Just booked a two and a half weeks to explore Sicily and hop over to Malta for a few days. Waiting for my guidebooks to arrive - just wondering what I must see in both places - although specifically Sicily.
Is it easy to organise a cheap hike around Etna? How difficult is the terrain?
Would you travel along the coast generally, or would I experience more in the interior? I do want to see a bit of the coast/relax. Anywhere where backpackers head to to party for a night or two? I'm youngish (27)
What are prices like - thinking UK comparisons?
Any thoughts on Malta appreciated too.
nigeladvisor
1
seaneendubh
How are you getting around? There are a lot of bus services so it shouldn't be too hard, the guides should fill you in.
To hike AROUND Mt Etna will take about 4 or 5 days - it's bloody big, mate. If you want to hike ON Mt Etna, well that's easy. You can get to Area Etna Sud by AST bus from Catania via Nicolosi. From Rifugio Sapienza you can get a cable car up another thousand metres, leaving you about 1,000m short of the main crater. You have to get a guide for for a walk to the main crater, so my peferred walk is to head east from Rifugio Sapienza along the road until the footpath (clearly marked) which eventually leads to th Schiena dell'Asino and fantastic views across the Vale delle Bove, the ancient collapsed caldera. The last time I went a few weeks ago I got turned back by heavy fog (well, at 2,000m I suppose they're clouds really!) Unless you really haven't any experience at all you won't need a guide, just common sense like on any big mountain. You might want to look up the book "Walking in Sicily" by Gillian Price, which you can get in Palermo (in English!) - pm me if you want the details of the bookshop.
If you're looking for fun, don't even bother going to a bar before 10 or 11pm, Sicilians only finish working about 8, eat about 9, and so the bars only start to come alive around 11. You might try the area around Kuba in Palermo. Don't know about backpackers, they're a pretty rare breed in this part of the world!
2
sicilianboy79
Ciao Nigel,
if you want to relax along the coast where you can also find a good nightlife, you can consider to go to Giardini Naxos and Taormina on the east coast, there you will have what to do at night..
Going south there is also "Marina di Ragusa" which you can also consider if you like Windsurfing...
Prices are generally less expensive..(if i think of London..) but of course in touristic towns like Taormina..prices rise..
If you want to know more ..just ask..Ciao!
Rosario
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