Sicily - 5 Must Visit Places
Sicily is the biggest island in the Mediterranean and a place that everyone who loves Italy should visit. With fantastic history and beautiful scenery, we have put below the 5 must-visit places.
Palermo:
Palermo is a fascinating city, cultures from the Middle East, Africa and Europe have influenced everything, from food to architecture to dialect.
It is a bustling city and it's great to experience its thriving art galleries and popular restaurant scene. A visit to the Cattedrale di Palermo is another must and if you climb up to the roof, you will be rewarded with some of the clearest views of the entire city.
Even though travellers often associate Palermo with the mafia, it is a very safe city to visit. Exploring the busy street markets is a joy and prices are good for foreign visitors. Very popular in Palermo are food tours because there are so many unique foods here a tour will be a delight and a great experience for food lovers.
Finally, visit the Palatine Chapel it is a very beautiful place and is located on the second floor of the Norman Palace (Palazzo dei Normanni, or Palazzo Reale/Royal Palace).
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Mount Etna:
This is one of the most active volcanos in the world as well as Europe's highest and a must-see when visiting Sicily. Since 1800, there have been over 130 eruptions.
When you climb it you will get some unforgettable views, even if you don't make it to the top. The climb is usually possible from April-September and using a guide is strongly advised.
Remember the cold temperatures when at the top of the mountain, so proper clothing is essential. You can also explore the lower slopes on the north side of Etna which is also well worth doing.
Valley of the Temples (Agrigento):
This is one of the largest archaeological sites in the world, the Valley of the Temples lies on the rocky ridge bordering the plateau to the south on which ancient Akragas once stood: it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it's easy to see why.
The Valley of the Temples covers 1,300 hectares in an area just a short distance from Agrigento. This incredibly well-preserved series of temples and buildings is one of Italy’s most famous archaeological sites.
The Temple of Concordia is simply an incredible sight. One of the best-preserved Greek temples found anywhere in the world.
Taormina:
Perched high above the sea, Taormina has been one of the most popular tourist destinations in Sicily for a couple of hundred years. When visiting you go through the picturesque winding streets, see its famous Greek-Roman theatre, and admire its dramatic views of Mount Etna.
Taormina is served by its cable car which takes the many tourists to and from the seaside resorts down along the coast. Take a walk from Corso Umberto which cuts Taormina in two and stretches for almost a kilometre from the two old arched gateways to the town: Porto Messina and Porto Catania.
It can get very busy in high season but is well worth a visit for a day or two.
Cefalù:
Cefalù is located on the northern coast of Sicily on the Tyrrhenian Sea about 70 kilometres east of Palermo. The town, with a population of just under 14,000, is one of the major tourist attractions in the region.
It also has one of Sicliy's finest beaches, Cefalù Beach is a dreamy spot for swimming and sunbathing thanks to its warm, clear waters and the fabulous town is so pretty, it's where director Giuseppe Tornatore chose to set parts of his film Cinema Paradiso.
Cefalù's cathedral is a must-visit place, In 2019 the towers were opened to the public for the first time; to enter, buy a special ticket at the door.
Sicily is such as fascinating and beautiful place to visit that you will find you will want to go back again and is one of the jewels of Italy.
