Itineraries for Your Trip to Sicily
3 Days in Sicily for First Timers
Within minutes of arriving in Sicily for the first time, I knew I was both in Italy yet worlds away from the mainland. Everything from the island’s architecture to its food was influenced by millennia of invaders beginning with the Greeks and ending with the Spanish. Yet this great mix of cultures had somehow come together to create a captivating whole that was uniquely Sicilian.
Each area of Sicily is home to vestiges of a different wave of conquerors—the Greeks to the south, the Catalans to the west, the Arabs to the north. The island is too vast to cover in three days; however, you can admire some of the most remarkable sights if you concentrate on the eastern coastline. Here are the best options for a quick trip.
Sicilian summers are scorching, so time your sightseeing for early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
If you only have time for one thing, make it a glimpse of hissing and rumbling Mt. Etna.
High above the Ionian Coast, the hilltop town of Taormina is considered one of Sicily’s most beautiful. Spend a few hours visiting the town’s highlights, strolling shop-lined Corso Umberto I, and visiting the Piazza IX Aprile scenic overlook. Afterward, take the cable car down to Isola Bella, a picturesque coastal outcrop bookended by pretty beaches.
Finish your day on Europe’s largest active volcano, Mt. Etna, which towers above Sicily’s eastern coastline. You’ll need a car or a tour with transportation to explore the lava fields. On the return, stop at a cellar on its volcanic slopes for a wine tasting.
Venture south by car or train to Syracuse, a golden-hued city with almost three millennia of history. Start on the tiny island of Ortigia, where the city was founded by the Corinthians, and its most atmospheric neighborhood today. Check out the Duomo, with its 17th-century baroque facade; the Fountain of Arethusa, fed by an ancient natural spring; and the Temple of Apollo, Sicily’s oldest Doric temple.
Dedicate the afternoon to the Neapolis Archaeological Park. Visit with a guide to learn about the history and architecture of sites like the Teatro Romano and the Ara di Gerone II altar.
Cap off your stay at the most important baroque treasure troves in southeastern Sicily, beginning with Noto. As you walk through the clutch of ornate churches and palaces centered around the main Corso Vittorio Emanuele, you’ll see highlights like the Cathedral of San Nicolò and Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata.
Continue your baroque treasure hunt in Modica, with a tour of the town’s lavish churches and palazzi scattered around the historic center, being sure to take a break to sample the town’s traditional chocolate. Finally, in Ragusa, admire magnificent facades sitting shoulder to shoulder with crumbling palaces.
