Why Sicily?
How to get to Sicily
The one-way flight from Rome to Catania was $17 a person on Wizzair. This was our first time traveling on a budget EU flight so we really didn’t know what to expect and I would be lying if I said we weren’t a little nervous, booking a $17 flight. Turns out, we had more leg room than on a Delta flight!! It felt extremely safe, the staff was nice and was a short flight from Rome (1 hour 20 min). The only slightly negative thing is that we had to take a shuttle from our gate to get to the airplane to board outside. It didn’t seem like the staff was really on a time crunch, compared to boarding for a Delta flight. All of the EU budget flights we took were slightly “delayed” but nothing too extreme at all – maybe 20-40 minutes. Just have that in mind while planning your trip.
From there, we hopped on a bus at the airport that took us into Taormina city center. Our Airbnb was within walking distance for us from there.
Where to stay in Taormina
I could not recommend our Taormina Airbnb more, which is actually a Bed and Breakfast. The host was extremely nice and accommodating. I believe there are 3 rooms total so we shared the kitchen space and the outdoor patio. For $50 a night with breakfast included, it was a steal. The rooftop views are beautiful – you can see the locals hanging their laundry as you look out onto the sea. It felt just like how I would’ve imagined.
Places to eat in Taormina
Everywhere!! Can you go wrong with any restaurant in Sicily?? I honestly don’t think so but here’s a few of where we went and that did not disappoint! They are all linked above.
Things to do Taormina
Again, there is a lot to do in Taormina that we didn’t even scratch the surface on. I try to get a mix of culture, adventure, and also relaxing days when we go on vacation. If that’s what you are looking for in Taormina, read on!
There’s a ton of shopping to do in Taormina city center – it feels like it never ends. You can walk all day in the alleys, shopping and eating gelato and drinking wine. Thats what we did! There’s even meat and cheese markets where you can pick some up to take back to the Airbnb and enjoy later on the patio 🙂
Take the Taormina cable car down to the beach and spend the day soaking in the sun and the views of Isola Bella. We ended up renting chairs at Pizzichella for $ per person per day. It was well worth it in my opinion. It’s like a scene from White Lotus. Actually, it is a scene from White Lotus because they filmed in Toarmina ;). Here, you can order drinks and food from the bar and there is also a bathroom for the guests to use. You can also book jet skiing and a bunch of other activities as well. We had such a nice time, we came back the second day and did the same thing.
How To Get To Cinisi
Our Airbnb host in Taormina recommended that we take a taxi to the Taormina-Giardini train station, in order to get to our final destination, Cinisi. The train tickets were $21 for two tickets, and it was a 6-hour journey. I booked in advance through Trenitalia to get us to the Punta Rasi Station. 6 hours on a train sounds like hell, I know. Actually, it ended up being a lot of fun and the time went by so fast! It was along the coast for the majority of the ride and in my opinion, was really pretty to see the landscapes and water. In all honesty, taking a plane to Palermo would’ve probably been about the same amount of money and time. Cinisi is so close to Palermo, you could also do a day trip here from the main city!
Where To Stay in Cinisi
This Airbnb is honestly our favorite host we’ve ever had. Not only did our host help with all of my annoying questions prior to arrival, but he picked us up from the train station to take us to our Airbnb. It doesn’t stop there. So, the whole reason we went to Cinisi was because this is where Paul’s family is from. His Grandpa was born and raised here. We had to see it! I had been messaging the host prior to our trip and I asked him about these Christmas cookies that originated in this area of Sicily. Keep in mind, it’s May when we visit… not Christmas time. Well, he managed to find a bakery that had these cookies in May and drove us there!!(Giovanni, if you guys are reading this, grazie mille)!!
Getting Around Cinisi
Cinisi is a pretty small town, so a rental car is definitely not necessary. It’s a 20-minute drive from the Palermo airport or train station, an easy cab ride. It is the most “authentic” place we have experienced yet. We actually got told by a coffee shop worker that we were the first Americans he has ever seen in Cinisi. That’s pretty cool, but it come with a few (manageable) challenges. It was obviously even harder to find people who spoke English here. Some Sicilians don’t even speak Italian, like what you would hear in Rome. They have their own unique Sicilian Dialect, especially the older generations.
Where to Eat (Cinisi)
We were here a very short time so only had time for one dinner. Our host (again a lifesaver) recommended and made us a reservation at Vitina Cucina. I think this was the best dinner experience we had in all of Italy. Everything was so fresh and honestly extremely affordable! We ordered the mussles appetizer, a pizza, a pasta dish and a liter of wine. I think we spent $40 on all of that. The portions were huge, the mussels and the seafood in the pasta were as if they just came from the sea an hour ago. I can’t wait to go back, just to experience more seafood like this. I can’t recommend this place more and you can sit outside!
Overall Experience
I can’t recommend Sicily enough. If you’re looking for shopping, culture, amazing food and wine, affordable accommodations, relaxation, and sightseeing, come to Sicily! They really have it all. I would absolutely go back.
Thanks for reading and let me know what I missed in the comments below!
Wow!!!!! Incredible – I want to go!!!!!
Congratulations to Alisha on a beautifully done summary of her “first” visit to Sicily.
So much to see and she artfully displayed the best.
Grazie for sharing!
A lot of great and helpful information here. I’d go just for the food and wine. It all looked amazing.
Thank you!! 😃
Pingback: How to Save Money on Travel