235 Best Sights in Sicily, Italy

There are numerous small, niche swimming spots in the Capo San Vito area, but the grandest and by far the most popular beach of all—and the centerpiece of the whole town—is San Vito Lo Capo's beach, a blissful arc of silky, white sand at the foot of Monte Monaco. Most of its length of nearly 3 km (2 miles) is public and free to use, but sections have been roped off as private lidos, where you'll pay €15–€20 for a full day's use of sunbeds and a parasol, plus access to bars and bathroom facilities. Needless to say, both public and private beaches get intensely crowded in July and August, which is the perfect time to seek out all those other lesser-known beaches in the vicinity. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; toilets; water sports. Best for: families; swimming; walking.

A beautifully kept hill village of neat stone houses and cobbled streets, Sant'Angelo Muxara is where locals have collaborated to give travelers a firsthand look at rural traditions. Programs can be adapted to meet individual needs and interests, but highlights include cheese making and tasting with a local shepherd, making bread or pizza in the wood-fired oven of the village’s ancient bakery, and visiting a herbalist in his remote cabin and learning how to gather edible wild greens. Guided walks can also be organized, led by an archaeological and nature guide, that take in ancient cave dwellings and tombs and the town’s small but very well-presented archaeological museum. Mindful walks with yoga and meditation are also on offer and highly recommended. Email or call in advance to set up a tour.

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. The small museum here houses five rooms filled with fascinating finds from the site, including a massive sculpture of Emperor Augustus's head excavated in the basilica ruins. 

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.

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). 

While you can see examples of Caltagirone's long ceramic tradition throughout the city, the most impressive display can be found in the 142 individually decorated tiled steps of this monumental staircase leading up to the neglected Santa Maria del Monte church. On July 25 (the feast of San Giacomo, the city's patron saint) and again on August 15th (the feast of the Assumption), the stairs form a tapestry design with illuminated candles. Months of work go into preparing the 4,000 coppi, or cylinders of colored paper, that hold oil lamps—then, at 9:30 pm on the nights of July 24, July 25, August 14, and August 15, a squad of hundreds of youngsters (tourists are welcome to participate) spring into action to light the lamps, so that the staircase flares up all at once.

An appealing village in two parts, Scauri's upper section is centered around a church with a clock tower high above the sea and has a couple of good places to eat, a fishmonger, and a small grocery store, as well as gorgeous views down to the sea from the wiggly maze of tiny streets behind the church. You could drive straight down to Scauri Porto, but if you like walking, leave the car in the car park and follow the main road downhill past La Nicchia restaurant until you reach a minor side road called Via Sopra La Scala. This becomes a track that leads downhill through meadows to the intriguing remains of a Roman or Byzantine settlement with the ruins of lava-stone buildings scattered among prickly pears, wild grains, and capers. The path continues along the coast, passing a tiny rocky bay with a natural hot pool, before arriving at a tiny quayside where you’ll find La Vela restaurant-bar and usually some kayaks to rent. From here, a small road crosses a low headland to the rest of Scauri, with a handful of picturesque places to eat or rent boats set around a well-protected harbor. The wind-lashed west coast is not as charming, with dated hotels and beach villas. However, anyone interested in archaeology may want to see the Sesi Grande, a huge dammuso-like structure with 11 spooky tunnels leading to 12 oval cells, created as a burial mound by the island’s prehistoric inhabitants.

The nonprofit Filicudi WildLife Conservation is dedicated to research and conservation of Aeolian sea life, particularly dolphins, sperm whales, and sea turtles. You can join one of their naturalistic excursions to go snorkeling with a marine biologist, go out on a boat at dawn to watch for cetaceans and turtles, or have a guided visit to the Sea Turtles First Aid Center. If you'd like to become more involved, you can join a one-week research camp on dolphins and turtles as a volunteer.  

For those seeking sea air, limpid and shallow waters, and fine sand, Sampieri's wonderful beach is a popular destination. There are a few bars, restaurants, and beach clubs at the west end; walking eastwards a pine-forest-and-sand-dune-backed free-access public beach leads to Punta Pisciotto's sculpted volcanic stone cliffs and picturesque ruin, Fornace Penna. This former brick and tile factory built in 1912 is a stunning backdrop in both reality and in the Montalbano TV series, although the fictional inspector's beachside pad in the show is up the coast at Donnalucata. Adventurous walkers and cyclists will enjoy the coastal paths from Sampieri to nearby Marina di Modica, while a westward rocky shoreline trail traces the Covo dei Contrabbandieri to another small beach town, Cava d'Aliga. Sampieri is a 6-mile drive from Scicli along the SP40, or 20 minutes via bus or train (getting to and from Sampieri's train station and beach involves a walk along the busy road without sidewalks, though). Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

 The Greeks put a premium on finding impressive locations to stage their dramas, such as Taormina's hillside Teatro Greco. Beyond the columns, you can see the town's rooftops spilling down the hillside, the arc of the coastline, and Mount Etna in the distance. The theater was built during the 3rd century BC and rebuilt by the Romans during the 2nd century AD. Its acoustics are exceptional: even today a stage whisper can be heard in the last rows. In summer, many music and dance performances are held in the Teatro Greco after sunset, when the marvelous vistas of the sparkling Ionian Sea are shrouded in darkness, but the glow of Sicily's most famous volcano can sometimes be seen in the distance.

This wonderful little winery is run with passion and energy by three young locals. Many wineries run tours, but few make the experience as personal and interesting as the Valle delle Ferle. Call ahead to book a personal tour of the vineyards, where Nero d’Avola and Frappato—the two grapes used to create Cerasuolo di Vittoria wine—are planted together, a traditional practice that has died out as newer joint plantings are not permitted. Guests are encouraged to taste blind, in order to demonstrate how the wines produced in these heavy clay hills are characterized by a far longer life and softer palate than those produced at lower elevations in the sandier soils closer to the sea. Tastings are accompanied by carefully selected local cheeses and salamis, so guests can experience the way the wines work with a salty or fresh cheese, or a fattier or chili-spiked salami. Tours also take in the cantina, where there is often a chance to taste immature wines straight from the tanks.

In the countryside west of Caltanissetta, Tenute Lombardo is a sprawling vineyard that still preserves many of the ancient techniques of Sicilian wine making. In addition to the classic Sicilian grapes like Grillo and Nero D'Avola, they also produce an exquisite sparkling wine made with Cattaratto, a grape native to Sicily, using the traditional Champagne method. Sitting atop a hill, the property offers 360-degree views of the rolling hills of vineyards, especially charming during the golden hour. The tasting room is modern but preserves the rustic character of the original structure—book in advance for a wine tasting accompanied by Sicilian antipasti. 

The seemingly endless pristine sands of Torre Salsa, overlooked by cliffs of crystal selenite, are one of the best-kept secrets of coastal Sicily. This is in part because they are easily reached only in summer. The rest of the year underground springs make the several dirt tracks to the sands inaccessible, not only by car but also on foot except for those intrepid enough not to be put off by knee-deep mud. If the sea is calm, those prepared to paddle can usually walk along the sands from the beaches at either end: Bovo Marina to the north and Siculiana Marina to the south. Bring plenty to eat and drink, as there are no facilities. If approaching by car in the dry months, the easiest access is via the Pantano entrance towards the northern end of the reserve.

The temples of Agrigento, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are considered some of the world's finest and best-preserved Greek temples. Whether you first come upon the Valley in the early morning light, bathed by golden floodlights after sunset, or in January and February when it's awash in the fragrant blossoms of thousands of almond trees, it's easy to see why the poet Pindar celebrated Akragas (Agrigento's Greek name) as "the most beautiful city built by mortals." The temples were originally erected as a showpiece to flaunt the Greek victory over Carthage. They have since withstood a later sack by the Carthaginians, mishandling by the Romans, and neglect by Christians and Muslims.

Although getting to, from, and around the dusty ruins of the Valle dei Templi is pretty easy, this important archaeological zone still deserves at least several hours, and it's pretty easy to spend a whole day at the park. The temples are spread out, but the Valley is all completely walkable and usually toured on foot. However, since there's only one hotel (Villa Athena) that's close enough to walk to the ruins, you'll most likely have to drive to reach the site. The best place to park is at the entrance to the temple area. The site opens at 8:30 am and is divided into western and eastern sections, linked by a bridge. The best way to see them both is to park at the Temple of Juno entrance and walk downhill through the eastern zone, across the footbridge into the western zone, and then return uphill, so that you see everything again from a different angle and in a different light. The best time to go is either first thing in the morning or couple of hours before sunset. However, if you are in Agrigento in high summer you might want to consider a night visit; the gates open shortly before sunset, with the temples floodlit as night falls.

You'll want to see the eight pillars of the Tempio di Ercole (Temple of Hercules) that make up Agrigento's oldest temple complex, dating from the 6th century BC. The Tempio di Giunone (Temple of Juno) at the top of the hill is perhaps the most beautiful of all the temples, partly in ruins and commanding an exquisite view of the Valley (especially at sunset). The low wall of mighty stone blocks in front of it was an altar used to sacrifice animals as an offering to the goddess. Next down the hill is the almost perfectly complete Tempio della Concordia (Temple of Concord), perhaps the best-preserved Greek temple currently in existence, thanks to its conversion into a Christian church in the 6th century, though it was restored to its current form in the 18th century. Below it is the Valley's oldest surviving temple, the Temple of Hercules, with nine of its original 38 columns standing, the rest tumbled around like a child's upended bag of building bricks.

Continuing over the pedestrian bridge, you reach the Tempio di Giove (Temple of Jupiter). It was meant to be the largest temple in the complex; it was never completed, but it would have occupied approximately the size of a soccer field. It was an unusual temple, with half columns backing into a continuous wall and 25-foot-high telamon, or male figures, inserted in the gaps in between. Some telamon have been roughly reassembled horizontally on the ground near the temple. Beyond is the so-called Temple of Castor and Pollux, which is picturesque but actually a folly created in the 19th century from various columns and architectural fragments.

We recommend a guided tour for those wanting to learn more about this fascinating yet complex history. You can book guided tours directly via the website, and there are licensed tour guides at the entrance of the temple offering tours. The ticketing office also rents audio guides in multiple languages for those looking to explore independently. Plan to stay at the park for at least half a day; there are plenty of bathrooms and small cafés throughout the park that offer snacks like arancini and even full-sized pasta dishes.  Save time by booking your tickets in advance online.

The protected reserve encompasses 15,000 hectares with paths crisscrossing bird- and wildlife-rich lagoons, macchia scrubland, and unspoiled beaches, including Calamosche, Eloro, Marianelli (most pristine and peaceful), and Vendicari with its tonnara (fishery) ruins. There are five entrances, the nearest to Noto being Ingresso Marianelli, some 7 miles southeast of Noto via SP19. There's no reliable public transport here, so you'll need a car.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the twin hill towns of Cammerata and San Giovanni Gemini were famous throughout Sicily for their traveling ice cream and granita makers. The key to this ice-cream industry was the collection and preservation of snow, and a local family of ice-cream makers has restored several of the neviere, circular buildings resembling stone igloos, strewn over the forested slopes above the towns. Snow was shoveled into the neviere, trodden down until it turned to a thick layer of ice, then covered with a mat of rushes and straw before another layer of snow was added on top. Stored like this, the snow would keep frozen for months, and with the giant blocks of ice fetching the equivalent of €3,000, it had to be carefully guarded. The best way to see the neviere, learn how to make Sicilian granita, and visit a small private ice museum, is on a guided tour, which can include a lunch of cold cuts, local cheeses, and grilled meat and vegetables in a pretty, family-run café.

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.

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.

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, archaeology enthusiasts will enjoy the path along the mostly buried circuit of its walls to get a sense of its strategic position above a fertile river valley that 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 (a sweet Italian dessert wine), 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.

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 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. 

Lord Byron (1788–1824) visited the Belvedere di Santa Caterina to look out over the Ionian Sea during his Italian wanderings. Today, the viewpoint 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. Tastings 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.

Luminaries such as Picasso, Bertrand Russell, Ernest Hemingway, and Tennessee Williams all fell for the charms of this house, which from 1947 was set up as a hotel for writers and artists. It was run for over 50 years by Daphne Phelps, the niece of the painter Robert Kitson, who with the artist Frank Brangwyn designed and built the villa in the early 1900s. A guided tour reveals its stories and the works of art donated by artists. The dining room holds distinctive frescoes and furniture by Frank Brangwyn, and the library has the desk where Roald Dahl wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. There are five antiques-filled rooms where guests can stay.