corky

I have traveled with some friends a few times and they have a trip booked for Sicily at the end of September (with a 4 day Malta add on). I like traveling with them but for some reason Sicily just sounds a bit blah to me. I love Italy and actually was supposed to be there right now (Northern Italy) but my trip fell through. At this point my choice is travel with them to Sicily or no fun big trip this year for me. I am not sure I want to burn a ton of miles for a place that I am not that enthusiastic about. It is a tour with a company that we all like.
Sicily looks like a lot of beaches and some ruins that don't seem to compare with places like Rome or Pompeii. Am I reading Sicily wrong? What about Malta?

13901

My suggestion is that if you don't want to go someplace, don't go.

Having said that... You're doing Sicily a bit of a disservice. The Temple Valley outside Agrigento is not "some ruins", it's the best Greek temples outside of the Acropolis, to say but one. And there are some lovely cities too, like Ragusa, Catania and Palermo too. It also doesn't help that you're not saying 'where' you are going in Sicily. It isn't a small island.

corky

I think these are the stops...only a few places for overnight such as Palermo...others are just visits.
Syracus, Valley of Temples (which you mention & it does sound great), Palermo, Erice, Cefalu, Taormina
I don't know if I want to go. Thank you for pointing out that I am doing it a disservice...that's what I want to find out!

dbuckho

I took my family there in January many years ago and we had a great time. It is still Italy. There are still plenty of interesting things to see and experience.

Highlights for me were the Ancient Theatre of Taormina (and Taormina in general), a meal we had in Cefalu with waves crashing underneath us, and standing on the beach in Castellammare del Golfo and being able to see white capped mountains In the distance. Not to mention trying to navigate the narrow streets of Siracusa to return the full size van I had rented in Rome (only automatic I could find for a one-way rental to Sicily).

It is a much bigger island than you think. Has its own distinct history and culture just like each region of Italy. We split our hotel stays between Catania and Palermo and still didn’t get everywhere we would have liked. Go explore and appreciate it for what it is - not what it isn’t.

13901

The bit in bolding is key in my opinion.

I was meant to be going to Kyrgyzstan again this June for a trek, for my annual 'do-whatever-you-want' trip allowance from The Boss (the Mrs). I then realised I wasn't excited about that... and simply changed plans. If you're not into it, considering that time & money aren't endless, go someplace else. Sicily isn't moving anywhere (well, a part from inching a few millimetres per year towards the continent...).

corky

I don't like traveling for that long alone and it is hard to find someone to travel with. So if I don't go with my friends ( I was outvoted on the location), then I won't be taking a trip this year.

13901

Well if it's a toss-up between going and staying home, then yeah I'd go. In all honesty, I'd swap Taormina for Ragusa-Ibla, and the itinerary is kind of missing Catania too.

corky

Well I would fly into Catania so it is there.

annaschummi

I love Siciliy and if it were not for the excessive car renting fee, I would have gone there this year on vacation.
I absolutely love Siracusa, Ragusa Ibla, Noto, Modica, the coast from Marina di Ragusa to Agrigento. Wine travels, great fish, good free beaches. I miss it all.

FlyingHoustonian

I would absolutely say come here, rent my place in Taormina but if you go with a negative attitude (anywhere in my opinion) you will come back unhappy and magnify negatives over positives (and vice-versa). I have done that myself in some cities.

That said Sicily has amazing food, history, and culture so I tell people to come in a heartbeat. THe end of September is a good time weatherwise too, where it should not be super hot, especially at night which is helpful since Italia in general is skosh on the air-con. Catania is a party town and many speak English (relative to Italian's poor grasp of English in general compared to much of Western Europe) due to the tourists and the US Bases there at Sig I and II. Lived in Siracusa before too and go back often to see family so I know it fairly well, and the Greek and Roman theatres are great and wandering around Ortygia island there is wonderful also. Plus you will have a, hopefully, good local tour guide who can explain the organised chaos so you should be fine. Just my $0.02

EMB

If you want to take a trip this year, GO. Malta is a fascinating place. Sicily has so much to see and is so different from Northern Italy.

obscure2k

One of my favorite U.S. restaurants is La Ciccia in San Francisco. It is authentic Sicilian restaurant. Only a few tables and is family owned. The food was so delicious as was the Sicilian wine. If you want to taste Sicily before making final decision, a meal at La Ciccia will convince you to go. Even when I am in Venice, I look for Sicilian tomatoes, oranges.
I visited Taormina in the '80's before it became a major tourist destination and it was lovely and uncrowded. I say, go. Don't see a downside.

obscure2k

Update: Actually was Sardinian but similar to Sicilian
https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/...d-17009368.php

13901

Oooooh that’s an almighty brave thing to say!

KLouis

PS I love both!