Sicily Travel Faqs
Larger 'desktop' version of this page
These questions and responses reflect conditions and circumstances that you may
(or may not) encounter in Sicily. Observations regarding inter-cultural
differences, in particular, are generalities; your own experiences may differ.
We cannot guarantee that all schedules or contact information are presently
accurate or current, and we cannot accept responsibility for events, circumstances
or damages resulting from use of this page.
» General
Travel Information
» Italy's Economy
& My Visit
» Passports
& Driving
» Driving
Conditions
» Arrival
By Plane
» Getting
to the City
» Arrival
By Train or Ship
» Arrival
By Car
» Travel
in Sicily
» Best
Places to Visit
» Scenery & Topography
» The Beaches
» Golf Courses
» Finding a Tour
Guide
» Local
Taxi Service
» Understanding
the Menu
» Prices
» Inflated
Prices
» What
to Wear
» Communicating
» Interpreters
& Guides
» Mobile
and Internet
» Internet
Access Points
» Bed and Breakfasts
» Transporting
& Declaring Purchases
» Hours
and Schedules
» National
Holidays
» Physically
Challenged Visitors
» Gay-friendly
» Train
and Plane Strikes
» Visitor
Information
» Best
Travel Books
» Best
Maps
» Shopping
» Country
Vacations & Villas
» Thermal
Spring Resorts
» Sicilian
Cooking Schools
» Safety
» Consulates
» Sicily for Children
» Electrical Voltage
in Italy
» For
Women Travelers
» Cultural
Differences
» Length
of Your Stay
» Places
of Worship
» Best
Time To Visit
» Weather & Climate
» What are the Sicilians
like?
» Historical
& Cultural Information
» Night
Life
» Sigonella
» Annual
Events
» Nudity/Toplessness
at Beaches
» High/Low
Seasons Defined
» Impact
of Regional Conflicts
Where can I find general travel information
for Sicily?
If it's not on this page check out our travel
planning page for hotels and our "Fast Planning Links" to
things like currency conversion, weather, museum information, airport details,
airlines servicing Palermo and Catania, tours of Sicily and much more. We
also publish a website dedicated to travel in Palermo,
Sicily's largest and (in many respects) most interesting city.
Will Italy's ailing economy have an impact on
my trip?
No - though this is a good (and fair) question.
Don't expect any particular difficulties. Serious as it is, Italy's economic
situation won't make any difference in your visit to our sunny island. Public
services won't be influenced in any significant way, and neither will air
travel or lodging.
Are there visa requirements for visitors to
Italy?
There aren't any particular requirements for citizens
of European Union nations. Citizens of Japan and most English-speaking nations
(Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United States) in possession of valid passports
can stay in Italy for up to 90 days without a visa. Contact your nearest
Italian consulate if you have questions or would like to stay longer, or
to find out if your country is currently in the visa-waiver programme.
What about driving license requirements?
Though
foreign licenses are usually honored at car rental agencies and by the government,
you should obtain an international permit (a supplementary document obtainable
from automobile clubs) if your license is not issued by an EU nation. Nobody
under 18 years of age may drive a car in Italy, even if he or she holds
a valid license in a foreign nation.
What are driving conditions like in Sicily?
In certain cities,
such as Palermo and Catania, they can be
challenging for those unaccustomed to chaos. Many motorists are careless,
and often downright disrespectful of the rights of those with whom they
share the streets. Some roads, especially those in and around Palermo, are
not suitable to the large volume of traffic they must accommodate during
the busiest hours. In Palermo, the worst times are from 8 to 9 weekday mornings,
and from 1 to 2 in the afternoons. Saturday evenings between 7 and 9 also
have heavy traffic. Catania, Messina and other cities may also be choked
by traffic during these hours, though the situation at Palermo is far worse.
Is it easy to use the Palermo and Catania airports?
While
you probably won't get lost at either one, it's good to
keep a few things in mind. Your baggage will have to be checked at customs
if it hasn't yet been inspected and you're arriving from a non-EC country.
A simple matter, but first you have to find your luggage, which may arrive
in the international baggage claim area, not the baggage carousel
assigned to your domestic connecting flight from Rome or Milan. So if your
baggage was "checked through" directly from New York, Toronto
or Sydney, and you haven't seen it since then, you will have to claim it
in the international area, which is clearly indicated. Catania's Filippo
Eredia (Fontanarossa) airport is a new facility, expanded in 2007.
In the event that your bags aren't found in either claims area, it
is possible that they'll arrive with the next flight if you flew with Alitalia
from Rome or Milan. If the next scheduled flight arrives only an hour after
yours, it's probably worth waiting to see if your bags arrive with it before
going on to Palermo or Catania.
Owing largely to their small
size, Sicily's airports are quite efficient. In addition to those at Palermo
and Catania, there is a smaller airport at Trapani with flights to Palermo,
Lampedusa and Pantelleria. The airport of Reggio di Calabria (on the other
side of the Strait of Messina) has flights for Rome and Milan. For more
info check out our airport pages.
How do I get to the city from the airport?
Unless somebody is meeting you at the airport, you'll have three
choices: bus, train (in Palermo), taxi or rental car. The Palermo airport
is about a thirty minute drive from the city; the Catania airport is about
twenty minutes from Catania. Buses depart about every thirty minutes until
around 10:00 PM, and are less frequent after that hour. Departures from
Catania airport are less frequent generally, but there's usually a departure
every forty-five or sixty minutes during the day. Fares are about €6.00.
Trains depart for Palermo from that city's airport once every hour between
around 6 AM and midnight, stopping at the Notarbartolo and central train
stations in Palermo. The Palermo buses stop in the city at Via Lazio and
then Piazza Ruggero Settimo (Politeama Theatre) before proceeding to the
central train station; the Catania buses go near the city center, but not
necessarily through it, before proceeding to the large piazza near the train
station, which itself is not very far from the center of town. From Catania's
airport there are also buses for Taormina.
From either airport,
fixed fares for taxi travel to the center of town are less than €50.00,
though Catania's airport is much nearer the city. Rates vary, with evening
fares being slightly higher than the daytime ones. To avoid misunderstandings
and possible price gouging, ask to know the fare price before entering the
taxi.
Car rental agencies are located at both airports. Reservations
are suggested, especially during the busy summer months. Most of the airport
car rental services have branches in the cities as well. Please note that
most available automobiles have manual, rather than automatic, transmissions.
How do I get there by train, ship or bus?
Some trains from Rome and Naples go directly to Sicily, which means you
won't have to change trains along the way. If, however, your train's ultimate
destination is Reggio Calabria, you'll have to get off at a small locality
called Villa San Giovanni (about 15 minutes before the city of Reggio) and
take a ferry across the Strait to Messina to the railway station there.
The ferry service is on the lower level of the train station; the crossing
takes about 30 minutes. (In the event of a ferry strike, you may be able
to travel via hydrofoil with one of the operators near the station.) If
you're coming by train, you're probably arriving from Rome, Naples or Bari.
It takes an hour or more to transport the train onto a ferry at the Strait
of Messina, cross the Strait, and unload it in Sicily. A faster (InterCity)
train will arrive in Palermo from Messina in about three hours. The stretch
from Messina to Catania takes half as long. Within Sicily, we generally
recommend trains for travel along the coasts, or for certain inland trips
of less than ninety minutes' duration, and then only to major cities or
towns located near their respective stations. This means the lines: Palermo
to Termini Imerese to Cefalù, Messina to Taormina to Catania to Siracusa,
Palermo to Agrigento, and vice versa.
Within Sicily, it's
faster and easier to reach most points by bus, though there is railway service
to some destinations. These buses are usually blue and depart from points
very near the train stations. If you have plenty of time, you might consider
train service between certain points, such as Messina-Palermo, Palermo-Agrigento
or Messina-Taormina (Giardini). Other than these, it's not recommended.
By ship, your port of arrival will depend on where you're coming
from. Most ships from Naples arrive at Palermo (it's about 11 hours by overnight
ferry and 4 hours by hydrofoil), while most ships from Malta arrive at Catania.
Though they are hardly tourist sights, Sicily's main ports (where the cruise
ships also dock) are conveniently located near urban centers. Our links page indicates ship and hydrofoil
services.
Once you arrive in larger cities, we suggest that
you purchase a detailed city map, available from most newsstands. Various
local bus routes depart from the train stations (local buses are orange),
but as these are indicated by street, you'll have to know precisely where
you want to go if you wish to arrive (at your hotel or anywhere else) without
a lot of unnecessary hassle.
For more info check out our
transport page.
What's the best route by car?
Villa San Giovanni, the mainland Calabrian town where you board the
ferry for Messsina, is only about six hours from Rome if you take the Autostrada
(Route A1 from Rome to Naples, then Route A3 to Villa San Giovanni). The
A20 from Messina to Palermo, or the A18 from Messina to Catania, will take
you to these cities.
What's the best way to travel within
Sicily?
That depends on where you're going, what you
plan on doing, and how much time you have. You may wish to make use of trains
or buses for some trips and a rental car for others. We discuss this in
the question (above) about travel by ship, train and bus.
For
local (city) buses, you'll have to purchase a fare ticket which must be
stamped in a machine when you board. Newsagents, tobacco vendors, and even
some bars, sell these tickets for around €1.20 each, and they're valid
for 60-90 minutes from the time they're stamped. Boarding
a local bus without a ticket could earn you an immediate €50.00 fine,
and some ticket inspectors, especially in Palermo, are not distinguished
for their tact or diplomacy. (They get a bonus commission for each fine
collected.)
Another important note on local practices:
You must be at a bus stop to get the bus, of course, but then you must waive
to indicate to the bus driver to stop to allow you to board. Otherwise,
the bus will pass you by. For more info check out our transport
page.
How's the taxi service in town?
It's not bad, though it's never cheap and costs even more after 8
in the evening. The problem for foreigners is that many Sicilian taxi drivers,
though congenial, might not be characterized as scrupulously sincere. They
may overcharge you if they realize that you don't understand Italian well.
As we said earlier, it's always best to establish the price before
getting in the taxi. Incidentally, the same principle applies to Palermo's
horse carriage drivers.
Unlike their counterparts in London
or New York, the taxi drivers here will not stop for you along the street
unless you are at a 'taxi stand' (at the airports, train stations or in
principal squares or larger hotels). For more info check out our taxi article.
If time is limited, what are the "must see"
places to visit in Sicily?
While this naturally depends
on your tastes and interests, our Top
12 Places to Visit offers good suggestions.
Where's the most interesting scenery?
Sicily's scenery
and geography is described by region on a page dedicated to that topic,
with links to other pages about things like country life.
Where are the beaches?
Most of the better public beaches are listed on our beach page, where you'll also find a map indicating
where some of the better ones are located.
Where are the golf courses?
Read
about golf in Sicily
and find an 18-hole course. Our article includes a simple map indicating
Sicily's three golf clubs.
How do I find a tour guide?
Our Sicily tour
guide page is a good place to begin. In addition to a selective list,
it also has a few suggestions for rates and services.
If I can't understand most of the menu, how will
I know what I'm ordering?
In most restaurants the staff
is helpful. Take a look at the culinary terms section of our Food
Page, where a number of words and phrases are translated and defined.
There you'll find links to dozens of culinary topics.
What are prices like?
Although
our hotel page reviews
only four star and three star hotels, which cost at least €80.00 per
night for a single room, less expensive lodging exists. (TripAdvisor.Com
is a good source for finding it.) Meals don't usually cost much in Sicily
compared to other regions of Italy; it's possible to order a good seafood
meal for €25.00 and a delicious pizza for €9.00. There are some
ironies, however. For example, there are pizzerias where beer (either bottled
or on tap) costs almost as much as the pizza. Resort areas like Taormina
are understandably more expensive than other places. The advantage of larger
cities like Palermo and Catania is that they offer a wider range of prices.
Gas (petrol) is expensive but public transportation is inexpensive compared
to Germany, the US and the UK, although it must be said that Italian train
service is not as efficient as what you'll find in those countries.
Is it easy to get ripped off in restaurants
and other establishments?
Fortunately, this doesn't happen
as often as some visitors seem to expect. In restaurants, however, it's
sometimes best to order from a written menu, where prices are indicated,
instead of ordering from a "verbal" menu that a waiter has described.
This isn't always practical because some restaurants (especially better
ones) change menus daily and don't bother writing them out --though by law
they're required to. Remember that a nominal "cover" charge (coperto)
is usually added to the price. None of the restaurants
mentioned in this site are likely to charge inflated prices, and we've been
especially careful to review restaurants to ensure that none of those listed
engage in misleading pricing practices of any kind. In stores that don't
clearly indicate prices of merchandise on display, don't be shy about asking
how much an item costs. Simply point to it and ask "Quanto costa?"
What should I wear?
Despite
what you may have heard, it does occasionally rain and snow in Sicily, and
it's cool on Mount Etna even during the Summer months. Apart from this,
keep in mind that it's a good idea to wear comfortable shoes because it's
inevitable that you'll be doing a lot of walking. There are a few other
points to keep in mind. Italian adults don't usually wear white running
or exercise shoes (sneakers) outside the gym; American visitors to Italy
are often identifiable by the large white sneakers they wear. Women should
not wear shorts, or even sleeveless blouses, when they enter Italian churches.
(In Italy, men rarely wear short pants.) You may notice that, in general,
Italians dress slightly more formally than Americans and North Europeans,
though they have some peculiarities of their own which are common enough
to represent conformity. (Examples are the unchanging style of young men
wearing blue blazers with jeans, young women wearing black miniskirts with
black stockings, and older widows wearing black.) Topless bathing is permitted
on Italian beaches, but very few Italian girls go topless on beaches near
their homes, reserving this habit for their trips abroad; most of the topless
sunbathers in Sicily are foreigners from northern Europe.
Will communication be difficult?
If you don't speak Italian, but plan on traveling by yourself
or with a small group that won't include an Italian speaker, we suggest
learning at least a few Italian words and phrases before you arrive. This
will come in handy in more remote parts of Sicily. Even in Palermo and Catania,
there aren't many people who speak English, but enough of the folks in airports,
hotels and restaurants understand it well enough to make basic transactions
go smoothly. Even if you do speak Italian, you might not understand everything
the Sicilians are saying to each other, since they may be speaking the local
dialect (actually a distinct language), but they all speak Italian. Translations
of some common culinary terms will be found on the Food
Page.
If my travel agent can't find me
an interpreter or guide, can you recommend one?
Best
of Sicily doesn't offer general business or travel services, but our email
has convinced us that there's a real dearth of competent interpreters and
guides. We may be able to recommend an interpreter or guide if you describe
your requirements, but availability of these specialists varies greatly.
These services are described on a separate page.
How is mobile and internet service?
For smartphones and tablets, WiFi service is patchy but 3G is good,
if pricey. Let's consider several options:
In Italy your
mobile carrier will use the services of TIM, Vodafone or Wind, all of which
have service centers in major cities (in Palermo they're all in the same
part of Via Libertà). Italy's mobile networks and service are among
the world's most efficient and, all things considered, most economical.
You may even find it practical to purchase a cell phone account (using pre-paid
cards) in Italy for your use while you're here. See out net
page for more info.
Where can I find an internet access
point to check my email?
Unfortunately, though these
exist in Palermo, Catania and Taormina, they're not always easy to find.
Some are really nothing more than small photocopy shops or computer service
stores located on side streets away from areas frequented by travelers.
Better hotels may offer internet access to their guests. Visit our Internet Access page for a
(short) list of services.
How do I find a good bed and breakfast
in Sicily?
Here the operative word is good because
quality varies widely. Our Sicily
bed and breakfast page is a good place to begin, and while it offers
fewer choices than you'll find on a site dedicated to the subject, everything
listed is of high quality. The advice presented there is useful too, especially
if you're a novice to the world of B&B.
How do I transport purchases back home?
Presuming that these are small enough to fit inside your luggage,
we suggest, for fragile items like ceramics, that you transport these as
carry-on baggage. The red tape involved in a customs exemption claim (for
"duty free" items) probably isn't worth the effort in most instances.
We do recommend, however, that you bring a meter or two of plastic "bubble
wrap" (available at packaging shops like Mailboxes Etc., which also
has outlets in Sicily) with you for wrapping fragile items you want to take
home. This useful material is lightweight and won't take up much space in
your bags, but it's not available from many vendors in Sicily. Current regulations
dictate that liquids such as wine cannot be transported as carried-ons.
What are restaurant, store and museum hours like?
Hours vary greatly from place to place. The most annoying aspect
about Sicilian hours, compared to those in Milan and a few other northern
cities, is the three-hour afternoon break from 1 till 4, when almost everything
is closed except for a few restaurants. Early evening closings are another
fact of life here; don't expect to find a supermarket open after 8 PM. Most
pharmacies are also closed at night, though a few in each quarter have night
schedules to accommodate emergencies. In August, many stores are closed
in the afternoons, and some are closed altogether for at least two weeks
in the middle August (Ferragosto).
In general, principal
archaeological sites are open from 9-12 AM and 4-7 PM Monday through Friday,
and 9-12 AM Saturday; summer hours may be longer. Museums are open from
9-1 Tuesday through Saturday, and some weekday afternoons. Some are closed
Mondays. Many (but not all) churches are open in the morning from 8 till
12, and some are open after 4 PM. Most shops are closed Monday morning and
all day Sunday but open 9-1 and again 4-7:30 on other days, including Saturdays.
Museums and archeological sites may charge as much as €12.00 for admission.
Certain parts of sites belonging to the Catholic Church may also charge
an admission, not to enter the church itself but for entry to a museum or
cloister.
Restaurants such as pizzerias are open evenings
from around 8 Tuesday through Saturday; many are closed Sunday and Monday.
Some restaurants are open for lunch, too, usually from around 12:30 or 1:00.
Don't expect to find pizza served at lunchtime, and don't expect to find
too many all-night restaurants in Sicily.
During which holidays are these places closed?
Many businesses close for two or three weeks in August, when
most Italians go on holiday. It may seem bizarre, but about 70% of the population
takes their vacation at the same time, and hardly any work gets done in
Italy during that period.
It's worth mentioning holidays,
when you'll find many monuments, restaurants and shops closed:
• January 1st - New Year's Day
• January 6th - Epiphany
• February 5th - St. Agatha's Day (Catania)
• Monday following Easter - Pasquetta (Easter Monday)
• April 25th - Liberation Day
• May 1st - Labour Day
• June 2nd - Republic Day
• July 15th - St. Rosalie's Day observed (Palermo)
• August 15th - Assumption (Ferragosto)
• November 1st - All Saints' Day
• December 8th - Immaculate Conception
• December 25th - Christmas
• December 26th - St. Stephen's Day
Are train and plane strikes frequent in Italy?
They're not as frequent as many visitors imagine. They usually
occur during the Summer or around Christmas and rarely affect all flights
or train departures in all regions. Strikes are usually announced during
the TV news shows at least 24 hours in advance.
Where can I get more visitor information?
There are information centers in certain locations; in Palermo
and Catania, for example, there are information booths at the airports,
and in Palermo there are several in the city. At Palermo, Catania and Messina
there are also information booths at the main train stations. Staffed by
competent tourism specialists, these centers can provide you with up-to-date
information on events, attractions and hours in these provinces.
In small towns, you may find a local information office called a "pro
loco" which can provide you with news of upcoming local events, nearby
sights, and so forth, though it is not likely that the pro loco's staff
will speak English.
We suggest the links
page for more ideas. There's a list of provincial and local tourist information
offices in the provincial capitals, as well as Taormina and Cefalù,
on the desktop version of this page.
What's the best travel guide book for somebody
planning a visit to Sicily?
The Michelin Green Guide
to Sicily, first published in 1998, is one of the better ones we've seen,
though the Eyewitness Guide is also very good. These can be ordered through
most larger book stores in the English-speaking world (or on our books
page).
Which maps are best?
For
general road maps, we recommend those published by the Touring
Club Italiano. These are available at book stores in larger Sicilian
cities like Palermo and Catania. A legend explains symbols in Italian, English,
German, Spanish and French.
Where's the best shopping?
In
general, we recommend that you purchase souvenirs and craft items, such
as ceramics, at shops that specialise in the manufacture of these objects.
A souvenir shop or stand that sells everything from porcelain to ceramics
to medieval-style marionettes is not likely to have the selection and quality
of items available from specialty shops that make the wares they sell. That
said, there are some shops at Taormina and Monreale which retail the products
of various manufacturers and offer a good choice of items.
The
specialty guideline also applies to fashion items. A leather shop, even
if it is not large, will offer a better choice and quality of merchandise
than a department store that sells various items, though department stores
in Italy are not very large. So it's best to buy things like silks (neckties,
scarves) and leathers (belts, purses) at specialty shops. In fact, specialty
shops are the norm in Italy, whatever you're looking for, and the prices
are usually fair.
What are country retreats ('guest farms'
or aziende turistiche) and what are they like? And what about renting a
villa?
Visit the guest farm
page to read about 'agriturismo,' with several recommendations. We also
have a villa page.
What do the mineral spring resorts offer?
In contrast to the rustic setting of the typical country retreat,
hot mineral springs and mud baths (or, if you prefer, "holistic mud
treatment centers") are health resorts that offer a range of therapeutic
treatments. These naturally vary according to the resort you choose. Some
offer massage therapy and exercise programs (even something called "passive
exercise classes"), as well as diet counseling, while others specialize
almost exclusively in hot mud therapy. The locations of the resorts themselves
vary greatly. The older establishments at Termini Imerese and Sciacca are
actually in small but crowded cities, while the one at Castellamare del
Golfo is in a charming coastal town, and the one at Sclafani Bagni is in
the country. The facilities are usually very good. A stay in one of these
resorts may be relaxing, and will certainly cost more than a sojourn in
the best hotels in Sicily. It may even yield a few passing health benefits,
and will make you feel better, but don't expect miracles.
I would like to learn to cook Sicilian
food. Are there any cooking schools in Sicily with English-speaking instructors?
See the links page.
Are the cities safe?
As far as violent street crime is concerned, Italy's largest cities are
quite safe compared to London, Paris, Moscow, and certainly New York and
Los Angeles. Since purse snatchings are commonplace (the creative Italians
even use motor scooters to ride by as they snatch handbags), women are advised
against carrying large purses, especially in the cities. Though assaults
are rare, they do occur, especially in certain parts of Palermo and Catania.
An attractive young woman walking around some parts of these cities alone
after 10:00 PM could be a tempting lure for an unsavory male. (As we describe
below, a few Sicilian men entertain a rather
unenlightened view of women.) The prevalence of violent street crime shouldn't
be exaggerated, though its potential presence is worth a bit of prudence.
Organized crime doesn't pose a threat to visitors. Mafia shootings
are quite rare; you're far more likely to see one described in the newspaper
or on the evening news than to witness one firsthand.
How do I contact my country's consulate in
Sicily?
Most countries' consulates general for southern
Italy are based in Naples or Rome. However, there are a few vice consulates
in Palermo and Catania, and also a number of consular representatives --agents
or honorary consuls who can help you out in an emergency but not
in bureaucratic matters. In most cases, unfortunately, consular agents and
honorary consuls are Italians, rather than citizens of the nations they
represent. Don't expect full consular services from the representatives
indicated here. There's a list on the desktop version
of this page.
What kind of things are there for children
to do?
Our article on Sicily for children suggests a few possibilities.
To get your teens interested in Sicily we suggest Sicily for Students, a convenient
links page
What's the electrical voltage in Italy? Will
I be able to use my cell phone charger or plug in my computer?
The electrical current in Italy is 220 volts at 50 cycles. This won't
be a problem if you're coming from another European Union country, but in
the United States the standard current is 110 volts at 50 cycles, so a transformer
may be needed to convert Italian power to the American standard. In any
event, an adapter may be necessary because British, Australian and American
plugs (to cite just three examples) are different in design from Italian
ones; their prongs won't fit into Italian wall sockets. Some computers and
cell phones are designed to adapt to the current variation internally, without
need for an external adapter - but do not presume this.
It's best to check the owner's manual. Airport shops (and occasionally in-flight
'duty-free' services) at larger airports outside Italy are a good source
of adapters; those in Rome, Milan and Palermo are more interested in selling
you food and wine than practical items of this kind.
Any special advice for a woman traveling
alone (or with a few other women) in Sicily?
There's
no cause for paranoia. Just remember one thing: Even at the beach, in a
hotel or in other public places, keep in mind that gestures or actions which
might not be considered provocative in Canada, the United States, Australia
or Northern Europe could be construed this way in Italy. That's why a Sicilian
woman might seem somewhat reserved when she's alone with a man she doesn't
know, even in a business situation. We discuss this below.
(But it's not only a Sicilian thing; a lot of men in Milan, Turin and Rome
behave the same way.)
What other cultural differences
will I encounter?
Many cultural differences are so subtle
that you'll hardly notice them during your stay in Sicily. It's probable
that the most pronounced difference will be the Sicilians' unorthodox sense
of time and priorities, and the long afternoon "closure" from
1 till 4. The pace of life is slow, and schedules seem to have little importance.
Though this condition exists throughout Italy, it is more evident in Sicily
than anywhere else. Realistically, such inefficiency doesn't usually bother
vacationers who, after all, are in Sicily to take a break from daily pressures
and have a good time. But you'll probably notice other things, too.
Drawing the Line: Throughout
Sicily, and especially in
Palermo, most people seem reluctant to stand on line in an orderly fashion.
They often crowd around bank teller windows, ticket booths, food stands
and cashiers with little respect for the fact that somebody else arrived
there first.
Common Courtesy: Italians are generally
nice people, but Italian society is essentially socialist in its outlook.
Certain employees of public services are sometimes careless about the way
they treat customers. This is something you may notice in the post office
or elsewhere; the bus ticket inspectors
are infamous for this. They seem to presume that everybody is dishonest.
Restaurants: In most
restaurants you'll be charged a
"coperto" (cover charge) of one or two euros for each person seated.
This nominal charge appears to have originated as the fee for the staff
to"cover" the table with a table cloth and serve bread. Tipping
is separate, of course, but the coperto persists because Italians are notoriously
cheap tippers. One of the reasons that many waiters prefer foreign customers,
particularly Canadians and Americans, is that these diners are usually more
generous. Incidentally, standard tipping in restaurants is 10% or more.
While we're on the subject of restaurants, don't be surprised
by the lack of a bread plate at your place, and don't bother asking for
one because the staff may not know what you're talking about. The bread
will arrive in a basket or plate from which you should serve yourself; don't
worry about getting crumbs on the tablecloth. It's expected.
Air
Mail: Certain public services are rather inefficient. The postal service,
for example, is terrible, with frequent delays and theft. If you have to
send anything much more valuable than a post card or letter to another country,
use a courier service. There are MBE (Mail Boxes Etc.) outlets in larger
cities that can send a package abroad via UPS or FedEx, and they also handle
Western Union money transfers; these are quicker than bank wire transfers,
which in Sicily can take several days. Consult the local phone book for
an MBE store near you. If you do send a post card, you may have to purchase
your stamps at a tobacco shop because post office windows, which usually
have long lines but no automated stamp meters, sometimes run out of stamps
in certain denominations (usually the ones you need).
The Law: Italy has peculiar laws that could affect you as a traveler.
These laws are not especially cumbersome but (to Americans in particular)
some may seem like invasions of personal privacy. In practice, too many
Italian laws presume that everybody is dishonest (and therefore guilty of
something).
For example, if the Financial Police (Guardia
di Finanza), a military agency with wide-ranging powers, ask to see your
receipt (scontrino) as you exit a restaurant or shop, it is because they
want to ensure that the appropriate taxes were charged. Sales tax (value
added tax) in Italy is almost 20%, and is included in the purchase price
of most goods and services. Not having a receipt doesn't mean you're in
any trouble, but it could mean an on-the-spot audit and court summons for
the merchant. A bit bizarre, since the uniformed officers issuing the summons
are over-armed, equipped with fully automatic sub-machine guns.
When you check in to a hotel, the desk clerk will ask to see your
passport, which he may hold for a few hours since he is required by law
to compile a form that must be presented to the police. (You may provide
a photocopy to avoid this inconvenience.) This is actually an ineffective
anti-Mafia law, enforced throughout Italy, intended to track criminals'
movements. (The senators who proposed this law apparently forgot that most
such criminals travel on fake identification documents.)
In
the event that you visit a library or public archive, you'll be asked to
complete a form which requests information such as your profession and place
of birth, as though this personal information were somehow relevant to your
consultation of books or other items. (Surprising they don't ask your weight
too.)
Money: One of the funnier aspects of spending
your money in Sicily (until it happens to you) is that many supermarkets
and other stores often cannot change a large bank note. Supermarket cashiers
will frequently lose a sale before they'll try to break a larger euro note.
Owners of smaller establishments prefer to pocket as many of the immediate
profits as they can, as soon as they possibly can, and in their hasty greed
fail to consider the needs of their customers. They may even presume that
you'll wait for ten or twenty minutes until a customer comes along who has
the smaller notes the store needs to change your larger one! Fortunately,
the change problem is less severe at restaurants, hotels and other establishments
that serve foreigners.
Public
Lust: During the passeggiata (afternoon stroll) in larger Southern cities,
it's not unusual for undisciplined young men to call out to attractive young
women they don't know with remarks like "Bella!" and "Pupa!"
Sicilian women are quite accustomed to such behavior, though they usually
don't encourage it. In itself, such practices are usually innocuous, but
they do reflect the persistent attitudes of some Italian men accustomed
to viewing women as potential sexual conquests rather than social equals.
Throughout Italy, sexual harrassment is somewhat common in the workplace
(or at least moreso than in the US and the UK), and southern men seem to
do it more openly than northerners.
You might observe that
many Italian women, though perhaps better-educated than the men they're
married to, conform to "traditional" roles in society. Some of
these things are quite subtle, others less so. Legally, of course, Italian
women have the same rights as men. Socially, that's not always the case.
In such an old society, old habits disappear slowly.
How much time should I plan to spend
in Sicily?
That obviously depends on what you want to
see or do while you're here, but here are some general guidelines. Let's
say that you're interested in a general "tour" of some major sights
and cities (Palermo, Cefalù, Etna, Siracusa, Agrigento, etc.). If
you're driving, eight days would be sufficient; if you're traveling by train
(and occasionally bus), you might want to add a few more days. Palermo is
the only city whose sights usually require more than a day to see (we recommend
at least two). On the other hand, if you want to spend some time at the
beaches, or just take more time to visit places at a more leisurely pace,
two weeks would be good. Of course, there are those who prefer to spend
an entire "season" in Sicily by renting a seaside villa for three
or four weeks. A great idea, but remember that Sicily is usually quite hot
during July and August, and that some beaches are particularly crowded in
August, when most Italians go on holiday en masse.
Foreign
students who choose to study in Italy for a semester or two usually attend
universities in Rome, Florence or Bologna. Hardly anybody comes from abroad
to study in Sicily (at the Univesrity of Palermo, for example), since the
universities here aren't particularly distinguished except for highly specialized
historical or archeological studies.
Besides Catholic churches, are there
other places of worship in Sicily?
There are several
Orthodox churches (not to be confused for Byzantine Catholic ones), two
Anglican churches (in Palermo and Taormina), several mosques, and a few
Pentecostal and Mormon congregations, as well as Waldensian parishes. You'll
find these listed in the phone book or the city guide (Tutto Città)
as chiese di altri culti. There are no synagogues in Sicily.
When's the best time to visit Sicily?
For general sightseeing,
we recommend the periods October through
November and March through June. For skiing on Mount Etna, late January and early
February are best. If you're a dedicated vacationer who can't get enough
sunshine and beaches, we recommend June through September. Remember, however,
that July, August and the first two weeks of September are extremely hot,
and bear in mind that almost everybody in Italy goes on vacation in August,
making for crowded beaches during that month. However, if your taste runs
to the unconventional, creative or independent, consider Sicily in Winter.
What's the weather like?
Our
Sicily weather page
will give you current conditions, the forecast and month-by-month temperature
and precipitation information.
What are the Sicilians like?
We commend you
to our page on the real Sicilians.
Where can I get accurate historical
and cultural information on Sicily?
You might start with our Magazine, updated
monthly, or our Links or Books
pages, but most of the cultural and historical information on the Internet,
and even the information found in most magazines, is notoriously inaccurate. We suggest a bookstore or public
library. Remember that guide books are not history books; we even found
one on Sicily that describes Count Roger de Hauteville as an Englishman!
Some of the best histories are published in Italian and available in Sicilian
book stores (particularly those in Palermo along Via Maqueda between the
Quattro Canti and Cathedral).
Here are a few suggestions
if you don't read Italian. Denis Mack Smith's
two-volume work, A History of Sicily, is excellent, though flawed
in certain respects (with outdated geological and anthropological information,
and a few uninformed observations about organized crime). The one-volume
edition is a condensed version. Steven Runciman's
landmark work, The
Sicilian Vespers, is a good medieval history of Sicily's influence
on European events, while John Julius Norwich's
book, The
Normans in Sicily, concentrates on this region in particular. Donald
Matthew's book, The
Norman Kingdom of Sicily, is a good complementary work, though much
more analytical, intended for the more dedicated reader. Harold
Acton wrote two magnificent books on the Bourbons' reign (1734-1860),
and Giuseppe Tomasi Di Lampedusa's book, The Leopard,
though fictional, shows a keen insight into Sicilian life around 1860; it's
a kind of Sicilian Gone With the Wind. Denis
Mack Smith's Italy
and Its Monarchy is without doubt the best history of Italy from
1860 to 1946 ever published; it picks up where Acton
and Di Lampedusa leave off. Robert
Katz's book, The Fall of the House of Savoy, is a detailed
complementary work. The Italian Campaign, by John
Strawson, is an analytical but interesting account of the Allied
campaign in Sicily and throughout Italy; this is military history at its
finest. Claire Sterling's book, Octopus,
is one of the best investigative works on the Mafia. Edith Hamilton's Mythology
is a useful guide for anybody seeking a greater understanding of a topic
so important in ancient Sicilian life.
Even the most astute
historical authors don't agree with each other on everything, but there
are certain books which should be read with a very critical eye because
of the number of research errors or social biases which have crept into
their pages. Unfortunately, Quatriglio's book,
A Thousand Years in Sicily, is one such publication. Local histories
of Sicilian cities, brochures on certain historical sights, privately published
histories and genealogical publications usually are not
very good sources of accurate information for anybody seeking a genuine
knowledge of Sicily's complex history. Likewise the publications of many
Italian social and cultural organizations, either inside or outside Italy,
whose views are too often colored by anecdote and cliché rather than
proven historical fact. Mario Puzo's books
(The Godfather series, The Sicilian), written primarily for
a foreign audience, make some accurate observations about Sicilian life,
but also enough inaccurate ones to have made these novels seem comical to
Sicilians; it's best not to confuse historical fiction with historical fact.
Gay Talese and Gerre
Mangione have written lengthy and colorful "family histories"
whose historical and sociological "facts" are not always accurate.
Where can I find the best dance clubs and
other night life?
Most of the dance clubs (discos) in
Sicily's larger cities are located in out-of-the-way places, often in buildings
that don't look very exciting from the outside. Many have seasonal schedules.
It's easiest to ask the staff at your hotel where to find the ones closest
to you, or the 'hotter' ones worth a special trip.
Where's Sigonella?
Sigonella,
often referred to by its American residents as "Sig," is the United
States Naval Air Station near Catania. The presence of this military base
is a reminder that one thing that hasn't changed in thirty centuries of
Sicilian history is this island's strategic importance. Sigonella, the last
U.S. military base in Sicily, stands on land leased from the Italian Republic
by the United States government for tens of millions of dollars annually,
and according to treaty the base must employ a certain number of Italian
citizens for its day-to-day operations. After the Italian government (and
government-controlled services) and Fiat, the US Government is the largest
employer in Sicily. Military bases are not usually indicated on commercial
maps, so we've chosen not to indicate Sigonella on our map
of Sicily. For further information, visit their web site at www.sicily.navy.mil.
Is Sicily gay-friendly?
Not as
much so as some parts of western and northern Europe, though it is not nearly
as homophobic as parts of eastern Europe and certain predominantly Muslim
countries. One of the main issues for travellers is whether hotels are gay-friendly.
We strongly recommend discretion.
Can you offer any advice for physically challenged
(handicapped) visitors or those with special needs?
We
have a page dedicated to the topic of Sicilian
travel for physically challenged visitors.
Do you have information on events?
Our events page
describes events which occur
annually around Sicily. You'll have to find more detailed schedules on your
own, but we suggest good methods for doing so.
Is nudity permitted on public beaches?
No. Despite what certain Sicilian naturist (nudist) organisations may
tell you, national law prohibits full nudity on public beaches, which in
Italy are all governed by national statute (despite the occasional case
of an eccentric mayor "permitting" nudity on "his" beach).
Toplessness, however, is permitted, though perhaps less commonplace than
you may imagine if your point of reference is Ibiza or some other popular
Mediterranean resort. Let's (succinctly) consider the realities here:
Firstly, few of the young women you see sunbathing topless on
Sicily's beaches are Sicilian or even Italian; most are foreigners. This
is oddly consistent with what you'll see elsewhere in Italian life. Italian
women wear the world's tiniest miniskirts but very rarely go braless. Some
may cultivate a different fashion when they're far from home, but that's
a whole other topic of discussion...
Secondly, most of the
nude sunbathers on the public beaches where nudity is sometimes (if unofficially
and perhaps illegally) tolerated are single men; you'll only rarely encounter
women, couples or families on these beaches. That's a statistical fact,
and indeed Sicily's few naturist organisations count far more men than women
among their memberships. This implies no judgement on our part, but rather
a simple recognition of what you are most likely to encounter at the so-called
"nude" beaches, and something to consider before visiting these.
In view of reality and law, the designation (by a handful of Sicilian naturists)
of particular beaches as "clothing optional" is nothing short
of ridiculous.
What is meant by high and low
season?
These terms are used in the lodging and travel
industries relative to the seasonal variation in prices of flights, hotel
stays and other services available throughout the year. Speaking generally,
High Season refers to the warmer months, from April through September,
while the Low Season is usually defined as October through March.
We sincerely believe that the winter
is a perfect season to visit Sicily. Check out our weather and climate page for
information on average temperatures and precipitation.
Will regional (Mediterranean) conflicts impact
a stay in Sicily?
No. Not at all. While it is true that
Italy has been indirectly involved in some of these conflicts - with Libyan
and Tunisian refugees arriving on Lampedusa
and the southeastern Sicilian coasts - they have not imposed any other conditions
that you can see. Sicily is a big island (about the size of Wales or Massachusetts),
and even during the Libyan "civil war" of 2011 the only evidence
you might have encountered were a few military jets at the Trapani airport.