Sicily

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https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/sicily

When is this trip?
How many total nights in Sicily?
Where will you fly to and from?

Lots of responses on your previous post

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/must-see-places-in-sicily-naples-and-the-florence-area

The east coast of Sicily offers many more scenic places. Spend all your time on the east coast. Skip the west coast of Sicily with so little time.

With only 4 days in Sicily, I would stay in Palermo and do a day trip to Cefalu which is an hour train ride away. Lots to see in Palermo plus near airport so no time wasted in transportation.

Our group of 5 spent 9 days/8 nights in Sicily in May, 2025 and it was magical. Prior to arriving in Sicily we had visited Naples and then the Amalfi Coast for 11 days; we flew into Palermo, Sicily from Naples. We visited western, southern and eastern Sicily so 8 days is tight, but doable. Here's a brief rundown of our trip:

Palermo: 2 1/2 days. Highlights included Palermo Capo Food market, a private tour of a huge private residence directly across from the Opera House (Teatro Massimo) of a long time Sicilian family, an amazing puppet show and a long guided walking tour highlighting hidden corners of the city. Palermo was a little gritty like Naples, but we loved it.

Sciacca: 2 days. Highlights were a wine tour at Planeta Winery including a tour, wine tasting of both wine and olive oil. We played 2 rounds of golf at 2 different links course that ran along the Mediterranean offering amazing views. We took 2 guided tours to adjacent villages where we observed cheese making, beekeepers and small farms. The village of Contessa Entellina was the highlight.

Agrigento: 1 day. On our way to Taormina, we stopped in Agrigento to view the Valle dei Templi (Temple of the Gods); one of the most important archaeological sites in the world with 8 temples built in 500 BC and surrounded by centuries-old olive trees and almond trees. We had a long guided tour and then enjoyed a lunch in a local ancient farmhouse.

Taormina: 2 days. Our hotel was adjacent to the famous Greek amphitheatre; we could take 100 steps outside the entrance and be transformed back to the past. While Taormina is very touristy and crowded, it's still a must-stop as there are many, many areas to explore. We loved the beach and the restaurant scene. A highlight was a cooking class in a private residence and visiting Mt. Etna. We took a tour for Mt. Etna in 4X4 vehicles and headed almost to the top. After the tour, we enjoyed another wine tasting in the shadow of Mt. Etna enjoying the local wines produced in the fertile soil there.

Siracusa: 2 days. Our final stop. Siracusa and Ortiga were stunning. We took a guided walking tour through the old town and the Jewish Quarter and visited the Archaeological Park of the Neapolis. Also, we visited the amazing ruins including the Theatre and the Ear of Dionysius.

Departure: We flew from Catania and since our flight was in the evening we arrived in Catania late morning and enjoyed walking around until time to get to the airport. In hindsight, if we had another 2 days, we would have stayed over in Catania.

In summary, we did quite a bit of hopping around but for us it was a perfect fit. I hope you enjoy your Sicily trip!

This is what we have done and what we are thinking: We have already spent a good amount of time in Rome and the Amalfi Coast (Sorrento and Positano) on a previous trip. This time we are wanting to spend time in Florence and Sicily, as well as visiting a friend’s family vineyard in Naples. In trying to lay this out to maximize the one month that we have for travel, it’s been a bit daunting. We will travel in the month of March. So far, I think we will fly into Rome, spend a couple of days, getting our feet on the ground, then go to Sicily for 7-8 days. Then to Naples for several days, then to Florence, for about 2 weeks, then back to Rome for a few days before leaving. We are wanting to hit the “highlights”, but, even more, we want to reserve time to just explore. I am the most unfamiliar with Sicily, so planning our time there is daunting because I realize there’s not enough time to see everything. I am seeking help in choosing the most interesting things to spend our time on. Teatro Massimo is already on our list. Thanks in advance for suggestions.

GOGators, thank you! Your response was very helpful

Hi- I just sent you a private message with some more info that you may find helpful.

Hi there, if you're in eastern Sicily, especially Catania and south of Catania, Noto or Ortigia would be great "home base" locations. I stayed in Noto while traveling around for a week, but Ortigia was so pretty. However, if you have a car, Noto may be a little easier.

I visited Catania, Noto (of course), Modica, Ragusa, Marzamemi/Vendicari Nature Reserve, and Scicli. All great. I=

If you want more details on any of these or my itinerary, feel free to message me directly. Happy to share more tips. Have a nice trip!

...then go to Sicily for 7-8 days. Then to Naples for several days, then to Florence, for about 2 weeks, then back to Rome for a few days before leaving

Since there is so much to see in Sicily, is it possible to take a few days off your time in Florence?

8 days is 7 nights?

It’s not a lot of time for even the “highlights” of Sicily. It’s a big island with a lot to see. Compound that w the fact it doesn’t have a super connected train system like the north. With such limited time, picking one area is a good idea. If you had 2-3 more nights, I’d start to think about an east + west itinerary.

What, from your research interests you about Sicily? What memories do you want to make?