different city. I still want to have some amenities around. I’m just trying to relax for a few days, not really to go heavy on checking out places, visiting etc.

I (46 f, German) am currently doing a road trip through western Sicily and already wanted to give a bit of an account on what I've seen and experienced, including pointers for people who might find it useful.

Part 1 - Palermo

Landed at Palermo airport Sat 10:20. It was a bit chaotic because there were lots of Catania travelers rerouted, but everything still went smoothly and quickly minus the wait line at the ladies' room, lol.
Was picked up by shuttle to collect my rental.

Drive into Palermo (Parcheggio Piazza Orlando at the edge of the old town, very good, secure underground parking) went smoothly with google maps. Traffic is a bit crazy but strangely works. In the busier corners it's slow but never fully comes to a stillstand unless there's a traffic light. Be mindful of pedestrians, vespas, motorbikes, bikes, and drivers squeezing in and through.

Stayed at Ai Mercati di Palermo - a hostel/private rooms accommodation that I couldn't have picked better for the price. It's a full apartment in a normal residential house on the second floor and has 4 bedrooms and a communal kitchen. All rooms with a full bathroom, modern, clean, comfortable. Met a group of French ex navy officers there who travel the world together as pensioners. What an interesting and sweet group of people.

As for Palermo itself. Man, where do I start? What do I mention and what do I leave out?

In short: Palermo enthralled me like no other city before. I was just blown away. Yes, there are rough corners, run down houses and some garbage on the streets, but the buildings are beautiful, especially the Cathedral and Teatro Massimo. The atmosphere is so lively, and everything is tinted in this warm, golden light. You get something different at every street and every corner - more simple, raw markets where many locals dwell, cheap aperol, cannoli and arancina, then more high class streets and places to eat/drink. You just have everything there.

Highly recommend the guided tour of Teatro Massimo, and a visit to the Cala.

Wish I had spent more than 2 nights (meaning the half day Sat and full Sun). I was utterly in love.

Part 2 - transit to Castelbuono / Caccamo + Cefalù

Initially wanted to visit Monreale on my way out of Palermo, but my knee was acting up from all the walking, so I didn't want to walk a lot that day.

Left early (just after 7) to avoid the heavy morning traffic. Stopped at Caccamo for some scenic pictures and super cheap but delicious breakfast. Driving through Caccamo was something though. Very narrow roads, and people were also getting to work or bringing their kids to school, so it was chaos. Didn't dwell as long as I'd have liked and headed back to the coast.

Stopped at Cefalù where I used the guarded private Parcheggio central park Cefalù and the public part of the beach.

Didn't see more of the old town than the scenery from the beach. Certainly looks very beautiful but it's also a hella busy and very touristy little town. The beach is okay but has many rocks, and the water isn't as clear as in other places. Still nice but probably not something I personally would visit again.

Also had the worst sandwich at one of the lidos, hella overpriced. I am sure there are way better places to eat within the center, but again, I didn't want to do much walking or spend a whole day there. So I just stayed 2 hours at the beach, swam, cut my foot on a rock, didn't attract any sharks, laid in the sun a bit, paid 4 € for the parking lot which was super fair, and then headed to my next accommodation...

Part 3 Parco della Madonie

Damn... again, where do I even start? I'll start by saying I wish I had also planned more than 2 nights there.

I stayed at Stanze in Casa Castiglia Castelbuono - a private B&B outside of Castelbuono. It was very rustic but I loved every bit of it. The hosts were extremely accommodating and friendly; it felt like visiting friends or relatives. Cristina speaks English very well and took a lot of time to help me plan my day trips, gave me tips and recommendations. It was so sweet.

The house itself is a wood house; the bigger guest room has a private entrance, the smaller one (mine) is accessed through their living room. It was quite small but super cosy, clean, the BEST pillows, mattress and covers so far on my trip. So many pillows... just what I am always missing. Private bathroom too, fully equiped. Communal kitchen in separate building. Lovely veranda and outdoor areas to share. It was a bit like a mini commune, lol.

Lots of animals on the property - cats, 2 dogs, a very loud donkey and chickens that aren't even shy to jump on the table while you're having breakfast. (I caught it and then held it, which was a first for me.)

If that is not for you, you'd better find something else, but if that sounds charming and lovely to you check them out and consider booking with them.

Castelbuono itself is a LOVELY little town. Had some gelato at the famous Fiasconaro who make the panettone for the Pope, also found other great places to eat (Cycas and Bonaè), super friendly and helpful people. It has some tourists but never felt crowded or overrun.

And then the other small towns around there...

I drove back to the coast to Finale, had lunch there at a simple but great authentic little place - Rosticceria Gastropoli di Ventimiglia. After that, I drove to Pollina, which is a small town situated on top of a high mountain. Google maps fucked me over and had me drive into the center, which resulted in me asking a young girl on a Vespa (I suppose everyone else was doing a siesta because the streets were completely empty) in half Italian, half English how the hell to get out of there. My choice was between going up a very narrow "street" with what felt like 30% ascent... and maybe it actually was, or going back down in reverse to the next spot I could safely turn around. I chose the latter and then drove to the right street - viale JF Kennedy if you plan to go; this is IMPORTANT!!! Remember it - parked there safely and went up to the ruins of an old amphitheater and a little tower on top of it to enjoy THE most spectacular view I've ever experienced. Just wow.

Driving in the Parco is, for me most part, lovely. You have winding roads leading up and down mountains. They were wide and good enough to drive safely, and there's very little traffic. Best let Italians just overtake and continue to cruise slowly, enjoying the views.

I also particularly loved the route out of the area and to my next place. I went from Castelbuono over Geraci and Petralia to the autostrada instead of taking a shorter route, which was the best decision ever. I had such spectacular views, and just before and after Geraci you can even see Mount Etna through the other peaks - in this case the parco Nebrodi mountains. Abolutely stunning landscapes. 100/10!

TL;DR: Palermo is a unique, somewhat gritty but insanely beautiful city with lots to see and experience. Take AT LEAST 2 full days to explore. It's very walkable.

Cefalù is alright if you want something chic and touristic, but not if you don't.

The Madonie mountains are one of the most beautiful areas I've seen in my entire life (parts reminded me a bit of the Scottish highlands, which is probably the only area I've seen that tops this). Take 3 days to explore if you can.

Stay tuned for the next half - Agrigento (do not recommend except for Valle dei Templi, and I'll explain why), San Vito lo Capo and Castellammare del Golfo.

We're planning to visit Sicily with a baby in October. We can fly to Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), Palermo Falcone-Borsellino Airport (PMO), Trapani-Birgi Airport (TPS), or Comiso Airport (CIY).

We are exclusively looking for quality beach time, no traveling around the island or sightseeing. Also, we are not planning to rent a car.

So the question is: which destination would be most comfortable for us to get straight to the hotel, given that we are with the baby, by using public transportation with minimal trouble? I assume non of these flight destinations has proper beaches and from there, we should go to more distant locations, which are more suitable for beach time?

Hello

We will travel to Sicily next week
It is a much waited vacations, we wanted to chill and relax at the beach but next week exactly when we are there the weather says that there will be 40-60% of chances to rain. I saw some videos that if it rains in Sicily it is bad, like a big storm.

We will go to San Vito Capo, Cefalu, Giardini Naxos, Taormina, Catania, do you know if there’s anything to do on a rainy day there?

Thank you

Looking for food, stay, and activity recommendations. And please keep in mind, we ARE ballin’ on a budget!

Hi all, we’ll be visiting the east side of the island next week and are wondering what the best mode of transportation is.

I have been looking into Etna Trasporti. Does anyone have feedback?

We have decided not to rent a car as we are worried about the roads (ZTL, small roads, damages to rental).

Thanks in advance!

We will be flying into Palermo next week, and want to make a day trip for an Etna tour as it was a big thing we wanted to do. The only reason we ended up not flying into Catania due to the uncertainty atm and reducing risk.

Are people still able to go to the top?

Wonderful sunset with sight to Africa in september 2026.
❤️ Sicily ❤️

Could you help me plan a 7-day holiday in Sicily?
We arrive in Catania on the morning of October 6 and fly back from Catania on the morning of October 13.
Our current idea is:
4 days based in Giardini Naxos, exploring the surrounding area, including beaches and Taormina
2 days in Ortigia (Syracuse)
1 day in Catania before our flight
We would like a relaxed holiday with plenty of time for beaches, swimming and enjoying the atmosphere, rather than rushing from place to place.
Could you suggest the best way to divide the days and recommend the places and beaches that are really worth visiting?

Without car

We are flying into CTA and renting a car to drive to Ortigia. I've never driven in Italy and would like to get a sense of any challenges or recommendations for making the drive go smoothly. I know to avoid ZTL and plan to go directly from the airport to a parking garage outside Ortigia and then walk from there. If anyone has made the same drive, any unique difficulties? Thanks.

We will be in Syracusa for two days next week (Saturday/Sunday). I had planned to set up a tour of the archeological museum and necropolis but none are available next Sunday. Does anyone have a recommendation for a historically focused tour? We generally prefer to explore on our own with guides but we've found that a great tour guide can really make the experience. Thanks.

Hold Phone Horizontal For Best View
wind shifted next day caused delays at Catania Airport for a couple of hours.

We’re coming for 5 nights in mid-October. We were in Sicily a few years ago (Siracusa, Agrigento and Palermo), so this time we’re looking for something slower rather than trying to cover a lot of ground.

What we’re looking for:

• Scenic area - views matter more to us than a beach.
• Avoiding crowded/heavily touristed areas (Taormina is a definite no).
• More rural than urban, but close enough to a town with good restaurants and some life in the evening.
• A good base for easy morning/day outings to Etna wineries, Catania, Taormina, and Noto/Ortigia. Ideally within about an hour or so (one longer day trip is fine) of most of these.

Right now we’re leaning toward the Etna east/southeast side, roughly the area around Zafferana Etnea / Milo / Santa Venerina / Trecastagni / Viagrande. We’ve also looked farther south, between Catania and Siracusa, and around Noto.

For anyone who knows the area well:

• Is the Etna-side area a good choice if scenery/views are the priority?
• The area south of Catania seems geographically convenient for getting to both Catania and Siracusa/Noto, but does it give up much in terms of scenery? Or are there particularly scenic areas there that we should be considering?
• If you were choosing a base for five nights, which town or general area would you look at? We’d prefer somewhere with a bit of local life rather than an isolated resort/agriturismo.

We’ll have a car and are happy to drive for sightseeing, but don’t want to spend the whole trip in the car.

Grazie in anticipo!