Sicily Holidays

Above Catania, Mount Etna offers some of Sicily’s most memorable walking, across black lava fields, open volcanic ground and crater landscapes. Guided routes can reach areas around Valle del Bove, although access higher up depends on volcanic activity and current safety restrictions.

Near Taormina, the Alcantara Gorge feels wonderfully different from Sicily’s sun-baked coast. Cold water flows between tall basalt walls formed by ancient lava, with canyoning, river walking and swimming offering a fun way to experience this unusual volcanic landscape up close.

Near Trapani, the Zingaro Nature Reserve is made for a day on foot. Its seven-kilometre coastal trail runs between Scopello and the San Vito Lo Capo side, passing hidden coves and Mediterranean vegetation, with steeper inland paths for more challenging walks.

Beside Marsala, Lo Stagnone is a favourite place to take to the water with a kite. The lagoon is shallow, spacious and generally flat, creating approachable conditions for beginners while giving experienced riders plenty of room for longer runs and freestyle practice.

Leaving Milazzo by boat gives the Aeolian Islands a completely different perspective. Sailing trips weave between volcanic coastlines, rocky outcrops and quiet coves, with longer itineraries linking several islands and shorter outings leaving plenty of time for swimming along the way.

North of Palermo, Ustica has long been known for the clear waters surrounding its protected marine environment. Snorkelling works beautifully close to shore, while divers can head deeper to reefs and underwater sites, including the well-known Secca della Colombara.

Above Taormina, routes around Castelmola are particularly enjoyable by e-mountain bike, mixing hillside tracks with wide views over Giardini Naxos Bay. Electric assistance takes some of the strain out of the climbs, leaving more energy for winding trails and downhill sections.

The Valley of the Temples near Agrigento is one of Sicily’s most remarkable ancient sites. Once part of the Greek city of Akragas, it is now UNESCO-listed, with a string of Doric temples led by the beautifully preserved Temple of Concordia.

Villa Romana del Casale, near Piazza Armerina, feels almost like stepping into a Roman household. The UNESCO-listed villa is famous for its beautifully preserved mosaics, which show hunting scenes, animals, mythology and everyday life, including the well-known female athletes nicknamed the ‘Bikini Girls’.

Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica share UNESCO status, yet each reveals a different chapter of Sicily’s past. Syracuse is rich in Greek and Roman remains, while Pantalica is known for thousands of rock-cut tombs dating from long before Greek settlement.

This UNESCO-listed group brings together nine monuments from Sicily’s Norman period, spread across Palermo, Cefalù and Monreale. What makes them special is the mix of Western, Islamic and Byzantine influences, seen particularly clearly in the Palatine Chapel and Monreale Cathedral.

Selinunte was once one of Greek Sicily’s great cities, and its sprawling archaeological park still contains temples, an acropolis and enormous fallen columns. Nearby Cave di Cusa adds another layer, preserving partly quarried stone drums that show how those monumental columns were made.

Segesta has a quieter feel than Sicily’s larger archaeological sites, but its setting is hard to forget. Built by the Elymians and strongly influenced by Greek culture, it is best known for its unfinished Doric temple and hillside theatre overlooking open countryside.

Set on a small island in the lagoon near Marsala, Mozia offers a fascinating look at Sicily’s Phoenician past. Once an important fortified trading settlement, its surviving walls, ancient causeway and archaeological museum include the celebrated marble statue known as the Youth of Mozia.

Catania is at its most intense from 3 to 5 February, when the city honours its patron saint, Sant’Agata. Huge candle structures, processions and the saint’s silver reliquary move through streets packed with devotees, with fireworks and ceremonies continuing well into the night. It is as much about Catania’s identity as it is religion.

February brings Sicily’s best-known Carnival to Acireale. The Baroque centre becomes the backdrop for enormous papier-mâché floats, elaborate costumes, music and evening parades. Dates move with the Carnival calendar each year, so this is one event where checking the programme before travelling really matters.

Agrigento welcomes spring with the Mandorlo in Fiore, usually held in March. Almond trees bloom around the Valley of the Temples while folk groups arrive from different countries for parades, traditional dress, music and dancing. The ancient temples behind all that colour make this festival feel distinctly Sicilian rather than simply another spring fair.

Across Sicily, spring brings some of the island’s most deeply rooted religious traditions. Good Friday is particularly striking in Trapani, where the Procession of the Mysteries carries sculptural groups depicting the Passion through the streets for around 24 hours. Enna and Caltanissetta also hold important Easter processions.

Noto looks completely different during the Infiorata in May. Via Nicolaci is covered with detailed pictures made from thousands of flower petals, framed by the town’s honey-coloured Baroque buildings and ornate balconies. The floral display is the centrepiece, but processions, performances and local celebrations spread the festival beyond a single street.

From late spring into early summer, the ancient Greek Theatre of Syracuse returns to its original purpose as a performance space. Greek tragedies and comedies are staged in the open air, with the limestone theatre itself doing much of the work when it comes to atmosphere. The annual season generally runs between May and July.

The heart of Palermo’s celebration of Santa Rosalia falls on 14 and 15 July. On the evening of the 14th, the saint’s elaborate triumphal chariot moves through the historic centre towards the seafront, accompanied by music, performances and large crowds. Fireworks follow, while religious ceremonies continue on the 15th.

Syracuse honours Santa Lucia on 13 and 20 December, and these are two of the city’s most important religious dates. On the 13th, the saint’s silver statue and relics leave the cathedral in a long procession; eight days later, the procession carries them back through the city, ending once again at the cathedral.

In Palermo and Catania, the Opera dei Pupi still feels rooted in local life rather than preserved for display. The hand-crafted puppets act out medieval tales of knights, battles and honour, continuing a nineteenth-century tradition now recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Caltagirone’s connection with ceramics appears almost everywhere, from small workshop windows to the colourful tiles covering the Scala di Santa Maria del Monte. Pottery has been made here for centuries, shaped by different cultural influences and still produced by local craftspeople today.

Traditional Sicilian carts are impossible to mistake once seen up close. Their wooden panels are covered with vivid paintings of saints, legendary battles, historical episodes and village life. What began as practical transport gradually became one of Sicily’s most distinctive forms of folk craftsmanship.

Pantelleria’s vineyards look different from those found across mainland Sicily. Vines are kept unusually low and planted in hollows to protect them from the island’s strong winds. This traditional alberello method has been passed down through generations and is recognised by UNESCO.

Palermo’s markets have a character that is difficult to separate from the city itself. Ballarò, Capo and Vucciria are crowded, noisy and full of movement, with food stalls and loud vendor calls carrying traces of the capital’s long Mediterranean and Arab-influenced history.

Enna’s Madonna della Visitazione procession on 2 July is one of the city’s most important religious traditions. The decorated statue is carried from the cathedral by barefoot confraternity members, while gun salutes, music and fireworks turn the streets into a large public celebration.

In eastern Sicily, granita with brioche is not treated as an occasional dessert. It is a familiar breakfast, particularly during warmer months, with cafés serving flavours such as almond, lemon, coffee and mulberry alongside the soft, slightly sweet Sicilian brioche.

Palermo’s Teatro Massimo is worth seeing whether there is a performance booked or not. Italy’s largest opera house has an impressive nineteenth-century interior, while its programme covers opera, ballet and classical concerts throughout the year.

Every year, ancient drama returns to Syracuse’s Greek Theatre through performances organised by INDA. Watching a Greek tragedy or comedy in the original stone theatre adds something no conventional stage can recreate, particularly as daylight fades across the archaeological site.

Taormina’s ancient theatre is not simply an archaeological site. It continues to host concerts and other live performances, with the stage framed by the Ionian coast and Mount Etna. The setting alone makes checking the programme worthwhile during a stay.

In Taormina and Ortigia, the evening often starts with a walk rather than a fixed plan. Streets and piazzas fill gradually before dinner, and stopping for an aperitivo, glass of Sicilian wine or cocktail is simply part of the routine.

During carnival season, Acireale becomes noticeably louder and more colourful. Large decorated floats move through the centre alongside costumes, music and street celebrations, turning the historic town into one of Sicily’s busiest places for traditional carnival festivities.