BenAveling, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sicily
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and an autonomous region of Italy, with Mount Etna, Greek temples at Agrigento and Syracuse, and the cities of Palermo and Catania.
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Where to stay, by what matters to you
- Places to stay within 10 minutes' walk of the beach in Sicily
- Places to stay with a level walk to the beach in Sicily
- Places to stay in Sicily that work without a car
- Quiet places to stay in Sicily: few bars nearby
- Within 30 minutes by car of Valley of the Temples, Agrigento
- Within 30 minutes by car of Villa Romana del Casale
Best things to do in Sicily
The one thing not to miss
See Mount Etna, an active volcano on Sicily's east coast and the tallest peak in Italy south of the Alps at about 3,403 m. Check current access conditions first, as it erupts from its summit.
Mount Etna1. Mount Etna
An active stratovolcano on Sicily's east coast between Messina and Catania. At about 3,403 m it is the tallest peak in Italy south of the Alps, and its height changes with summit eruptions.
Etna is an active volcano that erupts from its summit. We have not confirmed access rules or tours; check current conditions before you plan the day.
40,734 readers a month
Sources
2. Syracuse, Ortygia and the Greek Theatre
Syracuse is a city in south-east Sicily. Ortygia, a small island also called the Città Vecchia, is its historic centre. The Greek Theatre, begun in the 5th century BC and rebuilt in the 3rd, is part of the UNESCO site Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica.
We have not confirmed entry arrangements; check before you go.
30,996 readers a month
3. The Aeolian Islands and Stromboli
A volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea, north of Sicily. Stromboli, one of the seven islands, is one of Italy's four active volcanoes.
Stromboli is an active volcano. We have not confirmed ferry routes or access rules; check before you plan the trip.
18,792 readers a month
4. Catania
A city on Sicily's east coast on the Ionian Sea, at the foot of the active volcano Mount Etna. About 297,000 people live in the city itself.
18,245 readers a month
Sources
5. Taormina
A town on Sicily's eastern coast that has drawn visitors since the 1800s. A cable car opened in 1992 links it with Ionian Sea beaches, including Isola Bella.
10,497 readers a month
Sources
6. Cefalù
A town of nearly 14,000 people on Sicily's north coast, about 70 km east of Palermo. It is regarded as one of Italy's most beautiful small towns and draws millions of visitors a year.
5,750 readers a month
Sources
7. Villa Romana del Casale
A large Roman villa, sometimes called a palace, about 3 km from Piazza Armerina, built and decorated in the early 4th century AD. Its mosaics are considered among the most lavish and varied of their kind, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
We have not confirmed entry arrangements; check before you go.
5,533 readers a month
8. Valley of the Temples, Agrigento
An archaeological site in Agrigento that preserves important examples of ancient Greek art and architecture, and is one of Sicily's major attractions. Despite its name it is a ridge just outside the town, not a valley.
We have not confirmed entry arrangements; check before you go.
5,504 readers a month
Sources
9. Noto
A town in the province of Syracuse, about 32 km south-west of the city of Syracuse. Noto gives its name to the Val di Noto and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.
4,265 readers a month
Sources
10. Monreale Cathedral
Construction began in 1174 on the orders of William II of Sicily, and it became a metropolitan cathedral in 1182. Described as one of the greatest surviving examples of Norman architecture, it has been part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015.
We have not confirmed entry arrangements; check before you go.
3,597 readers a month
Just missed the list: Ragusa (11th by readers; a city in the south-east of the island); Palermo Cathedral (12th by readers; the main church of Palermo)
How we ranked these
By how many people read about each place on English Wikipedia in a typical month, measured October 2026. It is a popularity measure, not our opinion. Mount Etna leads with about 40,734 readers a month. Photos come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; the author and licence are on each photo.
Research required. Area notes for this destination are not written yet. The top 10 above is sourced; the rest of this page is an outline.
Affiliate disclosure: Booking links on this site are partner links. Once our partnership is active we earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. It does not change what we recommend. How this works.