7 Reasons to Love and Hate a Trip to Sicily

[@davidloughlin2238]

I am just back from my first trip to sicily and will definitely visit again many times. Many good points, my only criticisms would be the litter, the many slummy apartment blocks and, most especially, the driving. We hired a car and found the driving just crazy, speeding, everyone in a massive hurry and drivers right on your bumper the entire time pushing to get by.

[@peterkelly8357]

@davidloughlin2238 The driving in the UK is just as bad these days. I let my Italian Mrs. do the driving although I quite enjoy it too.

[@DavidWilliams-qr5yj]

Sounds horrible 😕

[@LL-zt4su]

Thank you so much for your honesty on Love / Hate. Come on Sicily clean it up! What a beautiful island. 1st impressions are everything. My daughter visited Palermo and was disgusted with the trash and how unkept it was. She did not feel safe and left without embracing what Palermo had to offer. That can turn people off from visiting the island. She loved Taormina, Ortigia, Trapani islands, AND liked a lot of Agrigento, but did find some areas like Palermo. COME ON. Won't take much to make it all a gem. Make laws similar to Singapore!

[@lyne4570]

I just came back last week and one thing people never mention are the beaches--specifically the rocks. Some are sandy beaches, but many are all rocks. Take for example Isola Bella in Taormina. Not many people in the water because it is VERY painful to even get to the water. Bringing a pair of water shoes with rigid bottoms is a must. In Cefalu the beach is sandy, but in the reserve at San Vito lo Capo, the rock are white and round, and painful underfoot. Even in the water, only rocks. Water shoes, people, and bring your snorkel mask to the reserve, the snorkeling is beautiful. Also Palermo, not great. Did not feel safe at night, and also very dirty.

[@StefanoFerro]

Great tips Lyne. You had to see Isola Bella in September, so many people you could hardly walk in the water🤣🤣 which was disappointing. But I guess it's a victim of its own success.

[@barackobama8307]

Palermo is amazing, you just did not go to the right place

[@Animalkisser]

You are right. Garbage is a real eyesore in some parts of Sicily.

[@nataliM7777]

Thank you guys, lm so glad about bad things you saw in Sicili, because most of video just ignore that, people don't wona see reality

[@YouMeandSicily]

Great job Stefano! Unfortunately trash and dog poop are problems all over Sicily!

[@StefanoFerro]

Thanks🤙🤙

[@homeoffice3524]

It’s massive problem in UK to.

[@palianshow]

Excellent work, thank you. And specials thanks for the last part and being honest - way too many videos are sugar coding the reality.

[@srivthefour7468]

Italians are just like old school. As long as the litter, garbage, poops are outside their house, everything is fine! Unfortunately, that's NOT fine for tourists who spent their lifetime dream and $$$ to see this wonderful country! But that's what it is ! My two cents is, better to change the focus on things which you cannot teach this entire country - how NOT to litter ! :))

[@ap-hv9uh]

At the beginning of this month me and my wife spent 12 days in Palermo, we loved it! What a vibrant, diverse, welcoming city Palermo is. We went for a day trip to Cefalu´ which was lovely. We also went for a day trip to Corleone which was also very interesting.

[@StefanoFerro]

Great to hear! I love Sicily and Palermo :) and Cefalu' is so lovely too

[@dianamartin9558]

Agreed! We are actually buying a house in Sicily.

[@MissArtisticSasnuhy]

another very helpful vdideo!

[@StefanoFerro]

Glad to hear it! Thanks 🤗

[@BlueWizardsII]

I agree about the garbage. One of the first cities I visited was Catania. Shocking given that I moved from Vienna, Austria, and stopped in Milano and Pisa on the way. I think part of the problem is that they do not have garbage cans on the streets like in other cities. I lived briefly in Acireale, and then set up a residence in Mascali. I took a short visit to Messina, and that seemed quite a bit cleaner than Catania. Mabe Catania just does not have a budget for garbage cans and service workers ? They also have those cruise ships coming through. I am sure the tourists contribute to the litter. For some of the cities, cleaning up the garbage problem might pay off in terms of attracting tourists and businesses. Getting used to business offices is also an adjustment. A lot of small businesses have no signage or are otherwise very difficult to locate.

[@WilliamLesourd]

Unfortunately the rubbish situation is the same all over Italy, bar the most touristy places. I come from France and I am currently traveling through Italy from North to South and back along the eastern coast (going to Sicily next). Check the bus stops in Roma’s suburbs. I have never seen places as dirty as those. They all are like free open landfills. Looking at some labels, rubbish is often years old. Why do Italians drop rubbish bags along the roads which are then torn off by dogs or birds spreading everything around ? It is an enigma to me. Find the reason, and I guess you’ll find the solution… but there is evidently no will on the part of the authorities to do anything about it. Such a pity 😢 as this is indeed a marvelous country with wonderful people (even if they often drive like crazy)

[@StefanoFerro]

My take....it's the problem with the authorities. If they don't collect regularly where should the citizens leave their rubbish. We can always talk why do we produce so much rubbish, why we have so much plastic etc etc. And why they don't collect? Politics and Mafia is my guess, but I would have to really live in a place for a few months to understand and judge. You can always collect it and move it to another country (like many governments do), but it's more of a moving the problem, isn't it? Asia has a huge problem in this respect, but not only. Anyhow, let's concentrate on why we love Sicily 😁😜 Thanks for your comment. Cheers

[@nikezooms]

didn’t love sicily. was there 3 weeks. went everywhere virtually apart from some inland spots. definelty my least favourite of italy. i’ve been most places several times. felt like everything was a bit of a scam and a hustle. and with that, quality of goods and services/experiences also felt lower quality compared to most italian places. i will say that i absolutely loved Favignana. Would absolutely go back anytime.

[@StefanoFerro]

Can I ask you what month you visited Sicily? Cheers

[@JorgeTessey]

Hi Stefano, great video! For my first time in Sicily, would you recommend the west or the east coast? Thanks

[@StefanoFerro]

Thanks :) Depends on how many days you have. Generally speaking, I would personally stay on the east coast on your first trip. The main reason is that you have a ton of things to do there like Catania, Etna, Taormina, Siracusa, Noto and the baroque towns, beaches (Fontane Bianche, Noto mare or north Giardini Naxos etc) and other easy trips inside the island.

[@JorgeTessey]

Great! Thank you so much

[@YouMeandSicily]

@@StefanoFerro We agree!

[@WilliamLesourd]

As a travel photographer, I booked a Airbnb between Palermo and Riserva Dello Zingaro. I regret I chose to stay there for a full month, as I discovered later that the Eastern and Southern part of the region might be more interesting.

[@WilliamLesourd]

Update. Actually I had a great time where I stayed (Castellammare del Golfo). The coastline is wonderful, so are the hills and lakes Inland. Trapani is a great city too, to spend a day or more

[@evyf857]

I’m excited for visiting Sicily in October, it has been in my bucket list for quite sometimes! Thank you for your video that helps me to decide where to go! Last fall i visited different parts of Italy and Naples was a beautiful city to visit, so much to see but garbages all over the streets was pretty sad to see! I suspect that Sicily will have the same issues but it won’t take away the beauty & history of this beautiful part of Italy, Any videos and recommendations for lodgings? That would be helpful! Thanks again!

[@StefanoFerro]

Hi and thanks for your comment. Totally agree with you on the garbage subject. Hopefully, things will change soon. About the accommodation, I would say to start from this post I have written and recently updated mel365.com/where-to-stay-in-sicily/ There are then more specific ones about: Taormina: mel365.com/where-to-stay-in-taormina-italy/ Catania: mel365.com/where-to-stay-in-catania/ Palermo: mel365.com/where-to-stay-in-palermo-italy/ I have also a video about the best towns and areas to stay in Sicily kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4KVZmWYq7WSrNk Cheers

[@janverbanck]

Absolutely right about,well....everything. I've just spent a whopping ten days in Catania (don't do this...) This town could be so much more attractive, lovelier to visit if they would just get rid of the garbage and the fu...ing graffiti in the historic center. Luckily, from there it was just a small step to Etna, Toarmina and Syracuse which are absolutely great.

[@DLGemma]

So glad I found your comment. I am visiting Sicily for the first time this July. Was thinking to visit Taormina and Syracuse after Palermo of course debating whether or not should I add Catania as well.

[@janverbanck]

@@DLGemma Mind you: I certainly didn't say "don't visit Catania" ! But make it a short stay, not more than 3 days or so

[@evyf857]

Do you have any recommendations for lodgings in Catania? I’ll be there in October. Thank you

[@janverbanck]

@evyf857 I stayed in a private appartement. There are loads of them large or smaller in the city center. Of course, depends largely on the length of your stay whether they will accept your booking proposal or not. Don't know about hotels though...didn't use any.

[@DekeZivven]

Love Sicily. But yes. Dog crap. We stayed in a B&B up near the Monastery d Benedetto and there was dog crap everywhere!!!! And garbage. But once we headed into where the Main Piazza was it was all cleaned up. Rome was shocking too with it’s garbage.

[@DekeZivven]

That was in Catania.

[@jasminealixandranorth]

OMG 🤢

[@maily8388]

Thank you , I am not going to Sicily.

[@voyagestours]

Excellent video 👍 I subscríbe

[@Grebnednavwehttam]

San Vito Lo Capo was littered with rubbish. Trapani is totally missable if it wasn't for the must-see village of Erice - one if my most loved experiences in Scicily. You do get used to the rubbish in Scicily, and the grafitti, but not on a beach. I find that pretty gross. But Scicily is so awesome.

[@vassallo49]

Hai dimenticato di menzionare uno dei fattori più importanti per amare la Sicilia è il cibo e i frutti della terra e del mare, una delle eccellenze dell'Italia. You forgot to mention one of the most important factors to love Sicily is the food and the fruits of the earth and the sea, one of the excellences of Italy.

[@StefanoFerro]

100% amazing food....and wine too. Sicily has It all 😁

[@vassallo49]

@@StefanoFerro Si, per il resto sono d'accordo. Yes, otherwise I agree.

[@PeterSchneemann]

You forgot to mention the crazy scooter drivers disregarding any traffic rules, but probably it’s not a big issue for you as you are used to it

[@StefanoFerro]

We can just do lane filtering where I come from 😆Lane splitting is a no-go. So not sure I am used to scooter crazy traffic. But I travelled a lot in Asia, I was recently in Bali for a month with a scooter. Sicily is no way as bad, but definitely worse than Australia or Scandinavia 😜

[@vickidianacoghlan8946]

Ciao You forgot the elephant in the room regarding bella Sicilia, The Mafia.

[@zofiasmajek3760]

Quel’ rapport ?

[@mnz145]

Yeah, I’m sure you personally were impacted by it. Take a cold shower.

[@christineodonnell2711]

the elephant in the room? what a misplaced expression.

[@leslieiglesias3621]

Regarding the trash the only solution is the youth... kinda like climate change. The youth needs to care even if their parents haven't.

[@StefanoFerro]

I don't think the parents are the only issue. Certainly they are part of the problem, but the biggest issue is the local council that does not collect the rubbish, or they do it rarely. But honestly I feel it's not a simple thing to solve in the local context. My comment is even confusing myself 🤣 but hard to explain with a few words. Thanks for you comment 👍🏻🙏

[@leslieiglesias3621]

@@StefanoFerro It's also a remnant of corruption

[@michelaprestigiovanni4914]

Your fake Australian/English tells also you are from southern Italy!

[@StefanoFerro]

🤣🤣🤣 i was born and lived in one of the northernmost towns in Italy, a stone away from Switzerland. You clearly understand accents 😜😜

[@StefanoFerro]

BTW, it's not a fake accent. I have been living in Australia for 20 years, so I guess I got influenced by the locals down under 😜

[@jasminealixandranorth]

Wow. What an eye opening video. Thank you. I live in CH and have been all over Italy apart from Sicily and Sardinia. I am planning a trip to both in September......but honestly, if I am going to look at garbage and dog poop, I may pass - I do hear Sardinia is cleaner - So sad for nature that the Italians simply don't care. I'd rather stay home and watch a travel video :)

[@StefanoFerro]

Never J. Watching a video will never give you the same feeling. Sardinia is definitely cleaner. But concentrate on the love side more 😜 cheers

[@jasminealixandranorth]

@@StefanoFerro - 😂 I may just focus on Sardinia….but with a shorter visit in Sicily. If I wanted to look at dog poop and garbage, I‘d opt for Paris ;) - love is wonderful but there’s reality too.

[@BenMcMahon-ix4ym]

No more garbage in sicily than any other part of Italy. That goes for dog poo as well.