180.00 GBP=228.342 EUR

That’s robbery rforsyth1984!!!

Check the rates for your perfect holiday – you could probably put it together yourself far less expensively as well.

There’s a direct Etna Trasporti bus from the airport in Catania for Taormina for around 5 euros per person.

Etna Trasporti:

http://www.etnatrasporti.it/

Here’s an earlier thread with information.

Catania to Taormina/Giardini Naxos:

tripadvisor.com/…9974487

Typically, you could expect a rate of €70 - €80.

Sicily Life:

http://www.sicilylife.com/

Sicily Limousine Service:

sicilylimousineservice.com/sicily/index.htm

Vagabonda

Thank you so much, you have been most helpful again!

We did realise the transfers were expensive, so we are going to opt out of those and get the bus instead!

The rest of the holiday seems reasonable (given that we are going during the school holidays too!). Flights (with flight from Manchester to London, then London to Catania) are costing around £500 for 2 of us, then the hotel is costing about the same (Villa Kristina).

So total holiday price (including taxes, but not insurance or transfers) of just over £1,000 for 2 of us - does that sound reasonable or could we save a lot by booking flights and hotel ourselves? I'll be the first to admit we are not the most worldly-wise and we have never been to Sicily before, so I would be a little worried about going it alone!

The cost of your holiday is reasonably priced – the only thing you lose is flexibility in choosing a hotel, but you gain the convenience of having it all done for you.

In a sense though, you really are doing it alone because there are no tours or guides, only flights and hotels, correct?

Taormina is a very compact and safe town. Once in Taormina, there are also reasonably priced excursions.

1,000.00 GBP=1,268.56 EUR

3* Villa Kristina’s double room costs € 125.00 per night. Your tour company most likely has a deal with the Hotel Kristina for reduced rates.

You will have 7 nights costing costs €875 before taxes.

http://www.hvk.it/uk/index.htm

http://www.hvk.it/uk/tariffe.htm

That would allow €390 for your flights.

Flights to Sicily from the UK:

www.thinksicily.com/sicily/showpage.asp?n=459

Enjoy!

Vagabonda

I think we will stick with the holiday company - you are quite right in that we are essentially going it alone anyway, as there are no tours etc included, but I've never been very good at finding cheap flights or accommodation, so will risk paying slightly over the odds just to have someone else do it - a quick look around hasn't revealed anything cheaper, I don't think we would manage to find anything much cheaper unless we were really lucky!

Will definately not be paying for the transfers though, will make do with the bus!

Many thanks again, I am really excited already even though we won't be going until April!

That’s a good decision, and a comfortable decision as well, and that’s important on holiday.

It’s hard to find inexpensive flights from Manchester to Sicily – Thomsonfly, flyThomasCook, Avro.

April is a lovely time to visit Sicily and you will be in Taormina over Easter on 12 April. There will be many festivities over Easter weekend (religious and secular) – fireworks Saturday night until the early morning hours. I have been in Taormina for Easter and it was delightful - expect the Tourist Information Office to be closed, so be prepared!

Vagabonda