Sicily tourist attractions

Apr 13 2021

Off the beaten track in Sicily

Alternative summer escapes in Sicily Mention a holiday in Sicily and up pops an image of Taormina in many of our minds. Just a hop from Catania airport, the town has been a tourist destination since the 18th century and a firm celebrity favourite since the 1970’s. Add to that its impressive clifftop location, glamorous Gucci and Prada window displays, and pretty squares and alleyways, and it’s not hard to see why it continues to be a winner. But if you’ve ever been to Sicily, you’ll know how much more there is to the island. Travel beyond the best-known towns…

Nov 25 2020

When is the best time to go to Sicily?

Take a look at some of the highlights of each season in Sicily Dreaming of a 2021 holiday in warmer climes? Just 100 miles from north Africa, Sicily’s location means that sunshine’s on tap for a good part of the year. Throw into the mix sandy beaches, delicious food and wine, stunning nature reserves, and a fascinating history, and you’ll soon see why Sicily is such an appealing destination for so many. In fact the biggest decision is not where to go in Sicily but when to go! Naturally, what you enjoy doing on holiday will have a bearing on…

Ott 30 2020

Syracuse and Ortigia

A practical guide to Syracuse and Ortigia, Sicily Unlike Rome, Florence and Venice, Syracuse – or Siracusa in Italian – still manages to hover slightly below the tourist radar, in spite of its enormous cultural wealth. At the height of its influence, it was the most important city of Magna Graecia with a population at times in excess of 500,000. Today, the city, with its 120,000 or so inhabitants, still boasts some of the finest Baroque art and architecture, and Greek and Roman ruins, although there’s also plenty to do beyond the cultural attractions. Basically, if you’re planning a holiday…

Set 11 2020

Five of Sicily’s most appealing towns and villages

Discover our favourite Sicilian towns and villages Soaring mountain backdrops, dramatic sea views and historic hilltop towns interwoven with medieval stone lanes are familiar sights in Sicily. The fact is, if you’re looking for a small town that’s big on beauty, Sicily is jam-packed with options. Our favourite Sicilian towns and villages varies according to the season but these five generally feature in our top ten at any time of year! Baroque beauty in Ragusa Ibla You couldn’t fail to be dazzled by the sight of Ragusa Ibla, the jewel in the crown of the UNESCO-listed Baroque towns in the south east…

Set 24 2019

Visit Sicily in October

Enjoy an action-packed calendar of lively local events in Sicily’s towns and cities throughout October when blazing blue skies and warm autumn sunshine provide a backdrop to vibrant and colourful festivities around the island. During this time, everything from Sicily’s bountiful produce to its rich cultural heritage is on show, making it a wonderful opportunity to get behind the scenes and discover a more authentic side to the island. This year marks the 13th anniversary of the Le Vie dei Tesori festival. The annual event started in Palermo, with the aim of opening up the city’s rich heritage to the…

Ott 31 2018

8 reasons why you need to visit Sicily in 2019

If 2018 was the year to visit Palermo (Capital of Culture 2018), 2019 is the year to venture further afield in Sicily! Whichever direction you go in, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to beaches, contemporary art, natural landscapes and, of course, food and wine. Read on to learn more about Sicily and why our guests return time and time again. Heavenly beaches With over 1000km of coastline, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a beach that you like in Sicily. Choose between golden sandy beaches, idyllic pebbly coves and dark volcanic sands. If you’re looking for…

Apr 08 2018

Five reasons why Sicily is the best place for Spring sunshine

If, like us, you’re longing for bright skies and warm Spring sunshine, the chances are you’ll be poring through online magazines and websites for holiday inspiration. Luckily for us, Spring comes early to Sicily so while much of Europe is still wrestling with late April showers, our thoughts are turning to fresh Springtime flavours and flowers. Read on to discover just five of the many reasons why Sicily is perfect for a holiday in May or June. Top tourist attractions Sightseeing in May or June means relatively crowd-free attractions. Sites such as Segesta and Selinunte are fascinating for anyone interested…

Set 11 2017

Top ancient sites in Sicily to visit

In classical times, Sicily was the star of Magna Graecia and even if visiting age-old ruins and Greek temples are not usually your top priority on holiday, it would be hard not to be impressed – if not completely overwhelmed – by the huge number of ancient sites in Sicily. While the island was shaped by numerous nations, it is the Greek influence that is perhaps most dominant and even today Sicily still boasts remains of ancient Greek architecture that rival some of the sights in Greece. The Valley of the Temples, Agrigento The Valley of the Temples, Sicily is…

Giu 17 2017

Which are the best places to visit in Syracuse Italy?

Syracuse is an extraordinary city by any standards, steeped in history and with a seemingly endless supply of sightseeing opportunities. It is one of Italy’s oldest cities and certainly amongst its most atmospheric, one of its main attractions being the web of alleyways on the island peninsula of Ortigia. The city’s vast archaeological park, with its Greek and Roman theatres, remain a top draw but if you are short of time and just want to grab a flavour of the city, these are some of our favourite things to do in Syracuse. What to see in Syracuse Sicily? Enjoy stunning…

Mag 16 2017

Sicily food and flea market: Palermo, Catania and Syracuse

Strolling leisurely through food street markets and rummaging amongst piles of antiques is one of the great pleasures of being on holiday, and particularly when you are abroad. Buying food or other items is almost incidental – the thrill is often in the aromas, sounds and sights that attack you from all directions. Messina, Trapani and most of Sicily’s main towns and cities have their own markets but none are on the scale of the fish markets and food markets those found in Palermo and Catania. Flea market in Palermo Sicily The city’s markets – Il Capo, Ballarò and Vucciria…

Mag 04 2017

Five good reasons to visit Modica Sicily

Sicily’s south east corner is a treasure trove of baroque art and architecture and each of the region’s striking towns has its own specific charm. We have focused here on Modica Sicily, which has its own unique attractions but is also perfectly situated if you want to get out and about in the Noto Valley. Slightly confusingly for the first-time visitor, the town is split into two, Modica Alta which is the historic older part and Modica Bassa, the lower more modern part of town. However, it only takes ten minutes or so to walk from one to the other.…

Mar 28 2017

Palermo: six good reasons to visit the Italy’s Capital of Culture

Recently named Italian Capital of Culture for 2018, there are now more even more reasons to visit Palermo, Sicily’s fascinating capital. Book a flight to Palermo and stay in a luxury villa or holiday home and combine sightseeing and city strolling with beach life Sicilian style. Unravel Sicily’s History Few places to visit in Palermo can claim a historical legacy as diverse as Sicily’s and this is evident on almost every street corner in the city. With a history of invading forces from the Carthaginians, the Greeks, Romans, Normans, French and Spanish, amongst others, the city’s cultural sights incorporate everything…

Mar 08 2017

What to see and do on Sicily’s north coast

Sicily’s northern coastline features fabulous sandy beaches for holidaymakers who just want to chill in the sun but ancient ruins, mountainous interiors and UNESCO world heritage sites ensure that there is also plenty to keep you occupied. UNESCO world heritage treasures If you choose to holiday near Palermo or Cefalù, you will be in prime position for visiting the most recent addition to Sicily’s collection of UNESCO world heritage sites. The seven civil and religious buildings in Palermo, and the cathedrals in Cefalù and Monreale, together make up the ‘Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale’ UNESCO…

Feb 27 2017

The Best of the West

We defy anyone not to fall in love with south east Sicily – and particularly Syracuse and the baroque towns of the Val di Noto – but those who venture to the western side of the island will encounter a very different atmosphere, spectacular scenery and several wonderful historic towns. These are just a few of our favourite places in western Sicily. Classical temples The well-preserved classical temples of western Sicily are constant reminders of just one of the island’s ancient invaders. The impressive temples and ruins at Segesta, Selinunte and the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento provide…

Lug 02 2016

Book a villa in Sicily for late summer sunshine

If you haven’t booked to get away this summer yet, we’ve tried to make life easy by picking a selection of top villas for autumn getaways. September and early October are great months to holiday in Sicily: you can still expect temperatures in the low to mid-20’s, up to ten hours of sunshine a day and quiet beaches and tourist attractions as Italians return to work. Of course if September seems too long to wait for warm sunshine, there is always the option of a quick getaway. Take a look at our collection of villas offering last-minute deals and promotions.…

Giu 14 2016

A Special Vacation and a Movie Screen Experience in Sicily

For Cinema and TV Show Buffs: Here are Some Guided Tours of Sicily that Follow the Steps of your Favourite Protagonists Here are some great ideas for an original Sicilian vacation that will take you to the set of major popular hits like The Godfather trilogy and the Inspector Montalbano TV series. Many tourists (especially British visitors) have become enamoured with these guided tours because they offer a diversion from the usual touristy activities, and especially because tv shows and famous movies about the mafia have become a trendy aspect of popular culture over the decades- just think of Michael…

Mag 31 2016

Another Reason for Vacationing in Sicily: The Perfect Weather

Another Sicilian Wonder? The Beautiful Weather! Sicily is widely popular for being one of the top holiday spots in the Mediterranean. This is also due to the wonderful weather it enjoys during the major part of the year, which make it possible for tourists to swim in the crystal waters blue waters of the coastlines and of its wide variety of splendid beaches well through the months of October and November- when many beaches are still open and lifeguards are also still on duty. High temperatures in Sicily reach a yearly average of 20° C overall. This is not bad…

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