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We are flying into Catania from London early October and staying in Taormina for 4 nights. During this trip, apart from visiting the historical sites in Taormina we intend to visit Mount Etna (probably on a guided tour)and and spend some time on the beach & swimming in the sea. we will also visit Catania for a day from Taormina. We will have 3 more nights to spend in Sicily and thought about staying in Siracusa for those nights, visiting the local historical sites including Ortygia. The questions are: 1. Is it best to pick up a rent car in Catania airport & use it for driving to Taormina, then Siracusa and back to the airport , as well as getting about the area generally, OR would we be better relying on buses & trains? ( I have driven in Palermo on a previous trip and found it stressful, but good for getting away from Palermo to e.g. Agrigento) 2. Is the balance right (i.e. 4 nights Taormina, 3 nights Siracusa) or would anyone recommend a different split, or indeed a different 2nd location other than Siracusa)? 3. A friend recommended a boat trip booked from Taormina to visit Stromboli at night - any views on this please? Any advice on these questions, or general recommendations when visiting this area will be welcome. Thanks in advance - jayarrscott.
Ciao. Lucky you. My wife and I have visited Sicily having relatives living in Messina and near Palermo, so that means we drive in Sicily. As a tourist, driving gives you the freedom of travel time and where to travel. The downside is getting a place to park and not too expensive. In my book, the upside outweighs the down. Taormina is a charming mountain storybook village. My wife and I love walking the streets and enjoying the restaurants. Yes, it is a tourist zone, but such charm and history with the ruins are worth the traffic. The beaches below Taormina are fine as well as many hotels are sea level in Giardini Naxos. You can travel from Taormina to Siracusa only 73 miles away without having to checkout of Taormina. Also Messina and Milazzo are within driving distance. Milazzo is the ferry lines to get to the Aeolian Islands with Lipari being the main attraction. Lipari might even be a good alternative to Siracusa, as you could go by ferry to see Stromboli or the other Islands. All in all, Sicily has a lot more to offer than many realize. Enjoy your holiday. Have fun.
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If you decide to go over from Sicily to the Aeolian Islands the water travel site for ferries or hydrofoils is: thinksicily.com/travel-to-an.... It also tells you of a parking site in Milazzo for a vehicle.
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my recollection of Taormina is that it is not a car-friendly place. Public transport is available. We used public transport while staying at G.Naxos for a week. ...visiting all the sites you mention. Except for a booked bus/train day tour to Mt Etna. We then shifted camp to Lipari for a week and did the boat trip to Stromboli from there. It is worth while doing.
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Taormina has a huge parking structure below and behind the main part of town.
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