42 Best Sights in Sicily, Italy

Locals consider this the most important church in Palazzolo Acreide, rebuilt and repaired after an earthquake ravaged the majority of the region in the 17th century. When you enter, usually a volunteer will be available to take you on a brief tour. The main focal points are the relics and the statue of St. Paul paraded through the town's streets between June 26 and June 29 each year. Entry is technically free, but be prepared to make a modest contribution toward the church's upkeep at the end of your tour.

Monreale's splendid cathedral is lavishly executed with mosaics depicting events from the Old and New Testaments. It's a glorious fusion of Eastern and Western influences, widely regarded as the finest example of Norman architecture in Sicily. After the Norman conquest of Sicily, the new princes showcased their ambitions through monumental building projects. William II (1154–89) built the church complex with a cloister and palace between 1174 and 1185, employing Byzantine craftsmen.

The major attraction is the 68,220 square feet of glittering gold mosaics decorating the cathedral interior. Christ Pantocrator dominates the apse area; the nave contains narratives of the Creation; and scenes from the life of Christ adorn the walls of the aisles and the transept. The painted wooden ceiling dates from 1816–37 while the roof commands a great view (a reward for climbing 172 stairs). The wood and metal organ, the only one in Europe with six keyboards and 10,000 pipes, was restored after lightning damage in 2015, and played by Mick Jagger on a private visit in 2021.

Bonnano Pisano's bronze doors, completed in 1186, depict 42 biblical scenes and are considered among the most important medieval artifacts still in existence. Barisano da Trani's 42 panels on the north door, dating from 1179, present saints and evangelists.

One piazza over from the dancing nymphs of Fontana Pretoria, this church, with its elegant Norman campanile, was erected in 1143 but had its interior altered considerably during the Baroque period. High along the western wall, however, is some of the oldest and best-preserved mosaic artwork of the Norman period. Near the entrance is an interesting mosaic of King Roger II being crowned by Christ. In it Roger is dressed in a bejeweled Byzantine stole, reflecting the Norman court's penchant for all things Byzantine. Archangels along the ceiling wear the same stole wrapped around their shoulders and arms. The much plainer San Cataldo is next door.

A very old place of worship, the Santuario di Tindari has been an important place for religious pilgrims since the Middle Ages, after a mysterious statue of the dark-skinned Madonna was retrieved from a nearby beached ship and claimed to be a miraculous image by locals. Today Tindari is still popular with religious visitors and the clergy in general; Pope John Paul II even visited to perform mass in the 1980s. The stunning modern cathedral has been built around the original tiny medieval church, and you can access the old church from a side gate near the front altar. The newer church is filled with mosaic art, stained glass windows, an impressive church organ, and an elaborate building that still houses the famed Madonna statue.

Located high up in the mountains, Tindari has lovely views along the coast in both directions. Along a side road from the church, past a collection of tourist shops, you will find the archaeological area that includes an ancient Roman theater and several ruins of bathhouses and villas that once accommodated Roman visitors.

Below the Church of Tindari, there are also the natural lakes of Marinello and the pristine Spiaggia Mongiove, which are popular places for local beachgoers to explore. Even though the beaches are devoid of facilities, the spot is secluded and quite stunning.

Designed by Rosario Gagliardi in 1738, the duomo is a fine example of the Sicilian Baroque.

This church and UNESCO World Heritage site dominates the main square in Palazzolo Acreide. The interior is worth a visit not only for its ornate decorations but also for the interesting information on the town's annual procession in celebration of the local saint.

There is no general access to the 17th-century Benedictine convent of San Michele, currently inhabited by just four nuns, but if you ring the doorbell, the nuns will invite you into the lobby to buy the traditional cookies they make, including nutty muconetti, made of candied pumpkin and almonds. You place your money—and the nuns place your cookies—in a small revolving hatch originally designed so that unwanted babies could be left to the care of the nuns while maintaining the anonymity of the mother.

This church is a lesson in Palermitano eclecticism—originally Norman (1182), then Catalan Gothic (14th to 15th century), then fitted out with a Baroque and neoclassical interior (18th century). Its turrets, towers, dome, and arches come together in the kind of meeting of diverse elements that King Roger II (1095–1154), whose tomb is inside along with that of Frederick II, fostered during his reign. The exterior is more intriguing than the interior, but the back of the apse is gracefully decorated with interlacing Arab arches inlaid with limestone and black volcanic tufa. It's possible to visit the cathedral's roof for some fabulous city views.

Giovanni Vaccarini designed the contrasting black lava and white limestone facade of city's cathedral, which dominates the Piazza del Duomo and which houses the tomb of composer Vincenzo Bellini. Also of note are the three apses of lava that survive from the original Norman structure and a fresco from 1675 in the sacristy that portrays Catania's submission to Etna's eruption. Guided tours of the cathedral, which is dedicated to Catania's protector, are available in English if reserved at least a week in advance. The cathedral's treasures are on view in the Museo Diocesano Catania ( www.museodiocesanocatania.com), and underneath the cathedral are the ruins of Greco-Roman baths.

It is more than worth the short detour from the lively Ballarò Market to step into the serene Baroque perfection of Chiesa del Gesù (Church of St. Mary of Gesù). The ornate church was built by the Jesuits not long after their arrival in Palermo in the late 16th century, and was constructed at the site of their religious seat in the city, so the chuch is also sometimes known as Casa Professa (mother house). The interior is almost completely covered with intricate marble bas-reliefs and elaborate black, tangerine, and cream stone work. The splendid church was severely damaged in World War II, but careful restoration has returned it to its shiny, swirling glory.

The second-largest church in Caccamo, the Chiesa dell'Annunziata holds just as much precious artwork as the main cathedral and dates back to the 1700s. The rooftop frescoes are by Giambecchina while stunning stucco wall decorations are by the famous Sicilian master Giacomo Serpotta and the front altar's design of the Annunciation is by Guglielmo Borremans.

Located right in front of the main square at the heart of Caccamo, the Chiesa dell'Oratorio is one in a series of splendid Baroque monuments in the center of the city. Together with the Chiesa dell'Oratorio, the palace of Monte di Pietà, and the church of the Anime Sante del Purgatorio, it makes up the historic heart of the city's art and culture. The square is used as a majestic open-air stage for events and concerts, and what better backdrop than these splendid examples of Sicilian Baroque architecture.

Yet another beautiful historic church in Castelbuono that is well worth visiting, even for only a moment, Chiesa della Natività di Maria was constructed in the 14th century and is characterized by its typical Sicilian limestone stonework and elegant bell tower. Inside it is filled with delicate pieces of art, but don't miss the one above the central altar. The decorative painted altarpiece, with intricate wooden carved details and paintings of various saints, dominates the church. The images on the polyptych are from the 1500s, created by Antonio di Sabila, the nephew of the famous early Renaissance Sicilian master Antonello da Messina.

The fabulously voluptuous facade makes a stunning contrast with the limestone cliffs soaring above. An enchanting fusion of the Baroque and rococo lies behind the lace grate doors of this church on the edge of the town's historic center. Inside the single-nave church is a wooden nativity scene that dates back to the 16th century.

As is usually the case in Sicily, this church is one of the best places in town to see some incredible art. The Chiesa di San Benedetto is decorated with an elaborate and remarkably well-preserved maiolica ceramic floor designed and crafted by 18th-century Palermo artist Nicolò Saranza. The decorative gold highlighted stucco wall decorations make the church glow in the sunlight.

This impressive church occupies an entire block of the main street in the medieval area of town, and it also houses the local library (Biblioteca Comunale) and the Civico Museo Archeologico, an archaeological museum. The church has the standard Greek cross structure. It is filled with marble vaults that host the statues of various saints and is decorated with floral embellishments typical of the extravagant Sicilian Baroque style.

Built in the 13th century, this church was renovated at the end of the 15th century, the beginning of the 18th century (perhaps due to damage from an earthquake), and most recently in 1981. From the Middle Ages up through the 19th century, it offered a final resting place to common citizens of Savoca. It's also known as the Chiesa di Santa Lucia, because of the silver statue of St. Lucia it houses, in addition to other sculptures and paintings from the nearby 15th-century church of St. Lucia that collapsed in a landslide in 1880. In popular culture, it's best known as the church where Michael Corleone wed Apollonia in The Godfather.

This small church dedicated to Saint Peter, who was originally a fisherman in Galilee, was erected in 1881 by the island's inhabitants and took 42 years to complete. Meander the narrow streets uphill to arrive at the pale yellow church, and the first thing you'll notice is the breathtaking panoramic view from the stone terrace at the sea-facing entrance. Inside, a portrait of the saint hangs above the high altar and the small wooden pews offer respite for quiet reflection—and a break from the heat. On June 28--29, they celebrate the Festival of Saint Peter, marked by a processional through the town and traditional dances and songs.

Founded in the 17th century as a Jesuit church, this was rebuilt following the 1693 earthquake. Housing the remains of Scicli's patron saint Guglielmo the hermit, a side chapel also hosts the life-size papier-mâché statue of the Madonna su cavallo (on a horse), the Madonna delle Milizie. This is paraded through the streets on the last Saturday in May to celebrate her feast day.

Like most small towns in Sicily, Mistretta's best artwork can be found in its local churches, which have a particularly ancient quality. The Chiesa Madre di Santa Lucia has a facade made from the characteristic golden limestone of Sicily with elegant Romanesque arches and columns. Inside, everything from the floor to the decorative altar is made of precious marble, which comes from the nearby town of San Marco D'Annunzio which has supplied marble for churches all over Messina province since the Middle Ages. The rose-color pink marble, in particular, was quite rare and the most expensive and luxurious decoration used in churches to show off a town's prosperity.

Polizzi is full of churches, each one filled to the brim with fascinating artwork, but this church is probably the most gorgeous of all. Its centerpiece is an astounding Renaissance painting of the Madonna and Child, attributed to the 15th-century Flemish painter Rogier Van Der Weyden. It is astonishing to see this priceless work of art from northern Europe housed in a church in Polizzi Generosa and gives you a sense of how much wealth was brought to the town thanks to its royal patrons.

In the Middle Ages, Petralia Sottana was under the dominion of the Ventimiglia family, whose immense wealth left behind many stunning public works and buildings in the town. The concentration of this architecture is focused in and around the central square of Piazza Umberto I, which is dominated by this 16th-century parish church, an impressive cathedral dedicated to the Madonna of the Assumption. The interior is filled with sculptures from the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, including details from Antonello Gangini, a famed Sicilian sculptor who decorated many important churches with his artwork.

On the town's Piazza Duomo, you'll find the parish church of the apostles of St. Peter and St. Paul. The church's dominating structure is in the Catalonian Gothic style, with 12 elaborate columns representing the apostles. The interior is relatively simple, but there is a remarkable life-size wooden crucifix in a side chapel. The extensively detailed carving was handmade by local monks in 1623.

Castelbuono's main cathedral, located on the central square of Piazza Margherita, is a 16th-century elegant Romanesque church filled with various religious art and paintings. The Gothic Catalan bell tower reflects a similar Andalusian style to Palermo's Duomo, and it is a prominent feature of the town's landscape.

Opposite the Museo del Satiro Danzante, the exuberant Baroque Jesuit College, with its portal framed by hefty male caryatids, was once the center of the Catholic Inquisition in town during the 18th century, charged with rooting out and punishing anything they deemed to be heresy. In 1824, the Jesuits clashed with Sicily’s Bourbon rulers, and were kicked out (probably missed by few). The damaged church of Sant’Ignazio next door is sometimes open; it's an evocative elliptical space, framed by red-gold sandstone and marble columns, and open to the sky. It is occasionally used for open-air concerts and exhibitions.

With its cupola and twin turrets, Acireale's Duomo is an extravagant Baroque construction dating from the 17th century. In the chapel to the right of the altar, look for the 17th-century silver statue of Santa Venera (patron saint of Acireale) by Mario D'Angelo, and the early-18th-century frescoes by Antonio Filocamo.

The city's Duomo was founded in 1093 by Sicily’s first Norman ruler, Roger I, who is depicted in relief above the main entrance on horseback trampling a turbanned Arab. It has an interior dominated by the huge marble tableau of the Transfiguration above the altar, revealed as if behind stucco curtains held back by cherubs, designed by the Palermitan Renaissance sculptor Antonello Gagini who is thought to have worked with Michelangelo in Rome. In the right transept is the fragment of a fresco of Christ Pantokrator dating back to the original Norman church and created by Greek Byzantine artists.