Is Sicily Worth Visiting?

Which areas of Sicily should you visit?

Palermo

Start your visit to Sicily in Palermo, which hosts one of the two airports (the other is on the east coast in Catania) and plan to stay 2-3 nights. Palermo is a cool and gritty city with leftover remnants from WW2 and endless history and art to be discovered. A visit to Palermo wouldn’t be complete without tasting the local gastronomy. My favorites were arancina, cazzilli fritters and of course, cannolis sprinkled with pistachios.

Highlights:
Monreale Cathedral
Palazzo dei Normanni
Palatine Chapel
Teatro Massimo
Mercrato Ballaro
Dinner in the home of a chef. We loved Gabriella Garajo

Agrigento

Sicily is home to some of the world’s best preserved Greek and Roman temples, structures and art. Located along the southwest coast, Agrigento is home to Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most significant representations of Greek architecture and civilization in Italy. This is a site not to be missed!

Image 1: Sunset at Rocco Forte Vedura Hotel; Image 2: Table at Santa Maria LaNave

Highlights:
Valley of the Temples
Scala dei Turchi
Visit a typical Sicilian village like Sant Angelo
Cooking class at Fontes Episcopihttps
Spa/golf at Rocco Forte Vedura Hotel

Taormina

Taormina is a picturesque hilltop town that offers a mix of historic sites, boutique shopping and stunning views. It has become even more popular in recent years due to the popularity of White Lotus Season 2 taking place here. Explore the ancient Greek theater, wander through its vibrant streets, including Corso Umberto, head up to Castelmola for panoramic views and at the end of the day, relax with a granita at Bam Bar.

Highlights:
Greek theater
Castelmora
Boutique shopping
Take the cable car down to the sea and spend the day relaxing on the shore or via a boat excursion

Day trips from Taormina:

Mt Etna

Explore Mt Etna in a 4x4 jeep and walk on lava fields before descending to Santa Maria LaNave, a gorgeous vineyard. Enjoy a farm-to-table lunch, including handmade pasta from seven ancient milled grains along with wine pairings from their vineyard. This was definitely a highlight for me!

Val di Noto

Visit the Val di Noto region for its impressive Baroque architecture and stunning splendor. Start your morning in Ragusa, venturing next to Modica where you’ll sample Aztec inspired chocolate, then end your day in Noto.

Sicily is a destination in and of itself and deserves a minimum of 7 nights, but 10 would be ideal. The best times to visit are during the shoulder seasons in spring (April, May and early June) and fall (September and October).

This guide is part of our ongoing series on travel to Sicily. Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out Fora Advisor Kara Kassuba's guide, Sicily in April.