Sicily

Going to Sicily with the burd in August for a few days, before spending a week on the coast of Reggio Calabria.

Any hot tips that I might not find in the guide books?

http://cdn.taste.com.au/images/recipes/del/2006/12/14779.jpg

Steff knows the place well I seem to recall.

whereabout are you going?

arancini and lemon granita were highlights for me

don't bother doing the trek that goes round etna. most boring two day hike i've ever done.

^
this.

you can take your bike on the busses that leave from Catania if you don't want to cycle out of the city and the trails on etna are amazing for mountain bikes. you can hire mountain bikes for riding on etna in fact, but i can't remember who does them.

Flying into Palermo, spending the day there, driving toe Cefalu, spending a couple of nights and a day there, then driving through the country to Catania.

No bikes, I'm on holiday FFS.

I'm going to Cianciana at the end of March..has anyone bee there? How far away is the sea on foot? Will it ever be warm enough to swim by then?

I'm going to Sicily and want your hot tips.
Food mainly, but will take other sites of mention.
Flying into Palermo, spending coupla days there, then Taormina.

Get a spleen sandwich in the food market in Palermo, forgets which one. There's also an amazing pizzeria which I think is on via XX Settembre, but there's probably a few decent pizzerias. If you have a car the beach at Mondello is worth half a day.

If you're driving along the coast I'd stop at Cefalu for a swim and lunch

If you're taking the coast road round to Catania, try and spend an afternoon in the Laghetti di Marinello. This remains my favourite beach of all time. It's stunning.

Vulcano's not a bad a day trip, just a short hop from Milazzo. Climb a volcano before lunchtime.

I went to the south east coast so won't be much help but it's a wonderful country.

Eat Granita and Brioche every morning for breakfast, delicious.

When approaching roundabouts close your eyes and hope for the best.

   .

Although it's not on the schedule I've got a couple of great reccos for eating in Syracusa

Thanks peeps! Appreciated.

I remember my old flatmate raving about Caffe Granita con panna e brioche!

As for eating in Syracusa, post them up. I'm sure other people will appreciate if they use/find this thread, like I have done.

I'll dig em out, amazing almond granita and brioche, and a place that makes arrancini fresh (most heat them up to order)

You've got to check out the Cannolis, they're everywhere

http://theaudracatalog.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/artisan-cannolis.jpg

Pistachio FTW!

Love Taormina - it's where the mafia go on holiday.

Nearby is this:

http://www.terralcantara.it/en

well worth a visit - sort of half lounging by a lake - half rock scambling up a gorge.

One of the best meals I've ever had was in an agriturismo restaurant we stumbled upon near here on Ferraugusto - was like the wedding scene in the Godfather.

Also in Palermo check out SHANGHAI - Vicolo Mezzani 34 (00 39 091 589 702) - not a chinese restaurant but a peasant italian joint overlooking the market - watch all the dodgy dealings go on - eat nice cheap food - nod at the locals.

Sicily is lovely, do take a trip up mount Etna, bring back some fuoco dell'etna.
http://www.distilleriefichera.it/scheda_fuoco.php

There's also a velodrome there if that sort of thing floats your boat.

Also if you can plan in a visit to the Aeolian islands you should, here's a pic I took on one of them.

The view by 40 skid patches, on Flickr

Have fun mands :)

Haha thanks guys. haha, Indra's telling me to pick up some 70% alcohol! hahah :)

Time for me to brush up on my scopa...I hustled an italian mate of mine and won. In your face Gianricco!

Off the beaten track but there's a town on a hill in the middle of the island called Enna, well worth a couple of hours if you're in a car

Just realised I started this thread! Been twice since that post, mouth still waters thinking about some of the grub, however, DON'T TOUCH prickly pears, they grow all over the island and have vicious little spines that took me all day to pick out

Poggioreale ..

Just realised I started this thread! Been twice since that post, mouth still waters thinking about some of the grub, however, DON'T TOUCH prickly pears, they grow all over the island and have vicious little spines that took me all day to pick out

Yeah those things are no joke. Me and the missus stayed in the mountains in North West Sicily and I htink we went a bit nuts with the idea of a pastoral existence. I was determined to have some of those fruits in my muesli, and I did, but AT SUCH GREAT COST.

Alright, my buddy Sal tells me (he is from Agrigento) that if you are going to Sicily you have to go to his hometown. It has the best preserved Greek ruins in the world and is a UNESCO world heritage site. Google "Valley of the Temples".

Yup, it's lovely there!

Planning on going to Sicily with the other half for a week in July, I've read this thread for some tips and now need to decide where to stay. We're thinking self-catering in Palermo or Taormina. Where has the best beaches, do we need to hire a car or can we make do without?