People who have been to Sicily tend to describe it in the same slightly confused way: it feels less like an island and more like a small continent that drifted off the Italian boot. Greek theatres sit above medieval fishing towns, a live volcano smokes over lemon groves, and the beaches hold their own against anything on the mainland. One week here is the minimum. Two start to make sense.
Taormina and the east coast
Taormina is the postcard, and for once the postcard does not lie. The ancient Greek theatre was carved into the hillside in the third century BC, and its stage frames Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea in a single view. Come early in the morning, before the tour groups arrive from the cruise ships, and you may have ten quiet minutes with one of the best panoramas in the Mediterranean.
Below the town, a cable car drops you to Isola Bella, a pebble cove wrapped around a tiny nature-reserve islet connected to the shore by a thin strip of stones. The water is glass. Boats leave from the nearby jetty for the Grotta Azzurra sea cave, a short ride that earns its price on any calm day.
Mount Etna, the neighbour who smokes
Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe, and Sicilians treat it like a moody relative rather than a threat. From the Rifugio Sapienza side you can take a cable car and then a 4x4 shuttle up towards the summit craters, walking across lava fields that crunch like burnt toast underfoot. Even in July, bring a jacket. The temperature difference between the beach and 2,900 metres is a small climate lesson in itself.
The lower slopes are wine country. Nerello Mascalese vines grow in black volcanic soil, and a lunch stop at one of the wineries around Etna's northern side is one of the smartest half-days you can spend on the island.
Palermo, baroque and beautifully chaotic
Palermo takes a day to stop overwhelming you and a lifetime to finish. The cathedral is a layered argument between Norman, Arab and Gothic builders, and the golden mosaics of the Cappella Palatina inside the Norman Palace are worth whatever queue you find. Then there are the markets. Ballarò and Capo are working food markets first and attractions second, loudest in the morning, with vendors selling arancine and panelle straight from the fryer.
Beaches worth the drive
Sicily's coastline changes character every fifty kilometres, which is exactly why a rental car pays off. These are the stops that keep earning their reputation:
- Cefalù, a long sandy beach right beneath a medieval town with its own Norman cathedral. You swim, then walk two minutes to an espresso in a twelfth-century street.
- San Vito Lo Capo, white sand and a shallow, lagoon-like bay in the northwest. The gentlest swimming on the island, ideal if you travel with children.
- Scala dei Turchi, a blinding white marl cliff near Agrigento that steps down into turquoise water. Go early or late; midday belongs to the crowds.
- Riserva dello Zingaro, a coastal nature reserve with a walking path linking small pebble coves. No cars, no bars, just the sea.
Syracuse, Agrigento and the Greek south
On the southeast coast, Syracuse was once a Greek city that rivalled Athens. Its old heart, Ortigia, is a small island of honey-coloured baroque streets ending at a seafront promenade where locals swim off the rocks. The cathedral square may be the most beautiful piazza in Italy that nobody talks about, and the archaeological park with its enormous Greek theatre still hosts classical plays in early summer.
On the southern coast, the Valley of the Temples holds some of the best-preserved Greek temples anywhere, including Greece itself. The Temple of Concordia has stood almost intact for two and a half thousand years, and at sunset its golden sandstone glows against the sea behind it. Combine it with a swim at Scala dei Turchi, twenty minutes away, and you get the most Sicilian day imaginable: a morning among ancient gods, an afternoon on a white cliff.
Catania deserves a mention too. Built from Etna's own black lava stone, it is grittier than Taormina and cheaper, with a fish market that opens like a theatre performance every morning and a baroque centre on the UNESCO list. Many flights land here, so give it at least an evening instead of driving straight past.
How to plan the route
The classic mistake is trying to see everything from one base. Split your stay: a few nights on the east coast for Taormina, Etna and Syracuse, then a few in the west for Palermo, San Vito Lo Capo and the temples of Agrigento. WAYLY runs Sicily packages from 1570 € with flights and hotels arranged, which removes the logistics headache and leaves you the fun part, choosing where to eat.
If island-hopping is your style, Sicily pairs naturally with Malta, a short hop south, while Sardinia makes a strong case for your next Italian summer. Fans of Greek islands who loved Ortigia's ancient layers should look at Crete. Whatever the combination, browse the current offers on our packages page and check dates early. May, June and September sell out first, and for good reason: warm sea, softer sun, and a volcano that photographs best in clear air.
