# Sicily In Winter, anyone toured it?



## Bigusdickus

Hi.
We're looking for your experiences of touring Sicily during the winter. How to get there, drive down through Italy or ferry, whether using ACSI, commercial sites, aires(?) or wildcamping, gas availability, changing the water, prices etc... all information is welcome.
Many thanks.
Bd..


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## Cyclewalkbob

We toured Sicily for three weeks in May last year, so cannot comment on winter weather, but here are some tips about what we found.

1. Sicily is a cash economy, some garages did not take credit card neither did the campsites or the ferries out of Palermo.

2. We took the ferry from Genoa to Palermo and back 24 hr trip each way. It is over 1500 miles to drive down to the toe of Italy so cost wise with diesel and campsites about the same as driving. Book a cabin when you book a cabin as it is cheaper. Take sufficient cash for food on the ferry.

3. We took west coast rout first and then followed coast to Catania, then up through the centre past Enna and then down the NE Coast.

4 even in May not all the campsites open, so be prepared for some wild camping.

5 some amazing temples and roman remains and wonderful coastline.
Italian/Sicilian campsites have smaller pitches. We used Acsi book to find campsites. Also used an Italian Passion site and had an amazing 6 course meal for £20 each and free pitch with electricity, toilet and shower. It was near Piaza Armenia, ideal for visiting the Roman Villa, a must!

Let me know if you have any more questions

Bob


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## aldra

What about dogs on the ferry?

We are thinking that due to surgery we may not get away till November if at all

As we never usually go abroad later than October we are not sure the best place to go for a bit of sunshine and we will need to be back for Christmas I think

Aldra


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## cater_racer

We did it last year October-November.

We drove all the way down and hopped on the Reggio di Calabria Messina ferry, very efficient, no booking runs every hour, an open ended return for a 7.5mtre van was 75 €.

The island was fascinating we wild camped and ASCI camped all the way round.

It was closed season and many sites were closed. some on the south coast were exceptional, Marina Ragusa has some open all year sites that have very good facilities ASCI will help identify.

There's quite a few German and Swedish but not many Brits ( so that's a plus).

Weather was warm and we swam most days in the sea.

Had memorable visits to Agrigento, Siracusa, Etna (Stayed in the car-park overnite, for a small fee, only three vans there, spooky) Taormina, and Cefalu, plus others.

I would say that my overall impression was very favorable, nearly all places and fuel stations took my Credit Card, but I have a Euro CC.

It's a quiet time of year so you must expect some tourist places to have closed up, but at least it's not crowded.

HTH


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## Rapide561

*Ferry*

I'd suggest the ferry from Genova

Russ


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## rayrecrok

Hey up.

We did Sicily but in the summer months, we sailed across from Greece into Italy turned left and followed the coast down. The ferry to Sicily was a piece of cake you just turn up pay at the booking office on the Pier, the ferry's are like buses and are going back and forth all day, we just had a single across as we didn't know how long we would be in Sicily we stayed about 20 days in the end.

Our first night was spent wild camping up Mount Etna, it was such a relief from the heat and we had a good nights sleep, under a duvet instead of rolling about on the top of the bed trying to keep cool :roll: ..

We wild camped all the way round without any problems, Marina Ragusa was excellent and there was a Sosta a mile away to fill up with water and dump the waste, it was one euro, they had camping at the same Sosta if you wanted it, all the sites were open but we don't do sites much especially being away for a year, we got moved on once with two other Italian vans when we stopped on a beach area, but it was a bit cheeky, it was next to a camp site...

Sicily, I suppose it is a place to go but I don't think I would make the effort to go back again , there are so many better places on mainland Italy..

Hope that helps.

ray.


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## Glandwr

We spent last Jan-March there. As Ray says no shortage of wild camping. ASCI cards are worth taking too. If you are into antiquities, Sicily you will find fascinating. Loads of them dating from the time of Magna Grecia. You could easily spend months touring just them and best of all 95% off them will be free if you are over 65 and are able to show an EU passport.

Finding any business open between 12:30 and 4pm is hit and miss. On the other hand you might take advantage of the couple of hours in the middle of that to drive in and out of the large towns and cities as a lot of them are in bed and the streets are relatively quiet.

We drove down to the toe of Italy. A week in the Bay of Naples (Camping Pompeii ASCI) just out side of the ruins and adjacent to the railway station that will take you into Naples, Sorrento (and Capri), Herculaneum, Amalfi etc. Then down to Reggio Calabria for the highlight of the trip seeing the Riace bronzes in their newly opened dedicated museum (again free for over 65)

If however you are not into antiquities and or history apart from friendly and honest people and temperate winter weather there’s not a lot. Loads of Tuna and if you like sword fish and sea urchins it is the place for you

Palermo is a bit like Monti Carlo meets down town Mogadishu!!!! Loads of derilict and collapsing palaces.

Dick


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## scouter

*Sicily April or May*

We're thinking about Sicily next spring/summer, would like to ferry from Cittiveccia or Genoa on the way down and probably drive back. Can't seem to find any details of the ferries for next year April or May yet. Do they still do camping on deck?

Now what's the weather/temp like in May and June? Unfortunately there's a big scout camp in Harrogate on May day Holiday w/e and they're hoping I'll cook ( for 4 days up to 90 people).

So we might not be able to set off from here until about the 7th of May. So say a week or a bit less to tour to Genoa or Cittiveccio puts us on the island about the 14/15 May which if we allow say 4 weeks for the island would mean us leaving about the 12 of June to drive back up. At least we won't be driving into the sun and we've not seen much of the toe although we,ve been down as far as the instep and the heel!

So that's possibly the plan ! Any info would be greatly appreciated

cheers alan


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## Patrick_Phillips

We spent Winter in Sicily two or three years ago.
The weather was fine during the day at anything between 16 ad 20 degrees but a lot colder at night - about 8 to 10 was common.
We were warned off Catania as just too industrial. We toured the East and South coasts but, in the end, settled on Catania as the most real and welcoming! Not expensive unless you allowed yourselves to be fleeced in the tourist hotspots!
We tow a Smart car, so we mainly want a base rather than doing a tour of campsites. We used Camping Jonio just North of Catania town. Superb. Run cooking lessons in their restaurant. Giuseppe, the owner is a hydraulics enginerr but took the time to take us around town and February has some really special festivals. Fish is cheap and plentiful either off the boats in the fish dock or in the market.
A little bit of Italian goes a long, long way. Well worth the effort.
We did the Palermo - Genoa ferry. Like a cruise ship with and en-suite bath room - yes, a bath and shower!
Never got to the very top of Etna. Either closed because of snow or lack of it!!! Often 18 degrees on coast and -4 on the mountain six miles away.
Enjoy
Patrick


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## Cyclewalkbob

We were in Sicily last year May- June and the temperature was mid 20's in the day but cooler in the evenings.
The days and nights got warmer as the weeks progressed 
We were in tee shirts in the day with a jumper at night.
Be aware that the boat out of Palermo to Genoa did not take credit cards ( the boat from Genoa to Palermo did)
When we were there some garages and most campsites did not take credit cards.
Beautiful country, most roads go round the Coast and there are many viaducts which are something to see.
Plenty of Greek and Roman temples in the south west, all well worth a visit. Piazza Armerina for the most amazing mosaics.

Beaches are lovely and some are rocky.

Some campsites were not open in early May but we used the Acsi book and had no trouble getting a pitch.

English spoken at campsites and sometimes in the country, but a little Italian ( very little in our case) does go a long way. Not many Brits, but a good number Dutch and Germans who were very friendly

Fantastic place, we had three weeks, and still did not see everything.

A long way but well worth the visit.

Have a great time


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## JackieP

We spent three winter months in Sicily and throughly enjoyed it. The weather was changeable with some rain, some wind some storms but plenty of sun. Through the day the temperatures could be quite pleasant in full sun but nights were colder but only enough for us to have the heating on for a couple of hours. 

We only stayed on one campsite and didn't really enjoy it - too many people and vans side by side, but if that's your thing then it might suit. There was certainly community spirit and visits each day from bakers, butchers and fresh veg sellers. 

Our stay was almost always wild camping with the ocassional 'sosta/aire' stop. 

Sicily is beautiful and it's people friendly and welcoming. Its a very poor country with high unemployment but we found the people very glad to have us around, spending our money in local shops and restaurants. It's not for everyone however. You have to get used to piles of rubbish almost everywhere - even in areas of outstanding beauty. Packs of wild dogs were challenging also - but if you travel without dogs they won't be an issue for you.


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