| Sicily 23:22 - Jul 17 with 1013 views | BlueinBrum |
Thinking of a trip to Sicily, does the TWTD hive mind have any recommendations?
Thanks in advance |  | | |  |
| Sicily on 23:38 - Jul 17 with 964 views | urbanpenguin |
The Cretto di Burri is one of the most remarkable places I have ever been. |  | | |
| Sicily on 08:50 - Jul 18 with 745 views | farkenhell |
Don't drive, especially in Palermo. I did about 20 years ago and I still have nightmares about it! |  | | |
| Sicily on 08:56 - Jul 18 with 725 views | pablo_canooga |
If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend doing a food tour in Palermo; there are some fantastic dishes to try. Cefalù is just an hour's train ride along the coast. My wife and I took a boat trip there, and it was beautiful. I also took her to watch a Palermo match. The quality of the game wasn't great, but it was a fantastic experience of Italian football. |  | | |
| Sicily on 09:00 - Jul 18 with 687 views | GeoffSentence |
Take one of those litter picking sticks with you. I went there a couple of years ago and thought it was a lovely place spoiled by vast amounts of rubbish. |  |
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| Sicily on 09:07 - Jul 18 with 661 views | BloomBlue |
| Sicily on 08:50 - Jul 18 by farkenhell |
Don't drive, especially in Palermo. I did about 20 years ago and I still have nightmares about it! |
I would say dont drive anywhere in Sicily 
I was there 37 years ago, driving along a road coming towards a T junction, I had right of way. I could see a car heading towards the junction, np I thought they have to stop, although I could hear the car horn - constant sounding of car horns was normal in Sicily. But car didn't stop it just came straight out onto the road.
Ffs I thought, gave the driver benefit, ie maybe his brakes arent working.
Got to the hotel and talking with someone there, it was explained that is normal - when a car is sounding its horn, it meant that the driver isn't going to stop and give way.
It was a nightmare, because drivers press the horn every third second.
I was at traffic lights Palermo and as soon as the lights changed to green every car driver behind me sounded their horn, and I was 7 in the queue - i would add all the cars in front also sounded their horn.
But I should add, excluding the driving I really liked Sicily.
There was a wedding at the hotel, amazing the opulence, there was an older gentleman (he was wearing a peppermint coloured suit, not black) and people kept walking up to him and kissing his hand- i could only assume he was a godfather
But they were all very respectful. The wedding lasted 2 days. [Post edited 18 Jul 9:11]
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| Sicily on 09:15 - Jul 18 with 629 views | WeWereZombies |
It doesn't seem to figure in any of the top tens but I found Monreale lovely, a place straight out of the Montalbano picture of typical Sicilian town life with a stunningly decorative cathedral. Also worth a look if you have a taste for the bizarre are the catacombs in Palermo:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombe_dei_Cappuccini |  |
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| Sicily on 09:40 - Jul 18 with 576 views | nrb1985 |
I went last year for a wedding, so was only there for 4 days but my two cents would be:
Avoid Catania. To call it rough around the edges wouldn't do it justice.
Taromina, near mount Etna, is beautiful though - it's where they filmed a series of White Lotus (season 2 I think). [Post edited 18 Jul 9:41]
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| Sicily on 09:45 - Jul 18 with 546 views | KingsCrossBlue |
Go to Sardinia instead | | | |
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| Sicily on 10:09 - Jul 18 with 491 views | mellowblue |
| Sicily on 09:07 - Jul 18 by BloomBlue |
I would say dont drive anywhere in Sicily
I was there 37 years ago, driving along a road coming towards a T junction, I had right of way. I could see a car heading towards the junction, np I thought they have to stop, although I could hear the car horn - constant sounding of car horns was normal in Sicily. But car didn't stop it just came straight out onto the road.
Ffs I thought, gave the driver benefit, ie maybe his brakes arent working.
Got to the hotel and talking with someone there, it was explained that is normal - when a car is sounding its horn, it meant that the driver isn't going to stop and give way.
It was a nightmare, because drivers press the horn every third second.
I was at traffic lights Palermo and as soon as the lights changed to green every car driver behind me sounded their horn, and I was 7 in the queue - i would add all the cars in front also sounded their horn.
But I should add, excluding the driving I really liked Sicily.
There was a wedding at the hotel, amazing the opulence, there was an older gentleman (he was wearing a peppermint coloured suit, not black) and people kept walking up to him and kissing his hand- i could only assume he was a godfather
But they were all very respectful. The wedding lasted 2 days. [Post edited 18 Jul 9:11]
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Driving in Sicily is an experience. The only rule is that there are no rules. Think like the natives and comply with that rule and you are okay. I have been there many times. Driving there is fun. I like it, you carve people up, they carve you up, the horn is very optional, indicators a no no. It is the only time I have come across this situation. During a hail storm all the drivers stopped their cars under motorway bridges so their cars were not hit by hail. Just could not happen in the UK. Everyone thinks they are an F1 driver. | | | |
| Sicily on 10:40 - Jul 18 with 426 views | PavlovsCat |
The driving is gruesome, and I got mugged in Palermo.
But I’d go back in a heartbeat, (seriously). I love southern Italy. | | | |
| Sicily on 11:07 - Jul 18 with 369 views | dingus |
Don't go in August. It gets filled with Italians on holiday, roads very busy and beaches packed like sardines.
I didn't find driving much of an issue, although as I mentioned it was busy, especially in tourist spots.
Taormina is very picturesque. Very busy, but loads of places to eat. Great views. Stay waking distance to the town if possible. Etna worth a day trip.
Isola Ortigia in Syracuse is nice, and good roman ruins nearby. Noto is worth an evening visit.
In the north Cefalu has decent beach and lovely old town. Castelbuono, in the mountains, is good for something a bit different.
Had a brief visit to Palermo, seemed quite nice, but we had a 7 year old with us, so didn't do the historic stuff which is probably the main reason for going. | | | |
| Sicily on 20:10 - Jul 18 with 214 views | mellowblue |
| Sicily on 10:40 - Jul 18 by PavlovsCat |
The driving is gruesome, and I got mugged in Palermo.
But I’d go back in a heartbeat, (seriously). I love southern Italy. |
Ooh, don't say that last line to the Sicilians, a proud people, they do not consider themselves as a part of Southern Italy | | | |
| Sicily on 20:14 - Jul 18 with 210 views | mellowblue |
in the South East of the island, Ragusa, Modica, Noto and Scicli are nice little towns, all rebuilt in Baroque style after devastating earthquakes. ortigia a part of Syracuse is also lovely. | | | |
| Sicily on 21:58 - Jul 18 with 176 views | farkenhell |
| Sicily on 09:07 - Jul 18 by BloomBlue |
I would say dont drive anywhere in Sicily
I was there 37 years ago, driving along a road coming towards a T junction, I had right of way. I could see a car heading towards the junction, np I thought they have to stop, although I could hear the car horn - constant sounding of car horns was normal in Sicily. But car didn't stop it just came straight out onto the road.
Ffs I thought, gave the driver benefit, ie maybe his brakes arent working.
Got to the hotel and talking with someone there, it was explained that is normal - when a car is sounding its horn, it meant that the driver isn't going to stop and give way.
It was a nightmare, because drivers press the horn every third second.
I was at traffic lights Palermo and as soon as the lights changed to green every car driver behind me sounded their horn, and I was 7 in the queue - i would add all the cars in front also sounded their horn.
But I should add, excluding the driving I really liked Sicily.
There was a wedding at the hotel, amazing the opulence, there was an older gentleman (he was wearing a peppermint coloured suit, not black) and people kept walking up to him and kissing his hand- i could only assume he was a godfather
But they were all very respectful. The wedding lasted 2 days. [Post edited 18 Jul 9:11]
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I remember telling a work colleague about it. He didn't believe me, so he used Google Earth to zoom in on a roundabout in Palermo. There were cars in all directions!
I remember being on the motorway in Palermo, 4 or 5 lanes, with cars swerving in and out from both directions interspersed with even more mopeds swerving in and out of the cars. In the middle of this madness, suddenly a police car appeared in front of my car, stopped a random moped and started b0llocking the rider. All in the middle of the busy motorway. Surreal!
We somehow made it to our exit junction and I followed another car along a parallel road to the motorway. A busy road, with cars parked along both sides, but generally fine. Until the car in front suddenly stopped, blocking the road. The driver then got out and b-ggered off. Next second, a cacophony of noisy horns behind.
Total madness. | | | |
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