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The arrival

Our first two hours in Sicily set the tone for the rest of November 2022.

From the moment we arrived at the airport, there was a lack of direction and organisation. After finding the bus stop, we look for where to buy the tickets, since a sign indicates that you have to buy your ticket BEFORE getting on the bus. So be it. We look around, but nothing. We went back to the airport lobby, but nothing either. We ended up asking a member of staff at a car rental agency who told us that it was not possible to buy a ticket before getting on the bus and that we had to pay the driver. 

We went back to the stop, obviously our bus arrived 20 minutes late and was crowded. Indeed, we paid our tickets to the driver (by card however, good surprise).

When we arrived in the city, we noticed right away that the city was not clean… at all. Rubbish is strewn on the ground, bins are overflowing, it doesn’t smell very good. And then people drive like crazy. In some places there are no sidewalks, forcing you to walk along parked cars and to be grazed by speeding cars. Of course, the use of the horn is a must, and you don’t need a reason to use it 🙂 

The first days

The next morning we needed to go grocery shopping. So we went in search of a small supermarket. 
What was supposed to take 30 minutes ended up taking 2 hours, as there was no supermarket within a 25 minute walk. 25 minutes of walking with several kilos of grocery items is a long time.

Besides, public transport is not even efficient! It’s quicker to walk than to try to take the bus… 

The first few days were fine. We discovered Catania and we walked in the small animated streets of its old centre, which is classified as a world heritage site by UNESCO. 

But soon we got bored. We realised that Catania is quite small, and that for people who walk around every day, it is even too small. Once we’ve seen the many churches, the fish market and the main square, well, there’s not much left.

That said, the weather was particularly exceptional for November, so we were able to swim at Catania beach. Well, we don’t particularly recommend this beach, it’s not particularly beautiful and once again, the rubbish spoils the landscape and tickles the nostrils. Better to go to the beaches outside Catania, by car or by bus.

So, what to do in Sicily ?

Syracuse

We decided to visit other places in Sicily on weekends.
Our first excursion was to Syracuse, which was a nice day out. 
The city is about 1 hour away by bus and you can get away for 12€ per person for the round trip. There, you can walk around the historic centre, also called Ortigia Island – also a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and the harbour. If you have the desire and the budget, you can also visit the archaeological park of Neapolis.

Luckily for us, the museums were free that day (maybe it was a heritage day?) and we were able to visit the Paolo Orsi Regional Archaeological Museum in Syracuse. The museum is really huge and interesting, and has a nice quiet garden.

Mount Etna

The following weekend we went to the Etna Natural Park, with the ambition of reaching the top of a crater (Etna, if you’re wondering, is the highest active volcano in Europe, and one of the most active in the world)
On this day the weather was not exactly on our side but we managed to reach our goal, ‘walking’ up to 2890m. Walking’ because it’s also climbing, it’s very physical, but it’s well worth it! Moreover, we had the place to ourselves, there were very few tourists, which made the experience really unique. I had never heard absolute silence before. It was clearly the highlight of our stay in Sicily.

In terms of organisation and budget, the bus from Catania will drop you off at Piazzale Rifugio Sapienza at an altitude of 1900m at around 10am and pick you up at 4.30pm. The round trip ticket costs 6.60€ per adult. It’s best to arrive early as the bus fills up very quickly!

Once there, you have several options:

• Either you have pre-booked an excursion and meet your guide near the bus stop. Usually, but not always, the cable car is included. In terms of prices for excursions, frankly there are all kinds of options. It depends completely on what you want to do, prices start at €50 per person.

• Either you take the cable car which will drop you off at 2500m and give you some great views from it. The cable car costs 30€ per adult (for the round trip). It sounds very expensive, yes, but remember that it is often destroyed and rebuilt after eruptions, and that is expensive too!

• Or, you have a strong determination and you start your ascent from where the bus leaves you (at 1900m). Well, if your budget is 0, it’s doable, but there is nothing special to see and it will take you about 1 hour to reach 2500m.

Finally, note that :

– Alone, you are only allowed to go up to 2900m, beyond that, you will need a guide.

– If you don’t have the necessary equipment (as was the case for us), you can rent it where the cable car drops you off. It costs 5€ for a coat or suitable shoes.

– The cable car opens at 8.30am and the last one to come down is at 3.50pm. These times can vary depending on the weather, so be sure to check!

– Many things can change at the last minute, whether due to volcanic activity or weather. If you have booked a tour, don’t hesitate to contact them the day before to check the situation and prepare better.

Other points of interest

To the north east of Etna is a town called Taormina. We had planned to spend a day there but this did not happen. It is a small village at the foot of Mount Etna, famous for its ancient theatre. You can get there by bus from Catania.

Additionally, I have heard very good things about the city of Palermo in the north of Sicily. We didn’t have the opportunity to go there ourselves unfortunately, but it seems to be more touristy and therefore better maintained. 

To the west there is also an archaeological park called the Valley of Temples and if you get the chance, this one seems worth a visit!

Getting around Sicily.

One of the most convenient and affordable ways to get around the island is by bus. It’s often relatively quick and you can get away with much better prices than if you rent a car. The main company is AST, but there are others such as Interbus.

Within Catania however, despite the attractive prices (1€ for a single ticket), the transport plan is very poor and, as mentioned above, it is often quicker to walk than to take public transport. Also, don’t count on their punctuality.

Catania, mafia, danger, what do we think?

So depending on where you are, it is true that the level of security varies. Catania is apparently one of the most dangerous cities in Europe, so it’s good to get some info before you go away from the city centre.

Overall in the city centre and main streets we did not feel unsafe, unlike some areas on the outskirts. In any case, the most dangerous areas often have nothing to offer from a tourist point of view. I’m thinking in particular of the Librino district which is a suburban district, with buildings and… well, buildings like there are everywhere in the world.

Conclusion

I think I’ve been a bit unsubtle regarding my opinion about Catania, but I’ll make it clear: no, I wouldn’t recommend spending weeks there. Spend a day or a weekend there to enjoy the city centre, why not. But not more than that. On the other hand, if you are in the area, I would really recommend going to the Etna park. If you are close to it, it would be a shame to miss such a unique experience!

It would probably be better to go to the north of Sicily to Palermo, or even better, to have a car and go from town to town, as the small towns and villages must have a lot of charm.