People in Sicily are very proud about their land, and in many cases, you’ll hear that Sicily is the best place to live. This feeling is so strong that some even say they are Sicilians before they are Italians. And families who left Sicily generations ago, still carry this feeling in their hearts. This place is too fantastic and big, so I will help you to find out where to go in Sicily and what to expect to see and feel with this post.
A few words to inspire you to find out where to go in Sicily
Of course, that, if you ask a Sicilian why you should include Sicily in your vacation plans, they will say wonders about the land. But I guess you’re after a more “reliable” and unbiased view of this wonderful place, right? So I’m here for you.
I’ll enumerate some precious tips and some of the main reasons – for me – why my trip to Sicily was so amazing. Like awesome ways to find cool accommodation like Sicily vacation rentals and things like that. Also, I will talk about where to go in Sicily, of course. Towns like Catania, Palermo, Taormina are mandatory in my humble opinion but please get inspired with this post and find out your favorites based on the information I’m about to give you.
History is all over the place
By this beautiful island, many ancient groups had passed throughout the years. Romans, Barbarians, Greeks, Normans, Phoenicians, Byzantines, Arabs, Spaniards…
Sicily was the home of many, many colonizers and you can find traces of their passage everywhere, in every city in this wonderful island. One good example is the city of Siracusa that has more temples than Greece. Why? Because it was the capital of Magna Graecia.
And even if you’re not like us from Fotostrasse and don’t care about history that much, it is a bit impossible not to be completely speechless with the beauty of Ancient theater of Taormina for example. For history lovers, answering the question “Where to go in Sicily?” can be quite tricky.
The Sicilian sea
So, if you’re into amazing beaches and landscapes more than history, Sicily is the place for you. Especially if you are into the blue, green and clear water. Sicily has three seas on its coast: Tyrrhenian, Ionian, and the Mediterranean. The island has over 1500km of beaches, and many of them are paradisiacal, with a calm and crystalline sea. Easy to get lost with that many options of wonderful beaches, right? I know!
The island has over 1500km of beaches, and many of them are paradisiacal, with a calm and crystalline sea. Easy to get lost with that many options of wonderful beaches, right? I know!
Some say that Spiaggia dei Conigli is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. I wasn’t there, but these are some of the photos from Instagram.
I went to Taormina, which the blue sea was immortalized in the movie Le Grand Bleu. Have you watched yet?
The food in Sicilia
Of course, I would dedicate a whole item to food, right? We’re talking about Italy! Food is one of the main reasons to visit this country!
Many people consider the cuisine in Sicily to be one of the best in Italy. To be completely honest, I’m incapable of choosing my favorite since I love them all equally. But if you can choose, please consider Sicily before making any harsh decisions.
All the dishes in this island have amazing influence from all the colonizers Sicily had in the past. Sicilian cuisine is incredibly straightforward and varied, where genuine and high-quality products are valued.
Of course, there are some delicacies that made me fall completely in love with the cuisine but, if you can point it out a region in Italy where I can’t find something to fall in love, you’ll get a prize!
My favorite food from there is the Arancino! They are round pieces of heaven made of stuffed rice. Then they coat it with bread crumbs and then deep fried. Arancini are usually filled with ragù (meat and tomato sauce), mozzarella, and peas. But you can easily find vegetarian options too.
The people in Sicily
The folks on this island are extremely friendly! It is super nice to visit over there and meet those people. Even when they don’t speak your language, they will try to help you in a way or the other.
They are very open like Brazilians are. If you have a friend like me or Felipe, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Even if you know a person in Sicily for just a few days, you’ll be invited to a dinner or lunch in their house and Bla Bla Bla.
So for those traveling alone, I can guarantee that you’ll leave the island with local friends! It is incredible! It does not matter where to go in Sicily and where to make your base, you’ll always find friends!
The weather
This one goes to the “Thanks, Captain Obvious” list. Of course, the weather is amazing! We’re talking about an island in the middle of the Mediterranean sea!
Well, I needed to add this one because I have to warn you that, in the peak of summer, it can be a bit too warm for those who are in love with the winter in Helsinki, like me. I mean, I come from Brazil, and I am used to the heat, but since this blog is read by a lot of people from a lot of countries, I have to say something.
If your ideal temperature is 30 degrees Celsius or more, you’re fine. If not, remember that they have amazing ice cream over there and you’ll be fine!
And even if you’re going there during winter, it is pretty liveable. And I’m sure that seeing the Etna in the background, covered in snow, it is something to be amazed about.
The UNESCO sites
The whole country of Italy has alone over 50 Unesco world heritage sites. And 13 of them are located in Sicily. The monumental, artistic, natural and cultural baggage of Sicily is immense, and a small example of this is the immaterial goods that Unesco has inserted in its list.
The Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina, the Etna volcano, the Valley of the Temples of Agrigento, the Baroque towns of the Val di Noto, the archipelago of the Aeolian Islands, Syracuse and the Rupestrian Necropolis of Pantallica, and the most recent of them, the itinerary Arab-Norman of Palermo are some of the examples.
Try to plan your trip to visit at least some of those places. I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed. There are so many Unesco sites to help you with where to go in Sicily.
The diversity in scenarios
I told you about the beaches, but the interior of this place is also worth to mention. If you’re a travel photographer like me, Sicily can feed you, and your camera like you were kings.
Just a few kilometers away from the coast, you can see a volcano, lava, snow, mountains, small villages, agriculture, green land… you have everything! Everything in just one place. It is magical! Another reason to get lost trying to find out where to go in Sicily. I’m sorry, but this place is too amazing for just one visit.
The stereotypes, the myths and much more
I’m not sure if there’s a place in this vast world more stereotyped than Sicily. I mean it. I’ve heard so many times people asking about the mob and if they walk around the city with machine guns in their hands like in the trilogy The Godfather. Or if everything gets destroyed everytime Etna wakes up and how safe if to travel there with an active volcano on the island. And in case you’re wondering about those things: NO!
The big cities in Sicily are way less violent and chaotic than other Italian cities like Milan or Rome. And when Etna erupts – and it does happen quite often, I might add – does not mean that the lava will go around destroying everything it sees in the front. And it is not it Etna the responsible for overheats the Sicilian summer, ok? Just no.
It is worth to go and see the beauty and all the myths about this wonderful Italian heaven by yourself. It is also worth it to take a look at Sicily vacation rentals. I strongly suggest to have a base somewhere, grab a car or a motorbike and explore the island like that. For me, it is the best way to enjoy a place fully.
And remember to share with us your photos afterward on our Facebook group. Also, I want to say that if you want to be part of our family and receive discount codes for hotels, photography tips and much more, it is quite easy. Just subscribe to our newsletter and enjoy. It is for free, you will get some perks and I promise you that we will send only 1 or 2 emails per month. I dare you to tell me one good reason why not to join! (Just kidding)
If you have any more questions, let me know in the comments below.
