The island of Sicily in the Mediterranean is quickly becoming a hot travel destination. Millions of travellers visit Sicily every year, mainly due to its long list of beautiful beaches, great restaurants, local culture, and exciting things to do.
The best way to enjoy Sicily, however, is by digging deep into the local culture. By being part of the way locals live and exploring their culture, you get to see the other side of the island that is truly magical. Here are some tips and tricks to get you started with enjoying the best of Sicily.
Cities and Villages
Every city and village in Sicily offers something interesting, so do enough research before your actual trip to learn more about the best ones to visit based on your personal preferences. You can decide the kind of holiday experience you want to have and set your itinerary accordingly.
Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is a good example of how the island is filled with people – very friendly people – with different cultural backgrounds. A trip to one of the local markets in Palermo is always fascinating. You get to see a melting pot in real life.
Syracuse is more historic. It was considered the largest city during the Greek Classical Period, and you can see a lot of well-preserved artefacts from the era as you explore the city. A guide can take you to the Neapolis Archaeological Park and you can learn so much about the island’s long history.
The Food
Sicily is also famous for its authentic Mediterranean cuisine. Dishes like the signature Sicilian Cannoli and Pasta con le Sarde are great. But, don’t forget to also try dishes like Panelle and Cassata. Even better, there are a lot of local restaurants that serve these dishes in their authentic form.
Sure, going out to a nice restaurant is great for an evening or two depending on your budget. But I think the best dining experience is to be found in local restaurants run by families. The dishes aren’t only more authentic and incredibly delicious, but also more affordable.
The Sicilian people are very friendly. Those who speak English will not hesitate to accompany you or start a conversation while you wait for your meal. Even the older Sicilians that don’t speak English are friendly to travellers.
The Accommodation
My personal favourite about visiting Sicily is the villas you can now find on the island. There are a lot of luxurious villas with great amenities to choose from. Villas are usually better located than hotels since they can be closer to residential areas. Which means you can interact with the locals even more.
Do a quick search for villas with pool in Sicily and you will also find that they are not as expensive as you think. Holiday rentals and villas are relatively more affordable than hotels. They are certainly the more cost-effective options when you’re travelling with friends or family.
If you want to enjoy the best of Sicily, do it like the locals. Take long walks, enjoy a cup of coffee at a small shop near the villa, have great meals and conversations, and bring home memories you will never forget.
Art Vego by Trixilie and Bea says
Hi Miranda-Anosa
We have never been to Sicily. Perhaps we should visit it after our one year UK journey. Wonderful places, good food and eating in the sun sound perfect for us 🙂
Hugs and Kisses
Trixilie & Bea
Laura says
Totally agree with eating at smaller local restaurants when travelling as it is in those you unearth the truly authentic cuisine.
Siobhan | The Baby Boat Diarie says
Sicily looks like a great place to visit! And this post certainly gives some great ideas of things to Do! x
Jon says
I’ve had some fantastic holidays in Silicy. As you’ve mentioned the food is fantastic made even better by the fact you can eat outside in the sun!
Nayna Kanabar says
Sicily sounds like a wonderful place and I am sure to be able to stay in a villa with a pool would be the most enjoyable ting together with the sight seeing.
Linda Hobbis says
I must admit I don’t know much about Sicily but it looks beautiful. I’d definitely prefer a villa for the family rather than a hotel.
Mel says
Sicily is one of those places I have on my bucket list! I love Mediterranean cuisine, sunshine and culture so it would definitely be a dream destination!
Lauren Davis says
My fiance and I are trying to plan our Summer Holiday and we are hoping to do a 2 week tour of Italy. You’ve definitely made Sicily a High contender for our ininery now!
Rhian westbury says
Another place which has been on my wishlist, I do agree about eating in local places x
Siobhan | The Baby Boat Diaries says
Sicily looks like a great place to visit! And this post certainly gives some great ideas of things to Do! x
Nayna Kanabar says
Sicily sounds like a wonderful place and I am sure to be able to stay in a villa with a pool would be the most enjoyable ting together with the sight seeing.
Linda Hobbis says
I must admit I don’t know much about Sicily but it looks beautiful. I’d definitely prefer a villa for the family rather than a hotel.
Mel says
Sicily is one of those places I have on my bucket list! I love Mediterranean cuisine, sunshine and culture so it would definitely be a dream destination!
Sarah Bailey says
Now a villa with a pool sounds like something I could get behind if I was to stay in Sicily, honestly I’m just dreaming of a cilla anywhere warm with a pool right now though lol.
Mellissa Williams says
Sicily is such an amazing place, I would definitely love to explore it more!
Sarah Bailey says
Now a villa with a pool sounds like something I could get behind if I was to stay in Sicily, honestly I’m just dreaming of a cilla anywhere warm with a pool right now though lol.
Stephanie says
Oh this is on my list of places to visit, it looks such a lovely place to visit and look at that sky….wow!
Mellissa Williams says
Sicily is such an amazing place, I would definitely love to explore it more!
Stephanie says
Oh this is on my list of places to visit, it looks such a lovely place to visit and look at that sky….wow!
Laura says
Totally agree with eating at smaller local restaurants when travelling as it is in those you unearth the truly authentic cuisine.
Olivia Jade says
I love visiting local restaurants when I am in a new place as usually its made fresh and done with more love!
Thanks for the recommendation 🙂 x
Rebecca | AAUBlog says
Sicily is no my list – it looks and sounds truly amazing. The food is always a big pull to that region for me – yumm!
Olivia Jade says
I love visiting local restaurants when I am in a new place as usually its made fresh and done with more love!
Thanks for the recommendation 🙂 x
Rebecca | AAUBlog says
Sicily is no my list – it looks and sounds truly amazing. The food is always a big pull to that region for me – yumm!
Rochelle @ www.rhubarbandwren.co.uk says
I’ ve travelled all over Italy, but haven’t made it down to Sicily yet – it sounds wonderful. I totally agree that that the best way to travel is to explore local hangouts and get a taste for how the locals live – it misses the whole point of travelling if you just do the obvious tourist stuff!
Rochelle @ www.rhubarbandwren. says
I’ ve travelled all over Italy, but haven’t made it down to Sicily yet – it sounds wonderful. I totally agree that that the best way to travel is to explore local hangouts and get a taste for how the locals live – it misses the whole point of travelling if you just do the obvious tourist stuff!
Rhian westbury says
Another place which has been on my wishlist, I do agree about eating in local places x
Art Vego by Trixilie and Bea says
Hi Miranda-Anosa
We have never been to Sicily. Perhaps we should visit it after our one year UK journey. Wonderful places, good food and eating in the sun sound perfect for us 🙂
Hugs and Kisses
Trixilie & Bea
Jenny says
I’ve never been to Siciliy but it looks and sounds lovely. I love going to places with a long history and checking out all the smaller villages and out of the way places. Definitely on my bucket list!
Jon says
I’ve had some fantastic holidays in Silicy. As you’ve mentioned the food is fantastic made even better by the fact you can eat outside in the sun!
Lauren Davis says
My fiance and I are trying to plan our Summer Holiday and we are hoping to do a 2 week tour of Italy. You’ve definitely made Sicily a High contender for our ininery now!
Jenny says
I’ve never been to Siciliy but it looks and sounds lovely. I love going to places with a long history and checking out all the smaller villages and out of the way places. Definitely on my bucket list!