Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, has a rich history, culture, and cuisine. The island is known for its beautiful landscapes, ancient ruins, and influences from many civilisations. Thanks to The Godfather and the recent success of White Lotus, more people are discovering the island’s highlights.
Disclaimer: as this trip was made over winter, this won’t include the typical sun, sea and sand experiences but rather, what was possible to do during a colder climate.
Catania
Catania is paved with black lava rock from it’s local volcano. I have to admit that I was quite obsessed with Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, and the view of her can be seen in the backdrop when facing north of Catania on a clear day.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to hike Mount Etna this winter because of some mishaps with planning the trip to try and save a bit of money. It’s no fun to hike in the cold when you aren’t prepared and as Sicily is Italy, some things are just unfortunately priced the way that they are. Tour buses are possible, but they vary on agenda, and booking a smaller trip with a jeep can cost around 75€ or more per person.
Regardless, it wouldn’t have been possible to reach the top of the volcano in January for safety reasons, so I would definitely consider making a trip up Mount Etna’s summit for a summer vacation instead.
There is a lot happening in Catania to enjoy the food and culture. The local fish market is a must-see. Fresh prawns, oysters, calamari and so many other delicacies are grilled right in front of you. And apparently, it’s the main highlight for tourists in the city.
Nevertheless, the favourite place to eat in Catania was the local pizza place, Sicilia Bedda. After a full day of adventure, you just want to get good food that’s straight-forward to get and go home to rest.
As Catania was our main base for this trip, we mainly explored the island using the regional bus service to get to neighbouring towns. The travel times are relatively accurate, of course you would still want to arrive with a few minutes to spare. Travel options are easily found on Google Maps or checking the bus timetables at the local bus station.
Syracuse
On our second day, we took the bus from Catania to drive an hour and a half (66 kilometres) north to Syracuse. The first place we went to see was the ancient Greek theatre, Tempo di Apollo. There was a lot of free space to roam, without the visual noise of much renovating works getting in the way of its beauty.
As Sicily had so much Greek influence, there was always at least one ancient theatre in each town we visited.
After checking out Tempo di Apollo, it was getting close to late afternoon so we walked on down towards Isolo di Ortigia and caught a glimpse of a beautiful sunset over a clear seascape at Guardia Costiera. From here, there was much more to see: Fonte Aretusa, Castello Maniace, and many shops and restaurants situted by the sea and in-between the winding streets that lead up to a big plaza.
We took the opportunity to sit right by the view and tried Caponata, a savoury, sweet, and sour speciality of the Mediterranean.
Syracuse has both old ancient ruins and the highlights of modern life.
Taormina
By far my highlight of the trip of Sicily was Taormina, a small ancient city that has adapted to modernity. It has the best preserved ancient theatre, with a heavenly view of Mount Etna in the backdrop. Today, the theatre continues to be used as it was intended for performances.
Shopping is better in Taormina, too. Artisanal shops selling handmade ceramics, soaps, olive oil and other signature Sicilian delicacies such as pistachio liquor and small bites to snack on are scattered all around this town. A reminder that Taormina is indeed tourist-friendly and open for business.
Come at the right time of year, and we could have made it to Taormina’s famous film festival.
If I had more time, I would definitely make it a priority to visit the city of Palermo, see the beautiful white sand beaches and make sure I get to the top of Mount Etna.
So is Sicily worth the visit? Yes! The cuisine and culture is amazing and there is nothing like good Italian cooking. Although getting around can be a bit of a challenge, a car or moped would make a world of a difference. Still, without top tier mobility, there is a reason why so many famous films were shot here and the beauty of Sicily will continue to captivate anyone.
Nadia Cheung 