Top 10 Unmissable Experiences to Make the Most of Your Holiday in Sicily

With mile upon mile of sandy beaches and scenic coves, you could be forgiven for assuming that Sicily is predominantly a beach destination. In fact, the island’s history and spectacular natural landscapes ensure that it offers a mind-boggling selection of experiences, on land and sea – or even in your villa! We’ve rounded up some of the most popular activities and excursions to help you make the most of your stay here.

Sicily’s top food and wine experiences

1 – Book a local chef

You don’t need to be a foodie to enjoy the experience of having a local chef prepare a delicious dinner for you in the comfort of your villa in Sicily. You can be as involved as you wish with the meal planning – or simply leave the decision making to your chef who will sort out the shopping, cooking, service and, best of all, the clearing up afterwards!

2 – Learn to cook alla Siciliana!

Taking a cooking class is equally popular and, again, isn’t just for food enthusiasts. Learning how to cook a couple of Sicilian dishes is a fun way to delve deeper into Sicilian culture, with the added bonus of a delicious meal – you’ll eat what you cook – and adding a couple of new recipes to your repertoire. There’s no need to worry about kitchen skills or expertise – the classes are aimed at all levels and can even take place in your own villa.

3 – Sicilian street food tour

Take a deep dive into Sicily’s history and culinary heritage on a street food tour in one of the island’s three main cities, Palermo, Catania or Syracuse. Effectively a springboard into Sicily’s cultural past, this is a brilliant way of understanding how and why Sicilians eat what they do, at the same time as exploring the cities’ bustling markets and hidden back streets.

4 – Wine tasting

Sicily offers some exceptional wine experiences, with tours and tastings available across much of the island. The fertile volcanic slopes of Mount Etna, the countryside around Palermo and the vineyards in the south of the island, around Menfi, are all big wine-growing areas. Not all tours are just about visiting vineyards and wine tasting: with a tailormade wine tour, you can adapt the experience to incorporate hiking and exploring new areas.

Adventures on sea

5 – Boat and sailing trips

Exploring Sicily from the sea is one of the best ways we know to experience its glorious coastline. Sail along a shoreline made up of sandy beaches interspersed with nature reserves, historic port towns such as Syracuse and Taormina, and ancient sites, and drop anchor in secluded coves to swim in translucent water. Just let us know what you want to see and do, and we’ll work out a bespoke itinerary just for you.

6 – Dolphin watching

Take the kids on an unforgettable marine adventure, heading out to sea to watch dolphins dance across the waves. As well as observing them and learning about the behaviour of the different dolphin species that frequent these waters, experienced swimmers can take to the water for some open sea snorkelling and swimming alongside the dolphins.

7 – Active water adventures

Body rafting and scuba diving are just some of the more active water adventures to try in Sicily. In the north east of the island, the Alcantara area, a deep ravine with 30m high walls carved by the Alcantara river, is one of the main spots for adrenaline fuelled water activities and particularly body rafting. If you’re a scuba diving fan, head for the offshore Egadi and Aeolian Islands or the coastline around Syracuse and Catania where caves and shipwrecks provide spectacular diving locations.

Adventures on land

8 – Horse riding

Getting your teenagers to walk any sort of distance, particularly in the heat, can be tricky. Pop them on a horse, however, and the whole landscape changes. None of you need to be experienced riders to join in a horse riding excursion in Sicily: they really are suitable for everyone. You just need to pick your location – we run guided horse riding tours in the hills around Palermo, along the Alcantara river or in the Nebrodi mountains, amongst other places – and your qualified instructor will provide the helmets.

9 – Two wheels or four

For a more energetic excursion, try cycling or a quad biking tour. Again, available in multiple locations around Sicily, these tours are the best way to really explore the rugged terrain and natural beauty that dominate Sicily’s interior. Several restrictions apply to driving a quad bike but those without a B1 license can enjoy an equally exhilarating experience as a passenger.

10 – Walking tours

It’s always stimulating to wander round a new town or city, however big or small. But however much you pore over online suggestions and itineraries, getting to grips with everything you want to see, and absorbing the relevant information, can sometimes feel like an effort. This is when a guided walking tour can make all the difference. A local guide can bring a place to life, filling you in on local and historic details and making sure you get to learn about and see the key points. Ask us about our tours to Sicily’s extraordinary Valley of the Temples or Monreale cathedral, or our walking tour of the heart of Syracuse, the island of Ortigia.