Sicily has been many things to many people for millennia, as its long list of invaders (Greeks, Phoenicians, Normans…) makes abundantly clear. Today, Italy’s largest island draws different kinds of travelling tribes s, whether they want to fly and flop on its beaches or taste the fruits of its hinterland’s farms.
So, where should you go? This guide will pinpoint the ideal island route, depending on what traveller type you identify as.
Before you go
Keep in mind that each of Sicily’s parts could take days to explore, so don’t make the first-timer mistake of trying to do it all in a week. And understand that Sicily is much more than just Southern Italy — and Dua Lipa’s wedding destination — every civilisation that’s passed through has left its mark, from Roman amphitheatres to the ceramic heads of Moorish legend that you’ll see everywhere, leaving Sicily with an inimitable culture of its own.
Its cuisine stands alone: from arancini on-the-go to pasta with sardines and pistachios, citrussy salads, and ricotta-filled cannoli, washed down with drinks that range from bitter, herbal digestif Amaro to sweet Marsala wine. Gelato is an acceptable breakfast. The dialect differs from the mainland (English is widely spoken) and driving can be manic, but the philosophy of tira a campa (‘getting by’) — Sicilians’ take on ‘island time’ — prevails, so the overall pace is unhurried.
Our Sicilian itineraries
The greatest-hits route
Highlights:
– Parco dell’Etna
– Taormina
– Catania
– Syracuse
Duration: Four days to a week, depending how much downtime you want.
Best for: Sicily on easy mode. The east coast practically plots out your route for you. You’ll recognise the backdrops, cast in everything fromarthouse Pasolini films to blockbusters like Star Wars and TV’s The White Lotus. If Etna stirs, your host will likely invite you to watch the show. But the parco has peaceful corners, too.
The route: Land in Catania. The port city is graffitied and gritty, but also has a Baroque basilica and the glorious Villa Bellini gardens. Stay at Elle Dimora di Sicilia, a hotel so exclusive it only has three bedrooms, plus a terrace overlooking the Roman Amphitheatre that Catania also claims.
Drive 40 minutes north to Etna’s foothills. Zash Country Boutique Hotel & Spa offers an intro to the region’s charms: slope-grown-wine tastings in a dining room centred around a grape-press, Michelin-recognised dining, lemon groves, and views of both the coast and the volcano nicknamed A Muntagna (which, unimaginatively, means ‘mountain’).
Taormina is a day-trip distance of 40 minutes by car. Its Grecian amphitheatre still stages plays and operas as it did in the third century BC, while Isola Bella is so-called for its tropical gardens and its waters, home to parrotfish, turtles and octopi. Walk over to it on a pebbly spit or ride the cable-car over at high tide.
After a second night at Zash, daytrip south to Syracuse (a two-hour drive). Many of its monuments date back to the first millennium, with Baroque touch-ups, but the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis is all original, with the Ear of Dionysus (actually a cave nicknamed that by no less than Caravaggio). Then spend your last night in Catania, at art-led stay Asmundo di Gisira, before flying home.
The honeymoon route
Dimora Santagatha
Highlights:
– The Val di Noto
– Ortigia
– Noto
– Modica
Duration: Five days to a week.
Best for: Here’s where Sicily lays her charms on thick. The gleaming Baroque towns, the olive groves to the horizon, the Unesco treasures… it’s easy to fall in love here. Plus this trip has fewer drives and plenty to do from your doorstep.
The route: Land at Catania and drive to Braccialieri hotel, which takes around an hour. This rustic hideaway is Insta famous for the ‘don’t forget to love’ slogan written out in pool tiles (v honeymoon appropriate), but decor inspired by Sicily’s countryside, dining steeped in agricultural tradition and house olive-oil tastings in a 19th-century palmento steal hearts, too.
From there, daytrip to Ortigia, a Baroque-until-you-drop island reachable by car from Syracuse. For a square mile,it’s rich in history, with Grecian temples, a duomo-topped cathedral, 13th-century citadel, the ornate Fountain of Diana… The tragic love myth of the nymph Arethusa and god Alpheus that’s associated with the island hasn’t aged well, but you’ll find romance picnicking on rocky spiaggias.
From Braccialieri, transfer to Noto, a 15-minute drive away, to stay at Dimora Santagatha, a restored palazzo hotel in a restful palette of crema and sage, with original Baroque touches. See Noto’s golden-hued cathedral (its steps are set for sunset-watching). And candlelit, alfresco dining on narrow Via Nicolaci ups the romance. The stuffed cornetti at famous Caffè Sicilia are the sweets for your sweet.
On your last night drive to even sweeter Modica, famed for its chocolate (it even has a museum), made to an Aztec recipe. Stay at Casa Talia, which has been impeccably styled by its designer owners. There are over 100 churches to explore in town (its other claim to fame); pace yourself with an almond-granita stop at Pasticceria Di Lorenzo, then dinner under the trees on Fattoria delle Torri’s terrace.
The family-friendly route
Verdura Resort
Highlights:
– Sicily’s quieter south coast
Duration: A week, or however long school holidays allow.
Best for: The south coast sits away from tourist magnets and chaotic cities; it’s laidback but not dull. There are beaches for paddling, country expanses to run around in, and wish-granting resorts to suit all.
The route: Land in Palermo and stop in the city to run off some pent-up plane boredom at the botanical gardens, catch a puppet show at Figli d’Arte Cuticchio and grab granitas before journeying south. Your stay is Verdura Resort, a 90-minute drive away.
That’s the longest travel stretch on this itinerary, because the resort keeps you entertained, pampered and rested. There’s tennis and golf; an Irene Forte spa with thalassotherapy pools, thermal circuits and a mini medi-spa; eight restaurants and bars; and pint-sized paradise Verdùland kids’ club, for babies up to 16-year-olds.
It has a pool, teepee and activities from watersports to cookery to local-history hunts, plus a giant hedgehog mascot. Parents can have peace of mind that plentiful baby kit and 24-hour babysitting are available too. The resort has a private beach, you’re all set for day trips to the Valley of the Temples and Selinunte Archaeological Park, and adventurers can ride a helicopter or tour by quad bike. For extra seclusion and your own private chef and butler, book one of the Rocco Forte Private Villas, a short drive from the main resort.
The island-hopping route
Highlights:
– San Vito Lo Capo
– Zingaro Nature Reserve
– Scopello
– Salina
– Pantelleria
Duration: If you’re flying and flopping then two days will suffice. Add on a week for island-hopping.
Best for: Beach time, then getting gloriously castaway. Along the northwestern coast, the coast takes on a natural Brutalism: volcanic mountains that make ultramarine waters pop; and you’ll see Sicily’s first natural reserve as you sunbathe. From Palermo — your home base — island-hopping is easy by boat or plane.
The route: Land in Palermo and check into Villa Igiea, a 19th-century palazzo that still feels like it’s in its 1920s heyday. The wealthy Florio family once held fabulous parties on the cocktail terrace (still a place to dress for today), and hosted kings, tsarinas and celebs such as Grace Kelly and Sophia Loren. You’ll feel equally VIP, especially when ensconced in your Olga Polizzi-designed suite.
Palermo is privy to beautiful beaches, such as Mondello (which gets crowded in summer) or the wilder Capo Gallo. But drive for an hour out west to the Riserva Naturale Orientata dello Zingaro where, beyond orchid- and iris-strewn greenery, you’ll find sheltered bays with talc-soft sand and waters clear enough to spot sealife.
For a morning dip, stop at Scopello, a former tuna-fishing village within the riserva, where there are picturesque coves (such as Cala Capreria or Cala Marinella). Book a day pass for Tonnara di Scopello, a beach club with direct access to the water, where you can break for lunch. Bring jelly sandals or waterproof shoes for rockier stretches. Then drive an hour further west to San Vito Lo Capo, where scenery gets extra dramatic — coral fragments turn the sand pink and the mountains behind are dark and brooding.
Back in Palermo, you’re at the jumping-off point for trips to Sicilian islands. The direct ferry to Salina (running June to September) takes around three hours. Here, whitewashed casa Principe Di Salina places you between two volcanoes and the coast, so you’re set for boat rides and tasting sessions at Malvasia-growing vineyards.
Sultry Pantelleria, where volcanic steam escapes from natural vents in the earth, is closer to Africa (with the climate to match), but you can fly direct in just 50 minutes from Palermo. Stay at Parco Dei Sesi, set in a 5,000-year-old prehistoric settlement (with modern comforts), where you’ll sample the isle’s famous capers and stay in a traditional dammuso dwelling.
The gourmet route
Susafa
Highlights:
– Etna’s wine route
– Olive farms
Duration: Anything from a weekend appetiser to a week-long feast.
Best for: those who plan their travels around what’s on their plate. We’ve handpicked delectable farmstays and agriturismi, hotels with vines and a Michelin-recognised stop, so that you can stick a fork into the island’s unique cuisine.
The route: Land at Catania in the morning to experience the pungent madness that is La Pescheria (the fish market, from Monday to Saturday till 1pm). It’s a visceral experience best enjoyed with a cuoppo (fried seafood in a cone), fryer-hot arancini or oysters downed at the stall. For dessert, get a granita at Pasticceria Savia.
Then pop a cork on Etna’s wine trail. Drive to Monaci Delle Terre Nere an hour away; this blush-hued villa tucks its hideaways into the volcano’s foothills. You’ll see how fertile the soil is on a buggy tour, as staff point out varietals grown for the excellent house wines. The owners preserve and revive ancient grape types, so the estate’s an oenophile’s history book, with bottles not found elsewhere. The sommelier’s a man so passionate that he runs vintner classes in his time off. And the terroir feeds you too, from wild herbs with fish from Catania Bay to an ancient recipe for cassata.
Book for dinner at Zash Country Boutique Hotel, where chef Giuseppe Raciti burnishes rustic cuisine for eight-course Michelin-starred meals. Menus are in tune with seasons — you might have broad-bean pasta with red prawns; or turbot in champagne and tarragon. If staying overnight, opt for the Pool Villa which gives you a sauna and a sea view.
Then drive west for two hours to Susafa, an agriturismo with an Earth-kind ethos amid the Madonie mountains. It has a kitchen garden and aromatic-herb garden, orchard where indigenous and heritage fruits grow, chef-led tours and apéritifs among the crops. You can also adopt a tree, field or plant, so you’ll receive a product made using whatever grows there (cherry jam or tomato sauce).
The final stop is a 90-minute drive south. Centuries-old olive and almond trees fan out mandala-style around Azienda Agricola Mandranova farm buildings, and wheat and citrus are grown in sustainable style. Activities revolve around food, whether you’re inheriting family-recipe secrets on a cookery class, tasting oils or exercising between the vines.
The slow-travel route
Villa Igiea
Highlights:
– Sicily’s best spas
Duration: Take your time and plan for four-plus days.
Best for: Sicily’s spa hotels, which rank highly for their verdant settings, big-name clout and wealth of natural products. This is a way to go deep, with very little effort.
The route: Fly into Palermo and stay at Villa Igiea for Irene Forte pampering. The orange-blossom-scented spa uses sea minerals (after all, you can see the Tyrrhenian from here) and native botanicals in treatments. Choose the Mediterranean Skin Diet ritual or Volcanic Facial for the full effect.
Then drive for two hours to Adler Spa Resort Sicilia; perched on the south coast it also has beneficial blue views plus access to a quiet, sandy beach. The glass-walled spa has various saunas, three pools, a fitness studio and hair salon. Smith guests get €40 to spend on treatments, which run from sea-salt scrubs to Jet Peels and Hydro Facials.
Need to know
Travel: Sicily’s international flight hubs are Palermo and Catania–Fontanarossa. If travelling from mainland Italy, you can catch a ferry from the ports at Villa San Giovanni or Reggio Calabria to Palermo (both around a 30-minute ride) or an overnight ferry from the port of Naples (around a 10-hour ride).
Getting around: Train lines criss-cross Sicily, which are useful between major stops, but otherwise rely on a hire car or taxi (book in advance). If hiring, note that due to narrow streets, dings can be common, so make sure you’re fully insured. In major cities, bus services are the most reliable; there is Uber, but it can be more expensive, with longer wait times.
When to go: In spring, the island’s quieter and — while the sea is too cool for swimming — wildflowers appear. June to August have glorious weather (if a touch too hot for the uninitiated) and tourist crowds; while September and October have a more easygoing feel — prime road-tripping time. Sunny days are possible from November to March, but some coastal and resort restaurants and beach clubs may close.
Good to know: The Mafia originated here and true-crime fans might be curious about the darker details, but it’s an ongoing chapter for Sicilians, so be sensitive about this side of the island’s history. To find out more on your own, John Dickie’s Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia gives you the background and Excellent Cadavers by Alexander Stille tells the story of the brave investigators who fought back.
Say ciao to our collection of hotels in Sicily or seek out more European-island breaks