A Sicily itinerary around the island, with Etna and the Greek temples
Sicily is bigger than it looks, and trying to see it all from one base means long drives. The usual answer is a loop with three or four bases. This prompt has your todo.is agent set that loop for your days: Palermo, the Valley of the Temples, the baroque southeast, Siracusa and Etna, with drive times and what to skip.
The prompt
- Plan a [NUMBER OF DAYS]-day Sicily road trip for [WHO IS TRAVELLING] in [MONTH], flying into [ARRIVAL AIRPORT] and out of [DEPARTURE AIRPORT]. Use 3 or 4 bases to keep drives short. Include Palermo (markets, Monreale), Cefalu, the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, the Scala dei Turchi, the baroque towns of Noto, Modica and Ragusa, Siracusa and Ortigia, Mount Etna and Taormina. Add [EXTRAS] if they fit. Give drive times, 2 places to stay per base with links, which towns have ZTL traffic zones, and street food to try (arancine, panelle, cannoli, granita). Email me a PDF and a summary of the bases. Don't book anything.
What to change
- [NUMBER OF DAYS]: E.g. "10". A week covers one half of the island; ten to fourteen days covers the loop.
- [WHO IS TRAVELLING]: E.g. "a couple", "family with teens", "friends who love food and wine".
- [MONTH]: E.g. "May". May, June, September and October are best; August is hot and crowded.
- [ARRIVAL AIRPORT]: E.g. "Palermo", "Catania".
- [DEPARTURE AIRPORT]: E.g. "Catania". Flying into one and out of the other saves a long backtrack.
- [EXTRAS]: E.g. "the Aeolian Islands", "Erice and the Trapani salt pans", "a wine tasting on Etna".
Example result
- Sicily in 10 days, a couple in May
- Fly into Palermo, out of Catania · rental car after Palermo
- Days 1 to 3: Palermo (base 1)
- • Day 1: Ballaro and Vucciria markets; street food: arancine, panelle, sfincione. Quattro Canti and the Fontana Pretoria.
- • Day 2: Palermo Cathedral, the Palatine Chapel's golden mosaics in the Norman Palace, then Monreale Cathedral above the city.
- • Day 3: pick up the car; Cefalu for the Norman cathedral, the old town and a swim. Back to Palermo, or sleep in Cefalu.
- Days 4 to 5: Agrigento (base 2, about 2 hours)
- • Day 4: Valley of the Temples late afternoon, when the Temple of Concordia glows. Stay for the evening if it opens late.
- • Day 5: Scala dei Turchi, the white marl cliff (view from the beach; access rules change). Drive to the southeast.
- Days 6 to 7: Noto or Ragusa (base 3, about 2.5 hours)
- • Day 6: Ragusa Ibla's baroque churches and lanes; Modica for its stone-ground chocolate.
- • Day 7: Noto's golden baroque main street and cathedral; granita and brioche for breakfast. Beach at the Vendicari reserve.
- Days 8 to 10: Siracusa, then Taormina (base 4)
- • Day 8: Siracusa's Neapolis park: the Greek Theatre and the Ear of Dionysius. Evening on Ortigia island and its piazza.
- • Day 9: Mount Etna: drive to Rifugio Sapienza; cable car and 4x4 to the upper craters with a licensed guide. Bring layers; it is cold up top.
- • Day 10: Taormina's Greek Theatre over the sea, Corso Umberto, Isola Bella below. Then to Catania airport (about 1 hour).
- Good to know
- • Many old towns have ZTL limited traffic zones with cameras. Park outside and walk, or ask your hotel.
- • Book cars with full insurance; roads and parking are tight.
- • Etna activity can change access; check official updates the day before.
- • Check opening hours and ticket rules on official sites before you go.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your days, travellers, month, airports and extras.
- Paste it into todo.is on the Today screen or send it to your agent on WhatsApp.
- Your agent sets the bases and drive times and emails a PDF with stays and food stops.
- Reply with changes like "add 3 days in the Aeolian Islands" and book cars and hotels yourself.
Tips for a better result
- Fly into Palermo and out of Catania (or the reverse). It saves half a day of driving back.
- Skip the car in Palermo. Pick it up the day you leave the city; traffic and parking are hard.
- Visit the Valley of the Temples in the late afternoon. It is cooler and the light on the stone is beautiful.
- Ask your agent for a ZTL map note for each town so you don't collect camera fines.
Sicily itinerary: FAQ
- How many days do you need in Sicily? A week covers either the west or the east well. Ten to fourteen days lets you loop the whole island at a comfortable pace.
- Do you need a car in Sicily? It helps a lot outside the big cities. Trains and buses connect the main towns but are slow and sparse in the interior and the southeast.
- Can you climb Mount Etna? Yes. A cable car and 4x4 buses go up from Rifugio Sapienza, and the highest craters are only allowed with a licensed guide. Access depends on volcanic activity.
- Can my agent add the Aeolian Islands? Yes. Ask for them in the prompt and it will add the ferries from Milazzo with timings and links.
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