Luxury Villas in Sicily

About Sicily

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is also the largest of Italy’s 450 islands. It is situated just off the toe of Italy’s ‘boot’. Arguably most famous for being home to Mount Etna, the island has had a fascinating history. These days, its diverse cultural past, influenced by the ancient Greeks and Romans as well as the Arabs has created a fascinating place to visit.

Cities in Sicily

The capital city of Sicily is Palermo. This is also the largest city on the island. There is so much to see and do here. Choose between a rather gruesome visit to the catacombs, home to 8000 mummified bodies or a tour of the world’s third largest opera house. Alternatively, visit the 12th century cathedral, the Palazzi dei Normanni, the Palazzo Pretorio or the Santa Rosalia Sanctuary. Or perhaps a stroll through the botanic gardens or a trip to one of Palermo’s many museums is more your scene. Whatever you choose to do, as you wander around the city, make the most of the wonderful Sicilian street food on offer.

There are a number of other cities in Sicily worth exploring too. The next in order of size are Catania, Messina, Syracuse, Marsala, Gela, Ragusa and Trapani but we also recommend a visit to Cefalu and Agrigento.

Towns and villages in Sicily

As well as the larger cities, there are numerous other smaller towns and villages in Sicily well worth exploring too. Our A to Z of the towns and villages in Sicily will tell you all you need to know.

Things to do in Sicily

Of course, we recommend you explore some of Sicily’s towns and villages during your Sicily villa holiday.

If visiting during the warmer months, no Sicilian holiday would be complete without spending some time either in the water parks to cool off or on the beaches in Sicily. There are too many to list here but some of our favourites include the picturesque bay at Scopello in north west Sicily and the 1 km long sandy beach at San Vito lo Capo. In our opinion, some of Sicily’s best beaches are actually not on the Sicilian mainland though but on its islands.

The Egadi Archipelago is made up of three islands – Favignana, Levanzo and Marettimo – along with the islets of Formica and Maraone. Levanzo is where you will find the incredibly beautiful Cala Faraglione beach along with the Cala Dogana, Cala Fredda and Cala Minnola. All are extremely picturesque and many are lined with clusters of blue and white houses possibly more reminiscent of Greece than Italy.

Sicily also boasts the Aeolian Islands. This is an archipelago consisting of seven separate islands – Vulcano, Stromboli, Salina, Alicudi, Lipari, Panarea and Filicudi – as well as smaller islets and giant boulders. Many of these islands have volcanic origins. Expect each to be very different from the other. The islands are also an Italian UNESCO World Heritage site. And there are the Pelagie Islands too, made up of the tiny islands of Lampione, Linosa and Lampedusa. The latter is where you will find the Spiaggia dei Conigli (Rabbit Beach). There are yet more islands to be discovered around Sicily and it is certainly worth making sure you add some to your list of places to visit during your Sicily holiday.

Home to one of the smallest Sicily beaches on our list, Levanzo is another of Sicily’s islands. It may be small, but the Cala Faraglione beach here is incredibly beautiful. Other beaches on the island can certainly rival it, including the Cala Dogana, Cala Fredda and Cala Minnola. All are extremely picturesque and many of the sleepy seaside villages are lined with clusters of blue and white houses arguably more reminiscent of Greece than Italy.

If it’s not too hot to do so, there are some great hiking trails to be enjoyed in Sicily too. At 3326 metres high, this is not a trek for the faint hearted! Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe. However it isn’t the only mountain on the island. It also boasts others such as the Nebrodi, Madonie and Peloritani ranges. Or opt instead to talk a walk in the Archaeological Park of Neapolis to discover the Ear of Dionysius. This is a man-made cave, shaped like a giant ear and supposedly designed so that the secrets of the prisoners it once held could be easily heard.

Those with an interest in history may prefer to visit some of the incredible archeological sites in Sicily. The most famous of these is the Valley of the Temples (Valle dei Templi), home to some of the best preserved ancient Greek temples anywhere in the world. The site includes both Roman as well as Greek remains however the most impressive remains are the GreekTemple of Concord and the Temple of Juno. More Roman remains can be found at the Villa Romana del Casale at Piazza Armerina. This is home to the world’s largest collection of Roman mosaics. And at Taormina, you will discover an incredible ancient Greek and Roman theatre that dates back to the 2nd century BC.

Or guide to the top 60 things to do in Sicily will provide more inspiration on what to do on your Sicily villa holiday.

What to eat and drink in Sicily

The street food in Sicily is renowned the world over. Eat your way around the island, learning to know your Le Panelle from your Lo Sfincionello and your Crocche from your Arancine!

The town of Modica in Sicily is also famous for its chocolate production. Cocoa was originally brought to the island by the Spaniards from South America and the people of Modica still make chocolate based on these Aztec traditional methods today. And all over the island you will discover Frutta du Martorana, marzipan shaped into realistic fruits, vegetables and other foodstuffs.

If you’re open to enjoying a tipple or two, then it’s worth trying some of Sicily’s wine to wash it all down with. Sicilian wine has a quite distinct flavour. The islanders have been growing grapes and producing wine for centuries the quality of wine has improved considerably in recent years. Sicily is also home to marsala, a sweet wine that actually owes its roots to British entrepreneur, John Woodhouse.

When to visit Sicily

The question of when is the best time to visit Sicily is not an easy one to answer. It really depends on what you’re looking for.

Spring is particularly pretty in Sicily thanks to the wildflowers that bloom in abundance. It’s also the season when Sicilians celebrate one of their most famous annual events – the Noto Flower Festival. Spring is also the perfect time for a Sicily villa holiday if you’re looking for warm but not scorching hot temperatures. The average daily high temperature goes from 19°C in March to 27°C in May. This means you can enjoy the beaches and even swim in the sea, but you will also be able to explore the incredible ancient remains, discover Sicily’s towns and cities and even climb Mount Etna before temperatures start to soar.

It’s in the Summer months when temperatures peak, frequently exceeding 30°C. This is the best time to just sit back, relax and enjoy your Sicily villa swimming pool, to laze on Sicily’s beaches and enjoy the many water sports on offer in the seas around the island.

Just like the Spring, opt to rent a villa in Sicily in the Autumn and you can expect to enjoy pleasant temperatures in the mid-twenties, plenty of sunshine and warm evenings. You may not have the colourful wild flowers that Spring brings to the island but Autumn is harvest time. This is the time when Sicilian foodstuffs such as olives and pistachios are picked. It’s also the time to sample the year’s new wines.

But don’t rule out a renting a villa in Sicily in the Winter too. Whilst you’re certainly not going to be sunbathing on the beach, winters do tend to be mild so it’s still a good time to visit Sicily’s many sights. In the more mountainous areas, you could even be lucky enough to enjoy some skiing. Mount Etna boasts two ski resorts, one on the north side and one on the south. There are also some excellent festivals in Sicily in the Winter too. These include Carnevale and the Almond Blossom Festival, both of which take place in February.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get to Sicily?

Whilst Sicily does have some smaller airports, the two main international airports are Catania-Fontanarossa (CTA) and Palermo-Falcone Borsellino (PMO). Catania is in the east and Palermo in the west so choose where to fly into based on where your Sicily villa rental is located.

Don’t forget though that you can also get to Sicily by boat too. There are numerous mainland Italian ports that will offer crossings to Sicily. The shortest crossing is from Villa San Giovanni in Calabria. The crossing from here to Messina in Sicily takes less than 30 minutes. In contrast, the car ferry from Salerno near Naples to Messina takes approximately 9 hours. Or, you could opt for the even longer journey from Genoa to Palermo which takes closer to 21 hours.

And you can even get to Sicily by train. Travel direct from Rome or Naples to Palermo in 11.5 or 9 hours respectively. Once the train has travelled all the way down to the toe of Italy’s ‘boot’, it reaches Villa San Giovanni where it splits into two and rolls onto the ferry. It’s pretty impressive!

Do you need to hire a car in Sicily?

If you visit Sicily without a car, and intend to travel using public transport, you need to accept that you will inevitably be limiting your visit to Sicily’s principal cities. Hiring a car in Sicily will enable you to visit Sicily’s incredible archaeological sites, its beautiful rural landscape, its more remote beaches, as well as its smaller towns and villages which are oozing in character. The bus and train network in Sicily is good but the trains really only connect the major cities, whilst buses can be slow and unreliable.

What is the nicest part of Sicily to visit?

In our opinion, there isn’t a ‘nicest’ part. It really depends on where your interests lie. Each coast has its own unique set of attractions to discover during your stay in one of our Sicily villas. For example, in the south west of Sicily you will find archaeological sites such as the Valley of the Temples near Agrigento, whilst in the south east is the Neapolis Archaeological Park near Syracuse. Many would argue that the nicest beaches in Sicily are those in the north west. This is where you will find San Vito lo Capo. Or over in eastern Sicily, you have the charming streets of Taormina.

When is the best time to visit Sicily?

Whilst we appreciate that many people are restricted by school holidays, for those that have the flexibility, we recommend you enjoy a Sicily villa holiday either in the Spring (April to June) or in the Autumn (September to October). This is when temperatures are warm without being too hot, when crowds are fewer and when there are an abundance of festivals to enjoy.

How many days in Sicily is enough?

This depends on how much of Sicily you’re looking to discover during your Sicily villa holiday. It takes around 3.5 hours to travel from the east to the west of the island and around 2.5 hours to drive from north to south. Sicily’s attractions truly are dispersed throughout the island. In the east, you have Mount Etna, historical cities such as Taormina and Syracuse and the picturesque Isola Bella. In the west, there are the stunning sandy beaches of San Vito lo Capo and Trapani as well as the fascinating history of towns such as Marsala and Erice. In the south, you have the incredible Greek and Roman remains in the Valley of the Temples and the beautiful white cliffs of the Scala dei Turchi. And in the north there are the fascinating towns of Cefalu and Palermo for example. To comprehensively explore all four coasts and its inland scenery would therefore take 2 weeks. If you only have 5-7 days, then we recommend you focus on exploring one specific part of Sicily.