How did we travel around Sicily?
I'm sharing some basic information and our travel plan.
We had 7 days, from Wednesday to Wednesday. We flew from Venice to Trapani. Trapani worked out great because it is a really mini airport (similar to Trieste) and you can find your way around quickly, it's not crowded. We traveled with my mother + child (aged 5 and 3.5 at the time). Over the May Day holidays 2022.
We rented a car from Sicilybycar at the airport, we got a Fiat 500x. The car is very spacious and perfect for side parking.
We searched for accommodation on Booking one day in advance. We traveled quite spontaneously, we had practically nothing booked. We didn't have one "base" but slept in four different places. Which worked out great because Sicily is not small and there is quite a lot of driving. We mostly stayed in apartments, once in a b&b.
Trip plan and what we saw:
- Cefalu (walk to Rocca di Cefalu)
- Vulcano Island (from Milazzo)
- Gole dell'Alcantara gorge
- Etna
- Punta Bianca beach, Valle dei Templi and Scala dei Turchi
- Bovo Marino beach and the Saline di Marsala
- Monte Cofano Reserve
It would be ideal if we had another 7 days.
Save this post and this itinerary and add Sicily to your bucket list as soon as possible.
Here you will find even more detailed descriptions of certain points.
Monte Cofano Reserve
The most beautiful seaside hike for our last day in Sicily. You start the hike in the village of Custonaci (near Trapani). We did about 6km along the coast with the kids. Then I went to get the car over the Baglio Cofano pass (it really was a bit of solo hiking) and then to Castelluzzo. Those bigger hikers would have no problem doing the circular route. But apparently the Riserva is closed for maintenance and we caught the last moment to visit. It really went without any problems, without any hassle. Bouncy and cheerful, past martins and even one blackberry. And past flowers and palm trees. Paradise. Really very, very beautiful!
Mount Etna with cubs
- we bought a gondola ride + bus (children free)
- The buses take you with a guide to the highest point, supposedly there is a crater there (I wouldn't know because we only saw fog) )
- The walk from the bus to the crater is short, approx. 10min.
- after the bus trip we climbed to Crater del Laghetto (Still a hot crater, that's why we sit so happily because it warms our butts. Otherwise a short walk, approx. 40min from the cable car.)
- I really recommend this trip, despite the fog it was unforgettable
Bonus tip: make sure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
Vulcano Island
We took a boat from Milazzo to the mini island of Vulcano. From there, we walked from the port to the crater. A beautiful approx. 4km hike. Just right for toddlers. Crazy landscape: in some places overgrown and sandy, in others orange, and again sandy but without vegetation. After the climb, we went swimming on the beach near the port. There are springs in the middle of the sea, and it also smells of sulfur. A great trip and again - I highly recommend it.
How much does seven days in Sicily cost? (self-guided + to be modest)
Flight tickets: €136
Food: €160
Car: €350
Accommodation: €477
Gasoline: €162
Entrance fees: €271
We traveled with my mother and shared everything in half. Since children eat minimally anyway, the entrance fees for them were mostly free.
We're not thrifty, but we both have a little bit of that in us that we're not wasteful. But let's treat ourselves to experiences and sightseeing, that's for sure. Various drinks, coffees and dinners are out of the question because I don't feel like doing that with the kids, because they have worms in their asses anyway. We had a nice meal in the morning, then we ate something on the go (fruit, sandwiches, various snacks with pasta that you get in bakeries) and something cooked in the evening. But the thing is, in ITA it's a completely different lifestyle and you only get dinner after 8pm, which was too late for us.
Do you think €800/person or €1600 in total is a lot or a little?
Arrivederci Sicily! We'll be back sometime.