You are planning to go on vacation to Sicily and you want gods advice on which are the best areas, cities, islands and places to visit? To help you choose, we have divided the island into different areas, each with unique tourist characteristics, in order to facilitate the choice based on preferences and needs.
To make a full tour of the island by car it would take about 1.000 km and a period of at least two weeks. Instead, for a short trip, one one week vacation about, is better to focus only on one or two areas, perhaps the eastern part of the island (landing in Catania) or the western part (landing in Palermo).
Where to go on vacation in Sicily
North coast
The north area is one of the most interesting areas of the island. In addition to hosting beautiful seaside resorts such as Cefalù, there are interesting cities to visit such as Palermo, the regional capital.
- Palermo
- Milazzo
- Cefalù
- Bagheria
- Termini Imerese
Oriental Coast
The east coast is the most touristic area of Sicily and the easiest to reach. In just over 150 km there are many interesting tourist destinations, important archaeological sites and various attractions, such as the amusement park and water park etnaland.
The area is also extremely interesting for the possibility of organizing the climb from Catania to the highest active volcano in Europe, Mount Etna.
- Catania
- Messina
- SIRACUSA
- Noto
- Taormina
Southern coast
The southern coast is an extremely interesting area for archeology and history enthusiasts. There are UNESCO sites and temples of international importance.
- Agrigento
- Sciacca
- Gela
West Coast
This area is formed by a low coast, made of lagoons and salt flats, perfect environments for enjoying nature and beaches, but also characteristic and welcoming villages where you can taste good Sicilian cuisine.
- Marsala
- Trapani
- Selinunte
- Segesta
Internal zone
The most famous place in the inland area of Sicily is Mount Etna, but there are also other important and interesting destinations to visit such as Caltanissetta, Caltagirone and Enna.
- Caltanissetta
- Modica
- Caltagirone
- Piazza Armerina
- Ragusa
- Nicosia
- Palazzolo Acreide
- Enna
What to visit in Sicily
In this part of the article we want to briefly describe and show you what the best areas to visit in Sicily, that is the areas with the most important interests and attractions or which offer more on a tourist level.
Place to visit
THEEtna it is the highest active volcano in Europe. Climbing this mountain is a unique and unforgettable experience, although it is recommended to rely on expert guides and to equip yourself appropriately.
Le Gorges of the Alcantara river, located within the Botanical and Geological Park, are a monument of basalt rocks, resulting from the eruption of the Etna volcano located slightly further south.
La Valley of the Temples of Agrigento is an archaeological area declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, characterized by a series of exceptionally well-preserved important Doric temples. It is one of the most important tourist destinations in Sicily.
Segesta, located in the north-western part of Sicily, is one of the best preserved and most beautiful Greek archaeological sites in the whole Mediterranean. The most significant elements of Segesta are a well-preserved Doric temple, a theater and the sanctuary of the Mango district.
Val di Noto, a tourist area in the southeast of the island, famous for its Baroque art.
Le Madonie are a mountain range in the northern part of the island, which include high peaks and the famous Madonie National Park.
The Nature Reserve Saline of Trapani and Paceco it is a protected natural area in which the ancient activity of salt extraction takes place and which offers shelter to many species of migratory birds.
Nebrodi Park it is the largest protected area in Sicily. It extends along a stretch of the Nebrodi mountain range.
Selinunte is an ancient archaeological site near the coast, with temples and ruins of the ancient Greek city of Selinunte. Today it is an archaeological park where the ruins of temples from the XNUMXth - XNUMXth century BC have been preserved
Mozia is an ancient Phoenician city built on the island of Mozia, one of the four islands of the Stagnone lagoon.
Tourist locations to go to in Sicily
Giardini Naxos is a popular seaside resort near Taormina, on the east coast of the island
Gela is one of the most important ancient Greek cities, founded around 688 BC by the settlers of Rhodes and Crete. Today it is an important archaeological center and seaside resort on the southern coast.
Caltagirone it is the "city of ceramics" par excellence and where everything evokes this great art. It is one of the most beautiful centers of the Sicilian hinterland with beautiful historic buildings, splendid streets, and interesting places such as the Villa Comunale and the Scala di S. Maria del Monte.
San Vito Lo Capo is a small and famous seaside resort in the north-west of the island. The main attraction is a beach overlooking a bay sheltered by the mountains.
Sciacca is a port and spa tourist town in the province of Agrigento, rich in monuments and churches.
Castellammare del Golfo it is a small and pretty seaside resort. Inside the inhabited center there is a small cove of light sand and pebbles.
Marsala, home to the famous wine, is a town rich in history with so many things to see and do. The churches, museums and its historic center are very interesting
Erice is an interesting medieval city located on a rocky hill, with wonderful monuments and unique views.
Islands to see
Aeolian Islands, also known as the Lipari Islands, is a beautiful group of eight small volcanic islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Vulcano Island is the most popular destination, while Stromboli is the northernmost island.
Pantelleria, located in the center of the Sicilian Channel, is a jewel set in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and the coasts of Tunisia.
Egadi Islands, an archipelago of relaxing islands off the west coast, between Trapani and Marsala.
Pelagie Islands, also called Pearls of Sicily, is the southernmost archipelago in Italy. The archipelago consists of four islands: Isola dei Conigli, Lampione, Lampedusa and Linosa, the latter two inhabited. For the beauty of their beaches bathed by blue and clear waters, they are a popular tourist destination.
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