The Big Island's Big Budget Road Trip

Although Hawaii tourism has been on a slightly downward slope in the past decade, you would never know it by the prices some hotels charge for their rooms. Families have lamented the fact that the 50th State is being priced out of their reach, and with rising costs of airfares and goods and service in the islands, some budget travelers now bypass Hawaii altogether. But worry not! We've rounded up a gaggle of current room deals that make Aloha-land happily affordable. Let's first look at one statewide promotion. Ohana is a hotel brand that is well-known to Hawaii tourists -- there are 45 Ohana hotels in the entire Pacific, and the decent, clean, and convenient chain (similar to Holiday Inn) is found on Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island. Right now, their SimpleSaver program offers promotional rates from $69 to $119 depending on the hotel and room grade, and that price includes a Fun is Fundamental program where each room gets a scratch-and-win card for instant prizes, and if you stay for five nights you also get a free catamaran cruise thrown in as well (a $30 value). Call 800/462-6262 or surf to ohanahotels.com. Home away from home Oahu The Aston Honolulu Prince Hotel in Honolulu is a 10-story hotel near the world-famous International Marketplace, and just a short stroll away from golden Waikiki Beach. The establishment comes with laundry facilities, a sports bar, and a barber/beauty shop (to help get the sand out of your hair). Parking (a luxury in cramped Waikiki) is available at $9 per day -- a local bargain. And families rejoice! Children under 18 years old stay free if they occupy existing bedding (rollaways and cribs are available upon request at additional charge). And did we mention the price? Until the end of August, Discover Wholesale Travel (866/215-4625, discoverwholesaletravel.com) is offering seven nights at the hotel for just $199! Call now -- this promo could be booked up by the time you get to it. Another Oahu deal is at The Hawaii Prince, the only hotel in Waikiki with its own golf course. Designed by golf legends Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay, the Hawaii Prince Golf Club provides 27 holes of championship play, with over 270 acres with magnificent views of the picturesque Waianae mountains. The unique nine-hole layouts create a variety of playing experience for all skill levels. Right now (though the end of November) you can golf your brains out with unlimited tee times (with cart) and three nights' oceanfront marina room for $583 per person based on double occupancy. That's great when considering that double rooms usually go for $310 a night themselves. This deal is available through Apple Vacations (applevacations.com), which is bookable through travel agents. On to Maui Sun Trips (800-SunTrips, suntrips.com) is one of the largest packagers to the islands, and now offers a $599 air/hotel package until the end of the month, staying at the three-star Maui Islander. You get five nights there, and you can add a rental car for $150 for five nights as well. You have to book by Aug 30, for the departure dates of Sept 11 to 15, 25-29, and Oct 2-6. A catch: Sun Trips only offers this deals from Oakland, CA, so you need to get yourself there. Big savings, big island On the Big Island, home to the popular Volcanoes National Park, you'll find two large, decent hotels on the Kona Coast on the western side of the island: King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel (800/367-6060, konabeachhotel.com) and the Royal Kona Resort (800/222-5642, royalkona.com). They are two old standards on the island that have been there for a few decades, but are still quite decent. The former is located right in front of the finish line of the famous annual Ironman International Triathalon, and fronts the only sandy beach in the area, as well as an authentic oceanfront Hawaiian temple. The 460-room hotel also features three restaurants, tennis courts, swimming pool with a whirlpool spa and sauna, a Hawaiian activity center, beauty salon and the only air-conditioned shopping mall in Kona! Their "Paradise on Wheels" package for $148 gets you a mountain-view hotel room, compact rental car, breakfast for two, 10 percent dining discount for parties up to 10 at any of the hotel restaurants, free local telephone calls, free hotel parking, and free tennis court usage. (Normal room rates alone are about $135.) The 452-room Royal Kona Resort was once a Hilton, and you can't mistake the hotel's distinct ski-jump profile. The property has recently refurbished its rooms, and all have balconies, most with some sort of ocean view. There's a natural salt-water swimming lagoon and sandy sunning area, a split-level freshwater pool, four tennis courts, the Lotus Center Massage and Spa, on-property shops, wedding services, affordable open-air, oceanfront dining and entertainment at the Windjammer Lounge and Tropics Café, and Kona's oceanfront Lava, Legends & Legacies Luau. Royal Kona offers a similar "Hawaii Bound Package" for $129 a night, which gives you a room, a full-American breakfast and an economy rental car. So what are you waiting for? Hop on a jet airliner and frolic your days away in Aloha-land for less.

Come January, when the holidays are history and the novelty of the first fallen snowflake wears off, many Midwesterners are likely to start daydreaming of warmer climes. So, if you live in Peoria and feel the need to shed your parka or in Toledo and can't wait to tan, you may want to listen up, because there's hope on the horizon. Hope's name: Hawaii. It's far, real far, but most who've touched down or visited any of its eight main islands (or even its smaller juts of land), would say Hawaii is worth the trip. Situated smack dab in the Pacific Ocean some five hours by air from the mainland US, it can hardly be considered a getaway destination, a place to hop to for the weekend, but then again why not? Admitted to the Union in 1959, the Aloha State delivers the vacation goods on so many fronts. Western, Asian and Polynesian influences combine to create a compelling and distinctly unique island culture that caters to locals, businesspeople, and tourists equally -- striking a delicate singular balance between Kahuku papaya farming, honeymoons, trade shows, and surfer competitions. Over the past 30 years in particular, the tide of tourism has helped raise awareness of Hawaii worldwide, but some would say it's also taken its toll by trading local traditions in the name of economic gain. However, Hawaii's magnetism still remains strong, especially if you venture off the beaten path. While the deals we've found for you don't necessarily take you to Hawaii's hidden corners, they do provide an easy and affordable way to soothe the soul with palm tree-lined beaches and loads of vitamin D. So, pack your bags Midwesterners, and don't forget your bathing suits. Bundled up or baking in the sun? No doubt in an effort to appeal to those already knee-deep in snow, Northwest Airline World Vacations is offering package deals to Oahu, Hawaii for travel in January, February and March from a handful of Midwestern gateways: Chicago, Detroit, and Minneapolis. The vacation arm of the airline is bundling roundtrip airfare on Northwest Airlines from these Midwestern gateways with your choice of three or six nights accommodation at either the Ohana Waikiki Surf Hotel or the Aston Aloha Surf Hotel, both in downtown Waikiki. The hotel low-down The Ohana Waikiki Surf Hotel features a tropical garden pool, kitchenettes in every room, and a spa, however while it's close, it's not on the beach, and there's no restaurant on the premises. Its location on Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki guarantees that you'll find plenty of dining options nearby. The newly renovated (now with surf motif) Aston Aloha Surf Hotel is also not a beachfront property, but it does sit four short blocks away. There's a decent sized pool here, and complimentary continental breakfast available to guests each morning. The price is nice The most affordable vacation up for grabs is from Chicago (departing any Thursday between Jan 5-29, 2003) at $588, which includes roundtrip airfare and three nights accommodation at the Ohana Waikiki Surf hotel. Singles, unfortunately, pay double the quoted cost, but the good news is that it is possible to add extra nights. The cost of the same vacation mentioned above with four additional nights is $882. Vacation prices vary slightly (between $588 and $788) depending on dates and number of nights, with the midweek departures coming in on the cheaper end. Here are a few examples of specific quotes: Chicago $588 -- Jan 5-29, Thursday, 3 nights at Ohana $684 -- Jan 5-29, Tue-Thur, 6 nights at Ohana $624 -- Feb 2-26, Mon, 3 nights at Ohana $735 -- Feb3-25, Tue-Thur, 6 nights at Ohana $624 -- Mar 1-25, Tue-Thur, 6 nights at Aston Aloha $735 -- Mar 1-31, Tue-Thur, 6 nights at Aston Aloha Detroit $666 -- Jan 5-29, Thursday, 3 nights at Ohana $762 -- Jan 5-29, Tue-Thur, 6 nights at Ohana $677 -- Feb 2-26, Mon, 3 nights at Ohana $788 -- Feb 3-25, Tue-Thur, 6 nights at Ohana $677 -- Mar 1-25, Tue-Thur, 6 nights at Aston Aloha $788 -- Mar 1-31, Tue-Thur, 6 nights at Aston Aloha Minneapolis/St. Paul $664 -- Jan 5-29, Thursday, 3 nights at Ohana $760 -- Jan 5-29, Tue-Thur, 6 nights at Ohana $675 -- Feb 2-26, Mon, 3 nights at Ohana $786 -- Feb 3-25, Tue-Thur, 6 nights at Ohana $675 -- Mar 1-25, Tue-Thur, 6 nights at Aston Aloha $786 -- Mar 1-31, Tue-Thur, 6 nights at Aston Aloha

For the rest of your life, you'll remember how the golden reflection of the setting sun painted everything in a warm, rose-colored hue. And the intoxicating aroma of tropical blossoms wafting through the balmy air, and the whispering melody from the waving palm fronds as the officiant said those magic words: "I now pronounce you husband and wife." Hawaii's gentle climate and exotic ambiance create the perfect romantic atmosphere for a wedding to remember and a great setting for the honeymoon you've always dreamed about. But equally important, it is possible to get married in the islands without spending a fortune and enjoy an inexpensive honeymoon without depleting your new joint bank account. You just have to be willing to do a little of the legwork yourself. THE PAPERWORK TO MAKE IT LEGAL For the legal paperwork, contact the Honolulu Marriage License Office, State Department of Health Building, 1250 Punchbowl St., Honolulu, HI 96813 (808/586-4545 or 4544, state.hi.us/doh/records/vr_marri.html; open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Hawaiian standard time). They'll mail you their brochure, "Getting Married," and direct you to a marriage licensing agent close to wherever you'll be staying in Hawaii. And who are these agents? They range from private individuals working out of their homes to government employees in a state office building who will help you with the required paperwork. When you arrive in Hawaii, you and your prospective spouse must go together to the marriage licensing agent to get the license. It costs $60 (cash) and is good for 30 days; if you don't have the ceremony within the time allotted, you'll have to pay another $60 for another license. The only requirements for a marriage license are that both parties be 18 years of age and not more closely related than first cousins. But contrary to what you may have gathered from the media, gay couples cannot marry in Hawaii. The state supreme court ruled last year that a marriage license can be issued only to an opposite sex couple. FINDING SOMEONE TO PERFORM THE CEREMONY The local marriage licensing agents are usually friendly, helpful people who can steer you to someone who's licensed by the state of Hawaii to perform the ceremony, whether you're looking for a minister of a certain denomination or a plain ol' justice of the peace. (However, some marriage licensing agents are state employees and under law cannot recommend anyone with a religious affiliation; they can only give you phone numbers for local judges to perform the ceremony.) Another option is to look in the local newspapers on the island where you want to have the wedding. People willing and qualified to conduct weddings often advertise in the classifieds. They're great sources of information, as they know the best places to have the ceremony and can recommend caterers, florists, and everyone else you'll need. Contact the subscription or circulation departments of the following local newspapers for the latest classifieds: On Oahu, write or call the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterford Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana, Honolulu, HI 96813 (808/524-4700); or the Honolulu Advertiser, 605 Kapiola Boulevard, Honolulu, 96813. On Maui, get a copy of The Maui News, P.O. Box 550, Wailuku, HI 96793 (808/244-3981); on the Kona side of the Big Island, look in West Hawaii Today, P.O. Box 789, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 (808/329-9311); on the Hilo side of the Big Island, check with the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, P.O. Box 767, Hilo, HI 96721 (808/935-6621); and on Kauai, contact the Garden Island, P.O. Box 231, Lihue, HI 96766 (808/245-3681). Another resource is online: the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau's site, gohawaii.com, has a section on weddings and honeymoons in the islands that includes a honeymoon planner, a wedding service fact sheet, and a list of related vendors (coordinators, photographers, florists, etc., who are members of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau). HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? The best way to save money on your ceremony is to do all the paperwork yourself and negotiate a fee with the person licensed by the state to perform the ceremony. Fees range from a donation (let your conscience be your guide, but most "suggested" donations range from $50 to $150) to specific fees set by the marriage officiant. If you need a little help planning the festivities but can't afford a fancy wedding planner, here is our pick -- on every island other than Kauai -- of the people licensed to perform marriage ceremonies (some have their own wedding consulting companies). For a minimal fee (note: the $60 licensing fee is extra), they'll officiate a low-cost ceremony and help you out with the paperwork. (Note that we scoured the island of Kauai but couldn't find anyone who meets these criteria charging less than $150.) On Oahu, contact Rev. Jerry Le Lesch and Rev. Toni Baran (44-160 Kou Pl., Suite 2, Kaneohe, HI 96744, 808/235-6966, lovehawaii.com), who have been performing weddings since 1985. For $95, they will coordinate your license and perform the ceremony (they even know some great spots to get married for free). On the Big Island, we recommend Rev. Libby Kelson-Fulcher (P.O. Box 4965, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745, 808/322-3322, weddingsalaheart.com), who can perform both traditional ceremonies (including Jewish weddings) and customized ceremonies. She charges $175 for officiating the ceremony and also offers a "Simply Hawaiian" package for $395 that includes coordinating the wedding license, finding a site, helping you design the ceremony, performing the vows, providing two traditional leis, and assisting in any other details. On Maui, call Rev. Linda Stevens (2162 Kahookele St., Wailuku, HI 96793, 808/280-6137) who has a basic "minister only" plan that includes arranging for the license, suggesting sites, and performing the wedding for a reasonable amount. FREE ROMANTIC TROPICAL SITES FOR YOUR CEREMONY More than 20,000 marriages a year are performed in the islands in a range of places: near the gentle wash of the waves on a beach at sunset, alongside a tumbling waterfall at dawn, atop a wind-swept bluff overlooking the ocean, deep in a rain forest jungle, and even in more traditional settings, like a church, synagogue, or mosque. If you don't have your heart set on a big church wedding, you can save a lot of money by tying the knot in one of Hawaii's magnificent outdoor settings. If you pick wisely, you can have the location absolutely free. One example of a dream wedding site is Kapiolani Beach Park on Oahu. Not only is it free but your wedding photos can have Waikiki Beach in the background in one shot and, from another angle, the famous Diamond Head volcano in the next shot, letting everyone know just where you celebrated your wedding. Hawaii's state and county beaches and parks allow you to have your ceremony there at no cost; however, you must fill out some paperwork to obtain the necessary permits. DREAMY INEXPENSIVE HONEYMOON ACCOMMODATIONS When the ceremony is over, the honeymoon begins, and what better place to honeymoon than in sensuous Hawaii? It's not necessary to go into hock to have a sumptuous honeymoon in the islands. Our picks of low-cost but romantic sites at which to spend your honeymoon (or to stash the relatives for a few days before or after the ceremony) include these: On Oahu, head for the relative serenity of the North Shore, where exotic flowers bloom in dazzling colors, the fragrance of the rolling ocean fills the air, and the glitter of thousands of stars beckons romance at night. For a honeymoon on the beach, "Auntie" Alice Tracy has been welcoming newlyweds for decades at her oceanside Ke Iki Hale, a collection of one- and two-bedroom cottages and duplexes right on the beach. Located between two legendary surf sites (Waimea Bay and the Banzai Pipeline), her units face a 200-foot stretch of white sand beach, and although none is new and furnishings are modest, each one is immaculately clean, homey, and comfortable. Perfect for honeymooners, with no phone and no television to distract you, only that great beach outside and the two of you inside. The cottages start at just $65 (59-579 Ke Iki Rd., Haleiwa, HI 96712, 808/638-8229). Another inexpensive site on the North Shore, and a great place to stash the family, is the Best Inn Hukilau. This small (49 units), two-story, plantation-style hotel is within walking distance of the Polynesian Cultural Center and just across the street from a secluded white sand beach. The rooms are fairly standard, with two king, queen, or double beds, TV, phone, air-conditioning, small refrigerator, and coffeemaker and microwave on request. All the rooms overlook the swimming pool and barbecue/picnic area. Guests include lots of families, although Craig Huish, the general manager, says they get their share of honeymooners because the hotel is so close to the Mormon Temple in Laie. The units start at just $89 and include continental breakfast (55-109 Laniloa St., Laie, HI 96762, 800/526-4562, laieinn.com). On the Big Island, we recommend spending your honeymoon in Kona, where it's perpetually sunny and the ocean is calm 350 days a year. The best deal for a boutique hotel right on the ocean is the Kona Tiki Hotel, located about a mile from downtown Kailua-Kona (close enough to enjoy the nightlife but far enough away to have peace and quiet). The rooms feature ceiling fans (with those ocean breezes, you don't need air-conditioning), mini-refrigerators, and spacious lanais (porches) to take in the view. What the rooms do not have are televisions or phones, but on your honeymoon, who cares? Rates start at $59 ($79 if you want a kitchenette) and include free continental breakfast by the swimming pool every morning (75-5968 Aln Dr., Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, 808/329-1425). If you want to leave the relatives at the Kona Tiki and seek out a more intimate location for the two of you, contact the Hawaii Island Bed and Breakfast Association (P.O. Box 1890, Honokaa, HI 96727, stayhawaii.com), which offers a range of options starting as low as $45 a night. The sun-kissed shores of Kihei in south Maui offer honeymooners a tropical vacation at rates that won't break the bank. In the summer (June-September), you can get a one-bedroom unit at Kihei Kai for as low as $85 ($85 to $95 in the low season, mid-April to mid-December, and $95 to $105 in the high season, mid-December to mid-April). Inside, each unit includes a fully equipped kitchen, and outside there's a sandy cove that's great for swimming. Located on the north end of Kihei, just minutes from restaurants, shopping, and a four-mile string of white sand beaches, these spacious chambers are large enough to sleep four if you have relatives coming to your wedding and also have wide lanais, televisions, phones, and air-conditioning (61 N. Kihei Rd., Kihei, HI 96753, 877/778-7717, maui.net/kiheikai). The lush garden isle of Kauai, with its rim of white sand beaches circling the island, variety of ocean activities, and tropical jungle landscape, offers affordable accommodations at centrally located Garden Island Inn, an intimate hotel surrounded by tropical flowers and banana and papaya trees. Just ten minutes from the airport and within easy driving distance to all the attractions on Kauai, this hotel is a great location for honeymooners who want to get out and experience the island. Most rooms have a refrigerator, microwave, coffeemaker, air-conditioning, television, phone, and ocean view, and prices start at $75-$125 double (3445 Wilcox Rd., Lihue, HI 96766, 800/648-0154, gardenislandinn.com). If you have relatives coming for the wedding who are more interested in saving money than having tropical surroundings, two low-cost motels close-by are the Tip Top Motel (3173 Akahi St., Lihue, HI 96766, 808/245-2333), where all rooms are $50 double, and Motel Lani (P.O. Box 1836, Lihue, HI 96766, 808/245-2965), where rooms start at $38. Whatever your dreams are, and no matter how tight your budget is, Hawaii can make those dreams come true. A little pre-planning, plus a little legwork, will pay off in a memorable but affordable wedding and honeymoon. SPECTACULAR WEDDING SITES FOR FREE If you envision your Hawaiian wedding on a long white sand beach with emerald-green water offshore, the spot for you is Hapuna State Beach, near Kawaihae, on the Big Island, and the cost for use of the beach is absolutely nothing. Or if you want your wedding on Kauai, one of the most spectacular settings is Hanalei County Beach Park, where the juxtaposition of the steep, verdant Bali Hai cliffs against the creamy white sand and azure water causes first-time visitors to gasp in awe. The cost for using this dramatic beachfront for your wedding is zero. Or if your heart is set on a Maui wedding, the sound of the crashing waves and singing birds can be the background to a dawn ceremony in the tropical jungle of Hana's Waianapanapa State Park. Cost for the site: free. However, you must fill out the paperwork for the permits first. To use a state park or state beach park, contact the District Office of the State Divisions of Parks on the island where you plan to have the ceremony and request a special-use permit for a wedding ceremony: Oahu, P.O. Box 621, Honolulu, HI 96809, 808/587-0300; Big Island, P.O. Box 936, Hilo, HI 96721, 808/974-6200; Maui, 54 S. High St., Suite 101, Wailuku, HI 96793; 808/984-8109; Kauai, 3060 Eiwa St., Suite 306, Lihue, HI 96766; 808/274-3444. If you desire a county beach park and you plan to use it just for a ceremony, you may not need a permit. However, if you would like to use a park facility (like a pavilion), then you will need a permit. Most permits require a custodial deposit, which will be refunded if you clean up the site after you are done. For more information on use of county parks, contact: City and County of Honolulu (the entire island of Oahu): 650 S. King St., First Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813, 808/523-4527; Big Island of Hawaii: 25 Aupuni St., Hilo, HI 96720, 808/961-8311; Maui: 1580-C Kaahumanu Ave., Wailuku, HI 96793, 808/270-7389; Kauai: 4444 Rice St., Lihue, HI 96766, 808/241-6660. Jeanette Foster is a Hawaii resident (of 25 years) and co-author of numerous best-selling guidebooks to the islands.

The mountain had been rumbling all day, but it wasn't until the setting sun sent sparkling streamers of light across the azure waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea that Stromboli's fireworks began. With a primal roar and a boom that shook the entire island, the smaller of the cones inside the crater below us exploded in fire, spewing molten lava hundreds of feet into the air. We just stood there on the volcano's rim, too dumbstruck to grope for our cameras. As the red glow faded and the magma spattered back to earth like fat raindrops, I turned to my friend: "Welcome to Sicily." A choice of the year 2000? Where in Italy can you beat the dense Holy Year crowds this year, when the papal jubilee is packing Rome with an estimated 29 million pilgrims and tourists, and other major destinations like Florence and Venice are catching much of the overflow? Flee to Italy's best-kept secret: Sicily, a land of colorful folklore, remarkable food and wine, welcoming people, and a richly layered culture born from 2,500 years of ever-changing rule by Greek city-states, Saracen emirs, Norman kings, Spanish viceroys, and Italian nationalists (the latter only since 1860). Best of all, everything from decent hotel rooms to memorable meals comes at one-third the price of Rome or Venice. The following quick circular tour of the Mediterranean's largest island will give you the inside scoop on how to enjoy the best of Sicily on a rock-bottom budget. We'll hit the chaotic capital of Palermo to seek out its colorful street markets and medieval Norman churches, glittering inside with twelfth-century mosaics. We'll clamber about the world's best-preserved Greek temples at Agrigento, explore the ancient and medieval sights of bustling Siracusa, and relax on a budget in two very different resorts: pricey, popular Taormina and the little-known gem of Cefalu. Palermo Sicily's capital is dirty, chaotic, and fascinating. It's well worth a day or three rooting amid the padlocked churches and crumbling baroque palazzi to discover this decaying city's sight-seeing gems, but Palermo does not invite lingering. Nineteenth-century cafes and Arab-style palaces stand alongside the charred shells of buildings bombed during World War II, a testament to a city long paralyzed by Mafia-corrupted bureaucracy (though things are finally changing thanks to crusading magistrates and mayors). This is not a city prettied up for tourism, but that only makes it a more genuine slice of Italy. You just have to be ready for a Palermo that's as much rough port city as historic capital. Nightfall brings out the opera-goers and open-air puppet theaters, but also the prostitutes and addicts (especially in the Old Center around the train station). Churches, markets and catacombs By daylight, however, Palermo's cultural riches are yours to discover. Luckily, most of the city's great sights are free, including dozens of churches, elaborately stuccoed chapels, and fountains-the grandest, on Piazza Pretoria, was christened by scandalized locals the Fontana della Vergogna, or "fountain of shame," for the leers of its brazenly nude sculptures. Sicily's enlightened eleventh- and twelfth-century Norman conquerors built grand churches, adapting them to local Arabic and Greek Orthodox cultures by capping them with pink mosque-like domelets and wrapping the interiors in shimmering gold- and silver-backed Byzantine mosaics. The best mosaics reside in the jewel box-like Capella Palatina, tucked away in the Palazzo dei Normanni on Piazza Indipendenza, and in La Martorana church on Piazza Bellini. For sheer glittering volume, though, visit the hillside cathedral of Monreale, swathed with more than 68,000 feet of mosaics, the elaborate columns of its beautiful cloisters (admission $2.15) topped by fantastically carved capitals. Take bus 389 from Piazza Indipendenza. For a mosaics break, visit the romantic ruins of pink-domed San Giovanni degli Eremiti, planted with a jungle of jasmine, Indian fig, palm, and bougainvillea (Via d. Benedettini; $2.15). Or head to Palermo's Regional Art Gallery to admire the Madonna Annunciate by Antonello da Messina (Sicily's only great Renaissance master) and a macabre fifteenth-century fresco of the Triumph of Death (Via Alloro 4; $4.30). As much a sightseeing attraction as any church or museum are Palermo's vibrant street markets, ranging from the food-and-secondhand-junk stalls of Ballar (centered on Piazza Carmine, Piazza Casa Professa, and Piazza S. Chiara) to the "it fell off the back of the truck" clothing and CD carts of Capo (lining Via Bandiera/Via S. Agostino, with food stalls on Via P. Carini/Via B. Paoli, of Via Volturno). The famed La Vucciria market-where the fishmonger stands are piled high with swordfish and sea urchins, and the local bars serve 30 glasses of wine-fills the sunken streets north of Via V. Emanuele and west of Via Roma with a jumble of colorful awnings. Prefer the offbeat? Ranks of semi-mummified eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Palermitani dressed in the decaying rags of their Sunday best line the basement walls of the creepy Catacombe del Convento dei Cappuccini, including a two-year-old so preternaturally well-preserved she's been dubbed the "Sleeping Beauty" (Via d. Cappuccini 2, several long blocks west from Piazza Indipendenza; $2.70). Get off the tourist path by following Italian pilgrims up the misty 2,000-foot northern headland of Monte Pellegrino to the surreal, pew-filled cave shrine of child-saint Santa Rosalia, whose holy remains are believed to have miraculously stopped plagues. The cavern's mineral drippings are collected as holy water by a crazy cobweb of flat metal troughs on the ceiling, and everything in the gift shop has been preblessed for your convenience. Take bus 812 from the Politeama/Piazza L. Sturzo. Palermo pensioni Most Palermo hotels are of the lovably rickety, sagging-bedsprings persuasion. The "New City" (north of Via Cavour) is safer, if blander, than the tangled streets of the rough-but-characterful Old Center (dicey after dark). My top New City pick is timeworn Principe di Belmonte, whose huge rooms suffer only from uninspired furnishings and limited hot water (Via Principe di Belmonte 25; 091-331-065, fax 091-611-3424; $49, apartments with kitchenette $62-$78). Tiny, simple Petit roosts above a lively pedestrianized block of cafes and bars (Via Principe di Belmonte 84; 091-323-616, $29). In the Old Center you might sleep easier in the high-ceilinged rooms of family-run Sausele, near the station, knowing that Eva the Saint Bernard guards the door (Via E. Errante 12; 091-616-1308, fax 091-616-1308; $65). Just off Piazza Marina, with its caf,s and exotic park, sits creaky old Letiza (Via dei Bottai 30; tel. and fax 091-589-110; $39 without bath, $44 with bath and TV). Some rooms at recently overhauled Cortese (Via Scarparelli 16; tel. and fax 091-331-722; $29 without bath, $34 with) overlook the noisy but colorful Ballar market . Capital meals on a cheapskate's budget Since 1834, Palermo's budget eatery of choice has been Antica Focacceria San Francesco, with its fresh stuffed focaccia panini for $1.60-$4 (Via A. Paternostro 58/Piazza San Francesco d'Assisi, two blocks south of Via V. Emanuele; 091-320-264). Palermo's best set-price menus (wine included) are at Da Massimo-two courses of home cooking for $6.50, three courses for $10.80 (Via Discesa dei Giudici 24, between Piazza Bellini and Via Roma; 091-616-7520; closed Thursday)-and at tiny, family-run Enzo, with a $8.30 lunch menu or la carte pasta and meat courses for just $2.80 (Via Maurolico 19, one block west of the train station; 091-617-720). Dock workers and shopkeepers have crowded the communal tables at Osteria Fratelli Lo Bianco for more than 90 years to chow down on $2.70 ravioli and $5 swordfish involtini (Via E. Amari 104, off Via Roma; 091-585-816; closed Sunday). Ask any local: Palermo's best pizza costs a mere $2.70-$6.50 at Pizzeria Italia; expect a line (Via Orolorgio 54, off Piazza Verdi at Via Maqueda; 091-589-885; closed on Mondays). Agrigento Halfway between the hilltop city of Agrigento and the sea lies a ridge carpeted with olives and almond trees. Along its top is strung a trio of remarkable Doric temples crafted from honey-colored stone and dating from the fifth century B.C. At their center stands the Temple of Concord, the best preserved ancient Greek building in the world. Agrigento's vast archaeological park, called the Valley of the Temples, is divided into four sections, the most spectacular of which contains those three temples (admission to this section is free). A road snakes from the town down through the valley, serviced by buses 1, 2, and 3 from the train station (train from Palermo: two hours, $10). The bus's first stop is 300 yards before the temples at the entrances to two of the park's other sections: the insula romana (excavated remains from the city's Roman era preserving some floor mosaics; also free), and the archaeological museum across the street ($4.30; closed Sunday except in August). The museum's star is a worn, 25-foot stone telamon (man-shaped column) that once graced the world's largest Greek temple, the Olympieion - now merely a massive pile of rubble in the park's fourth and least impressive section ($2.15; its entrance is across the street from that of the main temples). Affordable Agrigento accommodations You'll have to book ahead for Agrigento's choice family-run hotel, the modest but homey Concordia (Piazza S. Francesco 11; tel. and fax 0922-596-266; $38). If they're full, ask the Belvedere for one of rooms 32-35, which have views of the Valley of Temples (Via S. Vito 20; tel. and fax 0922-20-051; $37). In a pinch the Bella Napoli offers pokey college-dorm-style rooms a ten-minute walk from the center (Piazza Lena 6; tel. and fax 0922-20-435; $31). A picnic fit for the gods Nothing beats a picnic at the temples (amazing at sunset); pick up supplies in town at the minimarket on Via Atenea or the string of grocers, fruit stands, and pastry shops along Via Pirandello. The tastiest cheap eats in town are the full home-cooked meals starting around $11 at Hotel Concordia's La Forchetta (Piazza S. Francesco 11, follow Via Pirandello from the main square; 0922-596-266; closed Sunday). Siracusa (Syracuse) Siracusa has a friendly, laid-back atmosphere quite unlike the rough character of most Sicilian cities. This southeastern coastal burg (train from Palermo: five-and-a-half hours, $15) incorporates as its center an island called Ortigia, graced with medieval streets, seafront promenades, and classy caf,s. But Siracusa is far older than Ortigia lets on, and its greatest sight lies on the mainland. During the fifth century B.C. golden age, Magna Graecia (Greater Greece) extended across southern Italy, and the important trading center of Siracusa counted among its citizens the great Plato as well as the philosopher Archimedes, who developed calculus and hit upon the scientific concept of water displacement while taking a bath (whereupon he supposedly ran naked through Siracusa's streets shouting "Eureka!" Greek for "I've found it!"). The plays of Aeschylus premiered 2,500 years ago at the world's largest Greek theater, a vast semicircle of pale gray stone remarkably well-preserved and still used for summertime performances under the stars. It's the centerpiece of the excellent Archaeological Park of Neapolis, off Corso Gelone/Viale Teracrati ($2.15). Near the Museo Archeologico Paolo Orsi, one of Italy's premier archaeological museums (Via Teocrito 66; $4.30; September to May: closed Monday, second and fourth Sunday of each month, and afternoons), lie the Catacombs of San Giovanni, a web of spooky tunnels niched with early Christian tombs hidden beneath the roofless, flower-filled ruins of a Norman church ($2.15; closed Tuesday). Across the bridge on Ortigia you can visit an unusual cathedral converted from a fifth-century B.C. temple to Athena by simply walling up the spaces between the ancient columns and slapping on a baroque facade-and admire the Antonella da Messina and Caravaggio paintings in the regional art museum of Palazzo Bellomo (at Via Capodieci and Via Roma; $4.30; closed afternoons except in July and August). Myth holds that, to escape a lustful river god, a nymph metamorphosed into the spring that feeds the tranquil seaside pond Fonte Aretusa, which sprouts with the only wild Egyptian papyrus in Europe, an ancient gift from Ptolemy II. Sleeping in Siracusa Top honors go to the only budget hotel on Ortigia, family-run Gran Bretagna, which has frescoed ceilings in some rooms (Via Savoia 21; tel. and fax 0931-68-765, fax 0931-462-169; breakfast included, $46 without bath, $52 with). The spare Arethusa is near the train station-comfy and friendly, but a 20-minute hike from everything (Via F. Crispi 75; tel. and fax 0931-24-211; breakfast included, $36 without bath, $42 with). The modern and pleasant Bellavista is a ten-minute walk behind the archaeological park (Via D. Siculo 4; 0931-411-355, fax 0931-37-927; $85). In considering any other hotel, try to avoid the dank, dingy backpacker flophouses lining Corso Gelone between the station and Ortigia. Dining in Siracusa Dig into hearty $4 portions of more than 20 types of spaghetti at no-nonsense Spaghetteria Do Scogghiu (Via D. Scin... 11, off Piazza Archimede at Corso Matteotti; no phone; closed Monday and December). Sit under the palms on a cobblestone square with a pizza and beer for $6 at Il Cenacolo (Via d. Consolgio Regionale/Corte d. Avolio 9-10, near the cathedral; 0931-65-099). Feast with abandon-courses are $6.50 to $11 each-on scrumptious soups, vegetarian dishes, or fresh meat and fish at quirky La Foglia (Via Capodieci 29, south of Piazza Duomo; 0931-66-233; closed Tuesday). Taormina Sicily's premier resort (three-and-a-half to four-and-a-half hours by train from Palermo; $13) is a flower-fringed tangle of medieval streets and nineteenth-century villas-turned-hotels clinging to a cliff high above the sea. A favorite of the old jet set and the modern packaged tour, this jasmine-scented townscape harbors one breathtaking reminder of its ancient heritage: the hilltop Greek Theater, second in size only to Siracusa's, its stage backed by a panoramic view of the coast below and Mt. Etna smoldering in the near distance ($2.30). Otherwise, come here solely to relax. Despite the suffocating summer tourist crowds, gaudy postcard stands, and overpriced restaurants, Taormina still manages to harbor a heady dose of hedonism and rarefied atmosphere amid the bougainvillea. The town that convinced devoted annual visitor Greta Garbo to retire and inspired D.H. Lawrence to pen Lady Chatterly's Lover-reportedly based on his wife's affair with a local mule driver - continues to deliver a quirky little slice of paradise to those who take the time just to passeggiata the pedestrianized streets. On Via Pirandello is a cable car (five minutes; $1.70) down to the prettiest small beaches of Mazzar and Isola Bella ($5.80 per day for umbrella and chair), and the depot for buses (twenty-five minutes; $1.15) past the train station to the larger and sandier beaches of low-rise modern resort Giardini-Naxos. For a natural thrill, hop the bus (one hour; $5) to Alcantara Gorge, a narrow river chasm 230 feet deep but only 15 wide, where icy waters have shaped the volcanic basalt walls into convoluted, fractured trapezoidal shapes of luminous dark gray. Budget beds among the bougainvillea Taormina hotels are legion; few are reasonable. An exception is tiny, cozy, family-run Villa Gaia (Via Fazzello 34, just up the steps from Piazza del Duomo; tel. and fax 0942-23-185; $62 up to a breakfast-included $83 in August). And if you want to stay right on the main drag, you're also in luck: basic Victoria, Corso Umberto 81 (tel. and fax 0942-23-372; $55 to $72) lies smack in the heart of town but without the high prices to prove it; its prime location means it can get noisy in summer, though. If it's views you're after, try these. Old fashioned pension-style Villa Nettuno (Via Pirandello 33; tel. 0942-23-797, fax 0942-626-035; $52-$62), with terraced gardens that offer fantastic vistas, and the beach cable car is just half a block away. Modern, comfy Corona (Via Roma 7; tel. 0942-23-021, fax 0942-23-022; $41-$78) boasts some askance sea views over a semi-busy road. Taormina trattorie You can get cheap pizza or pile your plate from the vast antipasti spread at hidden La Botte, on tree-shaded Piazza San Domenica 3 (near the Greek Theater; 0942-24-198; closed Mondays, January to May). The best pizza in town, though, is at Vecchia Taormina (Via Ebrei 3; 0942-625-589), its tiny tables spilling over the steps and cobbles of the stone alleys that hide just off the Corso between the Duomo and Porta Catania. At hole-in-the-wall U' Bossu (Via B. Croci 50, Taormina's main car thoroughfare; 0942-23-311; closed Monday-except evenings June to August-and November 15 to March 20), Enzo might soften your bill (two courses with wine start around $14) with a shot of his homemade hot-pepper hooch. Prices are similar at nearby Al Giardino (Via B. Croci 84; tel/fax 0942-23-453; closed November and Thursdays, October to May), where you can enjoy Sebastiano's excellent cooking on a flowering patio. Cefalu Savvy travelers and Italian vacationers who want to avoid the often overpriced and, in summer, far over-touristed resort of Taormina head instead to Cefalu (pronounced chay-faa-LOO). This ancient, overgrown fishing village turned midscale resort nestles in a natural harbor of Sicily's northern coast sheltered by a massive sheer headland (train from Palermo: 45-75 minutes, $3.30). It makes for the perfect break from a trip of intense sight-seeing, with modest beaches and a few low-key attractions to keep boredom at bay. The evening passeggiata through the streets of the old town inevitably leads to a caf, table on the palm-shaded central piazza. Anchoring one end of the square are the twin towers of a mighty 1131 Norman cathedral, sheathed inside with blazing medieval mosaics. From here, stroll down to the pebbly fishing wharf, where scenes from 1989's Cinema Paradiso were filmed. The sandy beaches start just beyond, but the wharf itself always has a few tourists catching some rays in between the beached boats, fishermen mending nets in the shade of Gothic-arched boathouses, and local kids diving off the stone pier. Art buffs can check out the Renaissance painting by Antonello da Messina and Greek vases in the tiny city museum (Via Mandralisca 13, $3.25). For some exercise, follow the trail up the cliff above town; a sturdy hour's hike (shaded in the morning) will bring you to the meager ruins of an ancient temple to Diana, spectacular coastal vistas, and the overgrown remains of a Byzantine fortress. Budget inns the resort spas don't want you to know about The only hotel within the old city is La Giara, with functional furnishings and a friendly welcome (Via Veterani 40; 0921-421-562, fax 0921-422-518; last year prices were $28 in winter, $38-$52 in summer including required half-pension). Just outside the old town, teensy pension Locanda Cangelosi gets dozens of calls daily for its four ancient rooms (Via Umberto I 26; 0921-421-591; $32-$38). A 15-minute hike uphill from the town center, stuffy old Pensione delle Rose has spacious rooms, some with views over the city to the sea (Strada Provinciale Cefalu-Gibilmanna/Via H 2; tel. and fax 0921-421-885; $49-$54). Cheap chow You can dine fine for just $15 to $25 with the set-price menus at refined La Brace (Via 25 Novembre 10, off Corso Ruggero; 0921-423-570; closed Monday). If you prefer a table on the seaside promenade, head to Da Nino for $3.30 pizzas and an $11 fixed-price seafood menu (Via Bagni 11/Lungomare Cefalu; 0921-422-582; closed Tuesday). Or settle for passable food (from $3.30 pizzas; $4.25 pastas) in a stupendous, secluded starlit setting on a terrace over the sea at Lo Scoglio Ubriaco (Via C. Ortolani di Bordonaro 2-4, at the seaward end of Corso Ruggero; 0921-423-370; closed November and January through February and Tuesdays except in summer). Getting around Sicily's train system is slower and less extensive than that in the rest of Italy; buses are often better networked and more comfortable in the summer heat. The bus stop in most towns is a piazza (square) near the train station; buy your tickets at a kiosk or newsstand on the square or, more often, at the nearest bar or tabacchi (tobacconists, marked by a white "T" sign). Renting a car may be worth the expense (three or four people travel cheaper by car than by train) for freedom of exploration and to save the time and frustration of multiple train and bus transfers. Skip the big three and go straight for the better deals from European specialists Europe by Car (212/581-3040 or 800/223-1516), Auto Europe (800/223-5555 or 207/842-2000), or Kemwel Holiday Autos (800/678-0678). Rates fluctuate widely, starting around $120 per week, but mandatory insurance coverage increases the total cost to about $255/week. Pick up the car upon leaving Palermo to avoid the nightmarish city traffic. You get around most cities on foot or by bus; buy tickets (35 -85 ) at a newsstand or tabacchi. Getting to Sicily You can't fly directly from the U.S. to Sicily, so fly first to Rome on any U.S. carrier or Italy's Alitalia (800/223-5730 in the U.S.). Round-trip fares: from New York, $368 (low season) up to $694 (high season); from Chicago, $468-$730; from L.A. or San Francisco $558 to $830. Consolidator and discount flights from New York to Rome can run as low as $307-$440 in low season from Travac (800/872-8800), Air Travel Discounts (800/888-2621), Cheap Tickets (800/377-1000), Travel Avenue (800/333-3335), or Lowestfare.com (888/777-2222). From Rome, the quickest but priciest option to Sicily is by plane to Palermo (1 hour) or Catania (70 minutes), a four-hour, $11 train ride from Siracusa. Though you can't book Air Sicilia (091/625-0566 in Italy) tickets from the U.S., they do offer the cheapest one-way fares: $59-$91 to Palermo, $65-$97 to Catania. Alitalia charges $132 to Palermo (though you can tack the Rome-to-Palermo leg onto your connecting Alitalia flight from the U.S. for an extra $80 or so round-trip). Meridiana (800/275-5566 in the U.S.) flies to Catania for $152-$200. The cheapest route to any Sicilian city is by overnight train (from Rome: 10-13 hours, $36-$66). If you're driving, ferries leave every 20 minutes from Villa San Giovanni in Calabria (the toe of the Italian boot) to Messina, Sicily (25 minutes; $16-$20). In summer, treat yourself to a boat from Naples (train from Rome: two hours, $10.30). April 20 to October 10, "SiciliaJet" hydrofoils (081-761-2348) to Palermo leave Naples' Maritime Stazione at 5:30 p.m. (four hours, $55, or $69 July 24-Sept 12). The overnight ferry (081-720-1111) to Palermo (eight hours, $40 plus $15-$20 sleeping berth), leaves Naples' Maritime Stazione (get off the train at Napoli-Centrale/Piazza Garibaldi and catch tram 1) at 8 p.m. daily. Should you prefer a package or guided tour, Alitalia's Italiatour division (800/845-3365) offers three-night air-and-land packages from March 1 to May 31 starting from $899 to Palermo and a "Treasures of Sicily" nine-day escorted tour from $1,739 that hits (briefly!) every destination in this article. Central Holidays (800/935-5000) runs a similar air-included eight-day "Splendors of Sicily" escorted tour for $1,499 to $1,949, depending on season. And their nine-day "Sicily on Wheels" package deal for $1,439 covers airfare from the U.S., hotels, seven-day car rental, and lets you pick your own itinerary.