I and DH are going to the Sicily, Italy in the mid October for a week. All the recommendations (hotel, restaurant, see sights, food to try) are highly appreciated. Also Ive heard about autumn storms in the end of the October - please advice if we should re-schedule to the beginning of the October.
Which part of Sicily are you going to? I used to live in Palermo There's a lot of really cool things to see all over the island. In Palermo- Montreale, Mondello beach (my favorite), Saint Elia beach (this is smaller and a little harder to get to), Cappuccini crypt, Palazzo Normanni, the cathedral, and good shopping in the center of the city. There's also usually some kind of fairs going on around the beaches, they have little rides and market stalls etc. For the rest of Sicily, there's great ruins at Agrigento in the south, I really liked doing those but it is HOT there lol and there's almost no shade. In the East there's Mt Etna and Taormina, Taormina is gorgeous and has a lot of fun little shops and bakeries. Hope that gives you some ideas!
We are thinking about traveling through the whole island. We thought about renting hotel at Palermo and Catania so we can see those two cities and as much as possible around them. Right now, our goal is to see Agrigento, Mondello Beach, Taormina, Syracuse and Etna. Thank you for all suggestions they are very appreciated. Could you please suggest any restaurants near those places? Also we are going in the mid October and I read something about autumn storms should we move our trip to the first part of the month?
We went to Sicily in 2005 at the end of October and had no problems with the weather. It was still high 20s! We went to Palermo, Taormina and Salina in the Aeolian Islands which is somewhere I would recommend checking out (either there or any of the other islands). It was a beautiful place. We are thinking of going back this September so the suggestions here are helpful for me too!! Thank you!
I'm not too sure about restaurants, but the pizza is pretty much good anywhere! Lol I don't eat seafood unfortunately so I can't recommend any places like that but there's quite a few, especially around the beaches. I think it's a good plan to do Palermo and Catania as the hotel bases and then see the sights from those, Sicily is pretty small and once you're out of the cities the driving is pretty easy and things are accessible. Most of the sights tend to be around those areas too. Catania is a nice smaller city and has a lot of wine bars too if you're interested in that. I'm not sure about the storms I've never heard of those before
I've never heard of stormes in Sicily...unfortunately I've no good advice for you, Palermo isn't one of my favorite cities in Italy. Visit the Dome in Monreale, I liked it a lot. I've been to Aeolian Islands and they're a nice escape, I did the Stromboli sightseeing at night from the sea and it was amazing. I also liked the ruin in Segesta.
I can recommend this restaurant in Taormina http://www.ristoranteportamessina.it/il-ristorante very reasonable prices, absolutely delicious food, fine staff
I lived in Sicily for four years, in a small town close to Catania, and loved it. Must-see places are Taormina and the ancient city of Siracusa. As you travel from Catania to Taormina, the seaside resorts of Acitrezza and Acireale are a nice stop along the way. The catacombs of Catania are worth a visit as well. Stroll along Via 20 Settembre for some nice shopping, or check out the side streets for antique shops. Take a drive up Mt. Etna, see the small town of Nicolosi. Caltagirone, where gorgeous tiles are made, is a must-see. There is even a tiled staircase in the midst of town! Please, please budget to take home some of these beauties! Visit the ancient temples of Agrigento. There is so much history in Sicily, such good food and wine, wonderful warm-hearted people. Food-wise... you'll be so delighted. A seafood salad with seafood so fresh and delicious, dressed only with a little olive oil and lemon juice. Grilled swordfish steak with patatine fritte. Tiny, grilled lamb cutlets. Girarrosto is also very good - chicken cooked on a spit, with a quartered potato inside it, a sprig of rosemary and a clove of garlic. Perfection! Try caponata as a first course... and cannoli for dessert. I'm really spoiled when it comes to food in Sicily, the home-made kind. My landlady cooked from scratch not once, but twice a day. Small portions, but always fresh. A pasta, followed by vegetables and little meat or fish, followed by fruit. Ripe, juicy, delicious. Her MIL still baked bread daily, the soft, flat loaves. I wish you a memorable, wonderful trip! In case you come through the tiny town of Motta St. Anastasia on your travels, give a wave to my Sicilian home!
