Sicily Driving Itinerary For the Discerning Traveler
If you would like to see a part of Italy that is not over run with tourists, Sicilia is the place. Sicilia sits as a crossroads in the Mediterranean, part of Europe and Africa yet belonging to neither. Half of the ancient civilized world has conquered Sicilia (Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, and Spaniards). The result is a quirky mixture in almost every aspect of the local culture from language, customs, and cooking to art and the interesting and diverse architecture of the island. Some of the finest Greek ruins are in Sicilia.
Sicilia is a fascinating destination and perfect for families. Hotels are not as expensive and there are hotels that can accommodate triples or quads. To keep childrens attention there are puppet theaters in Palermo which re-enact the Norman conquest of Sicilia, castles and archeological parks are dotted around the countryside for kids to explore, and there are beaches and nature preserves, including Mt. Etna, a living volcano. You will find various museums that are of interest to children such as the Museo delle Saline near Trapani, where they can discover how salt is made. While walking through the Baroque cities such as Noto, Modica, Scicli and Ragusa Iblea they can be on the look out for the grotesques that hold up the balconies of the Baroque buildings.
The best itinerary starts in Palermo and ends in Taormina. Much like your classic Rome, Florence, Venice, the trip should build towards the grand finale. Outside of Palermo and Taormina you will not find 5 star hotels. A 2 week itinerary will cover most of the major sights. Outside of the city of Palermo, it is not difficult to drive in Sicilia. Like the rest of Italy, roads are well maintained and well marked. I am going to star* the top 10 sites to see in Sicilia in the itinerary below. Rates below are starting rates, based on double occupancy B breakfast, T tax, S service will be noted. Archeological sites are open from 9am until sunset daily. JDB can arrange private tours in the cities and private guides to meet you at any of the archeological sites.
Day 1 depart USA
Day 2 Arrive in Palermo, 2 nights Villa Igiea (5* - 277 euros T/S). This first day should be a day to relax and acclimate. The Villa Igiea, built in the 1800s and a mainstay of the Grand Tour in Italy, is located on the sea and has a shuttle to the historic center of Palermo (which is also the main shopping street).
Day 3 Full day tour of *Palermo and *Monreale. Visit the Palazzo dei Normanni, which served as the royal palace for Norman and Swabian kings. Attached to the palace is the Palatine Chapel, one of the finest and most typical examples of Norman art built by Arab artisans in Palermo. The interior is noted for its extraordinary quality and beauty of its mosaics and wooden ceiling. The wooden ceiling is distinctly Arabic with painted greenery, animals (and surprisingly) figures. You will not find this type of ceiling in typical churches built during this era.
Your next stop will be to visit the Church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti, a typical example of Muslim architecture built by Arabs in 1132 as a monastery, under the order of the Norman King Roger. At that time, it was one of the wealthiest monasteries in Sicily. The church is surrounded by lush gardens and a cloister.
You will also walk through Palermos open air market to experience the colorful displays that the local merchants are offering.
LUNCH
Monreale This town sits above Palermo with great views of the city below and the sea beyond. The city grew around the Benedictine monastery and became a favorite of the Norman kings who would come up here to hunt. The star attraction here is the Duomo (Cathedral), one of the purest expressions of Norman art in Sicily. Its most distinctive features are the extremely beautiful mosaics which cover the inside walls, creating a fairy-tale atmosphere, and its graceful architectural forms which show the Moorish influence common at that time. The mosaics tell the stories of Genesis (creation, fall, flood, etc) and then the stories from the Gospel. This is typical of Byzantine churches that you will find all over the world (San Marco in Venice is another fine example of this style). The mosaic pictures are used to help the common masses (who were illiterate and did not have a Bible in the home) to remember these Bible stories. The cloisters are beautiful and are the work of exquisite Arab workmanship. The capitals were carved by Byzantine and Islamic artists.
Day 4 have the rental car delivered to hotel (much easier for a quick get away). Drive to the west coast of Sicilia with a stop in Segesta noted for one of the most significant examples of Doric architecture in existence.
Driving directions: Depart Palermo heading west on the A29 Autostrada going towards Alcamo. There will be a junction where you will continue towards Trapani. The very next exit will be Segesta. It is a small archeological site. When you purchase your ticket you should also purchase the ticket for the bus to take you up to the amphitheater. The temple is within walking distance from the parking lot up a set of low stairs. Return to the entrance and take the little bus up to the top of the hill where you can visit the amphitheater with wonderful views. This stop will take about 1 hour, depending how much time you want to spend here.
Continue driving to Trapani, the tuna fishing center of Sicilia (Tonnara di Bonagia is a good family hotel 4* 189 euros B/T/S) OR Marsala Marsala is the largest wine producing region in Sicily - Resort Baglio Oneto is a lovely hotel overlooking the Egadi Islands (4* - 143 euros B/T/S).
Driving directions: Get back on the A29 Autostrada and continue west towards Trapani (20 miles) or Marsala (30 miles) where you will leave the Autostrada and continue south on S 115.
Day 5-6 choices of things to do in Western Sicily
Wine tasting in Marsala
Visit the Egadi Islands Mozia is just a 10 min boat ride across the lagoon from Marsala Here you will find Phoenician and Carthaginian ruins of their fortified cities and a museum.
Visit Erice, a medieval town on the top of the hill overlooking Trapani
Trapani - Tuna fishing museum where you can learn about the ancient Mattanza which is still the way they catch tuna every May and June.
Salt Museum and salt pans between Trapani and Marsala - Learn how salt is made.
EU has blue flagged the beaches here for their pristine waters and clean beaches.
Zingaro Nature Preserve protected National Park with hiking trails
Visit *Selinunte it is about 1 hour drive from Marsala. From Marsala take the S 115 south towards Castelvetrano. The highway will connect with the A29/E90 Autostrada. This will be 40 km (25 miles). Exit the Autostrada at the second exit for Castelvetrano and where you will see brown signs for scavi or excavations for Selinunte. Just follow the signs to the site which is about 12 km (7.5 miles) from Castelvetrano on S115d. It is one of the most important archeological sites in Europe with one of the largest Greek temples in the world. We can arrange a guided tour.
Day 7 drive to Agrigento. From Trapani to Marsala it is 31 km (20 miles) following S115 south. Follow the directions above to Castelvetrano. Take the exit for Sciacca and you will leave the A29/E90 Autostrada and continue east on S115/E931 towards Sciacca and Agrigento.
The main site here is the *Valley of the Temples we can have a guide meet you at the site. These are the architectural remains of the ancient city (4th 3rd century BC) scattered over the valley. This should be about a 2 hour drive. Once you have seen these ruins there is not a lot of other things of interest here. Therefore, you can continue east to Ragusa or you can spend the night at the Dioscuri Bay Palace Hotel (4* 170 euros B/T/S). This hotel is on the water and beaches are within walking distance. There is also a fun zone with a skateboard park for kids about 1 block from the hotel. If you decide not to stay in Agrigento I recommend eating lunch at the Dioscuri Bay Palace as the choice of restaurants on the way to Ragusa is limited.
Directions to Ragusa: It is 134 km (83 miles) from Agrigento to Ragusa (1 ½ - 2 hrs). From Agrigento take the S115/E 931 east towards Gela. Continue on S115/E45 towards Ragusa but DO NOT go into the city of Ragusa. Look for signage to Marina di Ragusa and head south towards the sea. About 9 km from the turn off you will see the brown sign for the Eremo della Giubiliana on the right. You will turn right on a small road that will lead to the Eremo.
Arrive at the Eremo della Giubillana (4* 240 euros B/T/S) - 4 nights The hotel started as a 12th century tower for the town of Ragusa Iblea to watch for the Saracen Pirates. The Knights of Malta built onto the tower to make a monastery in the 15th century and the rooms still reflect this feeling with white, plastered walls, and simple antique furniture. This has been the family home of the owners for the past 300 years and they still live on site today. One of the features that make this hotel so special is that the owner is a pilot and has 3 airplanes at his disposal. He can fly his guests to a number of destinations. His policy is that he does not want to charge his guest for the use of the plane or the pilots time. He only charges for fuel.
Ragusa is the perfect location to enjoy the sights of Southern Sicilia.
Day 8-10 here are your choices:
The Eremo is on a large parcel of land. There are hiking trails and biking trails. Mountain bikes are free. They have a private beach which is about a 5 min car drive.
A castle, Castello Donnafugata, is about 10 minutes away
U.N.E.S.C.O. World Heritage Cities:
Ragusa Iblea the ancient heart of Ragusa, Baroque. It has the only Michelin starred restaurant in Sicily, Duomo.
Scicli and Modica Baroque towns 20 minutes away. Be sure to stop in the chocolate shop Rizza. You can buy chocolate made in the traditional recipe that Cortez brought back from Mexico to Spain in the 1500s. Within 100 years chocolate had spread all over Europe using this traditional recipe. Sicily was under Spanish domination at this time and Modica has been making this chocolate ever since. The chocolate has no fats so its texture is grainier than what we are used to. Be sure to try the chocolate with chili peppers. It is my favorite!
*Noto 30 minute drive - best city with Baroque architecture.
*Siracusa 1 hour by car - once the largest and most powerful Greek city in Sicilia and in the Mediterranean. Archeological sites and museum, caves, tombs, catacombs, Roman amphitheater and a castle all wait to be discovered. Siracusa can also be a side trip from Taormina.
Fly to Malta for the day (200 euros for the plane for 5 people)
Fly over the Valley of the Temples to Trapani to see the Western side of Sicily
Fly to Tunisia or even Libya.
Fly to one of the Pelagie Islands Lampedusa has crystal clear waters and is great for diving, swimming, watching sea turtles, dolphins and whales (in March). The owner of the Eremo has a friend with a very nice fishing boat who will take your clients sailing around the islands. While they are sailing the fisherman is catching their lunch for the day which he will grill on board the boat. The cost of the roundtrip flight to Lampedusa is 456 euros for a 5 person plane, no matter how many people go (up to 5 of course).
Day 11 morning departure from the Eremo heading north to Caltagirone (1 ½ hour drive) If they are interested in ceramics Caltagirone has been making ceramics since prehistoric times. It is a cute little medievaltown covered in hand painted ceramics. You can visit a ceramics studio and see the process of making their wares. We could arrange for you to learn to make something as well. We have a nice hotel, the Villa San Mauro 4* (165 euros B/T/S). Otherwise, you can continue north (another ½ hour) going towards the A19 Autostrada but stopping in Piazza Armerina first. This is a drive of 108 km (67 miles) along country roads.
Driving directions: From the Eremo you will head north to S 115/E45. You will take S115 west towards Comiso but before reaching this city take the turnoff for S514. Follow S514 to the S124 junction. Turn left (west) towards Caltagirone. Continue on this country road to the S117b junction and turn right (north) towards Piazza Armerina. Once in Piazza Armerina you will see the signs for the Romana delle Villa Casale
You must visit the *Villa Romana del Casale. This is a U.N.E.S.C.O. World Heritage site. This 3rd century Roman villa was completely buried by a mudslide in the 12th century and was not discovered until the mid 1900s. While the mudslide destroyed most of the buildings, what was left and perfectly preserved were the mosaic floors. These are the most beautiful mosaics that I have ever seen. We can arrange for you to meet a guide here.
Driving directions to Taormina: After you have visited this site you will continue north on S117b towards S192. Follow the green signs to the A19 Autostrada. This will take about ½ hour. Take the A19 Autostrada east going towards Catania. This is 47 km. You will soon see Mt. Etna looming over you to the left. Once you reach Catania you will take the A18 Autostrada going towards Taormina (55 km). From Piazza Armerina to Taormina it is about a 2 hour drive.
Day 11 12 (2 nights) in Taormina there are 4 choices for hotels here.
1. Villa Sant Andrea 4* (304 euros B/T/S) - a very nice Italian style Villa hotel on the beach with easy parking It has one of the best restaurants in Sicily. To get up to the pedestrian center of Taormina just walk across the street and to the funicular. Take the exit from the Autostrada to Taormina Mare.
2. Timeo 5* (363.64 euros B/S) beautiful property with a great location next to the Greek Theater with magnificent views of the sea and Mt. Etna and also in the pedestrian shopping area. This is the sister property of the Villa Sant Andrea and there is a shuttle between these hotels.
3. San Domenico Palace 5* (385 euros incl. B/T/S) was a monastery at one time and there is such a peaceful feeling (I think from all of the prayers over the years). Twice a week they give their clients a tour of this historic hotel.
4. Villa Ducale 4* (250 euros B/T/S) - a lovely little 4 star up above Taormina that is a labor of love from the owners who also manage this hotel. Great views of Mt. Etna and the ocean below. The hotel provides a shuttle to the pedestrian area.
What to do -
*Taormina is small and the sites can be seen in one day. They should take a taxi to visit the little castle and village that stood protecting Taormina for hundreds of years. The Greek Theater is still a venue for concerts in the summer with big name performers coming here (Elton John and others). Greek, Roman and Medieval architecture to see.
*Mt. Etna The most unique way to visit this volcano is on All Terrain Vehicles. You go with a guide through the forest, over the lava fields and up to the crater. It is a Wow experience. Of course, you can go by car.
*Siracusa see description under Ragusa
Day 13 Depart Taormina for the airport in Catania. Return to the A18 Autostrada going south, towards Catania. When you reach Catania just follow the signs to the airport. This will take you about 1 hour. Return the rental car at the airport.
If your clients have a very early morning flight they may want to consider staying at our hotel in Catania, the Parco degli Aroganesi 4*. It is located on the beach, just 5 minutes from the airport. But, you would never know it is that close. You never hear or see any aircraft. The hotel is quite nice and Catania is an interesting city to visit as well great shopping, restaurants and night life. Plus, it is the closest to Mt. Etna. JDB has an exclusive package, Farewell to Italy - 1 night minimum at 286 euros per night.
Package includes:
- One night accommodation
- Buffet breakfast
- One complimentary meal at hotel's restaurant (beverages excluded)
- Tax
- Service
