Ten Reasons to Visit Sicily by Solange Hando
Featured Hotel in Taormina
La Plage Resort
See all hotels in Taormina >
The sunrise over the sea is magic if you catch it, but even if you don’t, Sicily promises a brilliant holiday. It’s the largest island in the Med and barely 2.5 miles from the toe of Italy; the Ionian Coast is one of its most spectacular spots. Need convincing? Here are 10 reasons to head to Sicily.
1: Taormina
Perched on the green slopes of Mount Tauro, nearly 700 feet above the sea, this elegant resort has been top of the list for 200 years. Drive up the winding road or hop aboard the cable car and you soon see for miles as the rugged coast unfolds all the way to Messina and at your feet, the lush islet of Isola Bella and its twin crescent coves lure budding artists and courting couples.
But relaxed and aloof, Taormina sits high above it all, drinking in the views before vanishing through the ancient gate where on the fashionable Corso Umberto, antique shops and boutiques mingle with al fresco restaurants and grand churches. Men sell red roses on the piazza or serenade well-heeled crowds on the evening passegiata. The old town is all balconies and potted plants, pretty façades in warm Mediterranean colours, alleyways and flights of steps meandering up to the castle which keeps watch over city and sea, and the Greek Theatre teetering, honey-coloured, on the edge of the cliff.
2: Down on the Beach
On a hot day, Taormina comes down to Mazzaro Beach, an old fishing village nestling in greenery fragrant with jasmine and orange blossom. Boats and parasols line the shore but with its limpid waters and glistening shingle, it’s a special place for those in the know.
The broad neighbouring bay of Giardini Naxos is for those who love sand and company. The first Greeks settled in Naxos and many of today’s visitors follow in their footsteps. Framed by pink oleander, the pristine sands are a checkerboard of loungers and sunshades but at the far end, fishing boats in rainbow colours lie haphazardly on the shore, pushing out to sea whenever the wind takes their fancy.
For a quiet moment, look out for those secluded coves sheltered by reeds and prickly pear where blue skies and lava rocks mingle their reflections.
3: A Woman Named Etna
All the guides will tell you, ‘stunning, unpredictable, Etna can only be a woman.’ Her upper slopes draped in virgin snow, white plumes puffing out from the top, she follows you wherever you are, peeping in and out of clouds, just as she pleases.
I went up on my birthday and what a treat it was, through scented pine forests at first then into a no man’s land of craters, snowdrifts and ice, and old lava flows bristling with gigantic rocks. But in this frozen moonscape close to 11 000 feet, new leaves sprouted on dead trees and green lichen shimmered in the ash.
We explored by four-wheel drive, walked on a crater rim and Etna looked on, unperturbed by the string of ants crawling on her slopes. Up there the panorama is superb, from the barren windswept lands all around you to the villages below, the Messina Strait and the Aeolian Islands out at sea.
4: Catania
Named after the lava rock on which it stands, Sicily’s second city is easy to explore on foot. When the first settlers arrived, say the locals, an elephant appeared to clear the ground and there it is on Cathedral Square, built of lava, crowned by an Egyptian obelisk once used in the Roman circus. The Piazza Duomo is a place to relax on a café terrace and watch the world go by but if you like it busy, visit in the morning when Sicily’s most colourful Fish Market takes over the surrounding streets.
Just 17 miles from Etna, Catania has suffered its share of disasters but among its most enduring monuments are the Baroque palaces and churches which pop up here and there, when you least expect them. There’s a Roman Amphitheatre right in the middle of town, a Greek Odeon, a 13th century castle and a magnificent Theatre named after the local composer Bellini.
5: Food
Take a bountiful sea, rich volcanic soil and the culinary talent of Sicilians and you understand why every meal on the island is an ‘event’. Pasta and bread are made from durum wheat, rich in flavour, risotto comes in mounds topped with white ricotta and streaks of flaming tomatoes, to emulate Etna, and ‘Caponata’, once the poor man’s diet, is turned into a succulent Mediterranean vegetable stew topped with olives, raisins and almonds. Add fresh sardines or spiny lobster, red mullet, local lamb, stuffed peppers and a glass or two of Etna, Bianco or Rosso, and you are sure of a treat.
Browsing around a morning market is a leisurely affair, fragrance and colour guaranteed, whether you head for Catania, the largest of all, or a village clinging on a mountain slope. Don’t miss the pastries, the nuns invented quite a few, or the Sicilian ice cream whose reputation has travelled worldwide.
6: Sail to the Islands
The Aeolians, or Islands of the Wind, claim one of the most beautiful archipelagos on earth, recognised today as a World Heritage Site. Shaped by ongoing volcanic activity, the ‘seven stars’ are a mix of white and black sands, dark craters and verdant slopes, amazingly clear waters and fantastic rocks and colours.
Lipari, the largest, is known for its lovely harbour nestling below the castle and the white pumice stone awash on the beach. Salina is the garden island full of capers and vines producing much of the sweet Malvasia, exclusive Panarea is the haunt of the jet set and sulphur-smelling Vulcano draws crowds to its bubbling mud baths. To the west is the divers’ paradise of Alicudi and Filicudi but for an awe-inspiring glimpse of nature, make your way to Stromboli, preferably after dark, to see the youngest volcano belching out burning rocks and sparks as it has done for 2000 years.
There are fast crossings from Milazzo to Lipari and regular excursions to Stromboli.
7: Syracuse
Mention Syracuse and you think of ancient ruins, the scattered columns of the Apollo Temple or the Archaeological Park with its Greek Theatre and quarries, the Ear of Dionysos cave haunted by prisoners and slaves, the Roman Amphitheatre where the scent of eucalyptus and pines lingers in the air. It’s an extensive site, at its best when the crowds have left, but this once powerful city has more surprises in store.
On the quail-shaped island of Ortygia, the old town greets you with palaces and churches, an imposing cathedral, hiding behind the scaffolding, and right by the sea, the legendary fresh water spring of the nymph Arethusa. A sturdy castle guards the entrance to the harbour where the wind whips up the waves and turns the water green as jade.
But walk back across the bridge and you step into a Venetian scene, boats barely bobbing at anchor and pastel-coloured buildings lining a delightful waterfront.
8: A Taste of the Countryside
Between Etna and the sea, citrus groves and vineyards carpet the land with green and gold. It’s a great place to cycle or drive along quiet lanes lined with broom and asphodels and quench your thirst on blood oranges sold at the roadside. Crickets sing in the trees and now and then a lizard darts over a lava wall.
Every village is as pretty as its neighbour, tumbling wisteria and bougainvillaea, cats dozing on the steps, spires and domes and cube-like houses in shades of salmon, cappuccino and cream. From Taormina, you’ll see Castelmola atop a precipitous rock, well worth a visit for the all round views and the local almond wine.
Feeling active? Go horse riding in the Madonie Mountains, hike in a nature reserve or explore the Alcantara Gorge. Anyone can peep into the entrance but to enjoy the waterfalls, you’ll need a sense of adventure and rubber boots, hired on site.
9: Shopping
It’s sheer temptation, cheap souvenirs or designer wear, and the ubiquitous Etna lava. There’s no shortage of that on the slopes though if you want it shaped into a turtle or statuette, you will have to do the rounds of tourist shops. But beware, each one is a labyrinth of fine linen and lace, embroidery, ceramics, puppets, Sicilian wines, sun-dried tomatoes, capers and olives, T-shirts, sandals and paintings of glorious beaches and snow-capped volcanoes. Among it all is the intriguing ceramic head of a woman, some say Etna herself, sprouting snakes from her hair and three legs, the three corners of Sicily.
Souvenir shops abound in Giardini-Naxos, or you could try your bargaining skills in Catania market, but for top fashion or exquisite jewellery, best venues are Taormina and Catania’s Via Etnea.
10: Final Flourish
You don’t have to be an expert to appreciate architecture in eastern Sicily. After the earthquake of 1693, villages and towns were rebuilt in the elaborate Baroque style popular at the time, using a soft local stone with a golden hue.
Today eight towns are UNESCO sites, among them Noto, all glowing mansions and churches. It’s a popular stop for coach parties but all along the east coast and its hinterland, you come across these little gems caught in an 18th century time warp. One of the prettiest is Caltagirone, draped around its historic centre while 142 steps, decorated with majolica tiles, climb from the lower town to the church. This has been the ‘city of ceramics’ since ancient times and the local museum is dedicated to the trade.
Planning a trip to the island? Then have a browse of our pick of luxury hotels in Sicily.