Mount Etna-anxious to see it

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Re: Mount Etna-anxious to see it

by Beausoleil Jul 21, 2011 at 4:30 PM

Hi. Welcome to Virtual Tourist. Palermo is on the opposite side of the rather large island of Sicily from Mt. Etna. You can see it from nearly anyplace on the island unless there is another mountain in the way, but you'll get much better views from Taormina or Catania. We stayed in Bronte once and you could see it from there and it's a gorgeous drive to get to Bronte. There is a ferry from Villa San Giovanni to Messina in Sicily. In Messina you can drive along the coast on A18 and have great Mt. Etna views. There is also a train along the coast if you don't want to drive. It's about a 2.5 hour drive or 202 kilometers from Palermo to Paterno near Etna. Other tourist attractions on Sicily: We thoroughly enjoyed the Greek ruins at the Valley of the Temples near Agrigento, Selinunte (on the shore!) and Segeste. The views nearly everyplace are fabulous and there are lovely villages. Type Sicily into the VT Search Window above and see what members have already written about the island. There will be many Travel Pages with photos, places to visit, hotel and restaurant reviews and web links for more information. Have fun. It's beautiful and the people are very friendly.

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Re: Mount Etna-anxious to see it

by Beausoleil Jul 21, 2011 at 4:31 PM

I meant to add a map website to help you plan. We use the Michelin web site at http://www.viamichelin.com/

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Re: Mount Etna-anxious to see it

by pedroswift Jul 21, 2011 at 6:17 PM

Welcome to vt. If Mt Etna is the main reason for your visit , it is logical to fly into Catania which is the closest airport of any size. Many airlines fly there. It is well served by public transport if you do not wish to hire a car. We stayed a week at the beach in Giardini Naxos from which we visited Etna, Catania, Syracusa and Taormina. We eventually departed using train to Messina and then Milazzo to catch ferry to Aeolian Islands. If you are visiting Mt Etna, I can recommend doing the full experience including guided walk around craters at the top. If you are interested you can look at description of our experience here: "VISIT MT ETNA - A Must" - Sicilia Things to Do Tip by pedroswift Happy planning.

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Re: Mount Etna-anxious to see it

by travelgourmet Jul 22, 2011 at 2:00 AM

It would take a lot of writing to tell you about the tourist attractions in the Palermo area and a book to let you know the rest of Sicily. Good answers on highlights but to get a complete breakdown of Sicily, see the VT Travel Guides for the towns and cities of Sicily or a good source to use is the Best of Sicily website: http://www.bestofsicily.com/index.htm

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