The tip of the boot is Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean; It was a brand new excitement for us after dozens of trips to Italy.. Sicily; It was a completely different world that could be the subject of all TV series and movie scenarios.. It was unlike any Italian region we had seen before; It was a colorful place that some came and never liked, and some wanted to admire and come again at the first opportunity, there was no middle ground at all.
We experienced it ourselves when we came and walked around; indeed, this place had nothing to do with the Italian cities and towns we had seen before.. Exciting Italian culture, an intimacy that we are not accustomed to in Europe, very delicious food and various Mediterranean landscapes; We liked this slightly Greek-influenced shabby candidate even more than we expected.
In this article, we list the must-see places in Sicily. Since Sicily is a very large island, you can divide your route into two based on the cities of Palermo and Catania.. In the first part of the list you will read about places around Catania and in the second part you will read about places near Palermo. Let’s add that you need an average of 10 days to make the entire route..
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10 PLACES YOU SHOULD SEE ON YOUR TRIP TO SICILY
#1 CATANIA:
Sicily’s next destination after Palermo its second largest city, Catania, is located on the eastern side of the island. Neighboring the Etna Volcano and the Ionian Sea, Catania is unlike any Italian city you’ve probably seen before.. In fact, everything you see today in Catania, which was covered with lava for months after Etna became active in 1669 and destroyed by a great earthquake in 1693, has been rebuilt in the last 300 years.. You can visit the historical architectures and side streets around it, especially the Duomo in the main square of Catania, in 1 day.
Catania, Sicily
#2 SIRACUZA:
Syracuse, 1.5 hours from Catania, is one of Sicily’s non-touristy attractions.. Under the protection of UNESCO, Siracusa’s history dates back to Roman times.. You can already feel this Greek influence from the past while you are traveling.. While visiting Syracuse, you can prepare yourself a walking route starting from the island of Ortigia.
Porto Urbica, Temple of Apollo, Via Vincenzo Mirabella, Diana Fountain, Duomo Square, Ortigia Cathedral, Ortigia market, Fonte Aretusa and Maniace Castle. , Among the places you will see in Syracuse. Another favorite here is the enormous sandwich we ate at Caseificio Borderi, but we think it’s unlikely to eat anything bad in Syracuse anyway!
Syracuse, Sicily
#3 TAORMINA:
There is a town like a movie set in every region of Italy! If Liguria has Portofino, Lombaria has Como, Puglia has Lecce, Sicily has Taormina! This town, one of the most luxurious places in Southern Italy, was founded by the Naxos people in history.. The Naxos people called Taormina the place where the sky meets the sea.. Come and go, the nobles first came and settled; Over the years, it has been the favorite place of writers and artists.. Today, Taormina is the center of Italian society, just like the Portofino and Amalfi coasts.. With its villas overlooking the Ionian coast and Etna, luxury shops and restaurants on Umberto street, Taormina means a completely different Sicily.. Although touristy, luxurious and expensive, no one can deny that it was one of the stars of our Sicily trip.. While you are in Taormina, you can also include the town of Savoca, 40 minutes away, into the plan.. It’s where the movie The Father was filmed.
Taormina, Sicily
#4 NOTO:
Speaking of Syracuse and Taormina, let’s not forget Noto.. Noto, 40 minutes from Syracuse, was rebuilt in Sicilian Baroque style after the earthquake in 1693, just like Catania.. In this small city under UNESCO protection, there are many examples of Baroque churches, especially Noto Cathedral.. That’s why the best thing to do is to take a stroll in the side streets with the cathedral and Corso Vittorio Emanuele avenue.
You can also remember Noto from the wedding of Chiara Ferragni, the former blogger and new celebrity of Italy; because he married Fedez here, and the wedding was talked about more than Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding.. Let’s make a small addition to the list of places to visit in Sicily; Those who have plenty of time can list Modica and Ragusa with similar architecture after visiting Noto.. Modica and Ragusa are not inferior to Noto, after all…
Noto, Sicily
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#5 ETNA VOLVO:
You will meet him frequently in Catania and Taormina; But if you want to get to know Europe’s highest active volcano and its extinct craters, make sure to take a day in Sicily for a trip to Etna.. Not surprisingly, Etna, which is under UNESCO protection, continues to be active frequently, spewing lava.. If there are suitable conditions around Etna, you can join daily Etna tours from Catania and nearby places, or you can rent a car and visit the craters.. There are also areas where you can shop for souvenirs.. After two craters, you can go up to 2,900m by cable car; There are different walking tracks starting from this point, but you can go after a certain section with a guided tour and thus you can reach up to 3,300 m.
Etna Volcano, Sicily
#6 PALERMO:
Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is a city that we can define as the bottom of southern Italy. Palermo; a crowded, vibrant and chaotic city where the mafia was born and where the young population is concentrated due to its university. It is a place where you can visit the center in 1 day starting from the main street, Via Vittorio Emanuele and its cathedral, besides its view full of historical architecture, it has created its own order.. The first thing to do is to be careful while walking around Palermo, which resembles Istanbul’s Tarlabaşı district in terms of lifestyle and security level.. Still, the Baroque architecture and white sandy beaches unique to Sicily are a reason to see this place. We recommend that you take. Monreale Cathedral, with its golden mosaic details, is one of Sicily’s most remarkable architectures.
Norman Palace, Palermo, Sicily
#7 CEFALU:
The small fishing town of Cefalu, between Palermo and Messina, is one of the most preferred summer routes for those who start their Sicily trip from Palermo and for Palermo residents.. The fact that Cefalu is one of the most touristic spots of Sicily with its medieval texture, port, narrow streets and sandy beach makes it one of the most crowded places on the island, especially in the summer season.. Therefore, it may make everyone happier to come to Cefalu to visit one of Sicily’s sweet fishing towns rather than to enjoy the sea.
It takes about 50 minutes to reach Cefalu from Palermo; A very good opportunity to visit the town for a day and enjoy the seafood delicacies!
Cefalu, Sicily
#8 AEOLIAN ISLANDS:
The Aeolian Islands, formed by volcanic movements in the north of Sicily, consist of 7 islands surrounded by the Tyrrhenian Sea.. Aeolian, consisting of the islands of Lipari, Vulcano, Stromboli, Salina, Filicudi, Alicudi, Panarea and Basiluzzo; a route that you can include in the plan, especially in spring and summer. Lipari is the most popular and largest of the UNESCO-protected islands, and for trekking lovers, Vulcano, Salina and Stromboli stand out with their tracks around the crater.. You can reach the Aeolian Islands by boats departing from Palermo, Messina and Milazzo; Driving is not allowed if you are not a native of the island.
Lipari Island, Sicily
#9 ERICE :
Undoubtedly, Erice is one of the towns where the Sicilian spirit is felt the most.. Walking around Erice, with its medieval streets and stone houses, literally transports you to antiquity.. This UNESCO-protected small town is built on top of the mountain of the same name and overlooks a wide landscape colored by Trapani Harbor.. It is possible to say that the foggy weather of Erice, which is quite high compared to Trapani, which is the closest settlement to it, adds the atmosphere of a movie set here..
If you are dreaming of a real Sicily trip that does not consist of touristic places, be sure to add Erice to your list. Wandering the streets of Erice with its unspoiled texture and seeing the Norman Castle and the main church are among the top things to do here.
Turkish Stairs, Sicily
#10 AGRIGENTO & SCALA DEI TURCHI:
Agrigento, on the south coast of Sicily, is home to eight of the best preserved Greek temples in the world.. Agrigento, also known as the City of Temples, can be called the most important archaeological site of the autonomous region of Sicily.. The history of Agrigento, one of the oldest settlements in Sicily, BC.. extends to 581. In this region under UNESCO protection since 1997; You can visit the old city center shaped around Via Atenea, the Norman-Gothic-style San Gerlando Cathedral, the beaches from Licata to San Leone, and the Valley of the Temples, which includes eight Greek temples.. In particular, the temples of Concordia and Hera represent the two best preserved examples from the past.
After the Valley of the Temples, another must-see place in Agrigento is Scala dei Turchi, the Turkish Steps! With its form reminiscent of Pamukkale travertines, Scala dei Turchi is one of the favorite places in the region for those who want to sunbathe and watch the sunset.. The name of this beauty made of limestone comes from the Arab and Turkish pirates living in this area.
We have come to the end of our article on Places to Visit in Sicily with 10 Routes along with the Turkish Stairs.. You can reach all our photos and notes about Sicily from the account on Instagram with the hashtag #journavelsicily. Follow us, let’s travel together!
Isola Bella, Sicily
