62 Best Sights in Sicily, Italy

You'll need to hire a guide to explore the over 5,000 tombs covering the limestone cliffs that make up this Iron and Bronze Age burial site. On a huge plateau over the Anapo River, the necropolis dates to between the 13th and 8th centuries BC. If you decide not to hire a guide, you'll need to drive to get here. There are two main entrances: one near the town of Sortino and the other from the town of Ferla. The entrance by Sortino involves a good walk down the sides of the gorge while the Ferla entrance is more of a gentle stroll along a well-beaten path. Set aside a minimum of two hours for your visit, but it is better to allocate at least half a day; be sure to wear a good pair of walking shoes and bring plenty of water.

When visitors think of classic Sicilian landscapes, they often think of arid, desertlike lands. However, as you head to the island's center, the views you see may encompass much greener rolling hills, frondous trees, and carpets of wildflowers, confirming the island's biodiversity, especially if you are traveling in the spring. West of Caltanissetta is Bosco Gabbara, a natural reserve known for its hiking trails, which are especially popular among locals during the spring and fall. Pack lunch and snacks because there are no restaurants or stops with food along the trails. You may consider hiring a guide who knows the ins and outs of the area.

In all of Sicily there may be no spot more scenic than atop this crumbling hilltop fortification reached by a set of steep staircases rising out of the town center. From here you can gaze upon two coastlines, smoking Mount Etna, and the town spilling down the mountainside. Mention of its foundations go back to the 4th-century Hellenistic Siceliote inhabitants; it was remodeled by 9th-century Byzantines and then the Normans, but all that stands today are remains of the 16th-century castle walls. Come during daylight hours to take full advantage of the vista.

Noto's domed cathedral is an undisputed highlight of the extraordinary Baroque architecture for which the town is world-famous. Climb the monumental staircase to get a glimpse of the interior—restored over a 10-year period after the dome collapsed in 1996—which is simple and unloved by some (its newness and painting style may appear strange at first) compared to the magnificent exterior, but still worth a look. Indeed, it's become so popular that an entrance fee has been introduced, mainly to help the informative volunteers to cope with the foot flow.

Polizzi is full of churches, each one filled to the brim with fascinating artworks, but this one is probably the most gorgeous of all. Its Norman-era foundations have been built upon several times since, including Gothic-era additions by the Ventimiglia dynasty. The centerpiece is an astonishing Renaissance triptych of the Madonna and Child (late 1400s)  by an anonymous, though possibly Flemish, artist. It's sometimes attributed to (though more likely influenced by) the celebrated Flemish painter Rogier Van Der Weyden (1399--1464). As astonishing as it is to see this priceless work of art from northern Europe housed in a church in Polizzi Generosa, its presence gives you a sense of how much wealth was brought to the town thanks to its royal patrons.

For a walk on the moonlike surface of Etna, visit the Silvestri craters on the southern side of the volcano, near Nicolosi. Located at an altitude of roughly 6,200 feet, these five extinct craters formed during the 1892 eruption. Just a few meters away, across from Rifugio Sapienza, you'll find the Funivia dell'Etna (€50 round-trip), a cable car that carries you 8,000 feet up to Monte Montagnola, where you can hike further with a guide or go skiing in winter. 

The reconstruction of Messina's Norman and Romanesque cathedral, originally built by the Norman king Roger II and consecrated in 1197, has retained much of the original plan—including a handsome crown of Norman battlements, an enormous apse containing glittering mosaics, and a splendid wood-beamed ceiling. The adjoining bell tower contains one of the largest and most complex mechanical clocks in the world: constructed in 1933, it has a host of gilded automatons (a roaring lion and crowing rooster among them) that spring into action every day at the stroke of noon, lasting for 12 minutes. Don't miss the chance to climb the bell tower itself. As you head up the internal stairs, you'll see the system of levers and counterweights that operates the movements of the gilded bronze statues that parade through the open facade high over the Duomo's square. At the top, an open-air terrace offers 360-degree views of Messina and the strait.

Castelbuono is located just outside this 80,000-acre regional park of the Madonie Mountains, which means it is a perfect spot to explore the splendid natural reserve. There are walking paths, camping areas, horse riding, mountain biking, and caving activities to experience. You can even simply take a scenic drive out into the park for a picnic.

After the active volcanoes of Mount Etna and Stromboli, the tilted white "staircase" of the Scala dei Turchi cliff is the most stunning geological site in Sicily. Formed by eroded strata of pure white marl, with a silken, gold, sandy beach below, the cliff was allegedly named after the so-called Turkish (actually Saracen) pirates who plagued the Sicilian coast in the 16th century. The Scala and its beach are extraordinarily popular, so try to visit in the low season. If you don't want the hassle of going to the beach on a busy day, you can also catch some beautiful views from several lookout points along the road. Another option is to see the rock formations from the sea, with several tour operators offering boat rides. The best access is from the signposted paid car park just south of the cliff (follow the sign to Majata Beach/Ingresso Scala dei Turchi). 

Stroll down Via Bagnoli Croce from the main Corso Umberto to the Villa Comunale to enjoy the stunning views from the seaside city's best terrace walkways. Also known as the Parco Duca di Cesarò, the lovely public gardens were designed by Florence Trevelyan Cacciola, a Scottish lady "invited" to leave England following a romantic liaison with the future Edward VII (1841–1910). Arriving in Taormina in 1889, she married a local professor and devoted herself to the gardens, filling them with native Mediterranean and exotic plants, ornamental pavilions, and fountains.

These two gems on the Riviera dei Ciclopi (Cyclops Riviera), the coastline between Acireale and Catania, fill with city dwellers in summer. Heading south from Acireale on the litoranea (coastal) road, you'll first reach Aci Trezza, said to be the land of the one-eyed Cyclops in Homer's Odyssey. Aci Castello has its own fish houses plus the imposing Castello Normanno (Norman Castle), which sits right on the water. The castle was built in the 11th century with volcanic rock from Mt. Etna.

Located between Monte Gorna and Monte Ilice, Pierluca Beneventano guides visitors up the steep slopes of his vineyard for a tasting (featuring red, white, and rosé) among the vines. From there, you can see the other ancient craters of the southeast and all the way down to the Ionian Sea. In addition to traditional Etna grapes, Pierluca is working to recultivate grape relics, varieties that were historically found on Etna, such as Moscatella dell’Etna, Muscatetuni, and Terribbile. Young and endlessly energetic, he’s embracing the wine-making traditions of the volcano while forging his own path. Keep an eye on his Nubivago wine, a white made with Carricante, Catarratto, and Moscatella dell’Etna in which he freezes the grapes before pressing them. Reservations are required.

The ornate facade of this 18th-century Baroque church—a UNESCO World Heritage site—dominates Piazza del Popolo. The interior is worth a visit for its towering marble main altar, carved wooden sacristy, and numerous statuary and artworks, including some dedicated to the cult of Madonna Odigitria, traditionally venerated by the residents of the upper part of town with a music-and-flower-filled annual May procession. 

This rustic piece of coastline juts out from the naturally formed port of Milazzo, showing off classic Mediterranean scrub, a kind of coastal vegetation common to Sicily. The road leading to the cape is perfect for a scenic drive, and there are rustic beaches you can stop to enjoy along the way. Follow the signs from the city center to reach the cape or follow the main local road toward Palermo.

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.

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, and it's worth walking round to the gracefully decorated back of the apse to view the interlacing Arab arches inlaid with limestone and black volcanic tufa. The climb to the cathedral's roof is also recommended for some fabulous city views.

A striking cathedral in the heart of Caltanissetta, the Cattedrale di Santa Maria La Nova is a cultural treasure, especially for those from the region. Inside, visitors can admire various works of art, including a 17th-century statue of St. Michael the Archangel by Stefano Li Volsi da Nicosia; a canvas of the Madonna del Carmelo by Filippo Paladini; and a crucifix by Antonello Gagini, a sculptor influenced by Michelangelo. A beautifully carved and decorated organ also graces the cathedral.

Black lava stone from Etna, combined with largely Baroque architecture, give Catania's historic center a very distinctive feel. After Catania's destruction by lava and earthquake at the end of the 17th century, the city was rebuilt and its informal mascot "U Liotru" (an elephant carved out of lava balancing an Egyptian obelisk) was placed outside the cathedral as a kind of talisman. This square also marks the entrance to Catania's famous pescheria (fish market) and is one of the few points in the city where you can see the Amenano River aboveground. Another point of interest is Via Garibaldi, which runs from Piazza del Duomo up toward the impressively huge Porta Garibaldi, a black-and-white triumphal arch built in 1768 to commemorate the marriage of Ferdinando I. Also of note in the center are Castello Ursino, which is now a museum, the Greco-Roman theater off Via Vittorio Emanuele II, the Roman amphitheater in Piazza Stesicoro, and the Monastero dei Benedettini, now a part of the university.

It is more than worth the short detour from the lively Ballarò Market to step into the serene Baroque perfection of the "Church of Jesus." 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 church is also sometimes known as Casa Professa (motherhouse). The interior is almost completely covered with intricate marble bas-reliefs and elaborate black, tangerine, and cream stonework. 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 frescoes in the presbytery are by Gianbecchina, while stunning stucco wall decorations are by the famous Sicilian master Giacomo Serpotta and the front altar's design of the Annunciation is by the Flemish, largely Naples-based artist Guglielmo Borremans.

Located right in front of the main square at the heart of Caccamo, the patched-up but picturesque 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---also known as Madrice Nuova---was constructed in the years straddling the 16th and 17th centuries and rebuilt in the 1830s after substantial earthquake damage. It is characterized by typical Sicilian limestone stonework and an elegant bell tower. Inside it is filled with various reliquaries, gorgeous intarsia work, pious pieces of art, statuary by Filippo Quattroochi (1738--1813), and two 18th-century organs.  

The fabulously voluptuous facade makes a stunning contrast with the limestone cliffs soaring above the edge of the town's historic center. A dizzying fusion of the Baroque and rococo lies behind the lace grate doors of this single-nave church; your eyes eventually lead to the central altarpiece painting, Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew (1779) by Francesco Pasucci. Most enchanting is the Neapolitan wooden nativity scene conceived in the 16th century and remodeled by Pietro Padula (1773–76).

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 majolica ceramic floor designed and crafted by 18th-century Palermo artist Nicolò Sarana. The decorative gold-highlighted stucco wall decorations make the church glow in the sunlight.

This impressive deconsecrated 17th-century church occupies an entire block of the main street in the medieval quarter and sits beside the Collegio dei Gesuiti, which now houses the Biblioteca Comunale, the town's library, and its civic collections. These include the Civico Museo Archeologico, an archaeological museum with exhibits telling the history and significance of the Abete delle Madonie, an endangered fir tree species; and the Museo del Giocattolo Antico, with poignant displays of antique toys. The church itself is in 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. Government funding was secured in 2023 to begin extensive restoration of the building. 

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 St. Peter and St. Paul. The church's dominating structure is in the Catalonian Gothic style, with 12 elaborate columns representing the apostles and two bell towers, one Norman and one from the 18th century. The interior is relatively simple, with notable works including an intricately carved, life-size wooden crucifix by local monk Frate Umile da Petralia (1600--1639) and and the Madonie's largest organ, which dates from 1780. Petralia Soprana's most venerated pious objects, the multicolored wooden statues of the apostles Pietro and Paolo (1767) are paraded through the streets on the saint's feast day, June 29.

Castelbuono's main cathedral, located on the central square of Piazza Margherita, was originally established in 1362; the current church is an elegant Romanesque structure dating to the 16th century that is filled with religious art and paintings. The Gothic Catalan bell tower reflects a similar Andalusian style to Palermo's Duomo and is a prominent feature of the town's landscape. A painted altarpiece, with intricate wooden carved details and portraits of various saints, dominates the church interior. The images on the polyptych are from the 1500s, created by Antonio di Saliba, the nephew of the famous early Renaissance Sicilian master Antonello da Messina.

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 a few). Now, the space is undergoing renovations, and visitors can explore small exhibitions of artworks from the municipal archives. 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.

This lively street that runs the length of Lipari Town from the port blends the tourist and local worlds. You'll find the requisite souvenir shops selling trinkets and postcards, but it's also where residents go to visit their butcher, to pick up daily bread, and to buy fishing tackle. During summer evenings, it's closed to cars and becomes the primary stretch for making the evening passeggiata (evening stroll) past cafés that reverberate with energy late into the evenings.