Lentini, Catania, Sicily

Advantages: Nice people, good food and wine, weather
Disadvantages: Driving is scary

...or a boat and race across the water. When you arrive in Sicily you realise that the rhyme was in fact wrong and Italy must be a bit of a wuss as it has effectively managed to kick Sicily about 3 km into the sea. To fly to Sicily you have a number of options. We booked using Expedia and were able to select flights (one way) for the grand total of £142 for 2. We flew with Air Malta to Catania and found the experience perfectly satisfactory. If you would like to take your own car to Sicily you could potter through France, go under the mountains and then potter through Italy until you get to the Strait of Messina. Once there you would have to jump on ferry and sail across this narrow bit of water. There is talk of a bridge connecting Sicily to the mainland although it hasn't been started yet. Due to be finished in 2012 the bridge will become... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Beautiful places, tropical beaches sun in summer, snow in winter! Perfect!
Disadvantages: Not much to do in some places.

...! --- Catania - (cah-TA-nee-ah) Located to the east of Sicily, this region has many sights and places to visit. The most famous of these has to be Mount Etna. It's the largest active volcano in Europe and stands at over 10,000 feet! Because of the many eruptions, though, this figure is rising! There are organised tours available and hikes up the mountain and I would strongly advise using one. It gets chilly up there though, so pack some warm clothes for the ascent! Some other places of interest are the 'Castagno dei Cento Cavalli' which means the chestnut tree of one hundred horses. This is apparently the oldest tree in the world and is a popular venue for tourists and scientists alike. Another place worth a visit is San Gregorio. This village features some of the strangest grottoes in the world. They're home to bats and other creepies... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: good place
Disadvantages: petty crime

...Catania is the second major city in Sicily after Palermo. There is a common say, that it is easier to do business in catania than Palermo. Although in my experience the 2 cities are very similar under this respect, I would not necessarily disagree with this statement. An interesting place to visit is Castello di Ursino, (Ursino castle). Located in Piazza Federico di Svevia, at the end of Via Auteri between Via Plebiscito and Via Garibaldi, it used to be a coastal fortress. Later, vulcanic eruptions expanded the coastline, and if you go there, you can deem by yourself the extent of this expansion! Another place worth visiting is the cathedral (Duomo), which goes back to 1090. A word of caution for tourists, there are not too many restaurants in the centre of the town. If you have the time, try and go to Taormina... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful