Thinking of going there for a holiday, anyone been? What’s it like?

Taormina north and Syracuse south are more touristy. I’ve read Catania is a bit more edgy (a bit of a dump), but not been to any, just planned a trip for my Mrs. Obviously Catania is where the airport is. You can get Etna trips from there.

We visited. Was ok. Bit more real Italy rather than tourist Italy. Taormina is an expensive theme park of a village. Catania is real Italy. Big port, walks around the city show some of its former grandeur. Syracuse is much nicer and falls midway between the two in terms of experience.

central catania is great, beyond the centre a bit of dump. Syracuse was more like that, nicer centro storico, more of a dump away from it although with a bit more Ancient Rome scattered about. Taormina is ye olde italia theme park (also a total nightmare to drive a van round in) but definitely worth a wander round in. Gets busy though The Greco Roman amphitheatre is a must do and allow plenty of time for it because you’ll need to soak up the view down the coast which will stay with you for a long time.
Catania central at night is pretty cool. The town is built of the lava stone that destroyed the city centuries ago so many buildings are black faced with white on cornerstones and sills making it very gothic. A trip to the top of Etna is the must do thing here.

I’d be looking at at least a day in all 3 probably based in Catania because it’s between Taormina and Syracuse. Trains are excellent and if you fancy a day in Naples, you can overnight on the sleeper (train gets on the ferry to cross the straits of Messina)

I’ll be driving up the coast in a couple of months and wil visit Taormina again but dump the van on the outskirts (IIRC there’s a park & ride between the autostrada and town proper)

It’s OK for a couple of days/nights, and a good place to do trips from as others have said. Taormina is cruise ship tourist hell with not a huge amount to see, Syracuse (particualrly Ortigia) is much nicer.

How long are you thinking of going for? And why were you thinking of Catania?

loads of hire cars straight from the airport, pick the smallest you can get because Sicily is full of narrow streets and crazy parking in the towns etc

Syracuse, Avola, Noto are all good. Don’t expect everyone to speak loads of English, but If you make they effort they will too 🙂