Sicilylab is an online travel guide dedicated to the city of Palermo and Sicily in general. It offers detailed information on the main attractions of the city, such as the Teatro Massimo, the Cathedral of Palermo and the Ballarò Market. It also provides tips on activities not to be missed, such as a visit to the catacombs of Palermo and a boat ride along the coast. The travel guide also includes tips for organizing the visit, such as the best hotels and restaurants in the city, and tips for excursions outside the city, such as the nature reserves of the Madonie Park and the ruins of Magna Grecia. Palermo-24h is a precious resource for those who want to plan a holiday in Sicily and want to discover all that the region has to offer.
[code_snippet id=6]When to go to Sicily
Sicily is a very diverse region that offers a great variety of tourist attractions and therefore can be visited in all seasons. For a beach holiday, the best months are the summer months, but to avoid crowds and save on flights and hotels, it is recommended to choose the beginning or end of summer. The warm temperatures of Sicily allow you to swim from mid-May to October. For a cultural holiday, however, it is not recommended to go to Sicily in July and August, as the archaeological attractions may be too hot to visit. For trekking the best time is spring or early autumn to enjoy the mild temperatures and long hours of light without risking insolation and dehydration. Finally, for lovers of skiing and snowshoeing, winter is the ideal time to visit Mount Etna.
What to see in Sicily
To help visitors plan their holiday in Sicily, we have divided the list of attractions to see into several macroareas. This makes it easier for travelers to decide which places to visit based on their preferences and the time available. For example, macro-areas could include major cities such as Palermo, Catania and Messina, the coasts of the island, such as the northern coast with its sandy beaches and cliffs, and inland areas with their rural landscapes and active volcanoes. In addition, macro-areas could also include cultural attractions such as Greek and Roman ruins, archaeological sites and baroque and rococo treasures. Using this subdivision into macroareas, visitors can easily plan their travel itinerary and make sure they don’t miss the most important attractions of Sicily.
Palermo and western Sicily
This itinerary is designed for those who land at Palermo airport or Trapani airport and want to explore Sicily.
Palermo, with its baroque architecture, street food and its mix of cultures, is an excellent base for exploring the region. Around Palermo, you can go to Scopello or Castellamare del Golfo for a bit of sea, or you can reach Cefalù, a lovely village along the northern coast of Sicily.
Moving east, you can make a stop at the Zingaro Nature Reserve in San Vito lo Capo, to cross on foot along one of the most beautiful hiking trails in Italy, and one in Trapani, from where you can reach Erice with a historic cable car.
Continuing south, with stops in Marsala to taste a good glass of wine and in Mazara del Vallo to admire the Dancing Satyr. Do not miss the opportunity to admire the timeless beauty of the ancient ruins of Segesta, Selinunte and the Valley of the Temples of Agrigento. Enjoy a bit of deserved rest on the beaches of Memphis or Sciacca and do not miss the magnificent Scala dei Turchi, a beach topped by a very particular cliff.
Catania and eastern Sicily
This proposed itinerary aims to discover the beauties of Sicilian Baroque, starting from Catania airport. You will travel through the cities of Noto, Ragusa and Modica, located south of Catania. Along the east coast, to the south, you will meet Syracuse, one of the most popular cities in Sicily, and to the north Taormina, famous for its Greek theater in a panoramic position overlooking the sea. Marzamemi is another characteristic stop of this itinerary, a fishing village made famous by the television series “Il commissario Montalbano”.
The most beautiful beaches of sicily
Sicily is one of the favorite destinations for beach holidays, with more than 900 km of bathing coast and some of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean. The region offers a wide choice of sandy and rocky beaches, but the most difficult choice to make is whether to visit Sicily or nearby islands such as the Aeolian Islands, the Egadi and the Pelagie. The latter require additional passage by ship, but offer spectacular beaches and greater tranquility.
La Sicilia offre molte belle opzioni per una vacanza al mare, tra cui le isole Favignana, Marettimo e Lampedusa. Se si preferisce rimanere sulla terraferma, la scelta dipenderà dalle proprie preferenze: combinare giornate in spiaggia con visite culturali o trascorrere la vacanza solo al mare. Per la prima opzione, le località consigliate sono Ragusa, Siracusa, Agrigento, Taormina e Trapani, che offrono una ricca offerta culturale e spiagge nei dintorni. Se invece si vuole staccare completamente dalla vita cittadina, le cittadine e i pittoreschi borghi di pescatori lungo le coste siciliane come Sciacca, Castellamare del Golfo, San Vito lo Capo o Menfi sono un’ottima scelta per godersi il mare e la tranquillità.
The Sicilian islands
They are three archipelagos located off the coast of Sicily, each with unique characteristics and natural beauty.
The Aeolian Islands, located in the province of Messina, are composed of Stromboli, Vulcano, Lipari, Salina, Filicudi, Alicudi and Panarea and are of volcanic origin. The Egadi islands, composed of Favignana and Marettimo, can be easily reached from Trapani.
The Pelagie Islands, composed of Linosa and Lampedusa, are part of the province of Agrigento but are closer to the African coasts.
The island of Pantelleria, located under the province of Trapani, is close to the Egadi islands but closer to the African coast than the Egadi islands.
The Sicilian villages
Sicily is a wonderful island, not only for its beaches and its sea, but also for its characteristic villages.
One of the most beautiful villages to visit is Erice, considered one of the most beautiful medieval villages in Italy, located on top of a hill with a unique location and architecture that does not correspond to the stereotypical image of Sicily.
Three other villages not to be missed are Cefalù, Marzameni and Noto. Cefalù is a characteristic town with colorful houses and a charming beach, Marzameni is a picturesque fishing village located between two seas, while Noto is the baroque capital of Sicily with a unique elegance and opulence.
There are also other less known villages such as Scicli, Modica, Ragusa Ibla, etc. offering ancient artisan traditions, local gastronomic specialties and excellent Sicilian wines to discover.
The archaeological Sicily
Sicily is a land with ancient origins and a glorious past, which has seen the emergence of Magna Grecia and the Roman Empire.
Testimonies of that time are still visible in the temples, ruins and works of art that can be admired in museums and archaeological parks of Sicily.
The Valley of the Temples of Agrigento is considered the symbol of Sicilian archaeology, but also the archaeological sites of Segesta and Selinunte are of great interest.
Taormina offers a unique experience, where the past is not only an attraction to be admired, but also an event to be experienced, such as the magnificent Greek theater that is still used for theater, dance and music performances with a breathtaking view of the sea.
Where to sleep in Sicily
Sicily offers a wide choice of holiday accommodation, including luxury resorts and all-inclusive villages, beachfront holiday homes and apartments, city centre hotels, B&Bs and guest houses in the smaller islands. The best facilities have been selected based on the votes and popularity among visitors to Sicily and you can find them in the links in description
How to get to Sicily
[code_snippet id=5]Sicily is easily reached by booking a low cost flight from many Italian airports, with direct flights to Palermo, Trapani, Catania and Lampedusa (in summer).
Alternatively, you can travel by sea by taking a ferry to Palermo from Genoa, Naples, Civitavecchia, Salerno, Livorno and Cagliari.
Other possible ports of arrival for Sicily are Messina and Milazzo.
For those who want to travel around the island by car, you need to take a ferry from the mainland to Messina.
Ferries to the Aeolian Islands, Egadi and Pelagie depart from Palermo, Trapani and Porto Empedocle. It is advisable to book ferries in advance.