March 2025. We’re embarking on a train trip to Sicily. We fly from Brussels Airport to Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport with ITA Airways. Then we take an Intercity Notte sleeper train by Trenitalia from Roma Termini Railway Station across Italy to Syracuse. Yes, the train is loaded on a ferry to cross the Strait of Messina. After visiting Syracuse, Catania and Palermo, we return to Rome, and home. With 25,832 km², Sicily is only 20% smaller than Belgium (30,689 km²). Quite a lot in four days.

With this Sicily trip, we ticked off a box on the wish list: the train on the ferry. Even if in the end we didn’t wake up for it or stayed awake on the way back. And in Rome, we were able to do something ‘new’ to us: the EUR neighbourhood. Esposizione Universale Roma.

Photos illustrating this blogpost were taken in Rome, mostly after we visited EUR. 

As usual when we round-up trip reports, we sum a few things which struck us.

Pizza, no pizza?

In Palermo we had to actively search for pizza. That’s right, many restaurants we lunched or dined at, didn’t have pizza! Imagine that. 

Gesticulate?

Italians are famous for gesticulating while speaking. We didn’t notice. Maybe because it blend in with the landscape.

The South is not the North

Few men in dark blue suits, which seems to be de rigueur as business attire in Northern Italy. No, we saw many guys in tracksuits or sweatpants. Long white strings are popular. So are black puffer jackets. 

Car is king

Pedestrian friendly? No, the car is king in Italy. In Rome and in Sicily.

Primi e secondi piatti 

First courses, which are mostly pasta, and second courses are priced similarly.

Park your villa

Villa in Italian can also designate a park, we learned. Villa Borghese in Rome or the Villa Giulia in Palermo. Good to know. 

Trenitalia is good

Trenitalia does a good job. We expected old trains in Sicily. None of it. Modern rolling stock, with a striking livery and fun names. 

Beware the timetable is not cadenced. Which you don’t have a train every fifteen minutes, every half our or even every hour. Sometimes the next train is over 2h20 or something.

Out of season is a good idea

Danny does not function well in the heat and Timothy less than he used to. So going to the Mediterranean outside the warm(est) months is a very good idea. Something we’ll continue doing. 

So?

We enjoyed this trip. We did a lot, but it was less cramped than Andalusia in 2023. 

Sicily & Rome 2025

1. REVIEW | Brussels Airport Diamond Lounge at A-Gates.
2. REVIEW | ITA Airways Business Class Brussels to Rome.
3. ROME | Afternoon tea at Hotel Hassler Roma on top of the Spanish Steps.
4. REVIEW | Trenitalia Intercity Notte in Superior (Excelsior) Class.
5. SICILY | Neapolis Archeological Park of Syracuse.
6. SYRACUSE | Ortygia.
7. REVIEW | Boutique Hotel Caportigia Syracuse.
8. SICILY | Catania.
9. ITALY | Trains in Sicily.
10. REVIEW | NH Palermo.
11. SICILY | Palermo Cathedral.
12. PALERMO | Palazzo dei Normanni, the Royal Palace of the Normans in Sicily.
13. PALERMO | Palazzo Butera in the Kalsa neighbourhood.
14. SICILY | Palermo.
15. SICILY | Syracuse – Catania – Palermo + Agrigento – Taormina – Cefalù.
16. REVIEW | Trenitalia Intercity Notte in Deluxe Class.
17. ROME | Exploring EUR or Esposizione Universale Roma.
18. REVIEW | Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese.
19. REVIEW | ITA Airways The Hangar Lounge Rome.
20. REVIEW | ITA Airways Business Class Rome to Brussels.