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We are planning to Visit Sicily for about five weeks i Mar/April 2012 on our way home from wintering in Turkey.
I've done some research on the forum and have collected some very useful info.
We plan to take the ferry from Palermo to Genoa and have to be back at the Hook of Holland on the night of the 25th April to get the ferry to Harwich and up to the Peterborough Show.
We spent March in Sicily this year and ferried back from Palermo to Genoa.
Reason was we had driven down and had our pots, and teeth, rattled so much by the Italian roads we felt it would be much more civilised to return by ferry. On the way down we had a few screws fall out of things, but came across one motorhome where the headlights had fallen out and another where the cooker had fallen out.
Cost was about the same as fuel would have cost, if you don't book a cabin, but just take the reclining seats. You also save a day as the trip takes about 18-20 hours from memory.
We went clockwise around the island and had a great time. Hope you enjoy.
We spent four months there Winter 2009/10
You will find our blogs at www.lizingleton.net
We cameback from Palermo to Genoa by boat. It was not easy to book because the various agents seemed misinformed or tended to add a goodly wack onto the fares! Even the shipping office in Catania were telling us the boat didn't sail any more! We eventually booked direct at Palermo and had not problems.
The ship is more minor cruise liner than ferry. We were allocated a double cabin with large windows overlooking the foredeck. The room had an ensuite bathroom - and I do mean bath-room - I had 4 baths in 20 hours! The cabin wouldnot have disgraced a 4 star hotel in the UK.
Don't book your crossing from Italy to Scicily at Messina. You will do much better with the ticket touts who will greet you when you arrive. We are 12m including trailor. We paid for 5m and gave the tout €5.
Having been told to avoid Catania, we actually found we loved it and spent more time there than on the much more popular South West coast. Recommend Camping Jonio owned by Guiseppe but run by Gabriella... http://www.jonioeventi.it/en.php
Trips up to the summit of Etna were a tad tricky to arrange. There was always either too much or too little snow! Never did get the right amount!
If you love anarchy, you will love Sicily.
Patrick
Hi Don,
We also went to Sicily over Xmas/New Year a couple of years ago and followed the advice mainly given by Superk which was excellent and a few others.
We also were unimpressed by the roads down through Italy past Rome for the same reason as Dunworkin. The constant thumping of the expansion strips of the suspended roads was wearing.
We seemed to be almost constantly driving through long stretches of roadworks and dual carriageways turned into single lane with 50kmh speed limits etc.
We sailed Palermo-Genoa early February but took the cabin option - price was roughly 420 euros but worth it. Genoa on arrival in the dark seemed quite busy and we were glad to be out of it. Found a couple of ACSI sites fairly easily which were open all year.
Superk's blog is on here if you do a search.
Cheers,
Alan
______________________________________________________________ Please click on Blog and Photos for info on our European Adventure
out of season we did the coast road to Taormina and grew used to the poverty which initially came as a shock.... So much so we were suprised to see the delights of Taormina on managing to get the motorhome through the narrow streets....
Spent a freezing night on Etna which was amazing as the landscape is so alien....
Food was good as we found all sorts of things we d never eaten in living on the mainland ....
Really enjoyed the experience, but its not my favourite island..
Hi Don,
We meant to put in our four-penn'orth some days ago but somehow it got lost in the undergrowth!
We were in Sicily from 25th Dec '10 to end Feb '11 returning on the Palermo - Genoa ferry which we considered well worth the expense when set against the cost of that long drive North. (Sorry, haven't noted what the ferry cost).
At that time of year the North of the island seemed permanently cloudy, cold and damp so, inevitably, we tended to stick to the south where skies were blue with warm sun.
No restrictions on parking (despite many signs to the contrary which, we were told, are only enforced during the summer months) and, equally, very few campsites open so management of water and waste require an imaginative approach!
One favourite spot was Siracuse where the Parcheggio Van Platen (N:37.07689, E: 15.28800) provided a central parking for some E18/nt or, when we moved to the harbour (free) we could return and use their facilities for E6. Harbours and Marinas were our first port of call.
We learned to be parked in a quiet spot on Friday and Saturday nights as the only way to avoid the disruptive influence of the local disco and to accept (albeit with gritted teeth) the regular thumping to the vehicle from expansion joints on the many raised sections of arterial road. Driving in Palermo can only be described as an anarchic experience!
Overall there is plenty to see and a pleasant place to spend a few weeks.
One last point. A couple of times having arrived pretty late in Genoa we have driven some 35km to the West to park for the night in Arensano (N: 44.40227, E:8.68423), a short detour off the motorway and a quiet parking with a supermarket down one end. Free if you are away by 08h30.
The jury is still out on our project to get to Turkey this winter but, overall, it seems likely.
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