The 18 things to do in Sicily

Are you going to visit Sicily and the charms of Italy? Here is our selection of the 18 things to do in Sicily!

The largest island in the Mediterranean Sea – 25,709 km2 – off Calabria and bordered by the Tyrrhenian Sea, Sicily is the largest region of Italy and has a population of 5,032,818 (2017). It is an autonomous region of Italy and is the only Italian province with two of the ten most populous cities in the country: Palermo and Catania.

A leading tourist destination in Europe just three kilometers from the continent, Sicily has a huge historical, cultural and architectural heritage. Anyone who has the chance to come to visit Sicily will soon realize it. Visiting Sicily is discovering an extraordinary island full of resources. All, just 2:30 a.m. from home. A dream climate, heavenly beaches, a traditional cuisine succulent, volcanoes – including the Etna – and mountains for Revive , museums, churches and historic buildings, bars and restaurants where to party: Sicily offers it for all tastes.

So what do you do in Sicily?

1. Zingaro Nature Reserve

Here is a must-see jewel of Sicily: the Zingaro Nature Reserve, located in the Gulf of Castellammare between San Vito Lo Cap and Scopello (Trapani Province). The reserve covers 7 kilometres of coastline, with an area of 1,700 hectares. It houses 650 plant species, of which about forty are endemic and rare. There are 39 species of breeding birds, including the Bonelli Eagle and the Pèlerin Hawk. You will find sublime beaches wet by turquoise, green and crystalline waters. Nature, fauna and flora enthusiasts will be combined: not to miss to visit Sicily!

2. Palermo

The capital of the island is an open-air museum and a mosaic of cultures. A city founded in the 8th century BC by the Phoenicians, Palermo concentrates countless historical buildings with multiple influences: Roman, Byzantine, Muslim, Norman, Germanic, Aragonese, Austrian, Bourbonese and Italian.

To visit Sicily, do not miss to make the Palais des Normands, Catacombes of the Capuchins Palermo Cathedral, Massimo Theatre, Ballaro Market and the Cathedral of Palermo Monreale .

Also take advantage of your visit to Palermo to make a gastronomic tour of the city: through the markets and the street-food stands, discover the culinary traditions of this charming city. Savors guaranteed!

3. Erice

To visit the authentic Sicily, direction Erice. A small medieval village perched 750 metres on the heights of Trapani, Erice is home to heritage sites that are worth a visit. To reach the village and visit it ( ideally enjoy half a day), you have the choice between excursions from other cities of Sicily such as Palermo, the car or the cable car from Trapani, which enjoys a superb view of the surrounding landscapes.

Once on site, lose yourself in the medieval streets of Erice, go to its Castle and make a small detour through its church. Also enjoy the different views the village offers before enjoying a glass on the terrace or enjoying a pastry shop at the famous Pasticceria Maria Grammatico.

4. The Roman villa of Casale

What to do in Sicily? To go to the center of the island in the interior of the land, to visit a Roman villa dating from the 4th century BC: the Roman villa del Casale.

It has about 30 pieces decorated with 3,500 m2 of mosaics. Destroyed in the Middle Ages by a fire and a landslide – occupied until 1160 – it was necessary to wait 800 years for the archaeologists to rediscover it in 1950. The mosaics, authentic, are among the best preserved vestiges of the entire legacy of the Roman Empire. Hunting scenes in Africa, erotic or sporting scenes allow us to rediscover an unpublished testimony on the daily life of the Romans under Antiquity.

5. Cefalù

Ancient medieval fishing port, Cefalù offers a Sicilian decoration in the form of a postcard. Located in the east of Palermo, this small village jurced between a huge rock and the waves attests to the prosperity enjoyed by Sicily in its feudal era.

Today, it is a seaside resort very frequented by tourists who come to swim in the calm and crystalline waters of the port and rest on the sandy beach, one of the most beautiful that you will see by going to visit the Sicily. The beach will be literally crowded in the summer, like the Côte d’Azur in July, but Cefalù is worth a look: shops and restaurants in the old city, the Norman cathedral, the Rocca cliff.

6. Taormina

Located northeast of the chain of Etna, the city of Taormina is one of the unmissable and will be a compulsory visit if you ask yourself what to do in Sicily. Perched on the heights overlooking the plain of Catania, it offers stunning views of the Etna and Isola Bella, which makes it one of the most visited cities in Italy: it is therefore recommended to go in low season, especially to enjoy the sunset that offers a superb show on the Etna.

Take the east coast of the island to visit Sicily, and enjoy a swim in Isola Bella. Make the Greek theatre and go up to the Madonna della Rocca Church (superb view of the surroundings guaranteed!).

7. L’Etna

The largest active volcano in Europe – peaking at 3,330 metres above sea level – the Etna experienced more than 100 eruptions during the 20th century, making it one of the most active volcanoes in the world. It is possible, summer and winter, climb to the crater during the beautiful days from Catania . Starting from the south or north side – at Piano Provenzano – by walking or taking a bus leading to 2,400 metres above sea level. You will observe the Smokingolles that continually escape from the crater in a lunar and arid landscape out of the ordinary, a basalt desert shaped by the lava.

8. Catania

Second city of Sicily and tenth most populous city of Italy with 315 576 inhabitants, Catania is dynamic, vast, festive, colorful and has a rich historical heritage. It is called "the black city" because of its constructions, in basaltic stone.

Don’t miss the Roman amphitheatre of Catania (photo) – fondu dans le décor entre passé antique et present -, le château Normand Ursino, la Piazza del Duomo (la Place du Dôme), la Fontana dell Elefante (la fountain de l’éléphant), le Duomo di Catania (Dôme de Catane) and the « Rochers du Cyclope » in Aci Trezza (35 minutes from Catania).

9. Val di Noto

If Catania has been able to charm you, then you will surely be seduced by the region, or rather the area around it and to which the city belongs. Val di Noto , located in the southeast of Sicily, is dominated by the Hybléans Mountains.

If the so-called region is known, it is mainly because it echoes the history of 8 cities destroyed during the earthquake of 1693. Thanks to a welded community, the historic centres have since been reconstructed: a collective momentum that allows the cities of Noto, Ragusa, Scicli, Modica, Palazzolo Acreide, Caltagirone, Militello and Catania to enjoy a second life. Today, they all have a common point: the baroque style that inspired their renaissance, in fact a picturesque and exuberant region that surprises as much as it seduces. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002, Val di Noto promises travellers to visit Sicily and its culture.

In Val di Noto, in addition to the discovery of the historic centers of each city, you can also enjoy the beaches and natural reserves of places like the Vendicari Reserve.

10. Syracuse

Located southeast of Sicily, Syracuse is an ancient city founded in the 8th century BC by Greek settlers from Corinth. It was once a powerful Greek city, known for being the place of the fierce struggle of Hannibal and Archimedes against the Roman invasions in 213 before our era (during the Second Punique War).

Listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2005, Syracuse is a must-see for anyone visiting Sicily. The city opens onto the sea and the island of Ortigia and concentrates ancient vestiges such as the Greek theatre, the temple of Apollo, the temple of Athena, the fountain of Arethuse, or the Roman amphitheatre. Also enjoy being in Syracuse to see the artificial cave called the Denys Eye.

11. Agrigento

One of the oldest cities in Sicily, baptized with multiple names and revived many times, Agrigento is not to be missed on a journey to Sicily. First of all, we must visit the Valley of the Temples and the extraordinary exhibitions presented in its Regional Archaeological Museum to better understand that Agrigento (founded in 581 BC by Greek settlers, Rhodium settlers, to become Akragas in the next century) was one of the most radiant centers of the Mediterranean. For this reason, in 1997, UNESCO has listed it on the world heritage of humanity.

12. Scala dei Turchi

From Agrigento, continue your road towards Scala dei Turchi . After the Valley of the Temples, it is thus an equally stunning show that awaits you: a must-see for a trip to Sicily, the Scala dei Turchi, its beach with azure waters and its limestone cliffs will plunge you into a lunar world.

The legend tells us that the Scala dei Turchi (which means “Turkish stairs or ladders”) served as an anchor to the Turkish and Saracen pirates who, after leaving their boats in the bay, joined Sicily by these famous natural stairs carved by the wind. Since then, history has lost nothing of its magic: it must be said that the landscape has to charm all those who cross the path. If by security, the stairs are now inaccessible, the sandy beach, its blue waters and the view of the site perpetuate when at them, a moment out of time. To enjoy this exceptional site in a setting that is just as much, go to sunset...

13. Torre Salsa

Visiting Sicily is also worth his treasures. Discreet and rather unspecified (it is located between Agrigento and Sélinonte), the nature reserve of Torre Salsa is one of the small paradises of the island hidden from mass tourism, and for cause. To access it, you can either opt for the car by taking the path that leads to the reserve for 20 minutes (be careful to be well equipped because the path is very rocky) or for the bravest, on foot! At the end of the road, the beach: large and uncommon, it offers a privileged swimming and farniente setting.

14. Enna

It is in the heart of the Island, more precisely in its centre, that the other face of Sicily hides. Perched at 900 metres above sea level, Enna, the so-called “Nickname of Sicily”, sits in its eponymous region. Renowned to host a large number of lakes, Enna simply has this small something that the other parts of the island do not, starting with the natural lake of Pergusa, the only and unique of Sicily. The city of Enna, when to it, seduced by its authenticity, its charm of the past. From the historic centre to the Cathedral of Enna (Duomo), continue your walk towards the Castle of Lombardy. From its main tower, the monument offers a breathtaking view of the Etna!

15. ♪ Iceland

What to do in Sicily, if it is not perpetuating the discoveries outside the beaten paths? As a matter of fact, to the Eolian Islands. Located 1h30 by boat, this volcanic archipelago is known for the 7 islands (and small islets) it hosts. Among them, Lipari, Stromboli, Vulcano and Salina enjoy a success for the diversity of activities they offer: farniente on the beaches, hiking, mud baths, permanent volcanic eruptions and walks in the rocky landscapes, all in a preserved natural landscape.

16. The beaches of Sicily

Obviously, visiting Sicily without passing through its beaches would be unthinkable. Large sand banks, small coves, crystal clear waters and pebbles portray some small corners of island paradise. While it's for farniente or to try you at a snorkelling session, here is a small selection of the most beautiful beaches of Sicily that whatever your traveler profile, will make your happiness.

• San Vito Lo Capo: large beach with turquoise waters, San Vito Lo Capo enjoys a large stretch of sand with a public side and a private side.
• Spiaggia dei Conigli: Far from all, the nicknamed "Island of the Rabbits" and elected the most beautiful beach in the world will plunge you into a true paradise with turquoise waters.
• Scala dei Turchi : impossible to have written on this reservation in our article without advising you its beach. As a reminder, Scala dei Turchi is renowned for its superb sunsets and limestone cliffs that make it a unique and truly magical place.
• Isola Bella: snorkelling enthusiasts will be seduced by this small pebble beach in which various fish species live.
• Forgia Vecchia: to Stromboli, this beach has a real postcard decor. Its black sand and blue waters make it a unique and contrasting place that really worth the detour.
• Spiaggia dei Faraglioni : As an invitation to the journey, the Spiaggia dei Faraglioni transports you into his universe where rocks and turquoise waters have given birth this beach which calls for disconnection and farniente.
• Lido Mazzaro: Again, Lido Mazzaro symbolizes the beauty of Sicily. Located on Isola Bella peninsula, it is a bit the visitors’ eldorado. Isolated in the middle of the turquoise waters, Lido Mazzaro is accessible via a sand band that connects it to the coast: the frame is simply breathtaking.

17. A boat ride

As you can see, Sicily is full of incredible places. Some are even visitable in the same day. And what better than renting a boat to join the two places?

By choosing one boat rental in Sicily , the journey is also a visit. It is also the assurance to take advantage of the turquoise water of the region, so often present on postcards.

Prices are varied, as are the types of boat to rent. You can also offer the services of a skipper, if you do not have the boat permit.

18. To see and do also in Sicily

If you're always wondering what to do in Sicily, here are some additional essentials to add in your trip:

• The cellars and salt marshes of Marsala
• Monte Cofano Nature Reserve
• Oil and Lampdusa Islands
• The temples of Selinonte
• Trapani and its culinary specialties

How do I go to Sicily?

At about 1h30 from France, you have direct flights from Paris Beauvais (to Trapani), Paris Charles de Gaulle (to Catania), Paris Orly (to Palermo) and Brussels (to Comiso). According to what you want to visit in Sicily, the choice of your airport in Sicily has its importance, the island being very large. To find cheap flights to Sicily, you can search our partner's website Ulysses .

You can also go to Sicily by ferry. It takes about 10 hours to get to Sicily by boat, which will allow you to move on the island freely with your own car. Ferries depart from France from Toulon or even from Nice , as well as other ports in Italy. You can book your ferry online for Sicily on the site DirectFerries .

How to move to Sicily?

Better to have a car (or motorcycle) to move to Sicily. Public transport on the island is both difficult and slow, but not impossible. If you want to visit several parts of the island during the same stay, it is recommended to come by car or rent one on site. You can compare car rental prices in Sicily on the site Rentalcars .

Where to stay in Sicily?

Sicily is a big island and you will need to put your suitcases in several cities if you want to visit Sicily as a whole. Loger in Sicily will be relatively easy off vacation period. You can find a cheap hotel in Sicily by searching for this Compare hotels .

Looking for a more typical accommodation? Live local experience with the many Airbnb of the region. You will find houses, apartments and rooms at all prices.