Sicily is Italy in its extreme. Its mountains are more marvellous, the food more intense, its history more alive and the weather better than mainland Italy. You can have any kind of vacation you dream of: You can immerse yourself in culture and history, with visits to several UNESCO World Heritage classed attractions. If you’re a lover of the outdoors, you can hike on a volcano in the morning and dive among archaeological artefacts in the evening. If you want to treat your senses to a feast, Sicily is a festival of culinary endeavours as well.
Here is a Top10 list of our favourite things to do in Sicily that encompasses all of the above and will leave you with memories for a lifetime.
Street food in Palermo
Did your tastebuds bring a sense of adventure on your holiday? If so, you will love to take a stroll through the markets of Palermo and snack your way through its history. On a Street Food Walking Tour you’ll encounter sfincione, panelle, crocchè, arancine and pane con milza. Got no idea what that means? No worries, the guide will explain everything along the way, lead you through the markets and show you the best of Palermo.
Hike Mount Etna
Let’s start with the obvious: No visit to Sicily is complete without a visit to its emblematic volcano Etna. You can either drive to a parking lot and take the walk yourself from here, or participate in this full day Etna excursion. On this tour you’ll get to hike the volcano with a certified guide, taste local foods and explore ancient craters. A great option, if you want to immerse yourself the nature, food and history of Etna.
Cooking class
Cannoli, Granita, Cassata, Buccellato. Many dishes and even more desserts have originated from Sicily, where they can probably trace their origin back to before year 1000, when the Emirate of Sicily was under Arab rule. If you want to treat your tastebuds to an unforgettable experience, how about taking a Cooking Lesson, where you’ll learn to make pasta like mama did or try to cook a genuine, Italian meal.
Boat trip to the Scala dei Turchi
Nothing beats a boat trip in the summertime. Imagine yourself lying on board a small dinghy, working on your tan whilst the sea breeze gently cools your skin. When it gets too hot, you jump in the turquoise waters outside the enigmatic beach of Scala dei Turchi and snorkel a bit. At only 40€ that dream can become true.
Valley of the Temples
Sicily has the best Greek temples outside Greece. The Valley of the Temples is one of the most outstanding examples of Greater Greece art and architecture and is UNESCO World Heritage designated. Its park and landscape is the largest archaeological site in the world and it’s a definite “must” when in Sicily. If you’re not staying in Agrigento, perhaps this Valley of the Temples day-trip will do the trick, as you’re picked up from your hotel and have a private chauffeur the whole day.
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Wine tasting
Italy in general is renowned for is fine wine and Sicily is no exception when it comes to full-bodied reds. And nothing beats tasting the wine in its own terroir, at the farm where it’s produced, near the vineyard where it’s born. On this wine tasting experience, you’ll work up an appetite with a trek on the archeological site of Rocca Pizzicata. receive a guided tour of the vineyards, taste 3 different wines, enjoy a buffet AND sample the local olive oil as well. That’s quite a bargain for only 40€ per person!
Indiana Jones in scuba gear
Sicily is literally spilling over with archaeological remains from the Greek and Roman period. So much, that you can go under water to explore its ancient past and dive among relics and building elements dating back to the historic port of Lilibeo. On this archaeological Archaeological Dive day-trip you’ll get 1 or 2 dives with a guide as well as lunch on board the boat.
Walking the volcano on Stromboli
While Etna is a force to be reckoned with when erupting, there’s nothing quite like witnessing the lava explosions at Stromboli at night. This island has been in almost continuous eruption for almost 2.000 years and on this Stromboli Volcano Excursion you get the chance to, with a Volcanologist guide, hike to the top of the volcano in time for sunset to marvel at the lava explosions. We’re sure that’ll make an all-time favourite at your inner Instagram account.
Body rafting in a canyon
My experience is; the more your use your body while making a holiday memory, the longer the memory will last. That’s why you have to immerse yourself in the wild nature of Sicily to make the memory last a lifetime. No worries; on this Body Rafting in Alcantara River adventure, you’re equipped with helmet, neoprene gear and life jacket so you’re safe to climb, swim and trek the river. A great adrenaline ride!
Baroque Splendour of Siracusa and Noto
Both Siracusa and Val di Noto are on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, and with good reason: not many cities are so consistently built in late Baroque style as those in Val di Noto. When an earthquake destroyed the towns in this area in the late 1600s, they had to be rebuilt from scratch, and back then, it was the Baroque style that was in vogue. And while Siracusa still bears proud and diverse architectural witness to the turbulent past of Sicily, the Baroque splendour of Piazza Duomo makes it among the most beautiful cities in all of Italy.
Uncover the baroque beauty of both cities on this private tour to Siracusa and Noto from only 18€ per person.
More info
- Sicily official tourism website
- Sicily on Italy’s official tourism website
- Sicilying – The Best experiences of Sicily
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