# Sicily in October & November



## blade1889

Decided this year to give Spain & Portugal a miss & try Sicily !!!!
Good choice or not?
Appreciate the weather may not be as warm as S & P but we're looking for something a little different.

Any comments on wild camping or good camp sites, places we shouldn't miss would be appreciated.

Will do our normal run through France & intend to be in Sicily for approx a month (mid Oct to Mid Nov)

Brian


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## christine1310

*Sicily*

Hi, We went to Sicily this winter and if you love history and old buildings you will love it. The weather in February was a bit windy with some rain but it was better than Spain/Portugal at the time. We met people who had been in Sicily before and over Xmas who said the weather up to New Year had been hot.

We went clockwise around the island - no problems getting the ferry you just turn up and buy your ticket and join the queue to board, it's a regular service and we waited no more than 15 minutes. You can buy a 60 day return ticket.

We used ASCI campsites, Sostis and a bit of wild camping. Camping Jonio was our first stop on the edge of Catania - this is convenient for Mount Etna trips and if you can drive around Catania then you will be ok driving anywhere in Sicily.

We then stayed at the Sosti at Siracusa (Area Von Platen) a bit expensive but ideal for one night so you can spend the day visiting Ortiga.

We went to Punta Braccetto. Stayed at Scarabeo Camping but try Camping Luminoso next door as this has been fully renovated. Also in the near town of St Croce there is a new baker, he lived in Canada for a long time and will advise you on all the lovely things he makes. We tried Foccace and Pane e Panelle. You will find him about 5 mins walk away, go towards town from the Dimeglio supermarket at the roundabout and he is on the right had side.

The nearest big town is Ragusa - everyone says to park in the new town and walk to the old town. However, if you follow the signs to Ragusa Ibla (old town) when you turn off the main road and go down the hill there is a car park at the bottom. There were a couple of motorhomes and a bus parked there when we went. It's a Unesco heritage site.

Next we went to Piazza Amerina - There is a famous Roman villa here with well preserved mosaic floors. You have to follow the signs to Romano Villa which takes you on the main road in Piazza Amerina until you see the left hand turn. It's a sharp left hand turn, more like a U turn, it's so sharp, hubby overshot, so I had to get out and stop the traffic so he could back up a bit and continue his U turn. Anyone who's driven in Sicily will understand these strange road junctions. The Roman Villa is a few miles out of town on the Caltanissetta Road. It costs 1 euro to park, if you want to stay in the car park overnight it's 2 euros. To see the villa is only 3 euros and is well worth it.

After that we went to Agrigento - We stayed on Valle de Templi campsite and it cost 19.35 euros including a 10% Acsi card discount. The bus stops outside the campsite and the bus ticket costs 1.10 euro - you can buy these from the campsite reception. To get in the Valley of the Temples is 8 euros, over 65 get a discount.

We wild camped at San Vito lo Capo, the nearest ACSi campsite was just too cold because of all the shady trees. We stayed on the seafront, there were about 6 vans and the police didn't mind.

We stayed on the ACSI campsite at Isola delle Femmine outside Palermo. You can get the bus in to Palermo from here. Also you have to visit the cathedral at Monreale just outside Palermo, it's really beautiful.

Next we went to Finale di Pollina Camping Rais Gerbi which was ok but it rained all the time - nice camp site. We then drove back to Giardini Naxos by Taormina. Parking Lagani is an excellent Sosti. We ended up staying there for a month.

We sailed back to Genoa from Palermo which takes about 36 hours and it was a good trip. We booked the ticket at a travel agent in Giardini.

There is a load of more places to see on Sicily.

If you decide to go - have a great time.


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## hmh

*Sicily Oct-Nov*

Very helpful post from Christine I must say, will take notes for when we go there, maybe 2011 . . .

We met some Germans in Tunisia who had stayed at or near Marina di Modica, near Ragusa, Sicily for free in the winter, and with water too.

From my notes it looks as though they were parked at Camping di Vita Vera, Punta Religione, which is theoretically only open July - September.

The Germans have a marvellous grapevine, and we found a couple of their vans parked by a beach, near a functioning water tap, near a hotel complex on the I. of Djerba (Tunisia) - we stayed about a week, but they had been there for three . . .

I only wish my German was good enough to surf google.de!

Helen


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## Helgamobil

See another thread on this - Camping Scarabeo is GREAT! La Timpa camping at Acireale is not recommended.


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