We're minded to go to Sicily for up to a week late Oct early Nov.
Probably Palermo but possibly Trapani.
Won't be hiring a car.
Anyone been who can give recommendations as to things to do.
Will be viewing the church architecture, any Norman stuff and the art.
Open to hints and tips about places and also restaurants/bars.
Thanks in anticipation.
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Went there on my honeymoon three years ago (Etna / Catania way) where we hired a car, really enjoyed it myself, certainly recomend a trip up Etna thats for sure, based on your location to where I was I dont think there is much else I suggest
I would suggest staying in the south near Taormina or Giardini Naxos right under Mount Etna.
Trips by coach go all over to Siracuse, etna, Agrigento, Enna and the Aeolian Islands.
SAT Travel are the major coach excursions in Taormina and can recommend highly.
Whatever you do have a great tme as the people are friendly, the food is great and the heat of the summer would have gone.
Thanks everyone.
We did 10 days in Trapani, then 3 in Palermo. This was a bit unconventional. Trapani is/was not so much on the tourist map, but was up and coming. We loved it, as there were few English around and you had to give Italian a bit of a go. It has atmospheric medieval narrow streets and some (guessing) ornate Baroque architecture. We stayed in an apartment in the heart of it, with Verdi wafting down the street in the afternoon from a nearby church that was being used by an opera company for rehearsals. Food was very good and not too expensive. Arancini balls are very very good and a specialty. There was a cable car up a mountain and beach. The highlight was probably a boat trip to nearby Egadi islands (sp.might be wrong) that were untouched and stunning. We also took a day trip to Seguesta, which is an ancient (Greek, I think) temple. Like a smaller version of the Parthenon.
Palermo was mad, but interesting. The market is a must. As is the Teatro Massimo, evidently the biggest opera house in Italy and where they filmed a famous scene from the Godfather. We did a tour round it. The quatro canti sticks in the memory, even though it was just four corners of a road junction. The food was superb, especially the aubergine specialty (caponata I think?? ).
Anyway, we loved it. Not everyone's cup of tea I imagine. Aspects of it are like the UK in the 80s. Like stray dogs and knackered buildings, but it has bags of character and didn't feel pretentious, like some bits of Europe can.
We did a car tour, stayed at Syracuse for four days and loved the baroque architecture.
Highlights were Taormina, the Greek temples at Seguesta, and the ' Villa Romana del Casala' - near Enna, this Roman villa seems to be less publicized
but is said to have the best mosaics in the Mediterranean. The colours are vivid still because the large villa was buried under a mudslide for a thousand years.
i fancy some
mountain biking/cycling too any tips/knowledge on options for the more energetic gratefully received.