221 Best Sights in Sicily, Italy

The exceptionally well-preserved Imperial Roman Villa is thought to have been a hunting lodge of the emperor Maximian (3rd–4th century AD) and offers some of the best mosaics of the Roman world, artfully covering more than 12,000 square feet. The excavations were not begun until 1950, and most of the wall decorations and vaulting have been lost, but the shelter over the site hints at the layout of the original building. The mosaics were probably made by North African artisans; they're similar to those in the Tunis Bardo Museum, in Tunisia. The entrance was through a triumphal arch that led into an atrium surrounded by a portico of columns, which line the way to the thermae, or bathhouse. It's colorfully decorated with mosaic nymphs, a Neptune, and enslaved people massaging bathers. The peristyle leads to the main villa, where in the Salone del Circo you look down on mosaics illustrating scenes from the Circus Maximus in Rome. A theme running through many of the mosaics—especially the long hall flanking one entire side of the peristyle courtyard—is the capturing and shipping of wild animals, which may have been a major source of the owner's wealth. Yet the most famous mosaic is the floor depicting 10 girls wearing the ancient equivalent of bikinis, going through what looks like a fairly rigorous set of training exercises.

True to its name, the island of Vulcano has a profusion of fumaroles sending up jets of hot vapor, and although the volcano itself is dormant, emissions have recently reached dangerous levels, occasionally resulting in parts of the island being evacuated. When it is safe, visitors can come to soak in the strong-smelling sulfur springs or to sunbathe and walk on some of the archipelago's best beaches, though the volcanic black sand can be off-putting at first glance. Volcanic conditions permitting, you can climb the volcano and walk right around the crater.

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.

This underground river flows beneath much of Catania. You can glimpse it at the Fontana dell'Amenano, but the best place to experience the river is at the bar-restaurant A Putia dell'Ostello. Here you can sit at an underground table as swirls of water rush by. If you're not planning to stay for a drink, someone from the bar will sell you a €1 ticket to walk into the cavelike seating area. Aside from the underground river, the bar area aboveground is a lively, fun spot to hang out on a Monday evening when many other places are closed.

Splendidly set on a promontory above a long stretch of cliff-backed sandy beach that runs right down to Scala Dei Turchi, Eraclea Minoa was once an ancient Greek city. Today, it's worth a visit to follow the path along the mostly buried circuit of its walls to get a sense of its strategic position above a fertile river valley that so appealed to the west coast Greeks. Located approximately halfway between Selinunte and Agrigento, it was founded by the former but fought over by both for most of the 5th century BC. Its fortune barely improved over the following centuries: Eraclea’s position on the west coast made it a desirable target for the armies of Carthage. Warfare, landslides, and a propensity to use ancient sites as quarries for ready-cut stone mean that little is left of the city today, and mistakes have been made in attempts to preserve what does remain.

The perspex roof added to the theater in the 1960s created warm, damp conditions perfect for the growth of abundant weeds that further damaged the stone, and a "temporary" roof erected in the early 2000s is still in place, but severely damaged. That said, the site is atmospheric, especially in spring when covered with wildflowers. There is also a small museum, with lots of finds relating to everyday life and death in the town, including a broken pot with the fragment of someone’s name written on the side, several votive statuettes, and some beautifully decorated lidded pots (pyxis) for jewels or cosmetics found in graves.

Denny Almanza took over his grandfather’s beekeeping farm just outside the little village of Madonna delle Grazie at the age of 15. Now he has hives in three zones—by the sea, above the Lago di Venere, and on Montagne Grande—and his bees produce five or six different kinds of honey, including prickly pear, clover, rosemary, heather, and mountain strawberry, that tend to sell out very quickly as he is the only person on the island to produce honey at any scale. 

Along with honey-making, Denny makes two dry white zibbibo wines and a passito, and produces truly excellent capers and oregano. Contact him beforehand to organize a wine tasting accompanied by local snacks such as caper and almond pesto and primosale cheese.

On the western side of Etna, just above the town of Bronte, Musa offers immersion into all things pistachio at their agriturismo. The property, with its stunning views of the volcano, is home to horses, donkeys, goats, fruit trees, and, of course, pistachio trees. You can wander the grounds (where they occasionally host small concerts) and see pistachios fruiting on the trees; the harvest happens in the early fall, every other year. On Sunday, Musa offers a set menu lunch (€30 per person; cash only) at a long wooden table under shady trees. Pistachios figure prominently on the ever-changing menu: think pistachio and artichoke lasagna; penne with pistachio pesto, ricotta, and a veritable mountain of ground pistachios; braised pork with pistachios and porcini; pistachio cannoli; and so on. It is possible to arrange a visit to the full pistachio orchard, though it helps if you speak Italian. 

Established in 1873, this museum located directly in front of the Duomo is perfect for lovers of ancient Greek and Roman art. It houses an impressive collection of artifacts recovered from the archaeological area of Himera, including old coins, statues, and many other objects from daily life. The gallery also houses the works of Sicilian artists from the 16th and 17th centuries, some Flemish works, and even a Byzantine triptych. It is an astoundingly random collection that's a testament to the passionate dedication Sicily has always had when it comes to artists and pieces of art. 

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 winemaking 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.

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.

Lord Byron (1788–1824) visited the Belvedere di Santa Caterina to look out over the Ionian Sea during his Italian wanderings. Today, the viewing point is south of the old town, near the Terme di Acireale, off SS114, and is a tranquil spot for photos or quiet reflection on one of the several benches positioned toward the water.

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.

Based in an ancient borgo, on a hillside overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, this 74-acre winery and vineyard specializes in natural reds and rosés made from Nerello Mascalese and Nocera grapes. From the vine-covered hilltop, you can see all the way to the island of Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands, and the wind whips through the oak, olive, and citrus trees and wild fennel and rosemary brushes. The ground here is a lesson in Earth's ancient history: throughout the white sand-clay mix, you can find sea fossils in the soil. Tastings (for up to six people) can take place in the vineyard or in the winery itself, and upon request include local cured meats and cheeses.

An exuberant welcome awaits you at Cantina Basile from winemaker Fabrizio and his English-speaking wife, Simona. Fabrizio is something of a wine rebel and innovator, and if anyone can convince you that sweet passito dessert wine works its magic better with well-chosen savory dishes than sweet, he will be the one to do it. Along with dry and sweet zibbibo wines, Fabrizio has planted cabernet franc, merlot, and syrah vines, and tastings give an opportunity to try some of his red wines. His whites include Sora Luna, 100% zibbibo grown in volcanic sandy soil where Fabrizio trains the vine leaves to grow big and act as shade to the grapes, and Trequartidiluna, where the wine must is left in oak for a month then aged in stainless steel for 10 years. Tasting include four or five wines, and are accompanied by foods chosen to demonstrate how differently the same wines can react to various different foods.

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.

Prior to his untimely death in 1979, poet Antonino Uccello made it his life's work to collect artifacts to re-create 18th-century rural Sicilian life, resulting in this small museum. The collection is interesting, but the majority of the information boards are in Italian. Sometimes the guides can also be a little too enthusiastic in making sure you don't linger during your visit.

A 15-minute drive out of town will bring you to an olive plantation where soap is made from olive oil, continuing a tradition that stretches back for millennia. The fascinating, 50-minute tours in good English take you through the process of creating soap in this way and sketch out the history of soap manufacture. Following an introduction outside in the olive grove, the tour moves indoors where you can examine examples of different kinds of soap and even try your hand at making it. Afterward, there are opportunities to purchase the soap as well as other products made here. Call to book at least a day ahead.

Enna's narrow, winding streets are dominated at one end by the impressive cliff-hanging Castello di Lombardia, rebuilt by Frederick II to create an expansive summer residence on the foundations of an ancient Sicani fort raised more than 2,000 years ago. While there is little to see inside the castle, climb up the tower for great views from the dead center of the island—on a very clear day, you can see to all three coasts. Immediately to the south you see Lake Pergusa (dry, in late summer), now almost swallowed by Enna's sprawling suburbs and the racetrack around its perimeter. According to Greek mythology, this was where Persephone was abducted by Hades. While a prisoner in his underworld realm she ate six pomegranate seeds, and was therefore doomed to spend half of each year there. For the ancients, she emerged at springtime, triggering a display of wildflowers that can still be admired all over Sicily.

It is common to see castles along Sicily's coastline as the Normans used them to defend the island from invaders throughout the Middle Ages. Castello di Milazzo lies high above the town and is a beautiful example of an authentic medieval castle. It's well worth the hike up for the views out to the sea.

The castle also hosts the MuMa Museum of the sea. The museum was founded by Sicilian marine biologist Carmelo Isgro who recovered the remains of a sperm whale who died after it was caught in an illegal fishing net off the nearby Aeolian Islands. Isgro reconstructed the whale's skeleton. It became the central figure of the museum with other exhibits that highlight the relationship between man and the sea and how it can be improved.

Originally from the early 800s, today this castle is mostly in ruins, but if you follow the well-constructed paths that wind through it, you can still pass through some rooms and doorways and get a sense of what the castle once looked like. The views are lovely near the castle walls that extend above the cliffs, and you can see how castle defenders watched for enemies here. Access to the ruins is wheelchair-friendly, but some climbing of stairs is required to complete the tour of the entire site.

Sperlinga's Norman castle is built from the foundations of a rocky outcrop. This kind of construction is rare, and since no one can quite figure out its exact origins, it gives the castle an aura of mystery. The castle was used as a cemetery by ancient Sicilians and later became a strategic defense point during the Byzantine period. The castle is at the highest part of the town and offers the best views of the rugged landscape and the rest of Sperlinga.

Built over an ancient temple dedicated to Venus (hence the name), the ruined Castello di Venere dates from Norman times and is erected in a position to afford the best possible views of the sea and coast. For this reason alone it's worth the 20-minute walk to the southeastern corner of Erice's triangular layout. There's plenty of background to absorb from the information boards (also in English), but not much to see inside, so it's all about the spectacular vistas where you can take in Trapani, the salt pans, and the Egadi Islands.

This impressive castle fortress was built in 1316 by the Ventimiglia family. With its four imposing watchtower structures, it was once the center of Castelbuono and helped the town become the administrative and defensive capital of the Ventimiglias' vast kingdom. Later it also became the prestigious residence of the family. In 1684 its interior was renovated to accommodate the family, and a new chapel was added and filled with decorative stucco embellishments. The Ventimiglia family chapel inside the Castello was decorated by Sicilian master sculptures Giuseppe and Giacomo Serpotta and Antonello Gangini.

The southern tip of Ortigia island is occupied by this castle built by Frederick II (1194–1250), from which there are fine sea views (until recently, it was an army barracks). The grounds (with bar) are open to the public and have become a popular spot for picnics and lunch breaks. Highlights of the castle are the vaulted main hall and the cannon emplacements in the basement—at their most evocative on stormy days when you can hear the waves crashing against the walls.

Once a vital part of the city's defenses, today Collesano's medieval castle is a small but lovely part of the town's landscape. The castle's ruins can be seen rising above the northern side of the town in front of its original parish church. It was built during the 12th century by King Roger II of Sicily after he decided to move his administration to a more strategic place to head off invasions from North Africa and the Middle East. What remains of this original project are castle ruins and some imposing defensive buildings in a small medieval neighborhood, which is a fascinating place to visit.

Built from basalt (the black lava stone of the area), this fortress sits high on a cliff jutting out into the Ionian Sea above a prehistoric lava flow. The exact construction origins are unknown, but it's generally accepted that the original fortification was built by the Romans as a spot called Castrum Jacis that was later rebuilt as a castle by the Byzantines in the 7th century, and subsequently controlled by the Arabs. The current castle was built in 1076 and is attributed to the Normans who ruled the area in the 11th century. Inside the castle there is a small museum divided into three sections: mineralogy, paleontology, and archaeology. But arguably the best reason to visit is the view from the top, from which you can see the nearby Cyclops Islands, great expanses of sea, and the craggy coastline stretching to Catania. 

An unrelenting 20-minute walk up the Via Crucis footpath takes you to the church of the Madonna della Rocca, hollowed out of the limestone rock. Above it towers the 1,000-year-old stone walls of Castello Saraceno, which is built on the site of earlier Greek and Roman fortifications. Although the gate to the castle has been locked for decades, it's worth the climb just for the panoramic views.

Not far from the Archaeological Park, off Viale Teocrito, the catacombs below the church of San Giovanni are one of the earliest known Christian sites in the city. Inside the crypt of San Marciano is an altar where St. Paul preached on his way through Sicily to Rome. The frescoes in this small chapel are mostly bright and fresh, though some dating from the 4th century AD show their age. To visit the catacombs, you must take a 45-minute guided tour (included with the admission price), which leaves about every half hour and is conducted in Italian and English.

The spookiest sight in all of Sicily, this 16th-century catacomb houses more than 8,000 corpses of men, women, and young children—some in tombs but many mummified and preserved—hanging in rows on the walls, divided by social caste, age, or gender. Most wear signs indicating their names and the years they lived, and many are Capuchin friars, who were founders and proprietors of this bizarre establishment from 1599 to 1911. The site is still managed by the nearby Capuchin church, but was closed to new corpses when an adjacent cemetery was opened, making the catacombs redundant. Though memorable, this is not a spot for the faint of heart; children might be frightened or disturbed.