A Complete Beginner’s Guide To Sicily: Getting There, What To Do And How To Explore The Island
Gelato, loud people, cannoli and those weird pork frittuli snacks. Maltese people love them some Sicily, and now that summer’s here, it’s the perfect time to visit Malta’s huge cousin.
If you’ve never been to Sicily or you only went that one time when you were nine years old, here’s everything you need to know about going up to the Italian island for a quick getaway.
1. Getting there
There are two main ways for you to reach the land of cannoli.
You can either take the catamaran from Valletta to Pozzallo or you could take a plane to Trapani, Catania or Palermo.
You can look at the Virtu Ferries schedule here; there’s always two boats going to and fro both islands, one during the early morning hours and another one in the evening. The schedule changes every now and again, so check out the exact seasonal schedule before planning your trip.
The Ferry might get a bit scary at night if you’re not a fan of being on boats due to the strong currents, but it’s a good way for you to have guaranteed transport in Sicily, since you can also take your car with you.
From July to August, prices range from €127 to €153, depending on whether or not you take a tour… but more on that later.
If you don’t fancy driving in strange lands or you really hate travelling by sea, you can always catch a plane to Catania, Palermo or Trapani.
Prices range from around €97 to €400, depending on your airport of choice (and the season you’re booking in of course).
2. To tour or not to tour?
Tours can be a handy way to experience Sicily without going through the hassle of planning. Virtu Ferries offer a lot of tour options you can choose from. You can also get a one-day coach which will take you on a tour of Taormina and Catania.
If you want to go your own way or you’re just a tad bit antisocial, we have a couple of places you can totally hang out at at your own leisure.
Companies like Terra di Sicilia offer excursions around natural parks, cultural places and archaeological sites.
You can also book a personalised tour of many Sicilian cities among which are Ragusa, Messina, Palermo, Caltanissetta, Enna, Catania, Trapani, Agrigento and Siracusa over here.
If you’re more of a budding medieval enthusiast, you can go ahead and tour Sicilian castles over here. These guys will take you around a number of castles and batteries on the island.
You can also book a diving adventure with Diving Sicily, who also offer the possibility of whale watching. You can explore sunken submarines, ships and airplanes too, not to mention the rich sea life Sicily has to offer.
If you’re looking for an agricultural getaway, you can learn how to grow grapes organically and get a tour of a gigantic vineyard right here.
You can also look at a bunch of super adorable donkeys on this cool farm. They have turkeys and their own restaurant serving home made food, and while there you will be given a taste of authentic Sicilian farm life.
There’s something for everyone in Sicily, and all you boys who love automobiles can totally visit this sick museum which houses everything from Ferraris to weird boxy cars.
If you want to do the whole Sicily thing all by yourself, you can find yourself lost at some point in a weird village, but that’s the beauty of going to Sicily on your own.
As long as you can speak Italian, you’ll survive. There’s an amazing number of stuff you can look at, from beaches to mountains.
Using trains and busses can be a real hassle; most services are kind of super unreliable and will stress you out for sure. But if that’s a risk you’re willing to take, go ahead.
You should probably rent a bike if you’re comfortable with butchering your hamstrings for hours on end; the panorama will definitely be worth it.
3. Accommodation
When it comes to accommodation, we always like using the trusted Airbnb. You can rent out a house in the countryside, a cool palazzo in Palermo, a lovely sea view home, or a terraced house overlooking the ocean.
You could check into one of the numerous hostels, hotels or BnBs in Sicily, which you can totally look at over here.
If you want to have a proper agricultural holiday, you can check out Terraliva. It’s in Syracuse, hidden amongst the Iblei Mountains in the quaint village of Buccheri. Wow.
If you feel like splashing out and staying at a hotel, there’s the seaside luxury resort of Minareto. It comes with private beach, pool and jacuzzi.
You could also live like royalty for a couple of days and rent a historical house or one of these castles converted into hotels. Seriously.
4. Things to see
Palermo
You totally need to visit the Capuchin Catacombs. Around 8,000 mummies lie there, and the beautiful structure has been around for centuries.
It’s quite impressive to see, and the most famous mummy there is Rosalia; a two-year old child who’s hair and face are so well preserved that she literally looks like a sleeping child.
There’s also the Mondello beach if you feel like taking a dip in the ocean; it’s one of the most popular beaches in Palermo though, so expect an influx of tourists at some point during your day.
If you’re looking for historical value you should visit the Foro Italico, Villa Giulia and the Palermo Cathedral. The Palermo Regional Archaeological Museum is a cool place to visit too if you’re looking for some culture.
If you want to splurge, there’s the Ballaro market where you can spend your holiday cash on local produce.
Taormina
If you’re visiting Taormina, you should hop by the Greek Theatre of Taormina. Isola Bella is also a great place to see, and you can reach it by foot. The picturesque island looks like something out of a Bond Movie.
If you are really into beautiful nature, apart from Isola Bella you really should visit the Alcantara Gorges.
It’s a geological wonder which came from years and years of sexy Etna eruptions just flowing down to the canyon. Of course, while you’re there, you should also visit Mount Etna. You can climb it by foot, it’s a nice scenic walk. Or go by car. Whichever suits you best.
Catania
Ursino Castle is a historical Norman fortress which somehow survived a good amount earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
This castle houses archaeological collections from the whole area, the beautiful Museo Civico and a ton of paintings.
If you’re into Baroque architecture, you should consider visiting the town of Acireale. This town has around 100 churches and the famous Piazza del Duomo.
If you just like sightseeing and taking photos of monuments, you can visit places like the Porta Garibaldi, the San Benedetto Arch and the Jesuit College cloisters.
Agrigento
The Valley of the Temples is one of the most important historical sites in Agrigento. It was built between 510 and 430 BC, and its most famous temples are Hera’s and Juno’s.
It takes you around two hours to get around the whole valley, but if you’re a history buff it’s totally worth it.
If you like natural wonders, you’ll enjoy the Scala Dei Turchi. It’s a limestone cliff carved into a staircase by the elements. There’s a wonderful view and sunsets look ethereal from these steps.
If you fancy a quick spa session, head down to Sciacca for the thermal mud and steam baths in the San Calogero caves. They’re famed to be good for respiratory diseases and rheumatism.
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