Italy
For a fantastically unique and cheap (from €9 one way) ferry hop around Sicily’s beautiful, charming and untouched Aegadian islands you can’t beat the Favignana, Levanzo and Marettimo trio, leaving from the port of Trapani, northwest Sicily.
The round trip is a couple of hours and there are enough ferries to allow you to sample all the islands in a single day, but equally there is accommodation on all the islands if you wish to extend your visit.
The tiny island of Levanzo hosts the cave of the Genoese with its pre-historic paintings. Favignana is known for its butterflies, grottoes, beaches, bays and tuna fishing – and don’t miss the local restaurant speciality of spaghetti and tuna botargo at the La Bettola restaurant in the port. The final island on the route is Marettimo, with its whitewashed, colourfully shuttered homes, ports filled with fishing boats and unbelievably blue water.
'Mountain' restaurants (restaurants found up in the Nebrodi and Madonie mountains, which are along the north coast of Sicily).
Fantastic food and wine, and enough of it for even the biggest of appetites, and for the smallest of wallets.
Multiple courses of speciality foods, all washed down with locally produced wine. Life can't get any better, especially when it costs in the region of €20 - €30. And lets not forget the views!
Too many to put here ! Just ask the local people and I'm sure they will point you towards one of their favourites.
Small hotel at Agrigento Sicily with private car park 2km from the beach 4km from the vally of the temples, comfortable and peacefull,all you need for a stay with local culture,hospitality and tradition.
Double rooms from 45 euro.
A family run place.
Via Ettore Gabrici n.9 AGRIGENTO
Tel: +39 0922606332
Website:www.villaholidayagrigento.com
E-mail:info@villaholidayagrigento.com
From Palermo airport to the centre of town, the airport bus leaves every half hour and costs 5 euros. We arrived at the airport at 9pm, and were in our hotel (near the top of Via Roma) by 9:40.
The airport is now also known as Falcone-Borsellino Airport in honor of Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, two anti-Mafia magistrates killed in separate bomb attacks.
Palermo airport website: www.gesap.it
A small fishing village between Palermo and the airport. Most of the seafront restaurants serve a 6 - 7 course set lunch (around 20 euros). No menu as such, just what's been caught fresh that morning. Bottle of wine or two included. I've never seen anyone who's not Italian eating there and its time to share this wonderful place. Ryanair's summer schedule means you can have a decadent day out and have lunch in the Med (if you don't mind the early start). Delfina is the one I'd recommend. It's busy between 1-3pm when the locals descend for their feed but I've never had to wait too long for a table.
www.sferracavallo.com
Central Palermo by cab is around 20 euros and takes around 20 minutes, traffic permitting. Local trains stop close by en route to/from the airport.
I've not done the whole villa thing before but with 6 of us on holiday this worked out at about £100/person for the week. Italian Breaks is run by Cristina, a Sicilian ex-pat, so just about every nook and cranny on the island is covered and we had the best value for money holiday for a long time. Recommended!
www.italianbreaks.com/main_pages/sicily.htm
Tel: 020 8666 0407
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