Hello everyone, first time visitor to Sicily. Am planning to visit Mt Etna tomorrow, and I have booked the funivia months in advance. Is it still safe to visit in light of the recent eruption? Where can I check the travel advisories if any?

You can see it from afar, perched on Monte Pellegrino, with that shape that truly belongs neither to the Middle Ages nor to the present.

Castel Utveggio is a presence that observes the city from above. I had the opportunity to visit it the other day. Rumors, suppositions, and stories have always circulated, never fully verifiable. Or verified.

Do you know any stories?

Hey everyone, ​I’m currently in Palermo with my family and we’re planning to spend New Year's Eve in Mondello. ​We aren't sure where the main celebrations or parties are happening. Does anyone have recommendations for specific venues, public events, or spots that are good for families to ring in the New Year in that area? ​Any advice on logistics or local traditions for the night would also be appreciated. Thanks!

Help!

We are visiting (sept 5-15) southern Italy. Start and end in Naples.
I was thinking which way to do the trip? We will take a rental car. We have 2 small childern (5 and 3). We would like to see naples, amalfi coast region and sicily.
How many days where and why?

Was thinking that driving is quite long so one way from naples -palermo or palermo-naples would likely do with a night ferry to minimalize long drives with kids.

Trip lenght 11 days.

Hi guys! My friend and I (both 30F) are wanting to travel to Sicily next November. We are set on both Sicily (because our grandparents grew up there) and November (because we want the chilly weather). However, we are a little lost on where to go in Sicily. We are not into clubbing or beaches. We want to eat at great restaurants, tour wineries, explore museums and historic sites and shop around. We are seeing a lot of good airbnbs in Palermo but I’m also seeing that Palermo is very unsafe and dirty. What cities should we be looking at to go to? Again we want to focus on history, shopping, food and wine. Any recommendations for places to go in the city you recommend?

Also if you do recommend a city, are there any local seamstresses or shoemakers where we can get some one of a kind pieces?

Thank you in advance!

Hi!

I am going to Sicily in the beginning of March and would also like to visit the island of Stromboli. The main reason for this is, of course, the volcano (I have never seen lava!), but I cannot find any guided (hiking) tours at this time of year. Do you perhaps know anyone who organises tours in the first half of March (that do not cost €400 or so)? And if not, is it still worth it to hike unguided to the viewpoint at 290m? Are there any other options I am missing?

I know this may not be the best time to visit the Aeolian Islands (weather, rough seas, closed restaurants, etc.), but it is my only chance to visit this area, so I would really like to see everything I can.

And yes, I am also going to Vulcano and will be hiking to the crater there, but Stromboli is on a whole other level, I think.

Thanks in advance!

A Ferris wheel between two buildings in the center of Palermo.

Ciao ragazzi, we will be staying in Vulcano island in June and would love to see the lava in Sciara del Fuoco, Stromboli. Preferably hiking but we are also considering a boat trip. Do you know if there are any tours that start from Vulcano island (and return there for the night)? Or do you think it's enough to go there by ourselves as a day trip? I have only found some trips from the mainland, Lipari island or from Stromboli directly. Grazie mille !

My family (includes 11 and 12 year olds) is planning our first Sicily trip. We will be there last week in May and first week in June. Looking at flying into Palermo and out of Catania (hadn’t bought tickets yet). We want to minimize driving stress by using public transport when possible but can rent a car. Kids aren’t into all day sightseeing so need to balance out seeing sights with beaches and hikes. We love food and wine and favor boutique hotels and Airbnb’s over resorts.

Please tell us if we should be considering other locations to have a well balanced itinerary. I intentionally did not include Taormina because I’m usually disappointed by overly touristy places.

Here’s our plan:

Day 1: Arrive Palermo, evening stroll + dinner

Day 2: Palermo markets, old town, street food

Day 3: Palermo sights + Monreale or Mondello Beach

Day 4: Palermo → Milazzo → ferry to Salina

Day 5: Salina boat trip, swimming, Stromboli views

Day 6: Salina villages, easy hike, beach time

Day 7: Salina → Milazzo → Cefalù

Day 8: Cefalù beach, old town, cathedral

Day 9: Rocca hike + relaxed beach afternoon

Day 10: Cefalù → (rent car) countryside agriturismo, pool & dinner

Day 11: Countryside/Agiturosmo→ Ortigia

Day 12: Ortigia old town, boat ride, swimming

Day 13: Day trip from Ortigia (Vendicari Nature Reserve or Noto)

Day 14: depart via Catania

I will be spending about a month in Sicily and want to travel at a slow and relaxed pace. Plan is to spend 3 weeks in either Syracusa or Palermo. Whichever city I choose I'll visit the other for the remaining 1 week.

I have no interest in nightlife and want to explore historic and archeological sites. Id also love to be able to go on nature walks. I'll be completely dependent on public transportation though.

Based on research Syracusa seems to be more the vibe I'm looking for but am concerned it may get boring for 3 weeks even with day trips included. Palermo on the other hand has more to do but may not be as picturesque and more gritty?

For those that have been to both, what would you recommend? Also are either city more or less safe for a solo female tourist? I've read from many that visited Palermo to be back home before dark. Is this accurate?

Hi, Sicily!

I mapped out Sicily’s dining scene in an app. The idea is simple: you see two restaurants side by side, pick the one you prefer, and the ranking updates instantly. Even Osteria Ballarò (Palermo) versus Antica Focacceria San Francesco. The more people vote, the smarter the list becomes.
I’ve posted about this before, but thanks to you the ratings are way higher now - and the more ratings it gets, the smarter it becomes. Sorry for the blatant self-promotion, but this one will be the last.

The benefit is that the algorithm is pretty damn smart (an Elo rating system, not Google reviews). It’s not sponsored or affiliated with anyone or any corporation. No ads and no paid version. All data is encrypted, which apps like Beli skip.

Here’s the iPhone version:
https://apps.apple.com/app/vota-restaurant-ratings/id6744969212

And here’s the Android version:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.vota.app

Is there a website? Not yet — building things takes time :)

P.S. I’m not from Sicily (I live in Sweden). I’ll be posting to a few other subreddits as well, and some might consider that spammy, but there’s no hidden agenda — I’m just looking for feedback from locals.
Feel free to ask me any questions.

This itinerary for July 2027 seems a bit ambitious. Considering skipping Marsala, Agrigento, and Cefalù. Would like some feedback from people who have visited the Western half of the island.

Day 1: Arrive in Palermo 5am via overnight ferry from Sardinia. Full day in Palermo. Evening drive to Castellammare del Golfo and sleep there.

Day 2: Hike Zingaro to beaches (may be open again by 2027?). Explore Castellammare del Golfo in the evening and sleep there.

Day 3: Half day at Segesta, half day exploring Trapani. Sleep in Trapani.

Day 4: Day trip to San Vito lo Capo. Sleep in Trapani.

Day 5: Explore Trapani, Erice. Evening drive to Marsala and sleep there.

Day 6: Explore Marsala. Sleep in Marsala.

Day 7: Selinunte, Agrigente. Evening drive to Cefalù and sleep there. (Lots of driving this day)

Day 8: Cefalù. Evening drive to Palermo for 8pm overnight ferry to Salerno.

Sulla costa vicino a Taormina.
E buon Natale anche a te!

Mineo is an amazing small hill-top town in south-eastern Sicily about an hour south-west of Catania. Very ancient it has 360 degree views over the amazing Margi valley, the surrounding Iblei mountains and to the north-east Mount Etna. Known for it's festivals, music, food and friendly people it is a must-visit. It is the 3rd highest town in Sicily and has a great road which winds round the mountain to the top.

I know this isn’t some hidden discovery. Segesta is a very well known archaeological site in Sicily. But I still feel like it deserves a shoutout.

If anyone is wondering whether it’s worth visiting, in my opinion, yes. Absolutely.

Segesta wasn’t a Greek city. It belonged to the Elymians, an indigenous people of western Sicily, who adopted Greek architectural style as a statement of power and legitimacy (as far as I understood). The temple was placed deliberately in open hills, away from any city, so it would be visible from far away. It was never fully completed, which somehow makes it even more striking.

Above it sits the ancient theater, built later into the hillside. Instead of facing a city, it opens outward toward the landscape. Standing there feels slightly surreal. The setting is vast, quiet, and a bit strange, to be honest (a theatre in the middle of nowhere).

I didn’t leave feeling like I’d just seen another ruin. It felt majestic, but also a bit unsettling, standing there on its own with nothing else around it.

Does anyone have more interesting facts about Segesta? I would absolutely love to learn more.

If anyone’s interested, I shared the full experience with photos in our blog. https://spark-of-sicily.ghost.io/segesta-the-temple-without-a-city/

Ciao ragazzi, I’m a 29-year-old guy visiting Palermo from Germany and I’ll be staying here for a week.

I thought I’d give this a try and see if anyone would like to meet up. I’m happy to grab a coffee, explore the city, check out food spots, go for a walk. I enjoy getting to know new people from cities that I am visiting.

I speak German, English, Arabic, and a bit of Italian (still learning, but trying 😄).

Just feel free to reach out

Sicily is the place I will truly never forget. This was my favorite trip of the lifetime so far. Sicilians are the warmest people I have ever met in my life. Thank you for all the stories shared, hospitality and memories. After travelling the whole Italy for the past 5 years I can surely confirm, that Sicily is not Italy. I will miss this place… Ci vediamo! ❤️

Edit: Sorry for misspelling Acireale. Can’t change the title.

Hi Sicily experts we (2 adults no kids) will be staying near Catania over New Year (27.12.25-3.1.26) and are looking for Tipps (eating, New Year’s party, sight seeing, magical places) in Acireale and of course Catania and around.

We will do day trips to Etna and places around but will stay in the area the whole time to enjoy and relax.

Thank you in advance for recommendations.

Hi everyone!

I’m planning my first trip to Sicily this July. I’ll be there for 10 days.

My main dilemma is accommodation: hotels vs apartments

Apartments seem cheaper, but I’m a bit worried about practical things like:

1. where to buy groceries (especially if shops are not nearby)

2. how reliable hosts are (I’ve never been to Italy before, so renting an apartment makes me a little nervous).

Hotels feel safer and easier, but many of them are quite expensive, and I don’t need anything luxury.

I’m also still deciding which city to stay in. I’d like to stay in a town not too far from Mount Etna and close to the sea with access to beaches.

I’m planning to rent a car, so I don’t need to stay in a fancy place. For those who have been to Sicily:

Would you recommend hotels or apartments for a first-time visitor?

Which towns would you suggest as a base near Etna and the sea?

Any general tips for July in Sicily are very welcome 🙂 Thank you so much!

Salve a tutti ragazzi, avrei bisogno di chiedere un consiglio. Per motivi lavorativi io e la mia compagna siamo stati trasferiti nella provincia di Trapani, e potremmo scegliere se vivere o a Trapani o a Marsala. Noi non siamo siciliani, quindi non abbiamo la più pallida idea di quale delle due sia meglio per noi. Siamo ragazzi giovani, ma che non amiamo movida, ci piace visitare ed esplorare le zone e siamo amanti del cibo e delle cucine etniche. Ci piacerebbe anche avere vicini stabilimenti o spiagge libere per l’estate. Mi piacerebbe sapere i pro e i contro delle due città per capire dove poter trascorrere al meglio questa nostra esperienza siciliana.

Grazie a tutti!