235 Best Sights in Sicily, Italy

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.  Confirm it's open before visiting; it was closed for renovations in 2024 but expected to reopen by spring 2025.

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. Contemporary art shows, usually featuring sculpture, are staged in the cathedral-like interiors and even in the surrounding waters.

Once a vital part of the city's defenses, today Collesano's medieval castle is a picturesque ruin that makes for an evocative exploration of the town's topography and history. The castle's impressively thick walls are on the north side of the town in front of the town's original parish church. The castle 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 the remains of a series of defensive buildings in a small medieval neighborhood, making it 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. The castle reopened to the public in 2024 after having been locked for decades, it's worth the climb just for the panoramic views. Tickets can be purchased online and include an audio guide.

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 it is believed that 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, preserved, and 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.

Nobles of the 17th and 18th centuries in this area opted to have their corpses mummified. You can visit the somewhat creepy crypt, located beneath a 17th-century Capuchin monastery, to see their preserved remains and handwoven silk garments. The catacombs are usually open daily from April to October and on weekends the rest of the year, but it's advised to call ahead to be sure that someone is actually on-site to let you in.

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.

The Cathedral of Saint Bartholomew (aka the Duomo of Lipari) was built in the 16th century with an initial construction and history dating back to the Arab era in 838. This Baroque-style co-cathedral in the heart of Lipari's main town is the island's most famous landmark and the main place of worship of the entire Aeolian archipelago. The prominent facade can be seen from afar, but a visit is recommended. Even though you must ascend a steep staircase to reach it, the church is well worth the climb up. And it's located directly next door to the Aeolian Regional Archaeological Museum, the island's other main sight. 

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 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.

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.

The sandy limestone from this quarry was much prized by ancient Greek builders. Lacking the fossilized shells abundant in much local stone, it was a stronger and more resistant construction material, and consequently a natural choice for the temples of Selinunte. Nevertheless, quarrying the stone in the huge discs required for temple columns was clearly no easy task, and as you wander through and above the gorge, you come across several broken discs, including one that was abandoned, split, before it had been fully removed from the bare rock. Even without the historical interest, this is a lovely place for a quiet stroll through olives, asphodel, and wildflowers, although in low season the site is unmanned and used by goatherds, so keep an eye out for untethered dogs.

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. 

Scicli is a city of honey-hued churches, all built after the devastating earthquake in 1693. The church of San Matteo is abandoned, but it’s well worth climbing the shallow stairs up the steep hillside to take in the panoramic views of Scicli’s old town from the terrace in front of the church. It's especially magical at sunset. If you're feeling adventurous, the tranquil but tricky paths around San Matteo and the caves of the Quarterie Chiafura are scattered with picturesque ruins among wild meadows. Take care, though, as you approach the sadly decaying Chiesa di Santo Spirito, completed in 1747 on top of an earlier earthquake-smashed church.  

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 St. Peter (the patron saint of Panarea) 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 St. Peter, marked by a processional through the town and traditional dances and songs.

Founded in the 17th century by the Jesuits, Scicli's "mother church" was rebuilt following the 1693 earthquake. Housing the remains of the town'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), also known as the Madonna delle Milizie. She 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, and the town's "Mother Church" has an array of treasures passed down through the centuries. Its facade is 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'Alunzio, which has supplied marble for churches all over Messina province since the Middle Ages. The rose-colored pink marble in particular was quite rare and the most expensive and luxurious decoration used in churches to show off a town's prosperity.

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.