TPOL’s Guns & Butter Travel Guide is the best way to see as much as you can in as little time as possible. Here’s how it works: A trip is composed of two factors: Labor And Lazy. The opportunity cost (what is given up) for relaxing and being Lazy is gained by being adventurous in the form of Labor and vice versa. The guide includes inefficient activities i.e., tourist traps that should be avoided and aspirational activities that are worth doing but may be impossible to see given the constraints of time and resources.
Looking to see and do everything in Sicily in 4 nights? Look no further.
The cities I visited in Sicily were Palermo, Catania, and Syracuse.
Palermo
Palermo is the capital of Sicily and my second favorite city in Italy from this tour. Here is what I did:
Eat
Pizza, Wine, and Panini are not in short supply in Palermo. Be sure to visit Frida Pizzeria:
Drink
Palermo has a lively nightlife. From drinking beer in the square to partying on the port, there’s plenty to do. If it’s Friday, head to Piazza Garraffello.
Stay
I would recommend the Ibis over the Mercure Palermo Excelsior City. The room was nice but the service was nothing special.
Watch Out
Guns & Butter was written to help you avoid tourist traps. Besides skipping The Godfather tour, be sure to buy and validate your bus ticket, lest you get fined at least 50 euros. The worst part of travel is getting scammed.
Exit
Palermo is in the north. On day two, it’s time to head south. I took the train from Palermo to Catania, and you should too. The journey is 2 hours and 48 minutes.
Catania
Eat
There’s plenty to do in Catania. Day one was spent eating. If you ever want to try horse meat, this is the place to do it. Or you can stick with more traditional Italian foods like cannolo or arancino. Head to Etoile d’or located right outside the walls of Piazza Duomo for the latter.
Drink
Rent your Panda and head to Mt. Etna for a wine tour of fine reds and whites. Just don’t get stopped by the police.
White Wine in Milo
We went to Barone di Villagrande. For 20 euros, there was wine tasting and a light lunch.
Great Service at Gambino Winery in Linguaglossa
If you’re looking to try it all and do not want to be rushed, Gambino Winery is an excellent option.
Red Wine in Randazzo
If the vineyards are closed, go to Il Buongustaio, a small deli and wine store. It’s the best.
Watch Out
We were pulled over by the police coming down the mountain. Do they have sobriety checkpoints in Sicily? This time, no bribe or fine was imposed.
Stay
Stay at the Four Points Catania. The hotel has a free shuttle to the city center and is located right across from a great espresso shop with delightful sandwiches.
Do Not Stay
Stay away from the insane asylum. If you’re going to try agritourism, pick a reputable place, not Casale Poggio del tiglio. It was a nightmare.
No picture for this portion, I’m trying to block out the experience.
Syracuse
Before going on the wine tour, we spent a day in Syracuse, a picturesque city with more food and more drink.
Go to Kaos for pizza and “a Putia” for pasta alla norma. Spend the rest of the day walking around and enjoying the views of the sea and the architecture in Plaza Minerva.
Watch Out
Do not park your Panda on the island of Ortigia. You will get towed.
Recap
There’s so much to see and do (and avoid) in Sicily that I almost forgot to mention my favorite: drink espresso.
Ok, I’ll bite. What’s wrong with the Godfather tour? The first two were superb movies, and the second really brought some old school Sicilian flavor to the big screen.
The only place I wanted to visit was Don Ciccio’s house. I don’t think it’s a real thing. All I found was an air bnb lol. And who doesn’t love the Godfather? Nobody I want to be friends with.