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Sicily is a culture-rich island of lively cities, ancient sites, and dramatic volcanic landscapes.
Key sights include Palermo, Taormina, Mount Etna, Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples, Monreale, and Cefalù.
Enjoy a taste of island life, from Palermo street food and fresh seafood to granita, pistachio treats, and local wines.
The Aeolian Islands add a slower, sea-and-volcano mix with swimming coves and island-hopping days.
With Travelsphere, an escorted Sicily tour combines expert guidance and organised transport with free time to explore.
Sicily can feel like a different world from mainland Italy, even though it’s only a short flight from the UK.
You’ll see Greek temples, Norman cathedrals filled with golden mosaics, and towns built from black lava stone. One minute you’re in a lively market piled with citrus fruit and just-baked pastries, the next you’re looking out over a coastline of sandy beaches and rocky, volcanic bays.
Sicily is the largest island in Italy and the Mediterranean. Thanks to its central position, it has been ruled by many different powers over the centuries, from the Phoenicians and Greeks to the Romans, Arabs, and Normans, each leaving their mark on the island’s language, food, architecture, and way of life.
Today, it’s travellers who come for that rich mix, which Sicily is proud to deliver. You can soak up the buzz of its cities, explore some of Europe’s most impressive ancient sites and still make time for those slower, typical Sicilian moments, such as an afternoon on the beach, a relaxed lunch or a stroll along the promenade with a gelato in hand.
Read on to discover what to do and see in Sicily, including the island’s famous highlights as well as local favourites.
Interested in other Southern Italy destinations? Discover the highlights of the Amalfi Coast.
As Sicily’s capital, Palermo is a full-volume introduction to the island. Centuries of different rulers and traders have left the city with a mix of architectural styles, flavours and traditions you can spot as you walk from grand buildings and ornate squares to lively markets and street-food stalls.
Palermo’s many draws include the Norman Palace and the Palatine Chapel. This former seat of power features an interior filled with stunning Byzantine golden mosaics and intricately carved Arab-style wooden ceilings and arches. Nearby, you’ll find Palermo Cathedral, which has been rebuilt and reshaped so many times it’s like a timeline of Sicily in stone.
For a taste of daily city life, head to one of Palermo’s historic markets. Ballarò and Il Capo are the best-known. Here you can browse seasonal produce and enjoy a taste of Sicilian specialities such as arancini, caponata, and local seafood served with a squeeze of lemon.
This is the kind of city that can feel overwhelming if you’re trying to piece it together alone, so having expert guidance makes a real difference, while still leaving you free to explore at your own pace.
One of Sicily’s most dramatic days out is Mount Etna, Europe’s highest active volcano and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cable car takes you up to around 2,500 metres, where the air is cooler, and the landscape turns lunar. Towns and coastline fall away, and the island suddenly looks vast.
Although the views are spectacular, this ascent is more about the nature around you, from the lava landscape and ash-coloured ground to the sharp, crisp air. Here, sensible shoes with grip are a must, and it’s worth bringing a warm layer as it can feel surprisingly chilly, even in the summer months.
On Travelsphere’s The Best of Sicily escorted tour, a visit to Mount Etna is paired with a stop at a farm shop for a tasting of local products, including honey, olive oil, and wine.
Taormina is Sicily at its most effortlessly enjoyable. Set high above the coast, its historic centre is made for unhurried exploring, with viewpoints that pull your gaze from terracotta rooftops to a wide sweep of blue sea. The pace is sociable rather than rushed, with plenty of spots to pause for an espresso or a cold, refreshing drink.
Start on Corso Umberto, the town’s main street, which is lined with cafés, small boutiques, and artisan shops. From there, it’s easy to dip into quieter side lanes, pop into a church, or take a short detour to a viewpoint on the coastline. If you’re shopping for a souvenir to bring home, keep an eye out for hand-painted ceramics, pistachio treats, and locally made liqueurs.
Our escorted tour of Sicily combines guided visits and free time to explore in Taormina.
Taormina’s ancient Greco-Roman theatre is especially impressive thanks to its dramatic setting. The stone seating curves around a stage that once hosted performances and, later, Roman combat displays. Behind it, the arches frame a striking backdrop of the blue Ionian sea, with Mount Etna often visible in the distance.
The theatre is both an archaeological site and a wonderful vantage point. You can look closely at stonework and imagine the practicalities of staging and sound, then take in the panorama that has been admired for centuries.
Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples is one of Europe’s great archaeological parks, and it can be surprisingly moving. The temples are remarkably well preserved, and their scale makes sense as you walk the site: this was a major city of the ancient Greek world, built to impress.
The Temple of Concordia is often the star attraction because it’s so well intact, but the wider park is what makes the visit special, with temples set among the olive trees and long views across the countryside.
You’ll explore with an expert local guide on Travelsphere’s The Best of Sicily escorted tour, who will point out which parts are Greek, what the Romans changed, and how these monuments survived earthquakes, weather, and centuries of reuse.
Practical comfort matters here, especially in warmer months. Good shoes, water, and a hat go a long way toward making the tour enjoyable.
Just outside Palermo, Monreale Cathedral is one of the best places to see Sicily’s rich cultural mix.
Admire the imposing structure from the outside, then step inside to an interior that seems to glow. The walls are covered in glittering mosaics that turn biblical scenes into something almost cinematic, with gold backgrounds that catch and shift with the light.
Don’t miss the cloister, where carved columns frame a serene courtyard. It’s a quiet space that invites you to slow down, notice small details, and enjoy a reflective moment in a trip that’s full of big sights.
Cefalù is a seaside town that’s easy to enjoy, whatever your interests. There’s a beach for a gentle pause by the water, an old town that suits a stroll between cafés and small shops, and a handsome Norman cathedral that gives the place real substance. You can do a little sightseeing, a little relaxing, and still feel as though you’ve properly spent time there.
On The Best of Sicily escorted tour, Cefalù can be visited via an optional shuttle on a leisure day from your base at Campofelice di Roccella.
If you enjoy ancient art that feels surprisingly modern, Villa Romana del Casale is one of Sicily’s most rewarding stops.
It’s particularly famous for its Roman mosaics, and what makes them so compelling is their detail. Their scenes show everyday activities, animals, patterns, and people in motion, highlighting how a wealthy household expressed taste, status, and the pleasures of daily life.
Because the villa is inland, it’s not always straightforward to incorporate into a DIY Sicily itinerary. On our escorted tour of Sicily, there is a stop between coastal highlights, and your adventure here includes a light lunch and olive oil tasting at a nearby agriturismo.
Catania has a different personality from Palermo: it’s lively, sometimes edgy, and very much shaped by Etna. Many buildings are constructed from dark lava stone, giving the city a distinctive look, especially when it’s lit by warm afternoon sun.
Catania is also a place for food lovers. Markets and cafés showcase the island’s ingredients with flair, whether that’s sweet pastry, sharp citrus, or seafood that’s barely been off the boat. Arancini are particularly popular in this area, so why not fuel your explorations with these delicious, deep-fried rice balls stuffed with cheese, meat, and vegetables?
On our Best of Sicily with Aeolian Islands add-on tour, you’ll spend a final night in Catania, giving you the chance to discover the city.
However you plan to explore Catania, ensure you’re wearing comfortable shoes with good grip. Lava-stone streets can be uneven underfoot, and you’ll enjoy the city more if you’re not watching every step.
Not every day in Sicily needs to be a “sightseeing day”.
One of the great advantages of seeing the island on a well-planned guided tour is that you can balance big cultural visits with time to rest and recharge. Campofelice di Roccella, a tranquil seaside village to the north of the island, is an ideal base that gives you that breathing space.
A leisure day here can be exactly what you want it to be: a swim, a book by the pool, a gentle walk, or a long, relaxed lunch. It’s also a practical base for optional outings, like to Cefalù, so you can add another highlight without changing hotels.
Travelsphere’s The Best of Sicily with Aeolian Islands add-on gives you the chance to explore these UNESCO-listed islands, recognised for their volcanic significance.
On this extended tour, Lipari makes an easy base with a historic centre, pretty viewpoints, and a relaxed pace that makes it simple to shape days around what you enjoy.
You could enjoy a slow harbour stroll, a simple lunch and a bit of shopping, with the distinct feeling of being somewhere that feels unique.
Look for bakeries or bars serving cannolo alla Liparese or other ricotta-filled pastries, and try the islands’ punchy, aromatic capers for a taste of island life.
There’s also the option to take a ferry to other islands, including Stromboli, known for its active volcano. If conditions are right, it can be a remarkable experience to be near a volcanic landscape at sea level – a very different atmosphere from Etna’s higher-altitude environment.
Sicily is richly rewarding, but visiting the island can feel complex. Distances are longer than they look on a map, towns have different parking rules and traffic zones, and popular sights often benefit from local context.
That’s exactly where escorted touring can make a difference – not by rushing you, but by removing the friction. Visiting with Travelsphere helps you enjoy the island with confidence.
With a dedicated Holiday Director and expert local guides, you’re introduced to the places that deserve context without having to miss the sights by doing the research yourself. Transport and porterage are also handled, so you’re not spending your holiday navigating car hire, parking, or confusing public transport connections.
The other benefit is pacing. An escorted tour provides structure and freedom in the same week, with guided highlights of the must-see places and free time for the simple pleasures that aren’t bookable, like markets, sea-air walks, and slow lunches. Add in tastings that connect you to local food culture, and you have a trip that feels rich without being relentless.
Discover the best time to visit Italy.
If you’re deciding what to do and see in Sicily, the most satisfying approach is usually a balanced one – think a few headline cultural visits, a few deeply local moments, and enough time to enjoy the island’s warmth and everyday rhythm.
On our Best of Sicily or longer Best of Sicily with Aeolian Islands add-on escorted tours, you can enjoy this balance with our carefully crafted itineraries and meet like-minded travellers over delicious local food and shared experiences.
Explore our selection of other Italy escorted tours and find the adventure that suits you, or speak to one of our friendly travel experts.
Brooding Mount Etna forms a dramatic backdrop to your discoveries as you revel in Greek and Roman history and uncover medieval treasures.
Brooding Mount Etna forms a dramatic backdrop to your discoveries as you revel in Roman history in Sicily followed by a relaxing four days on the UNESCO-protected Aeolian island of Lipari.
