Sicily

Greek temples, Arab-Norman Palermo and Etna smoking above the sea.

Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, lies off the toe of Italy, and nearly every people of the ancient world left their mark here: Greek temples at Agrigento and Segesta, Roman mosaics, the Arab-Norman churches and palaces of Palermo, and baroque towns rebuilt after the great earthquake of 1693. Mount Etna, Europe's tallest active volcano, smokes above the east coast.

Palermo, the capital, has the street markets and Monreale's golden mosaics; Taormina looks down on the sea from its Greek theater; the Valley of the Temples holds one of the best-preserved groups of Greek temples anywhere; and the Aeolian Islands lie off the north coast, with Stromboli erupting into the night. Give the island a week at least.

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Best Time: April–June and September–October; August is hot and crowded
Ideal Trip: 7 days; 10 days to add the Aeolian Islands
Fly Into: Palermo (PMO) or Catania (CTA); trains and ferries also cross the Strait of Messina
Getting Around: A rental car; trains and buses link the main cities

The Short List

Type

Rank

Must-See

Cities · Theaters

Taormina

Sicily

A Sicilian cliff town, with a Greek theater looking out at Etna.

Full Guide

Must-See

Cities · Markets

Palermo

Sicily

Sicily's capital of street food and markets, with Norman palaces and Monreale's golden cathedral.

Guide Coming Soon

Must-See

Heritage · UNESCO

Valley of the Temples

Sicily

Some of the best-preserved Greek temples anywhere, at Agrigento in Sicily.

Guide Coming Soon

On the Map

Grey pins: guides still being written.

Classic Routes

7–9 days

Sicily

Palermo→ Valley of the Temples→ Taormina

Norman mosaics, Greek temples and Mount Etna.

Good to Know

Getting Around

Motorways link Palermo, Catania and Messina, and a car is the easiest way to reach the temples, hill towns and beaches; old city centers have restricted traffic zones, so park outside them. Trains and fast buses connect the big cities, and hydrofoils leave Milazzo for the Aeolian Islands.

Weather

Summers are long, dry and hot, especially inland, and the sea stays warm into October. Winters are mild on the coasts, with most of the year's rain, and Etna is often capped with snow.

Food

Sicily eats well on the street: arancini (fried rice balls), panelle (chickpea fritters) and sfincione pizza in Palermo. At the table come pasta alla Norma with eggplant and ricotta, caponata, swordfish and sardines, and for dessert cannoli and cassata. Breakfast in summer is granita with a brioche.

Before You Go

Book cars and rooms early for July and August. Mid-August, around the Ferragosto holiday, fills the coast with Italian families. Many museums and sites close one day a week.