Things to see & do on Sicily, Italy
You can’t walk two paces without tripping over a bit of ancient history in Sicily. The Ancient Greek Theatre of Taormina cracks open below the foothills of Mount Etna. The rock stacks off Catania were said to be thrown by Cyclops chasing away Ulysses. And over in Agrigento, pirates would use the Daz-white ‘Turkish Steps’ cliffs to make their landings. Absolutely everything, it seems, comes with a tale – and Sicilians are more than willing to share a yarn or five.
Our Italy Vacations
Sicily history tour, Italy
One of the most fascinating islands in Europe
From
US $1949 to US $2179
9 days
ex flights
Sicily small ship cruise, food & culture
Experience the flavours, landscapes and history of Sicily
From
£2249
8 days
ex flights
Sicily food vacation in Italy
Be overwhelmed at how varied and diverse Sicily’s cuisine
From
US $2049 to US $2179
8 days
ex flights
Sicily walking vacation, Sicilian Volcanoes
Discover Mt Etna and the beautiful volcanic achipelago
From
US $1849
8 days
ex flights
Catania and Etna vacation, Sicily
For those who lusts to live intensively the journey
From
€1575
8 days
ex flights
Southern Sicily vacation for over 50s
Explore Ragusa, the jewel of southern Sicily
From
€2174
6 days
ex flights
Sicily cycling vacation in Italy
Ride through Sicily's UNESCO sites of Siracusa, Noto, Modica and Ragusa
From
US $1949 to US $2179
8 days
ex flights
Highlights of Sicily vacation for over 50s
Explore the food, culture and heritage of Sicily
From
€2396
12 days
ex flights
Sicily tour, classical Sicily
Tour the main classical sights of Sicily
From
US $1620 to US $1690
8 days
ex flights
Sicily history tour
Discover Sicily with a knowledgeable guest lecturer
From
US $2700 to US $2730
15 days
ex flights
Active vacation to Sicily
Explore eastern Sicily's landscapes, food and culture.
From
€1946
10 days
ex flights
Sicily bareboat sailing vacation
Go sailing around beautiful Sicily
From
£1571 to £6445
7 days
ex flights
Sicily and Aeolian Islands small ship cruise
Cruise to the amazing volcanic Aeolian Islands from Sicily
From
£1265 to £1335
8 days
ex flights
Calabria and Sicily vacation, Italy
Discover the secrets of Italy’s vibrant south
From
US $3980 to US $4340
15 days
ex flights
Small group Sicily grand tour
Discover the temples, villages and food of Sicily
From
US $3449 to US $3579
15 days
ex flights
Catania and Mount Etna vacation for over 50s
A Sicily vacation for those enjoying retirement
From
€1059
6 days
ex flights
Sicily’s lived-in history
A vacation to Sicily is one big history lesson. Balanced between mainland Italy, Spain, North Africa and the Greek Ionian islands, it’s been a trading crossroads for around 10,000 years. To get your head around it all, you’ll need two things: great walking boots and a great local guide.The Ancient Greeks left behind some of the most grandiose architecture, setting up outposts on the coast from the 8th century BC. The theatre at Taormina serves up swooping views of Mount Etna and the Aeolian Islands. And the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento lays out some of the best examples of Doric temples in the world.
The Romans arrived in the 3rd century BC, pouring their wealth into villas, palaces and ports. Syracuse became the epicenter – make sure to explore the al fresco Archaeological Park and papyrus-lined Fountain of Arethusa at Ortygia. The Byzantine branch of the Roman Empire swung by in the 6th century, turning Syracuse into their shining HQ. Their influence is island-wide, with churches like Cefalu Cathedral glittering with Byzantine mosaics.
Later, arriving Arabs and Normans shaped cities like Palermo, when North African craftspeople worked with the Norman King William II to create the domes and Byzantine-style mosaics in Monreale Cathedral.
Inland, temperamental geology was just as influential as the ruler of the day. In 1693, an earthquake killed over 100,000 people and tumbled towns in the Noto Valley. Noto and Ragusa were almost completely rebuilt with a 17th century flourish; these days, the whole plateau is an ode to Sicilian baroque. Expect plenty in the way of warm honeyed stone and gloriously OTT doorways carved with roses, scrolls and cherubs.
Later, arriving Arabs and Normans shaped cities like Palermo, when North African craftspeople worked with the Norman King William II to create the domes and Byzantine-style mosaics in Monreale Cathedral.
Inland, temperamental geology was just as influential as the ruler of the day. In 1693, an earthquake killed over 100,000 people and tumbled towns in the Noto Valley. Noto and Ragusa were almost completely rebuilt with a 17th century flourish; these days, the whole plateau is an ode to Sicilian baroque. Expect plenty in the way of warm honeyed stone and gloriously OTT doorways carved with roses, scrolls and cherubs.
Get outside
It’s not every day that you get to hike up the most active volcano in Europe – especially in the wake of a fact-loaded volcanologist. A guided walking vacation will take you to the desolate landscape of lava flows, craters and cinder cones that tops Mount Etna. You might even score a night in Rifugio Sapienza (1,900m), giving you the chance to catch a Technicolor sunset over the northeast coast and Aeolian Islands. Zingaro Nature Reserve is another must-do walk. March from Scopello village in the east to San Vito Lo Capo in west; it’s all sunny seas, untouched beaches and hideaway coves.And where there’s good walking country, there’s good cycling country. Sign up to a cycling tour to roll over the hills and valleys between the baroque cities of Ragusa and Modica. In the Alcantara valley, meanwhile, you could take the old railway tunnels between villages and fruit orchards, before cooling off in the pools of the Alcantara River. Or you might be treated to the Cava Grande Natonal Reserve, where you can peer into the Cassibile canyon.
As is standard in Italy, families are welcomed with open arms (your kids will just have to get used to the cheek-pinching). Book a tailor made tour, and your guide will adapt the activities to the abilities of both little and long legs. Sea kayaking and sailing in Isola Bella Marine Park is a real highlight; great guides will hunt out the turquoise tidal grottos and reveal the best place to snorkel with luminous rainbow wrasse and salpe.
Whatever you choose to do, small group tours are often your best option. Sicilian cycling and walking routes aren’t exactly known for their watertight waymarking. Plus, your guide will know the best swimming spots and family-run vineyards to catch your breath in. Then there’s your luggage – on a guided tour, it’ll be waiting for you at your next hotel after a hard day’s pedalling. All you have to do is remember to pack your swimsuit in your pannier.
Whatever you choose to do, small group tours are often your best option. Sicilian cycling and walking routes aren’t exactly known for their watertight waymarking. Plus, your guide will know the best swimming spots and family-run vineyards to catch your breath in. Then there’s your luggage – on a guided tour, it’ll be waiting for you at your next hotel after a hard day’s pedalling. All you have to do is remember to pack your swimsuit in your pannier.
Our top Italy Vacation
Sicily history tour, Italy
One of the most fascinating islands in Europe
From
US $1949 to US $2179
9 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2020: 28 Mar, 11 Apr, 18 Apr, 2 May, 9 May, 16 May, 23 May, 6 Jun, 13 Jun, 27 Jun, 29 Aug, 5 Sep, 12 Sep, 19 Sep, 26 Sep, 3 Oct, 17 Oct, 24 Oct
2020: 28 Mar, 11 Apr, 18 Apr, 2 May, 9 May, 16 May, 23 May, 6 Jun, 13 Jun, 27 Jun, 29 Aug, 5 Sep, 12 Sep, 19 Sep, 26 Sep, 3 Oct, 17 Oct, 24 Oct
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Italy or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
Food, glorious food
You don’t always need a history book to learn about Sicily’s past – a food menu will do just fine. Street food is the precedent of the big cities. Arancini is the most famous snack, but how much do you know about panelle chickpea fritters or pizza-like sfincione? Sign up to cookery course to find out how Arabs revolutionised Sicilian cuisine by bringing over spices like saffron and planting citrus orchards. And pizza making demos will win over the kids.Fancy finding out how the building blocks of Sicilian food are made? Go on a guided food vacation that balances city trips with country drives. Outside Ragusa, family-run set-ups show you how they make cheese and press olives. And the chocolatiers of Modica will fill you in on how they’ve been crafting their wares to an Aztec recipe brought over by Spaniards in the 1500s. Elsewhere, the pasticceria (traditional bakeries) of mountaintop villages like Erice and Motta Camastra cook up almond cake and gelato-filled brioche to generations-old recipes.
Of course, you’ll need to wash all that down with a glass of good Sicilian wine. Fortified Marsala is the classic. But island-made Malvasia comes a close second, along with the Etna DOC grown on the high-altitude slopes of the island’s resident volcano.
Of course, you’ll need to wash all that down with a glass of good Sicilian wine. Fortified Marsala is the classic. But island-made Malvasia comes a close second, along with the Etna DOC grown on the high-altitude slopes of the island’s resident volcano.
Aeolian Islands
Many vacations to Sicily also nip over to the neighbouring Aeolian Islands, just an hour’s hydrofoil ride (or charter yacht ride, if you’re feeling swish) away from the east coast.
Long black beaches, thermal springs and sulphuric mud baths bubble on Vulcano. A walking vacation will take you up to the rim of the volcano to get a bird’s-eye view of the very much active fumaroles. Lipari rolls out a panoramic trail along the wild western coast and Roman spas in San Caolgero. Just over the water, Stromboli island is basically one big volcano that burps smoke about every 15 minutes. Guided tours will team you up with a volcanologist who’ll tell you all about the Sciara del Fuoco channel, where fiery lava shuffles down to the sea.
Long black beaches, thermal springs and sulphuric mud baths bubble on Vulcano. A walking vacation will take you up to the rim of the volcano to get a bird’s-eye view of the very much active fumaroles. Lipari rolls out a panoramic trail along the wild western coast and Roman spas in San Caolgero. Just over the water, Stromboli island is basically one big volcano that burps smoke about every 15 minutes. Guided tours will team you up with a volcanologist who’ll tell you all about the Sciara del Fuoco channel, where fiery lava shuffles down to the sea.
More about Italy
The best time to visit Italy will no doubt depend on whether you’re a lover of snow-capped mountains and winter sports or sun-drenched beaches and alfresco dining however, for those in the know, our month by month guide unveils a whole host of alternatives as to when to visit Italy & when not to.
Explore our Italy travel guide like a wild boar snuffling for truffles in a sun dappled oak orchard deep within the eternally undulating Etruscan countryside.
If you’re searching for where to go in Italy and how to make the most of your time then why not check out our interactive highlights map that will take you all the way from the Dolomites and the Italian Alps in the north down to the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, further south.
Our top activities in Italy tend to revolve around the cultural history, the cycling routes, the walking trails and the fabulous hillsides that surround some of Europe’s most iconic cities however, if you’re after things to do in Italy, look no further than the food as the locals truly live to eat and do so extremely well.
The Amalfi Coast jags along the underside of the Sorrentine Peninsula, dealing out cliffside villages and tiny polished pebble beaches along the way.
Travel to Puglia, and you’re diving into Italy’s deep south. Here, rural ways rule the roost. You can stay in masseria agriturismo and conical trulli farmhouses, and spend your days driving (or walking or cycling) from farm to vineyard to whitewashed city in search of some the best food and wine Italy has to offer.
The sheer mountains of the Dolomites aren’t just for winter. Cross country skiing and snow shoeing are the themes when the snow falls, but come spring you’ve got a region creased with impossibly scenic alpine walking routes and WWI-era cycle paths – plus a good serving of vineyards. Read our Dolomites travel guide to find out more.
Most feel feel like they’ve got the measure of Tuscany before they’ve seen it. Florence, Chianti, medieval citadels and poppy fields, right? Well…yes. But there’s also everything in between, from the mountainous Apennines to hiking paths between vines that haven’t made it out of Italy yet. Read our Tuscany travel guide to find out more.
Find out what Responsible Travel recommends if you’re hell bent on traveling in Italy with kids.
Our Italy travel advice page is just perfect for those who love to learn from the local experts with Marta Marinelli, Marina Caldera and Andrea Monti all imparting their pearls of wisdom in addition to our thoroughly worthwhile health & safety in Italy section.
From slow food and sealife centers to preserving rural communities and ancient traditions read our responsible tourism in Italy page if you’ve got plans to find out what you can do to travel right in Italy.
Find all of our Italy guides in one place, for Italy vacations in particular places such as the Tuscany or Sicily, or perhaps you would like to know more about the different types of Italy vacations such as walking or cycling.
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Photo credits: [Page banner: Scott Wylie] [Intro: Krisjanis Mezulis]
[Sicily’s lived-in history: Andrea Schaffer]
[Get outside: Simona Di Salvo]
[Food, glorious food: stu_spivack]
[Aeolian Islands: jwp1234]
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