Inspired by watching Inspector Montalbano programmes on TV, a visit to Sicily was always high on my list of places to visit. So, in April 2023, we took a seven-day trip with Riviera Travel.
April was an ideal month to visit – the days were lovely and warm and the whole island was covered in wildflowers.
The history of Sicily is also fascinating; starting in the fifth century BC with a period of Greek civilization. Then came the Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spanish Bourbons, and British occupation, before Sicily joined the newly declared Kingdom of Italy in 1861. All of these cultures have had a huge influence on the character and architecture of the island.
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, about the size of Wales. It’s a beautiful island with so much to offer – history, beautiful buildings, lovely towns, stunning scenery, and very tasty food.
So, if you’re thinking about visiting, here are six of my highlights from Sicily to hopefully get you inspired.
1. Mount Etna
Mount Etna is Europe’s largest and most active volcano. For the inhabitants of the 20 villages on its slopes, life is a constant danger. But the frequent eruptions are responsible for the fertile volcanic soil, which is a huge asset to the farms and vineyards on its slopes. As they say, “Etna gives more than it takes!”
Over the centuries there have been many catastrophic eruptions. The city of Catania has been particularly badly affected. In 2002, the ski lifts, cable car and tourist complex below Etna were destroyed. And, in 2021, Etna erupted so much volcanic activity that its height increased by 100 feet!
There are several options for visiting Mount Etna. The tourist complex, on the first level, is at 2,000 metres. From there, a cable car goes to the second level (2,500 metres). To go to the highest level (2,750 metres), you take a vehicle called a Unimog. Though, anyone suffering from cardiac problems is strongly advised not to go beyond the second level. At the top, you can walk around on the black lava to peer into the crater.
We were lucky that Etna chose the day of our visit to remain inactive. Just a couple of weeks later, it erupted for about a week, covering Catania with ash and closing the Airport – a reminder of the power of nature!
Mount Etna. Credit: Sue Ablett
2. Food and drink
Credit: Sue Ablett
Sicily offers a wonderful array of food, fresh from land or sea. The daily street markets aren’t to be missed. Ballaro Street Market in Palermo is one of the best and largest. With stallholders screaming at each other across the aisles, it’s pretty chaotic – but with so much fabulous produce on offer, it’s a great place for a snack.
A staple of Sicilian cuisine are arancini, Italian rice balls stuffed –- usually – with meat or fish, coated with breadcrumbs, and deep fried. Other local specialities include pasta con le sarde (pasta with sardines); panelle (Sicilian chickpea fritters) and, for those with a sweet tooth, cannoli (cylindrical tubes of fried pastry dough filled with a sweet ricotta-based filling).
Arancini. Credit: Sue Ablett
Freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice, known as spremuta, is available all over Sicily too, and is wonderfully refreshing. And the slopes of Etna are home to a number of vineyards, many of which have been producing wines for centuries. So there are plenty of wine tasting opportunities!
Nut lovers will be in heaven too. Sicily is the only part of Italy that grows pistachio nuts, particularly in the region of Mount Etna. Almonds are also common, and there are so many nutty cakes and ice-creams to sample. Marzipan lovers should try frutta martorana, a Sicilian marzipan sweet in the form of fruits and vegetables. They’re absolutely beautiful to look at and they taste divine!
Market foods. Credit: Sue Ablett
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3. Stunning churches and cathedrals
Sicily is home to an amazing number and selection of churches and cathedrals – especially in the capital, Palermo. Undoubtedly the grandest of them all is Palermo Cathedral (known as the Duomo) – an absolute wow. Built in 1185, though not finished until 1801, when the dome was added, the cathedral is a real hybrid of architectural styles – 12th century Norman towers, a Gothic façade and south porch, and a neoclassical interior. There’s even an inscription from the Quran in the Gothic façade.
Palermo’s Piazza Bellini is also home to two churches in very different styles. Particularly striking is the Church of San Cataldo, with its three distinctive red domes. Built in 1154, it’s one of the last sacred buildings built in Arab Norman style.
Palermo Cathedral. Credit: Sue Ablett
Not far from Palermo, high on a hill, is Monreale Cathedral, considered one of the wonders of the medieval world. Built by William the Bad – so named not because he was particularly bad, he just wasn’t as popular as William the Good – Monreale was finished in just 10 years.
Another must-see is the Duomo in Ortygia, which is about three hours away from Palermo. Ortygia is a small island, which is the historical cenre of the Sicilian city, Syracuse. The Duomo here, also known as Syracuse Cathedral, is built over a Greek temple to Athena. Though much smaller than the Duomo in Palermo, it’s absolutely beautiful and sums up Sicilian history with its mix of architectural styles.
Syracuse Catherdral. Credit: Sue Ablett
And finally, the Piazza del Duomo is considered one of the most beautiful squares in Sicily, making it a valuable addition to your checklist. The square is home to the Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia, which contains a replica of Caravaggio’s painting, The Burial of St Lucy. Well worth a look!
4. Greek temples and theatre
Just outside the hilltop city of Agrigento, on Sicily’s southwest shore, is the oddly named Valley of the Temples (which are actually on a ridge that’s visible from the main road!). Built over 2,000 years ago, the three temples are an amazing sight and reflect the status of Agrigento, which at times rivalled Athens for splendour.
Many of the temples were destroyed – probably by an earthquake – so just three remain here, in varying stages of reconstruction. Arriving from the pedestrian Via Sacra (which translates to ‘Sacred Road’), you’ll first encounter the Temple of Juno, which is a classic six columns wide and 13 columns long.
Also here, the Temple of Concordia is considered one of the best-preserved Greek temples in the world. Dating from 430 BC and saved from destruction when it was turned into a Christian church, it is described as “sheer perfection in classical building.”
Credit: Sue Ablett
The third temple in the complex is the Temple of Heracles. Today just eight of the original 38 columns are standing, but this represents a lifetime’s work for the British archaeologist, Alexander Hardcastle. He might have been as famous as Howard Carter who discovered the tomb of King Tut in Egypt, but few have ever heard of Hardcastle and he died in dire poverty, having spent his personal fortune on the temple project.
Taormina is home to a beautifully preserved theatre, carved out of the hillside by the Greeks in the third century BC. Later enlarged and altered by the Romans, it offers stunning views of Etna and the Mediterranean. It’s in a remarkable state of preservation and is still used today for concerts. The setting would make for a wonderful experience. You might want to take a cushion though – those stone seats are pretty hard!
Credit: Sue Ablett
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5. Villa Romana del Casale
Near the medieval hilltop town of Piazza Armerina is a fabulous Roman villa. Said to have been built by Co-emperor Maximilian, it disappeared under a landslide for 700 years, and was only excavated in 1950, following discovery of a horde of treasure nearby.
While the structure of the building itself is interesting, the mosaics are the highlight. Found in every room, they reflect Romano-African images, such as chariot races, hunting scenes, and animals.
The villa is huge, and raised walkways allow visitors to go from room to room looking down on the mosaics. The most popular is The Room of the Ten Maidens, also known as ‘The Bikini Girls’, which has striking images of scantily clad gymnasts. The sense of movement in the bodies of the girls is quite remarkable.
Mosaics from Villa Romana del Casale. Credit: Sue Ablett
6. Casa Cuseni, Taormina
Casa Cuseni. Credit: Sue Ablett
Taormina is Sicily’s glitziest and most dramatically situated resort, overlooking Etna, the Mediterranean, and the hills of Calabria in mainland Italy. It’s also home to a hidden gem, known as Casa Cuseni. The house and garden are stunning but the story behind it is both fascinating and poignant…
Leeds-based artist, Robert Hawthorn Kitson, came to Taormina in 1900 to recover from rheumatic fever. He was also escaping from the persecution he felt as a homosexual in Victorian England. He fell in love with Taormina, bought a plot of land, and built the house, inviting famous artists and writers to stay. He was much loved by the locals, so much so that, when Kitson came back to England during WWII, the locals took away all his precious belongings and kept them safe until he returned after the war.
The house contains many artefacts collected by Kitson. There are beautiful arts and crafts furniture inside and some intriguing murals in the dining room reflecting aspects of Kitson’s life, including his lover and the orphan child they adopted. The murals were considered so risqué that they were kept hidden for over a hundred years and only made public in 2012.
The gardens, which form a series of separate ‘rooms’ on different levels, are stunning with views across to Etna.
Casa Cuseni. Credit: Sue Ablett
After Kitson’s death, his niece, Daphne Phelps, took over the house and lived there for many years. Her book, A House in Sicily, is a great read!
Casa Cuseni is a private home but also a museum, and a small hotel. A must on any visit to Taormina!
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Final thoughts…
However much I love a place, I rarely go back – but I would make an exception for Sicily. Next time, it would be lovely to do the Inspector Montalbano trail.
I would probably base myself in Taormina again or Ortygia, both of which I absolutely loved. A stay at Casa Cuseni would be a must too, and a concert at the Greek theatre.
Have you been to Sicily? Or perhaps it’s on your travel list? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.