Sicily holiday guide: Palermo, Taormina, Etna, Syracuse & where to stay

T By Thomas · Updated 20 October 2026 · 3 min read

Airports

Catania (CTA), Palermo (PMO), Trapani (TPS), Comiso (CIY)

Best time to go

April-June and September-October

Type

Region

Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, feels like a country of its own. Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans and Spaniards all left their mark, so in a single week you can see some of the best-preserved Greek temples anywhere, glittering Norman-Arab mosaics and whole towns rebuilt in honey-coloured baroque after the 1693 earthquake. Add Europe's tallest active volcano, fine beaches and arguably the best street food in Italy.

It is a big island, so it pays to plan your bases. For the rest of the country, see our Italy guide.

Where to stay

• Taormina – a clifftop town above the sea with a Greek theatre framing views of Etna. Glamorous and busy in summer; the beaches at Mazzarò and Isola Bella are reached by cable car.
• Syracuse and Ortigia – the island of Ortigia is Syracuse's old town, with a baroque cathedral built around a Greek temple, seafood restaurants and swimming platforms. A superb base for the south-east.
• Palermo – the chaotic, fascinating capital, with street markets, Arab-Norman churches and the golden mosaics of nearby Monreale.
• Cefalù – a pretty seaside town with a Norman cathedral and a sandy beach, an hour from Palermo by train.
• The baroque south-east – Noto, Modica and Ragusa Ibla are UNESCO-listed towns of golden stone, ideal for a slower stay.
• The Aeolian Islands – volcanic islands off the north coast, including Lipari, Salina and Stromboli, reached by ferry or hydrofoil from Milazzo.

Things to do

1. Mount Etna – take the cable car and 4x4 up the southern slopes, or join a guided hike to the craters.
2. Valley of the Temples, Agrigento – a ridge of Doric temples, including the remarkably complete Temple of Concordia.
3. Ortigia and the Neapolis Archaeological Park, Syracuse – a Greek theatre and the Ear of Dionysius cave.
4. Monreale Cathedral – vast golden mosaics just above Palermo.
5. Palermo's markets – Ballarò and the Vucciria for arancine, panelle and sfincione.
6. Taormina's Greek theatre – with Etna and the sea as a backdrop.
7. Zingaro Nature Reserve – coves and coastal paths near San Vito Lo Capo in the west.

Getting there and around

Catania has the most UK flights, taking around three hours from London, and is best for the east and south. Palermo also has direct flights and suits the west and north coast. Some routes run only in summer.

Trains link Palermo with Cefalù and Catania with Taormina and Syracuse, and intercity buses fill many gaps, but to explore the island properly you'll want a hire car. Sicilian driving can be assertive, and city traffic in Palermo and Catania is hectic, so pick up your car when leaving the city. Historic centres have ZTL restricted traffic zones; park outside and walk in.

When to go

April to June brings wildflowers, warm days and a sea warming up by late May. September and October are perfect for beaches, with the sea at its warmest. July and August are very hot, often over 35 °C inland, and busy with Italian holidaymakers. Winter is mild on the coast and good for sightseeing, with snow on Etna.

Top attractions in Sicily

Nature

Mount Etna

Europe's tallest active volcano, with lava fields, craters and sweeping views over eastern Sicily.

Sicily on the map

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