12 Most Charming Towns In Sicily
June 16, 2022
italy
By guy yefet
Discover the best towns in Sicily. Sicily has picturesque beautiful towns, coastal towns that offer a rich experience of typical Sicilian life in the Mediterranean.
During my trip to Italy, I did a 2-week road trip in Sicily.
Two weeks in Sicily allow you to experience the beautiful little places.
On this Sicily road trip, I was driving and visiting in the best towns in Sicily.
When you are in Sicily there are many small towns in Sicily that you don't want to miss.
One of the most famous and touristy towns in Sicily and not for nothing, a picturesque and colorful town, surrounded by two mountains and a close view of the volcano Etna.
Allow yourself to get lost in the alleys of Corso Umberto, the main street of the town is a friendly maze of alleys and other alleys wherein each such alley is a small and charming cafe, restaurants, interesting shops, stone houses, and antiques.
If you prefer a guided tour, you can take one that combines Taormina and Etna volcano.
One of Taormina's great pride is undoubtedly the Greek theater.
The Greek Theater is the second-largest in Sicily.
It is very interesting to watch the exposed walls of the vast theater and imagine the Greek tragedies that were displayed in it until the Roman conquest.
Etna Volcano is visible from every corner in Taormina, the most active and largest volcano in Europe.
It is so wide, its summit so snowy and the thin jet of smoke billowing from it so interesting.
From every direction, you can see the mountain view and at night, I even saw small orange cracks of lava just below the summit. Amazing.
A must-visit town when you visit Sicily!
Cefalu is a small and charming fishing town located in northern Sicily (50 minutes east of Palermo).
A town with a mesmerizing view of fun alleys, ice cream parlors, restaurants, cafes, and warm people.
One of the most visited tourist sites in the city is without a doubt the Cefalu Cathedral
Its construction began in 1130 and it was built in the style of a state Norman building.
To this day the cathedral is well preserved and a large number of restoration works have been carried out over the years.
The city has over 10 churches and it is recommended to visit at least some of them.
Well-known churches are Santa Maria d 'Audigitria, Santa Oliva, and the Church of San Sebastiano..
Its construction began in 1130 and it was built in the style of a state Norman building.
To this day the cathedral is well preserved and a large number of restoration works have been carried out over the years.
Also, it is recommended to visit the old town which is on the cliff, a variety of ancient and beautiful remains are found there.
There is a short one-hour hike to an observation point that overlooks the entire town from above.
La Rocca Lookout hike starts right from the town itself to the top of the mountain, from the lookout point you will get to see an impressive panoramic view that overlooks the entire town and its rooftop wave and of course the sea on the horizon.
After an hour of climbing, you can descend directly back to the wonderful beach that is in Capello and there is nothing like finishing a good walk on a beautiful beach.
It is an island in Syracuse that is separated from the mainland by a narrow canal.
The island is part of the old town of Syracuse and has many historical sites.
The size of the entire island is only one square kilometer, and on this small area are concentrated a variety of historic buildings dating to the Middle Ages and the Baroque period.
ake a few hours for a stroll through the narrow alleys, between pastoral courtyards rich in flower pots, shops, restaurants, and cafes in beautiful ancient buildings.
Entrance to the heart of the old city - is forbidden, so for those who have difficulty or are just too hot for a long walk - can enjoy a motorized tour by tuk-tuk, which will meander with astonishing agility in the narrow alleys, present you all the city gems with maximum comfort.
Along the Matteotti Corso, you can enjoy the city's best fashion and shoe stores.
Even if you are not preparing to buy anything - do not miss the unique artistic design that stands out in stores and shop windows - that will simply drive your imagination crazy.
Another advantage: the prices here are cheaper compared to those in the touristy Taormina.
At an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level is the town of Arica, a small and touristy town.
The visit to it is unforgettable, and all marzipan lovers expect a pleasant surprise as this town is known for its marzipan shops.
In Erice the monks specialized in the production of marzipan and therefore it appears here in a variety of shapes and flavors.
Erice is about a two-hour drive from Palermo.
Driving is difficult, especially in the section of the climb to the cliff itself. At the end of the trip, the descent requires a lot of concentration while driving. T
herefore, if you are traveling from Palermo, come early and with patience.
There is another way to get to Erice and that is via cable car located near the port city of Trapani which lasts about 10 minutes and overlooks the entire city of Trapani with panoramic sea views.
Ragusa is a special and historic ancient city. Located on top of a hill and known for its barrack buildings and architecture.
In Ragusa there are 2 towns, Regusa Ibla and Regusa Superior.
One of the best-known things to do in Ragusa is the famous stairs that connect the 2 upper and lower towns.
Walking up these stairs opens a road with a beautiful view of Ragusa Ibla from which you can see the whole town itself. It is recommended to do this walk at night and enjoy the beautiful lights through the windows of the special houses that there are in Regus and it creates a spectacular and beautiful spectacle.
When traveling in Ragusa it is advisable to combine Ragusa with 3 other cities built in the Baroque form that is as close as the city tends to be. (The trip is the most organized there is)
Sicily is known for its ceramics, and most of all are known for Caltagirone, which is considered the center of ceramics in Sicily.
In every alley and every corner, you will find a ceramics workshop that is mainly colorful and cheerful tools and tiles.
Lots of bright windows and other shapes.
The best known and most beautiful corner in the city area is upstairs leading to a church located at the top of the city called Santa Maria del Monte (the Holy Mary of Mount Santa Maria del Monte).
The staircase, which is nothing but a terraced alley (Scala di Santa Maria del Monte), is a triumphant testimony to the city's superiority in ceramics.
Each step (and there are about three hundred of them) is decorated with ceramic tiles, and each step is different from its companion, there are no two matching steps.
A picturesque town located on the coast west of Palermo.
The town has an ancient center and romantic alleys and on its shores, you can walk among the fishing boats that kiss the shore.
There’s no doubt that the main attraction in Castellammare Del Golfo is the old harbor area. The marina, full of fishing boats and yachts, is the heart and soul of the town.
It’s a focal point of Castellammare Del Golfo as if the entire town is sliding down the hillside to the waterfront area.
It is highly recommended to walk between the various coastal towns nearby along the coast and find hidden and romantic corners along the way.
A town located in southern Sicily. The city known as the "Valley of the Temples" was awarded the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
The destination is recommended for archeology and history lovers.
In Agrigento there are remains of eight temples at different levels of obsolescence, the archeological remains are surrounded by olive trees and look out to sea.
When you arrive in Agrigento it is recommended to combine a trip to the "Turkish Stairs" which is a beach with a mountain in the unique form of stairs that every evening people gather at the beach and watch the sunset.
The town of Savoca is located between hills in northeastern Sicily.
Walking around the place reveals tiny streets in the city that seem to have stopped a queen, spectacular views, and places where scenes from the movie "The Godfather" were filmed.
This town makes it possible to learn what Sicilian life has always been like, even before the era of tourism.
I find it hard to believe that there is a traveler in Sicily who does not link the island in such a different way to the exploits of the Mafia.
Anyone who wants to taste the experience, even if only in the imagination, is invited to a short visit to the town of Savoca, where the movie "The Godfather" was filmed. The town is located high between the hills.
Getting to these two remote villages (Savoca and Forza d'Agrò) requires high driving skills. But the deviation from the main road is worth the effort.
You can join a guided tour of Savoca focusing on where scenes from The Godfather movie were filmed.
In these two villages, excerpts from the movie "The Godfather 2" were filmed (in the "Vitaly Bar" in Savoca and in front of the church in Porta de Agro).
At the Vitaly Bar, it is recommended to taste the village's famous granita drink and wander through the rooms of the building for all his photos from the filming. And beyond that: the view from these villages is amazing.
Enna is a town in central Sicily.
Enna is unique both geographically and historically, the town is located on a huge hill almost 1000 meters above sea level and offers panoramic views. Enna is the tallest city in Sicily and the capital of the province of Enna which is the tallest in Italy. Enna is one of the few cities that foreign armies have failed to invade.
Enna is considered one of the oldest places in Italy, some estimate that it was founded around 1200 BC, the city sheds light on the origins of the Sicilians.
It's built between narrow streets and magical and winding alleys that are only seen in movies, so it is highly recommended to wander the streets and soak up the atmosphere, enjoy ancient and impressive buildings along with views of the entire area.
Located at the northeastern end of the island with an important commercial port that also serves as a daily transportation channel
To Italy itself and to cities like Reggio Calabria, Naples, and the Aeolian Islands.
Like Catania, Messina was destroyed by earthquakes that struck it and recovered and are now a modern city.
Between the main square - the Duomo and the train station
There are large shopping malls and hotels.
In the center of the Duomo square is a magnificent marble fountain from the Baroque period studded with mythological figures.
Castello Palace towering over the town is an excellent vantage point
About her and her landscapes.
About a half-hour drive from the Temple of Segeste, an hour and a half drive west of the capital of the island of Palermo, is the big city of Trapani at the western end of Sicily.
Trapani is an ancient city that like most of the cities of Sicily, its core is in the extensive Greek settlement in the first centuries BC.
The city itself is home to around eighty thousand people.
From the train station, you can enter for a short walk to the city sites.
Slightly north of the train station there is a huge car park named after Vittorio Emanuele, for those arriving by car it is recommended to park in the car park and not enter the alleys of the old city.
The city is the starting point for a trip to nearby Erica, the medieval marvel for which it is only worthwhile to reach the western end of the island.
Between the train station and the old city center, the new neighborhoods of the city are spread out.
It is recommended to skip the newer alleys and walk along the charming northern promenade.
In the old town, you will find the small church of Santa Maria del Gezu.
The highlight is the statue of Mary and the angels of the Florentine giant Andrea Della Robbia.
It is worth visiting the city in several churches including the magnificent cathedral in honor of St. Lorenzo.
The cathedral is a spectacular example of the Sicilian Baroque style, one of the wilder styles of this relatively exaggerated period of art.
From the cathedral take a pleasant walk on the main promenade of the old town, Corso Vittorio Emanuele.
For lovers of Greek antiquities and culture do not miss the Pepoli Museum which features an impressive collection of archeological excavations around the city.
One of the best things in Sicily is the small charming towns.
No matter if you come to visit Sicily for 5 days, a week, or if you plan to visit Sicily for two weeks.
There are charming towns in Sicily that you must experience by yourself.
The authenticity is still left in this area in Italy, and sometimes feel like you are back in time.
The beautiful architecture, the unique construction, the great Sicilian food, the people, the markets, all these are the things that make the towns an unforgettable experience during your trip to Sicily.
I hope this blog will inspire you and make you want to visit the charming town of Sicily because it's definitely significantly different from the rest of Italy.
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