One one-way week with four complete choices—from car-free to the full-week road trip built around your €200 one-way rental.
22–28 Sep 20264 itinerariesA · without a carB · with a carC · scenic one-way driveD · 3 hotels, 2 nights eachAll: Palermo → CataniaEtna hike + wine
Booked
Your flights
The timing is unusually good: you land early enough to get a full first day in Palermo and leave late enough to keep Monday as a real Catania day.
Tue · 22 Sep 2026HV5229
05:50
AMS
Amsterdam Schiphol
08:25
PMO
Palermo
Mon · 28 Sep 2026HV5218
22:05
CTA
Catania
01:15+1
AMS
Amsterdam Schiphol
Four complete trips
Choose how you want to travel
All four plans use the same flights and end in Catania. D is the strongest fit for the €200 full-week one-way rental: three hotels, two nights each, and no backtracking.
Itinerary A
Without a car
A
The low-friction version: one long coach transfer, then Taormina, Etna, Ortigia and Noto by coach, train and guided pickup.
Palermo → Taormina → Ortigia → Catania
🚌 + 🚆 only2 hotel changesBest for ease + towns
Itinerary B
With a car
B
The wilder version: rent a small car for 23–24 September to reach Zingaro, San Vito lo Capo and Erice, then continue east without it.
Palermo → Zingaro → San Vito → Ortigia → Catania
🚗 2 car days3 basesBest for coast + events
Itinerary C
Scenic one-way drive
C
Explore Palermo after landing, collect the car downtown, sleep in Scopello and San Vito, then follow the northern coast east via Cefalù.
Palermo → Scopello → San Vito → Cefalù → Taormina
🚗 2 car daysOne-way returnBest for scenery
Itinerary D · Recommended
Full-week road trip
D
Keep the €200 car for the whole week and simplify the trip to three bases: San Vito, Taormina and Ortigia, with two nights in each.
Palermo → San Vito → Cefalù → Taormina → Ortigia
🚗 7 car days3 hotelsBest overall flow
✦
Map focused on A · without a car. Every complete itinerary remains below in order: A, B, C, then D.
Interactive map
Compare the four routes
A is car-free, B returns to Palermo, C uses a short one-way rental, and D keeps the €200 car all week for the cleanest three-base road trip.
Loading the interactive Sicily map…
Itinerary A · Without a carPalermo → Taormina → Etna → Ortigia → Noto → Catania
One long eastbound transfer, then trains, coaches and one guided Etna pickup.
Pick it up in Palermo on Wednesday morning, return it in Palermo Thursday evening. Everything east of Palermo is easier as public transport + one guided Etna transfer.
3 nights Palermo → 1 San Vito → 2 Ortigia
This is the events-first version: a compact western rental loop for Zingaro and Cous Cous Fest, then Palermo for Piano City before continuing east.
🚗 Car: 23–24 Sep only🚌 Palermo → Catania🚆/🚌 Catania → Siracusa🥾 Guided Etna transfer
Itinerary B · Day by day
West, events and wild coast
Tap a day to expand. Timings are intentionally approximate; the structure matters more than squeezing every sight in.
Land at PMONo car. Airport train/bus or taxi into central Palermo; drop bags.
Ballarò + first Sicilian lunchStreet-food introduction rather than formal sightseeing immediately.
Palatine Chapel + Norman PalaceMake this your one “must-book” Palermo monument.
Kalsa → Foro ItalicoWalk, coffee, slow down after the early flight.
Aperitivo + long dinnerStay central; no late-night logistics on day one.
Why this worksYou arrive early enough that Palermo gets a real first day, but the afternoon stays deliberately loose so the 05:50 departure does not destroy you.
Pick up rental car in PalermoCity pickup; keep the rental for roughly 36 hours.
Zingaro Nature ReserveDo a 3–4 hour out-and-back hike with one or two proper swim stops instead of trying to traverse the whole reserve.
San Vito lo CapoCheck in, beach, shower, sunset.
Cous Cous FestFood villages, tastings and the free beach stage. The 23 Sep concert is currently listed as TBA.
Sleep: San Vito lo CapoDo not drive back. The festival is better after dark and this lets Thursday start with a lazy swim instead of another transfer.
Slow San Vito morningBreakfast, beach and another swim. Optional Cous Cous Fest lunch.
Drive to EriceTwo to three hours for the stone lanes, viewpoints and pastry shops.
Back to PalermoReturn the car in the city around 19:00; no more driving for the trip.
Palermo dinnerKeep the evening local and easy.
AlternativeIf ancient sites matter more than hill towns, replace Erice with Segesta. Do not attempt both.
Capo / historic centreBreakfast, Cathedral, side streets and whatever you skipped on Tuesday.
Long lunch + KalsaLeave the afternoon light so the evening can follow the festival programme.
Piano City PalermoFree concerts around unusual city locations. The 2026 detailed programme is still being released.
Optional: SHARPER Researchers' NightUniversity campus demonstrations, labs, talks and interactive science. Only go if the programme has something you actually want to see.
Rule for tonightDo not “complete” both festivals. Pick the best Piano City set and add SHARPER only if one specific session is worth leaving the centre for.
Leave PalermoFast coach to Catania, then train/coach onward to Siracusa. Recheck exact timetables 2–3 weeks before travel.
Check in on OrtigiaStay on the island itself, not the mainland.
Sunset boat / aperitivoThen your nicest dinner of the trip.
Sleep: OrtigiaTwo nights here keeps the east side from feeling like a transfer sprint and gives you somewhere beautiful to return to after Etna.
Etna pickupChoose the most hiking-heavy small-group tour you can find that includes Siracusa pickup.
Volcanic hikeAim for meaningful time on foot, not a viewpoint/minivan tour.
Winery / lunchEtna wine gives the day a completely different second half.
Back to OrtigiaSwim if there is still daylight; slow final dinner.
Wildcard: Etna Marathon MTBThe 20th edition is on exactly 27 Sep. Gran Fondo is 42 km; Marathon 63 km. It is proper technical MTB and requires different logistics, so treat it as a full swap—not an add-on.
Siracusa → CataniaTrain or coach; store luggage centrally.
La Pescheria + lunchUse Catania primarily for atmosphere and food, not another monument marathon.
Historic centre / café / optional seasideA relaxed final afternoon.
Head to CTA airportComfortable buffer for the 22:05 departure.
HV5218 → AmsterdamArrive Schiphol at 01:15 on Tuesday 29 September.
Why no Catania hotelYour late flight makes an extra hotel move unnecessary. Keep both eastern nights in Ortigia and turn Monday into a proper Catania day.
Itinerary C · Scenic one-way drive
Sleep west immediately, then follow the sea east
Explore Palermo without a car, collect it late afternoon, sleep in Scopello and San Vito, then return it at Catania Airport after a deliberately scenic northern-coast crossing.
Scopello → San Vito → Taormina → Ortigia
This is the highest-scenery version. Thursday is a long driving day, but Cefalù and the Tyrrhenian coast turn the transfer itself into part of the holiday.
The whole route is built around the full-week one-way rental. Thursday is the only long drive; every other day stays focused.
Land at PMOCollect the Goldcar rental at the airport. Keep the booked 11:00 pickup unless an earlier time is confirmed without materially changing the €200 price.
Compact Palermo visitPark once: Ballarò → Palatine Chapel / Norman Palace → Cathedral → I Segreti del Chiostro for cannoli.
Drive to ScopelloTreat it as a 45–60 minute golden-hour stop: village, Tonnara viewpoint and a quick drink.
Continue to San VitoCheck in, then go straight into Cous Cous Fest for dinner and the evening programme.
Sleep: San Vito · night 1 of 2Skipping a Palermo hotel protects the clean three-base structure. Palermo is sampled, not “completed.”
Leave San VitoDrive roughly 12 km to Zingaro’s north entrance and start before the heat.
Coastal out-and-back hikeHike and swim for about 4½ hours. Turn around when it feels right; do not create a full-reserve car-retrieval problem.
Long lunch in San VitoBeach, nap and no further logistics.
Cous Cous FestReturn for the food houses and free evening performances.
Sleep: San Vito · night 2 of 2This is the first plan that gives San Vito enough time for the beach, Zingaro and the festival after dark.
Leave San VitoAccept one long drive now so the rest of the week stays clean.
Cefalù for 2–2½ hoursCathedral, old lanes, harbour, lunch and a quick swim if it is hot.
Take the A20 then A18Follow the north coast toward Messina and then south to Taormina. It is longer than the inland route and worth it.
Taormina sunsetPark at Lumbi, check in, then Corso Umberto and dinner after the day-trippers leave.
Sleep: Taormina · night 1 of 2One five-hour driving day eliminates ugly transfers and hotel churn everywhere else.
Drive to the guide’s meeting pointBook a licensed volcanological or alpine guide rather than a viewpoint/minivan tour.
Serious Etna hikeAim for 4–6 hours of mountain time and the highest legally permitted route that day.
Etna wine countryAdd a winery tasting or late lunch only with a designated driver; otherwise book the tasting component with transport.
Return to TaorminaSlow evening with no further sightseeing targets.
Sleep: Taormina · night 2 of 2The car gives you freedom over the meeting point while the guide handles changing mountain-access rules.
Quiet old townWalk before the day-trippers arrive, then visit the Greek Theatre around 09:00.
Isola Bella swimSpend the late morning by the water and have lunch before leaving.
Drive to SiracusaPark outside Ortigia’s controlled zone and walk to the hotel.
The smoother seven-day holiday: one long eastbound transfer, only two hotel changes, and every important move works by coach, train or guided pickup.
1 night Palermo → 3 Taormina → 2 Ortigia
This route gives up the western nature loop and the strongest festival schedule. In return, it gets a stronger town sequence, less packing and no rental-car friction.
1
PalermoHistoric centre · Tue 22
Arrival
3
TaorminaOld town · Wed 23 to Sat 26
Main base
2
OrtigiaOn the island · Sat 26 to Mon 28
Final base
Land at PMOGo into the historic centre, drop bags and treat this as a full day.
Ballarò → Norman PalermoMarket, Palatine Chapel, Cathedral and Quattro Canti with a long lunch in the middle.
Kalsa → VucciriaSlow evening walk, aperitivo and dinner rather than another checklist.
Sleep: PalermoOne day will not exhaust the city, but the early arrival gives a strong taste without weakening the eastern sequence.
Palermo → CataniaTake the direct SAIS coach after breakfast and one last central walk.
Catania → TaorminaConnect by Interbus and stay in Taormina town, not down in Giardini Naxos.
Greek Theatre → Corso UmbertoThen tiny streets and an aperitivo above the Ionian coast.
Sleep: TaorminaThe quiet 08:00 and 22:00 versions of Taormina justify the higher room price.
Taormina before day-trippersUse the empty first hours for the lanes, viewpoints and coffee.
Mazzarò + Isola BellaTake the cable car down and protect a substantial block for swimming.
CastelmolaGo up for the wide Etna and Ionian-coast views; dinner back in Taormina.
Do not compress thisTaormina is much better as a complete day than as a three-hour photo stop.
Pickup in TaorminaChoose a hiking-focused small group, even if it costs more than the large coach.
Lava fields + real hikeAim for two to four hours on foot around craters and volcanic terrain.
Lunch / winery → AlcantaraMake the gorge the contrasting second half, then return to Taormina for dinner.
Skip the independent attemptPublic transport is the wrong constraint for Etna. One good pickup tour buys both access and time.
Leave Taormina slowlyBreakfast first, then connect through Catania to Siracusa.
Check in on OrtigiaStay on the island itself and protect the whole afternoon from itinerary creep.
Market → swim → sunset boatPiazza Duomo, lanes and a long dinner outside. Nothing else is required.
Sleep: OrtigiaThis is probably the evening most worth protecting. Do not turn it into another sightseeing transfer day.
Siracusa → NotoThe regional train makes this compact day trip work without a car.
Granita → Cathedral → lunchNoto is gorgeous but small. Four hours is enough without rushing.
Choose sea or slownessStop at Fontane Bianche if the weather is good; otherwise return to Ortigia and swim there.
Final eveningNice restaurant, Etna wine and nothing scheduled afterward.
One more Ortigia swimBreakfast, market and lunch before leaving around 14:00–15:00.
Catania in one clean loopPiazza Duomo, fish market, Via Crociferi and Via Etnea, then an early dinner.
Head to CTA airportComfortable timing for HV5218 at 22:05.
No Catania hotelThe late flight makes a third hotel change unnecessary. Use Catania as a final-afternoon coda.
A maximises ease, B maximises Palermo events, C maximises scenery with a short rental, and D makes the €200 full-week car work hardest.
Dimension
A · Without a car
B · Return to Palermo
C · Scenic one-way
D · Full-week road trip
Strongest feature
Town sequence + ease
Events + wild coast
Scenic short-rental flow
Best overall trip structure
Beaches
Pretty and easy
Wild, natural coves
Wild coves + coastal towns
Wild coves + Isola Bella + Vendicari
Hiking
Etna
Zingaro + Etna
Zingaro + Etna
Zingaro + proper Etna hike
Driving
None
Two shorter days
Two days · one long
Daily access · one long day
Packing / logistics
Low · two hotel changes
Medium
High · four bases
Low · three hotels total
Overall scenery
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
Relaxation
★★★★½
★★★
★★★½
★★★★½
Choose it when…
Low friction matters most.
Palermo events matter most.
You only want a short rental.
You keep the €200 car all week.
Lucia’s Sicily notes
Friend recommendations
A local-feeling layer to compare with the four complete plans. These are Lucia’s personal picks and do not change itineraries A, B, C or D.
L
Lucia knows the Catania coast especially well.
Her broad shortlist: Cefalù; Scopello and the Zingaro reserve; Taormina; Siracusa, Modica and the south-east coast; Sant’Alfio and the Etna-side coast; plus Lipari and the Aeolian Islands. She does not know the mountain interior as well.
Lucia says: do this
Essensily olive grove tasting
A 2½-hour experience in Balestrate: olive-grove walk, extra-virgin olive oil, three Sicilian wines, balsamic vinegars and a light lunch with the producer’s family.
Lucia stayed at this family-run country property in the Noto hills and remembers its older hosts very fondly. It is close to Cavagrande nature reserve and best reached by car.
Friend recommendations are intentionally kept separate from the researched itinerary. Recheck opening days, reservations and reserve access shortly before the trip.
Specific events
Your dates are unusually good
B, C and D reach Cous Cous Fest; D gets two festival evenings, while B stays in Palermo for the later city events. Detailed music schedules can still change.
ITINERARIES B + C + D18–27 SEP · SAN VITO
Cous Cous Fest
International food festival with tastings, chef competitions and free beach-stage shows. You are there on Wednesday 23 September; that evening's performer is currently TBA.
Free piano concerts spread across unconventional locations around Palermo. Friday 25 is deliberately kept loose so you can follow the strongest sets once the 2026 programme is fully released.
20th edition. Gran Fondo 42 km / Marathon 63 km. Non-competitive Gran Fondo participation is possible with the required medical certificate; online registration closes 25 Sep at 18:00. Only swap this in if you want a technical MTB day.
For one double room and two adults. The number shown is Hotelist’s indicative US-dollar rate per room and night; it is a screening estimate, not a price calculated from Booking.com or a live quote. Open Booking.com to check the final price, taxes, room type and cancellation terms for your exact dates.
Palermo
Used by A and B. C and D explore Palermo during the day but do not sleep here.
A · 22 Sep · B · 22, 24–25 Sep
Astoria Palace Hotel
US$102 indicative
About 2.6 km from the centre. Low price, but Hotelist gives a mixed review signal.
Only for C. D visits Scopello but continues to San Vito. Search Scopello first for atmosphere; use Castellammare del Golfo if the price gap is substantial.
22 Sep · C
Scopello stays
Best location
Closest to the Tonnara viewpoint and Zingaro’s southern entrance.
Cap check: all six Hotelist-listed options are below US$125 per night. San Vito lo Capo is the exception: Hotelist has no usable city or property coverage, and the festival can push live rates above the cap. The disabled Hotelist labels are intentional, not broken links.
Book / wait
Plan-specific logistics
Flights are shared; the hotel sequence, rental return and constrained bookings depend on your itinerary.
A · WITHOUT A CAR
Three bases, all connected
Book the direct Palermo–Catania coach, then use Interbus, regional trains and one guided Etna pickup.
✓Palermo hotel — night 22Central historic centre / Kalsa edge.
✓Taormina hotel — nights 23–25Stay in the old town, not Giardini Naxos.
✓Ortigia hotel — nights 26–27On the island itself.
✓Etna + Alcantara tour — 25 SepTaormina pickup and meaningful hiking time.
B · WITH A CAR
Rent only for the wild west
Pick up in Palermo on Wednesday 23 September around 08:00; return Thursday 24 around 19:00.
✓Palermo hotel — nights 22, 24, 25Central historic centre / Kalsa edge.
✓San Vito hotel — night 23Walking distance to beach + festival.
✓Ortigia hotel — nights 26, 27On the island itself.
✓Small rental car — 23–24 SepPalermo city pickup and return.
✓Etna tour — 27 SepSiracusa pickup + hiking + wine.
C · SCENIC ONE-WAY
Cross the island along the sea
Collect in Palermo Tuesday afternoon and return at Catania Airport Thursday before the 48-hour boundary.
✓Scopello hotel — night 22Near the village or Castellammare fallback.
✓San Vito hotel — night 23Book early because of Cous Cous Fest.
✓Taormina hotel — nights 24, 25Two nights after the scenic crossing.
✓Ortigia hotel — nights 26, 27On the island itself.
✓One-way rental — 22–24 SepPalermo Notarbartolo → Catania Airport.
D · FULL-WEEK ROAD TRIP
Lock the 2 + 2 + 2 structure
Keep the €200 Goldcar one-way rental from Palermo Airport to Catania Airport and change hotels only twice.
✓San Vito hotel — nights 22, 23Book first because of Cous Cous Fest.
✓Taormina hotel — nights 24, 25Use Lumbi parking or confirm hotel parking.
✓Ortigia hotel — nights 26, 27Choose parking outside the ZTL before arrival.
