Our Ten Day Itinerary for Traveling Sicily with Kids (the Good and the Not as Good Choices)

We were prepared for this trip. Sort of. I had read and researched what to do in Sicily with kids. Again and again. I had bought books (which admittedly collected some dust on them until about a week or so before we left (I mean I am a mother of three little people; I gave up reading a long time ago (like almost seven years ago))).

Still, we had a general idea of what we wanted to do, some suggestions if you will, culled from here and there, but nothing sealed in stone. Part of the reason we were trying to be fluid is we wanted our little people to have some say in how they’d spend some of their time. Maybe stop by a beach. Spend a bit of extra time running around a piazza, sit on a balcony. We wanted to combine fast with slow. In some ways it worked. In other ways it didn’t.

Some things were inevitable: there’d be gelato, wet feet, and oodles of pasta. We’d see seas and see volcanoes, spend days driving and days walking. There’d be complaints, just as there’d be giggles. But we were still a bit uncertain about whether it really would be nice enough to swim or play in the water at all (and when you’re traveling with a big little who fancies herself a mermaid, this is a big deal). We didn’t know exactly how much walking would or wouldn’t need to be done. And though goggle maps could tell us the distance from point A to point B, we had no idea of it really knew the amount of time it would take. So with these variables in mind, we made a plan. An easy plan. And hopped on a plane.

Day 1: Land, Palermo old town for dinner

The plane touched down between mountain and sea, and the air was clear with the smell of nature (or really just not the smell of NYC and JKF airport). Having taken a day flight from New York to London the day before and spending the night there, we were able to mitigate any of the jet lag that may have faced us, so standing in the rental parking lot we were all flooded with anticipation rather than exhaustion.

After we managed to find a parking spot in Palermo and unload our bags into our (perfectly situated) airbnb, we decided to set out on our way to dinner. It can be a bit intimidating hunting your way through a new city for the first time when it’s dark (and a quiet Easter Sunday), but that’s what we did. And, to tell you the truth, we let it intimidate us a bit. The old town is full of twists and turns, tiny cobblestone streets and dark crevices. But we wound our way here and there, feeling like we discovering Palermo’s secrets, stumbling upon groups of people in intimate conversations, tables in alleyways. And finally, a light shone up ahead and we found our restaurant. And then we took a taxi back. Because dark mazes are a bit too much after two days of flying.

Good: Stretching out the flight from New York over two days really allowed our little people a chance to adjust to the time difference rather quickly. Usually we just go fast and furious to our destinations, and this change seemed to help fend off some grumpy moments and helped the littles make it to the late Sicilian dinners.

Not as Good: Lack of homework is what led me to be intimidated by wandering down dark, small, cobblestone alleyways on our way to dinner. I didn’t properly understand the layout of the city and the way in which our airbnb was situated in relation to the old city. It left me feeling unsettled as I tried to drift off (well…that and a wee bit of leftover jet lag).

Day 2: Palermo

We know our little people, so our day in Palermo wasn’t going to include going into museums or too much time seeking out each mosaic in each cathedral; instead, we planned to spend as much of our day soaking in the sun, streets, and squares. We started the day by heading to Antico Caffè Spinnato, an over 150 year old cafe for some of the best coffee I have experienced, rich but not rough.

Though we had a planned walk, the thrill of good coffee must have gone to our heads and we decided to abandon it and go where our hearts led us, which kind of ended up leading us in circles, like “Look kids Big Ben” (a la National Lampoons) kind of circle. By the end of the day we had stumbled upon the same tiny, uninteresting square at least five times. So, it wasn’t the most productive use of time and energy, but, there’s something to be said for the thrill of freedom.

Of what we did manage to hit (which was considerable), the little people’s favorites were the lions at Teatro Massimo and Piazza Pretoria. The biggest little wondered at the Quattro Canti and their all-encompassing embrace. All the littles ran free around the courtyard of the Cattedrale (sugar from a recent gelato fueling their limbs) (really this sense of freedom can be said of most piazzas as well). But the ultimate choice of the littles? Just heading down to the waterfront, Villa Giulia park, or La Flora, overlooking the Bay of Palermo. Here they ran, played in the dirt, did cartwheels, and hunted for lizards, all while surrounded by local children who were just as carefree as ours.

One of the greatest take aways that we have of this city is how much of a strolling city it is. Admittedly, we were there on Easter Sunday and Monday, national holidays, so many people were out of work or on holiday. Yet, I didn’t get the sense that it wasn’t typical of every day in Palermo. No one was rushing. No one was focused solely on accomplishing anything more than stretching limbs and soaking sun. We marveled at the number of puppies who were trotting beside their owners and closeness of the elderly who were strolling arm in arm with younger family members. It set an easy, peaceful tone for touring this little island.

Good: Heading to the waterfront for some down time with the little people.

Not as Good: Not identifying a clear path to take, which led to a quite a bit of circling and backtracking (like…a crazy amount of back tracking). We ended up running out of time to see some of those places we had really wanted to get to (like Palazzo dei Norman and La Zisa). I’m guessing the only real solution is to go back (siiiigggghhhh). (Side note: we also missed the markets as we were there during Easter Sunday and Monday, but it was high on our list of things to do.)

Day 3: Monreale, Escala de Turchis, Valley of the Temples (Agrigento)

We headed out of Palermo bright and early, knowing that our ultimate destination of the day was on the Southern coast of the island (Palermo is on the Northern). Our first stop was a little town right on the outskirts of Palermo, Monreale. Located on a slope, it overlooks a deep, lush valley, La Conca d’oro, with views to the sea. The duomo in this little town is a UNESCO world heritage site, built between 1170 and 1189. Now, while we didn’t drag our littles into too many cathedrals or buildings in Palermo, they weren’t going to get away with that here. The Byzantine mosaics of this Norman church are done in stunning gold. They shine and they shimmer. (And when you’re biggest little’s favorite color is gold, it’s an almost mandatory stop.)

 

 

After soaking in the sweetness of this little town, we headed back out on the road toward Realmonte, the location of Scala dei Turchi, or the Turkish Stairs. This white, rocky outcrop along the Mediterranean coast has been eroded to form a stair-like formation. The only way to access Scala dei Turchi includes walking a short switchback trail and taking some staircases down to the beach below. From there it’s a short walk across the beach. Even though it was a cool, though sunny, day, our little people couldn’t keep themselves from the water and sand. They played and touched. They climbed rocks. They found a bit of bliss.

The Scala themselves are a bit smooth and potentially slippery, so we kept the littles pretty close and couldn’t walk as far or high as we’d have liked (well, maybe not just as far as I’d have liked since Three Kids Dad is scared of heights, edges, and slipping). But the littles loved lying on the silky rock, stretching out, soaking in the warmth. It was their highlight for that day, even with the climb back up the cliff to the car that they made on an empty stomach.

On the way to Agrigento, just a bit down the road from Scala, we stopped into our hotel for the night, grabbed a bite to eat, and headed out to the Valley of the Temples, another UNESCO site. We were hoping the littles would love this place, with fallen columns and open spaces perfect for running. And they did. At first. But after seeing the first ruin, they were pretty much finished. It seemed they found the next temple to be a bit less impressive: two napped and the third kept trying to run off the pathway into the flowered wilderness beyond (though this next temple, Temple of Concordia, totally appealed to the nerd side of my husband and I because it’s the temple image used by UNESCO). (Side note: the pathways here are, for the most part, wide and easy to navigate with a stroller.)

Good: I’d recommend Realmonte as a “must see” for anyone who visits Sicily. The town is tiny, but it was stunning at every turn. It’s worth a few hours, and in return it’ll give you a calm state of mind.

Not as Good: The Valley of the Temples, while stunning, probably deserved less of our time. The littles didn’t love it the way we had hoped, and it came at the end of a long day of driving when they were already jonesing for some free time to drive matchbox cars through the dirt. And truth be told, we’ve been fortunate enough to have seen some breathtaking ruins in Greece, and so our frame of reference was also a bit skewed by that.

Day 4: Enna, Mosaic House (Villa Romana), Piazza Armerina (to Catania unexpectedly)

On a cloudy, chilly morning we left behind the Mediterranean coast and set out to Enna, near the center of Sicily. We didn’t know much about this town, but we did know it sits high above the surrounding countryside, it’s edges mere cliffs and historically difficult to access. The only other thing we knew of Enna is that it has a deep, rich history, which is fairly common to Sicily itself, regardless of precise location.

While in Enna, we wound our way to the highest point of the city and explored the Castello di Lombardìa (Lombardy Castle), which gave the littles a chance to stretch their legs. (The streets of the town were teeny tiny and cobbled, which meant that once we left those castle walls, the littles were confined to strollers or carriers by overly paranoid parents.) The castle, at this point, is little more than remains of a castle with the exterior walls slightly rebuilt and one of the (formerly 20) towers rebuilt. In interest of full disclosure, we attempted to walk to the top of the tower, which really wasn’t that tall, but because the railings were open enough that a tripping child could fall through them, the hubs and I both started to have panic attacks and quickly ushered all the little people back down.

From Enna, we drove to Villa Romana del Casale as the sun started to come out. The littles loved the villa and the freedom of running along the outdoor paths surrounding the structure, but again just for a bit. This Roman Villa, another UNESCO World Heritage site, is known for its collection of Roman mosaics. The little people enjoyed walking through on the raised platforms to view the mosaic pictures on the floors below, especially the animals. But, as the site got more crowded and the platforms no longer had windows through which they could see the floors below, they, understandably, lost interest. I imagine just staring at people’s feet isn’t the most entertaining way to spend a sunny afternoon.

We exited the site early, having only been able to view a small portion of the mosaics, but we decided to treat the littles with some leg stretching and some gelato, which became a frequent event on this trip. In the parking lot of the Villa was a large gathering area, with merchants selling souvenirs and snacks, gelato included. So we filled up on sweet sugar, played with the new chirping-bird whistles we bought at the souvenir stand, and relaxed in the sun’s rays. Finally we wrapped it up and headed back towards our evening’s accommodations, an agrotourismo in the countryside.

In order to get to the agrotourismo, we had to drive by Piazza Armerina, the town closest to Villa Romana del Casale. Having exhausted ourselves of cars, switchback roads, and duomos on hilltops, we just made a short stop here to snag a picture and breathe in the view. Then it was on our way to relax at our night’s accommodations, or so we thought (but that’s entirely different story). Needless to say, our relaxing night didn’t pan out (that’s an entirely different story), and we ended up driving to the west coast that night and staying in Catania, on the Ionian sea, arriving late, but safe.

Good: The Villa wasn’t really on my radar and more so became a stop because we had the time to get there, but I’m delighted we did. The mosaic work was beyond my expectation, and it’s location in the middle of nowhere was a welcome change to the jam-packed towns we had been spending most of our time in.

Not as Good: (Aside from the agrotourismo incident): Enna was less impressive than I had hoped it would be. Granted, it was a cold and dreary morning, but it lacked a quaintness that I had associated with it based upon the descriptions I read. I found that the hilltop towns we’d encounter later seemed to reflect this more. In retrospect, I’d remove Enna from the itinerary and give other towns more of our limited time.

Day 5: Ragusa, Modica, Noto, Siracusa

With the change up in sleeping accommodations, we had to switch up our route to Siracusa, our next adventure. But fortunately, Sicily is easy to get around, both because the island itself is relatively small and because the roads are, for the most part, manageable (at least between major cities). Having hilltop towns fresh in our minds from the day before, coupled with the events at our original accommodations the night before, we were all feeling a bit worse for the wear this particular morning. Still, while we weren’t too keen on taking in all the sights we had originally planned, when UNESCO calls, we feel compelled to answer.

Our first stop that morning was Ragusa, though I’d barely call what we did a stop. We wound our way on the outskirts of the the city, spiraling our way to the top on streets so small we had to pull in our sideview mirrors. As we crept higher we became more and more enthralled and were starting to question our original plan of a “quick stop” in the section of town known as Ragusa Ibla. A beautiful sun-lit square and a duomo towering above it all, stretching into the sky, tugged at us. But we had miles to go and promises to keep, so against all our instincts and better judgment, we forced ourselves into a fast-paced graze of the town.

We quickly moved on from Ragusa, having promised the littles that we’d do some chocolate tasting in Modica. (Remember those promises that kept us from fully breathing in all of Ragusa? Yep. They were chocolate related.) Nearly every blip and blurb that we had read about Modica mentioned the amazing chocolate that was to be had, derived from a long and rich history of production. And when you’re driving with little people, it gives them a bit of hope about the deliciousness that is to come (so, yeah, grown people too, but this is a judgment-free zone).

We pulled into the main street of the town, Corso Umberto I in Modica Bassa tucked in a valley below the Duomo di San Giorgio, which was high above us on a hilltop in another section of town, Modica Alta. The plan was to have lunch here and then spend some quality time with chocolate, and the plan worked out. We slipped into and out of a number of chocolate shops, tasting the tiny, shaved morsels: peppermint, almond, strawberry, watermelon, limoncello, pomegranate. Hundreds of choices. And after a bit of tasting, we ended up crawling back in our car with nearly twenty thick bars of chocolate, assuring the little people that before we hit our next stop, we’d have our own tasting in the car.

Filled with chocolate, we hit Noto just at that time of day when the shadows start to lengthen and the light is distinctly more golden. We had thought about rushing here too, but the sheer beauty of the Cattedrale di San Niccolo, the elegance of Palazzo Ducezio, the golden sun, the freedom of running through a pedestrian-only street filled with people taking their time and stretching their legs just overcame us and we slowed down and took it in. It was worth the time, the tiny streets, the clammy hands on steering wheel.

Finally we headed into Siracusa and landed at our airbnb, which was perfectly located right across the street from Ortigia, the historical heart of the city. We took the long way to dinner that night, strolling along the cobbled, terraced streets (unlike our first night in Palermo, we had a better understanding of Ortigia before we headed out the door) before eating one of the most delicious meals of our trip (which served us an insane amount of deliciousness over this ten day period).

Good: I’m putting Ragusa on our list of good choices because in our deliberation of what we would need to cut now that we were staying at an entirely different part of the island than we had originally planned, Ragusa almost got cut. I’m so thankful it didn’t. It deserved more of our time and more of our appreciation than it got, and we spent the day regretting how quickly we had to move through its sweet little streets.

Not as Good: Modica was not nearly as picturesque as Ragusa and Noto, and the chocolate wasn’t what we were expecting. The flavors were dark and rich, and the bars were thick and grainy. Don’t get me wrong, we’re going to eat all that chocolate. It just wasn’t what this tribe was expecting (which is not a bad thing, it’s just not how I prefer my chocolate). If given a redo, less of our time would be spent in Modica and much more would be put into both Ragusa and Noto.

Day 6: Siracusa

We woke up to the sun streaming through the windows of our top floor apartment, welcoming us to this new city. We started our day with a walk along the western side of the island of Ortigia, relaxing with coffee and toasts in a small seaside garden created by a mixture of potted plants and large trees, surrounding a cute, permanent, food cart. We watched kindergartners on a trip through town and couples walking their puppies along the water’s edge. (Something to know: Sicilians take being dog parents seriously. The dogs are everywhere and are seriously well behaved. It was a perfect distraction for those moments when our tiniest little, who has a “puppy” obsession, was about to lose his cool.)

We meandered our way to a beautiful garden tucked in a little crevice and then around to the Fountain of Arethusa, a natural fresh water fountain on the sea’s banks that has made its way into countless works of literature. While it’s incredible to see, it’s even more incredible to learn about. Apparently the source of this fresh water fountain is the Ciane River, which flows across Siracusa’s main port under an impermeable layer of clay. So there it is: fresh water flowing from a source deep below salt water. Kind of amazing to think about. (Or at least we all thought it was…)

From here we wandered the island’s streets, eventually making our way to Piazza Minerva, which had an almost otherworldly feel. There was something about it that felt grand, yet welcoming. It was bright, glistening in the Mediterranean sun. The buildings were tall and there was a subtle echo embracing the square. After lunch in one of the cafes stretching along the music-filled (a didgeridoo!) piazza, we made our way to Piazza Archimede, the highlight of which is a fountain, Fontana di Artemide by Giulio Moschetti, which depicts the story of the nymph Arethusa (the same of the fountain above). And then it was a quick walk to the archeological site of the Temple of Apollo.

Finally, we did something we don’t usually do: we hopped on one of the super touristy boats and headed out to see some of the super touristy grottos. While I think we all would’ve preferred to find a private guide and to have been able to go to more than the three grottos lined with boats waiting to go inside the caves, it really did suit our purpose overall. We have an extreme risk-taker in our travel tribe, and he’s only two. So, being on a boat for a brief hour can be a bit intense, especially for Three Kids Dad, who has a small lick of crazy about these things. Ultimately, though, this was just enough to get a view of the grottos, an understanding of Ortigia, a brief history of Castello Maniace, and description of why the Fountain of Arethusa has been, and continues to be, such an important player in the formation of the city.

Then, we wrapped the day up with another mention-worthy meal, stopping by the Fontana di Artemide to view it lit up in the darkness.

Good: I had no real expectations of Siracusa, just a desire to walk through Ortigia, lazily mazing our way up and down its narrow streets, and I feel like it paid off. While there was so much more to see, do, and learn in the countless museums, churches, and fountains of the city, the littles were happy to have the freedom to chose a direction that day. Unlike Palermo, where our lack of a solid planned walk led us in circles, Ortigia was manageable enough that we felt like we took it in. Probably not all. But definitely enough to feel present. (I’d like to give ourselves credit for this, but it probably has more to do with the fact that it is just a tiny island, so it’s hard to to get lost.)

Not as Good: One aspect of the city we missed because of our timing was the Market of Ortigia. Our host recommended that we go in the morning and our biggest little (who fancies herself a foodie) was looking forward to it. Unfortunately, we set out in the other direction first thing in the morning and didn’t manage to make our way there until beyond the market’s time. With this in hand, and knowing we didn’t make it to the collection of archeological sites off of Ortigia (which included the Greek Theater and the Ear of Dionisus), I would suggest one more full day in Siracusa.

Day 7: Necropolis of Pantalica, Giardini Naxos

We woke up on Day 7 and the sirens of UNESCO were calling us again, so, against the urging of our littles (who just wanted to head to the sea at Giardini Naxos), we took off in search of them. This little trip was one of those “little” trips that turns into a “big” trip because the GPS in the car is trying to send us on roads that no longer exist, through dirt roads that climb up mountains that only mountain goats can climb, and in to fields of local farms. Fortunately, we had two things going for us: the GPS and my keen sense of direction (really I mean road signs). Unfortunately, we had one major thing going against us: Three Kids Dad’s belief that the GPS in the car wouldn’t fail us.

After hours of climbing up mountains and back down them, believing we were driving on people’s driveways, and coming back out the other side, we finally, finally, found the Necropolis. Like, in a way. Both the GPS in the car and on the phone said we had over two more miles to get to the Necropolis. But suddenly we stumbled upon cars lining the side of the road. We kept going…closer…closer…and then a big wooden gate. Excuse me? Come again? A gate you say? Yes. A. Big. Fat. Gate. And two more miles to go.

So, we did what anyone would do. We panicked as a little ball of dread formed in the pits of our stomachs. Then we googled. What is this gate all about? And what is the trip from this gate to the Necropolis of Pantalica really like (remember unabashed two-year old risk taker in this group). As we read any and all bits and pieces of people’s accounts of the hike, young couples, geared up in boots and sunscreen wandered by us while they sipped on their camelbacks. Yep. It was that kind of hike. So hours into a car ride filled with more switchbacks than all of NY State, we had to turn back with nothing to show for it. Except the knowledge that our rental car had a seriously questionable GPS.

Onward. Even though it was just eleven, we headed to our next hotel because this was the place the littles had been itching to get to. (Giardini Naxos, don’t fail us now.) We hit our resort, checked in, and found a little outdoor pizza/pasta place to have some lunch. While it was warm in the sun, we knew it wasn’t warm in the water, and the littles had a few moments of mourning. But ever the optimists, they pulled on some shorts and water shoes and headed out to see what kind of trouble they could find on the shores of the Ionian Sea.

While my little people absolutely adore sand, they were not so upset about the fact that the beach here is rocky (we did let them know beforehand). So, under the shadow of  Mt. Etna, the little people let the ice cold water lap at their feet while they threw rocks at the sea. And in the end, when the water had chilled them to the bone, they were more than happy to just lay on the warm, gravelly rocks as the sun set behind the volcano.

Knowing that the next day was going too be cooler, I spent some moments of my day discussing our options with the concierge. We had a few destinations we wanted to hit, but we didn’t know if we wanted to manage getting to them on our own, especially given our little Necropolis of Pantalica incident, or how long we really needed.

Good: Touching the sea and getting dirty in the rocks were worth the extra long bath routine that night. The sun and water, combined with being outside the confines of a city or car, gave the littles a recharge.

Not as Good: We chose our hotel because we could use points to stay there. So, while it was lovely, and perfectly positioned on the beach with a glistening pool, it was a bit “out of the way.” Since it was too cold to spend a day on the beach or by the pool, I would’ve much rather stayed somewhere closer to the town, where we could walk through some streets and feel a bit of the life of the town. (At the same time though, this place, this separation and seclusion, is just what our little people needed…)

Day 8: Etna, Gole Alcantera

With a free breakfast tucked into our tummies, we made the decision to head out exploring on our own. Without knowing exactly how much walking/hiking would be required of our little people, we felt it safest to be autonomous and move at our own pace, especially given the fact that we usually end up moving through places faster than the times recommended by guidebooks.

We piled into the car and set out to conquer a volcano. While the littles can often be heard yelling “THE FLOOR IS LAVA” in any given location at any given time of day, they were a little intimidated by the idea of actually setting foot near a real, breathing (it was steaming) volcano, particularly the middle little. But, we explained how we’d let him play in the ash, and, with a few frequent reassurances, he seemed to warm to the idea.

As we crept closer and closer to the approach at Etna Sud (there is also an Etna Nord), the landscape began to change over and the views stretched to the sea. We continued on the road, with (of course) a few million switchbacks, and finally made our way to Rifugio Sapienza, where we were able to walk along Silvestri Craters, crawling both into them and back out of them. The views both to the sea below and to Mt. Etna behind were both astonishing and a bit heart-racing, but each of us enjoyed it. And the littles thought it was pretty shocking to see patches of snow, there, on a volcano.

We moved away from the craters and over to the cable cars, which took us to La Montagnola (8200 ft). Here we stepped out and admired even more views. And even more snow. The snow packs here were a few feet high still, and looked like they weren’t prepared to disappear any time soon. From La Montagnola, it’s possible to take a 4-wheel drive bus/truck/thing even farther up to Torre del Filosofo (2920 m). While it looked like a fun ride, our biggest little put her foot down (she gets motion sickness and the switchbacks had been taking a slow toll on her), and we allowed her to make that call.

Aftering heading back down the slope in the cable car, we stopped for lunch, soaking in the sun, the view, and each other. And then we looked at the time and realized we had spent way more hours playing on the volcano than we had intended or even imagined possible. So, we jumped in the car, racing the setting sun to our next stop, the only other stop on our “must see” list of the day: Gole Alcantera.

We arrived at Gole Alcantera after one of those crazy “the-GPS-is-taking-us-on-roads-that-aren’t-real” drives. Fortunately enough, it was simple to spot off the road. We pulled into a large car park and bought tickets for the gardens and the use of the lift (200+ steep and uneven stairs are just not meant for tired little people). After we meandered our way through the botanical park, we finally headed down to the gorges. The color of the rock, the cuts and grooves lining the steep sides, the clarity of the water, and the general emptiness an attraction that can get filled to the rim with people made this exhausting drive and shorter-than-desired stay worth it (and, again, there was water and rocks, so the littles were beyond content with wet hands, wet feet, and rocks splashing into the river).

Good: I hadn’t realized how up close and personal we could get with Etna. My expectation was that we go to the highest town, Zafferana Etnea, and hop on a cable car there, but that wasn’t the case at all. We hit Zafferana Etnea (which was another one of those quaint towns complete with a beautiful piazza with a view to the sea) and then we kept going. And going. And going. Ultimately, it was a good decision for us to go “tour free” as it allowed us to explore Etna slowly, at the pace of our little people. The volcano and the views from it could’ve kept us in its trance for an entire day.

Not as Good: Gole Alcantera is, without a doubt, worth the stop. But it isn’t worth the price of the ticket to the gardens. The walk along the upper edge really doesn’t have much a view of anything. Prior to getting here, I had wondered why I couldn’t find many images of it from top of the gorge, but upon getting there, it was obvious. So, we walked through gardens, but not necessarily impressive gardens. And for the little people, there is a “prehistoric animal park” which consists of four large paper mâché animals: an alligator, a hippo, an elephant, and a small T-Rex. Fun. But only for a second. (And only if you’re, say, four.)

Day 9: Taormina, Cefalu

The next day had us heading up to Taormina for a short stop before heading to Cefalu, a primarily resort town on the Tyrrhenian coast. Taormina, just up the road (and up the mountain) from Giardini Naxos was always mentioned in our research as a “must see” town, catering to tourists and locals alike. And when we arrived, it was clear why. Perched high above the sea, the town has one of the most majestic Greek Theaters I’ve ever seen. Sitting in its seats, you can see all the way down to the Ionian Sea as well as Mt Etna. It is a dramatic backdrop to say the least.

The town has a pedestrian-only street, Corso Umberto I, that is filled with people, shops, restaurants, and hotels. And flower-filled balconies line the streets and the side streets, most of which are enchanting stairways. Along this stretch, a number of the city’s historic sites are visible. Walking along this street, I finally understood what all the hullabaloo was about. The city itself just oozed with an energy, yet also of calm presence. There was a magic and charm to the city, and though we chose not to stay there because the littles wanted direct beach access, I think the entire tribe was questioning this decision.

When we pried ourselves away from Taormina, we headed to Cefalu, traveling along the northern coast of the island. This drive was about 70% in mountain tunnels (Sicily has the most amazing tunnels and bridges to navigate the landscape), so, though it was raining, we rarely had to even deal with it. By the time we hit the exit for Cefalu, the sun was shining and we spotted our hotel along the coast, to the east of the town. This hotel was…I don’t even have words. It was just what we needed. We settled in and set out to check out the town itself (which was, shockingly (not really), difficult to navigate). After a short stay, we headed back to the hotel and down the cliff to the sea.

The water here was so clear, all the rocks and fish in the water were visible, even as the sun was setting. After a quick round at the hotel’s playground, a stroll along its array of decks, and a few drinks and a meal, we settled ourselves in for our last night in Sicily.

Good: We had it in our minds that Taormina was great, but not as great as everywhere else was supposed to be. And we bought into that belief, knowing that the more “touristy” towns can often be stripped of their charm. But this wasn’t the case with Taormina. While I was eager to get to Cefalu so that we could get to the sea, I’m glad we took the time to park the car and walk through the town from end to end.

Not as Good: After having hit Taormina and then Cefalu, we had a realization on our last full day in Sicily: these two towns both had us planning our trip back. We felt like we finally, really found the towns we’d be eager to return to. This night is when we figured out we’d change things up next time we’re in Sicily: we won’t be doing a road trip. Instead, we’d split our time between Toarmina and Cefalu, taking day trips from there wanted and needed.

Day 10: Cefalu, Palermo Airport

This day was a sad as it sounds. We took in the hazy sunrise over the Tyrrhenian Sea and came to terms with the fact that our time was coming to an end here. It was beautiful, but sullen. Even the sea was a bit less glittery than it had been the day before.

In the car we fought the Palermo traffic as we crossed from the east to the airport on the west side of town. Car returned, bags checked, Kinder Eggs bought, we boarded our flight back to New York’s JFK via London’s Heathrow.

Good: Waking up in Cefalu. Even with the weather’s moodiness, it was a refreshing place to start our day.

Not as Good:The end of our trip. Somewhere around day 7, we all felt like we understood Sicily, like we had been there and didn’t need to come back. But that all changed. And with that recognition, came the wish for more time.

Planning a road trip can be a painful process, and even more so when heading into another country. Beyond just figuring out how to pack so each bag doesn’t need to be brought in each night (thank you packing cubes), subjecting little people to a few hours a day of being stuck in a car can be taxing as well. For them. For us. For the cleanliness of the car.

This trip reminded me of a lesson we’ve learned again and again, but seem to somehow keep forgetting. Don’t undervalue those unplanned moments. All the planning we did had us going and going and going, often without getting to be a participant in a certain place or city. The ultimate Not as Good of this road trip around Sicily with kids was time. We just needed more time. And, unfortunately, we didn’t know that until we slowed down.

Have you ever overbooked your holidays? How do you keep it balanced? We’d love to hear your tips; drop a comment below.