Sicily holidays by Volcano Etna

If you want to live a 1 of a kind experience, then let’s examine this “must to read” article to get the critical info you need for your vacation. The most complete guide about Sicily is now available…and it’s completely free!!

This article is a mix of years of travel experience and frequently questions found in forums, social media and direct requests.

Here you’ll discover all inclusive guides for Accommodations, Tours, “How to”, Tips and much more…

Index:
Accommodation / Tours & Itineraries / Top Attractions / Map & how to arrive-move / Before you go / Etna excursions / Miscellaneous

How can i find and book a budget hotel in Sicily?

This is one of the most common questions. Today on the net it’s very easy to find info on Sicily hotels.

But how can you compare them?…answer these questions:

• Is there someone that talks about them on the most used travel forums and reviews sites?
• Can i compare Prices – Services – Location – Pictures?
• Does the owner answer my questions completely, quickly and usefully?
• Is there an online reservation form?
• How many attractions and services are available in the nearby?

The best thing you can do to find special offers for Sicily hotels is…

• Do reservations in lower season (Feb-May or Sept-Jan)
• Select those ones in the province far away from the most know tourist centers
• Verify the distance between the attraction you would visit
• Verify the presence of bus services to avoid the car rentals or taxi
• Book directly with the owner
• Cook “homemadeâ€?

Generally the most requested are the hotels on the Ionic and Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily. These beach accommodations apply two rates: High season (July, August) more elevate (70€ a day for a b&b); Low season (the rest of the year) where prices are much lower and start from 25-30€ a day.

There are lodging operators that apply different rates in base on a particular weekend or festivity (Passover, 1 May, Christmas, etc…). Others do not practice this distinction and apply only 1 price for all the season. Top

What are the best tours around Sicily? Please tell me some example of itineraries to visit the island.

There are different types of tours depending on season, “price”, duration and type of activity.
The most important are:

• Trekking on Italy’s volcanoes (Catania – Lipari – Salina – Vulcano – Stromboli – Etna) 8 days/ 7 nights price: € 650,00 per person
• Biking tour in the Noto Valley (Catania – Palazzolo Acreide – Cavagrande – Modica – Ragusa Ibla – Marzamemi – Vendicari – Noto – Syracuse) 8 days/ 7 nights price: 585€ a person
• Farm houses tour of Sicily (Segesta /Castellammare del Golfo – Misiliscemi /Trapani – Piazza Armerina /Enna – Noto /Siracusa – Randazzo /CATANIA) 13 days / 12 nights price: € 1100,00
• Complete tour of Sicily (Catania – Piazza Armerina – Cefalù – Palermo – Monreale – Erice – Selinunte – Agrigento – Caltagirone – Siracusa – Etna – Taormina) 8 days/ 7 nights price: 650€ a person
• Tour of the Saline of Trapani
• Tour of the Natural parks (Mount Etna – Nebrodi mounts – Alcantara Gorges – Madonie mounts) This is an itinerary from Cefalù to Taormina that cover 4 natural parks.
• The Sulfur route (Enna – Caltanissetta – Agrigento) This is a tour at the discovery of the rests of the Sulfur industry in Sicily.
• Sicilian Baroque ( Catania – Ragusa – Modica – Avola – Lentini – Grammichele – Noto – Palazzolo Acreide)
• Ceramics, art and pottery trip ( Patti – Centuripe – Caltagirone – Santo Stefano di Camastra – Collesano – Sciacca – Agrigento – Palermo – Noto)
• Literature itinerary. This tour cover all the territories where the famous Sicilian writers have written their books. Giovanni Verga (Province of Catania); Salvatore Quasimodo (Aeolian islands and Ragusa); Luigi Pirandello (Province of Agrigento); Giuseppe Tommasi di Lampedusa (Province of Trapani); Vittorini (Province of Syracuse);
• A boat tour of Sicily. In Sicily there are more than 42 ports. Here the list of ports in the province of Catania
• At the discovery of Greek ruins: These are the main places in Sicily where find the rests of the Greek domination (Selinunte – Marsala – Gela – Siracusa – Agrigento – Giardini Naxos – Tyndaris – Taormina – Noto) (more info on the History of Sicily)
• Archaeologic itinerary: (Giardini Naxos – Morgantina – Catania) more info here
• Wine tours: Sicily is famous for its wine production. There are a lot of wine itineraries ( Malvasia route – Etna wine route – Moscati di Noto and Syracuse route – Nero d’Avola route – Alcamo DOC route – Marsala route)
• The Godfather tour and the history of Mafia: At the discovery of the celebre locations of the famous film (Palermo – Montelepre and the History of Salvatore Giuliano – San Giuseppe Jato – Corleone – Forza D’Agrò – Savoca)

These are some example of possible itineraries, you can contact some Sicilian tour operators or travel agencies to request some “Tailor-Made” tours Top

What are the top attractions to visit during my trip in Sicily?

Here a list of the top attractions to visit. For a complete view with descriptions, services, pics and video you can use the map.
Agrigento, on the southwest coast, and its complex of Greek temples, the Valley of the Temples, the medieval center with Arab and Norman influences.

Cefalu, seaside town east of Palermo, with its beautiful beaches and scenery, museums, historical monuments, the cathedral and the Temple of Diana.

Enna, 1000 meters high, a fortress town with ruins of a 13th century castle.

Erice, a little medieval town perched atop a mountain with impressive views.

Etna, the volcano in sicily that is the tallest volcano in Europe and the second most active in the world, with walking paths with good views

Marsala, the heart of wine-production, where can be visited a Roman archaeological site

Palermo, the capital of Sicily, with a fascinating central market and many historic monuments.

Visit the famous Benedictine Abbey of Monreale.

Noto

Modica

Segesta with some excellent ruins.

Syracuse, on the southeast coast, with its classical ruins and a Greek theater.

Taormina, the most important attractive holiday resort, with a beautiful Greek theater still used for summer performances. Lying on the slopes of Mt. Tauro, it has great views of the coast and Mt. Etna.

The Alcantara Gorges , a river that flows on a lava flow under the Etna

The Nebrodi Park, a natural reserve full of forests, lakes and rivers between Catania and Messina

The Aeolian islands, 7 little island of Volcanic origin, with Panarea, Lipari and the volcano Stromboli

Catania, the second most important city in Sicily, is a mix of historical evidences from the Romans to Normans domination and famous churches and museums

Top

Can i consult a maps of Sicily? How can i reach the island and move around it?

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean sea, between Africa, the south of Italy and Greece.

There different way to arrive in Sicily, the easiest one is by airplane. There are two main airport: Palermo (Falcone Borsellino) and Catania (Fontanarossa). There are daily connections with all Italian and European cities. There is an airport in Trapani (Vincenzo Florio) that is used only by charters.

The other ways to reach the island are by Boat, Train or Auto/Bus.

• The trainline connect Milan, Rome and Naples to Messina, Catania, Syracuse and Palermo.
• Ferries connect Sicily to mainland Italy, Sardinia, Malta, Tunisia, and Egypt. Transportation takes from 25 to 45 minutes to cross the Strait.
• By bus or car you have to take the freeway Salerno-Reggio Calabria A3 and then take the ferry boat trow the Strait of Messina.

To move around the island you can:

• Take the train – The principal train route connect Palermo-Messina-Catania-Siracuse
• Take the bus – In the Airports there are a lot of bus services that link several locations in Sicily. The major bus company is AST (Azienda Siciliana Transporti).
• Use the freeways to reach the main cities of Sicily: The A18 highway Messina-Catania; The A19 Palermo-Catania; The A20 Messina-Palermo; The A29 Palermo-Trapani.
• Take the boats to reach the little islands (Aeolian islands, Pantelleria, Aegadi islands, Ustica, etc…)

Traveling by car or motorcycle is probably the most convenient way. To hire a car the U.S. and Canadian travellers need an international driver’s license. To apply for an International Driver’s License, visit any AAA branch.Things to remember: Sicily uses international road signs, you have to drive on the right and passing on the left. The speed limit is 50kmh (30 mph) in Cities, 90kmh (56 mph) outside the cities, 80Kmh (130kmph) in the highways. In case of emergency you can call to ACI number (tel. 803-116) you must pay a minimum of € 95 ($112).

To rent a car, a driver must have a valid driver’s license, and a valid ID or passport if not an EU citizen. The price can vary greatly depending on the vehicle, the average rental on the island costs € 50 (about $56) per day. If you have an UK registered car you can ask your UK insurer for an extension of your insurance. If don’t have an UK insurance for your car, you’ll need to be registered in Sicily and buy an insurance locally.

If you think to take a Taxi, consider that rates are generally pricey. A simple course can costs 25€. Taxis are found at all airport arrival terminals. You can find more info here Top

What should i know before touring the Sicily?

• Time to visit Sicily: You can visit Sicily all the year. There are different types of activity to do during you holidays in Sicily: Winter vacations – Skiing snowboarding, etc…; Beach holidays on Summer; Outdoor adventure vacations -Trekking, Biking, etc…from March to October; Sightseeing tours on the Sicily region; Cultural, Food and Wine tours all the year.
• During the summer months, Sicily is crowded, especially in the main touristic attractions (Aeolian islands, Taormina, Catania, etc…), therefore if you don’t want to find pollution you can choose to travel at the beginning of June or in September.
• Info on essential travel services: Events calendar; Photo Gallery; Map with attractions, accommodations, transfers, weather, etc…
• Passport & Visa: Foreign nationality tourists must have proper documents (passport, travel or identity document) required for entry into Italian territory if they need to stay here for a period not exceeding three months. For people coming from the European Community there are not particular requirement. People coming from Japan, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, U.S.A., can stay in Italy for 90 days with pass-port without a visa. Usually it’s not difficult to obtain these documents. There are a few vice consulates in Palermo and Catania who can help you in case of emergency. (More info here and here)
• Driving license requirements: To drive in Italy, you should obtain an international permit from automobile clubs, if your license is not from an European union nation. You can drive if you are 18 years old. Traffic is limited in certain period of the day: In the morning between 8-9 o’clock and in the evening between 18-20 o’clock.
• Language: Italian is the official language. However, English is widely understood. (glossary)
• Time Zone: Six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time.
• Credit Cards: All major credit cards are accepted.
• Currency: The Italy’s official currency is Euro. It is based on the decimal system. The Euro sign is €.
• Money Exchange: You can change money at the hotel or at the nearest banks, from 9:00AM to 1:30PM and 3:00PM to 4:00PM – Closed on Week end and national holidays.
• Voltage: The electric current in the hotels is 220 volts, 50 cycles. To convert local power to U.S. standard you’ll need a transformer. For plugs you’ll need an adapter.
• Shopping: Shopping hours are from 9:00AM to 1:00PM and from 5:00PM to 8:00PM from Monday through Saturday. Businesses are closed on Monday mornings and Sundays.
• Telephone: To call outside Italy you can use a calling card codes from any pay phone or hotel. The country code for Italy is +39. Top

What’s the weather like in Sicily?

The Sicilian weather is generally stable. You don’t need particular dress or other similar. You have to consider that during the winter the temperature is more hot on respect the other European country.
Rain is concentrated during November-December only for few days. More info here

What do i need to travel in the island?

During your trips to Sicily, when building your baggage don’t forget:
Beach wear, sunglasses, i-pod, sun visor, sun cream, umbrella, jackets and Cardigans, comfort shoes, shorts, t shirts, gloves, sandals, passport, visa, voltage conversion kit (for U.S and Canadian), foreign currency, toilet accessories, suite case and make up.

What do i need to know to do an Etna excursion?

There are 2 different type of tours of Mount Etna: The south side (Rifugio Sapienza- Nicolosi) and the North side (Piano Provenzana- Linguaglossa).

An example of Etna excursions in the south zone is 4×4 + Cable car + Trekking

• Duration: Half day (5-6 hours)
• Difficulty: Medium
• Days: All days
• Covered distance on foot 1 Km
• Max Unevenness: 1000 m (With cable car and 4×4)
• Price for guides: 200 euro (to divide) for groups from 1 to 4 persons, 40 euro for groups from 5 to 8 persons, 35 euro for groups from 8 to 12 persons. + cost of the cable car (44€ at person A/R or 24€ one way at person and return by walking with the guide)
• Boys under 12 years pay half price

Start from the square of Rifugio Sapienza at 9:00 o’clock or 14:00 o’clock. This short tour allows the vision of the summit zones of the volcano (2900m) and the eruptive theatres of the last eruptions (2001, 20002-03, 2006, 2007). These excursions are done with the accompaniment of a volcanology expert.

Price does not include:
Transfers to/from Rif. Sapienza

Transfer options:

1) Transfer service provided by the guides

• Catania to Taormina A/R: (groups from 4 person) 30 Euro at person – (from 1 to 3 person) 115 Euro to divide
• Etna to Taormina/return (groups from 4 person) 35 Euro at person – (from 1 to 3 person) 130 Euro to divide
• Catania – Etna/return (groups from 4 person) 28 Euro at person – (from 1 to 3 person) 110 Euro to divide
• Lunch (Lunch box upon request – > cost 11 Euro)
• There are other possible transfer to/from Messina and Syracuse.

2) Transfer by your self

To reach the area of the excursions you can:

• Take the circumetnea (In the station of Catania (Borgo) or Giarre or Acireale) and stop in the Linguaglossa station. Cost is 1,77€ (Excursions in the north side)
• Take the bus in the Catania station to arrive in Rifugio Sapienza Nicolosi (AST-Azienda Siciliana Trasporti- that leaves at 8,15 AM from Catania to the Rifugio Sapienza and at 16,30 Pm from the Rifugio Sapienza returns to Catania) (Excursions in the south side)
• By car: From Catania, take the road for Nicolosi-20 minutes (south side) or the freeway A18 Catania-Messina, and take the Fiumefreddo exit and continue to Linguaglossa (north side) – 30 minutes

For transfer to/from Palermo and Trapani or Agrigento it’s better to use a bus (AST services) or own car taking the A19 freeway and exit in Gravina (follow the Mascalucia and Nicolosi direction for the south side of the Volcano) or continue to A18 for Messina and exit in Fiumefreddo and then follow the Linguaglossa directions to arrive in the north side of the Etna

You need to dress:

• Bag
• Impermeable cape
• Trekking Shoes
• Jacket
• Wool hat
• Knife
• A bottle of water
• Lighter
• Video and photo digital camera

During an eruption, is it possible to do an excursions until 2,900 meters. It is not possible to arrive close to the eruption for security reasons.

Self guided tours are possible but beyond the 1,900 meters it is prohibited to go up without an authorized professional guide.

Keep attention to weather conditions that are different from that ones of Catania. Top

What about my safety?

Compared to the others big cities of Italy, Catania is very quite. This doesn’t mean that is safety at 100%. Statistically are consumed little crimes. See this link Top

Are there internet access point?

There are a lot of internet access points. Usually you can find an internet access in your accommodation. You can also use an umts cellular or wap cellular. The territory of Catania and its nearby are well covered by these services.

Here the Internet Access Point…
Taormina:

• Internet Café, Corso Umberto 214
• Las Vegas Internet Planet, Salita Alex Humboldt 7 (off Corso Umberto)
• Net Point, Via Iallia Bassia 32

Catania:

• Web Café (and restaurant), Via Caronda 166

Phone Calls:
To find places where phone you can try in larger cities in the internet access points (see above) and also in hotels.
For international calls you can use phone cards of foreign carriers. Here are access numbers in Italy for carriers of some countries:

• AT&T 800-172-444
• BT Albacom 800-172-442
• Japan Telecom 800-172-244
• Sprint (MCI) 800-172-405, 800-172-406
• Telecom NZ 800-172-641

To set up your cell phone with an Italian service, Italy has 4 carriers: Vodafone, TIM, H3g and Wind. Each has stores or authorized agents/vendors in all the Sicily Territory. To phone with these you can buy prepaid phone cards that start at 10 euros.

To call abroad from Italy there are a lot of systems like a prepaid telephone card. From an Italian phone, you can phone with a prepaid domestic telephone card, purchased in a tobacco shop (Tabbacchino), newsagent (Giornalaio) or bar. Top

When shops are closed?

Many businesses close for two or three weeks in August, when most Italians go on holiday. Here a list of the days when most shops are closed:

• January 1st-New Year’s Day
• January 6th- Epiphany
• February 5th- St. Agatha’s Day
• Monday following Easter- Pasquetta
• April 25th- Liberation Day
• May 1st- Labor Day
• June 2nd- Republic Day
• August 15th- Ferragosto
• November 1st. -All Saints’ Day
• December 8th- Immaculate Conception
• December 25th- Christmas
• December 26th- St. Stephen’s Day Top

When all attractions are opened?

• Archaeological sites are opened from 9-12 AM and 4-7 PM Monday through Friday, and 9-12 AM Saturday; summer hours may be longer.
• Museums are opened from 9-1 Tuesday through Saturday, and some weekday afternoons. Some are closed Mondays.
• Churches are open in the morning from 8 till 12, and some are open after 4 PM.
• Most shops are closed Monday morning and all day Sunday but open 9-1 and again 4-7:30 on other days, including Saturdays. Top

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