# Sicily

Palermo, Etna, the Aeolian Islands, Agrigento and the Baroque of the Val di Noto. Which area to choose, how to get there from Spain, getting around by car and when to go to Sicily.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sicily · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## Datos clave

| Dato | Valor |
|---|---|
| Mejor época | April – June · September – October |
| Noches recomendadas | 7 to 10 |
| Cómo moverse | By car |
| Aeropuerto | Catania (CTA), Palermo (PMO) |

## Which part of Sicily should you choose?

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and can't be seen in a week. The best approach is to choose one half and get to know it well. Broadly speaking, the east is volcanic and Baroque, and the west Arab, Norman and salt-pan country. Catania and Palermo are the two gateways.

The east, based in Catania, Taormina or Syracuse, is the most complete option for a first trip. Etna, Europe's highest active volcano, is climbed by cable car and 4x4 to almost 3,000 metres and is skirted by wineries on its northern slope. Taormina looks out to the volcano and the sea from its ancient theatre. Syracuse, with the island of Ortigia, mixes Greek ruins and a Baroque old town. And to the south, the Val di Noto brings together the cities rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake: Noto, Ragusa, Modica and Scicli, a World Heritage Site.

The west, based in Palermo, is more urban and more mixed. Palermo has street markets, palaces and the Arab-Norman route, a World Heritage Site together with the cathedrals of Monreale and Cefalù. Beyond are the Trapani salt pans, the medieval village of Erice, the Zingaro reserve and the Egadi Islands.

The centre and the south are crossed on the way between the two halves. Agrigento's Valley of the Temples has some of the best-preserved Greek temples in existence, and the Villa Romana del Casale, near Piazza Armerina, holds enormous Roman mosaics.

The islands are another trip. The Aeolian Islands, to the north, are seven volcanic islands: Lipari as a base, Vulcano with its fumaroles and Stromboli with its almost continuous eruption. Allow at least four nights.

For ten days, a good split: three nights in the east with Etna and Taormina, three in Syracuse or the Val di Noto, one in Agrigento and three in Palermo. If you have a week, stay in the east.

## How do you get there from Spain?

By plane, to Catania or Palermo. Catania has direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville and Alicante; Palermo, from Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. Choose the airport by half of the island: Catania for the east and Etna, Palermo for the west. If you're doing the whole island, fly to one and return from the other.

By boat, there is no direct line from Spain. You can drive to Genoa, Livorno, Civitavecchia or Naples and board there for Palermo, with GNV or Grimaldi, on overnight crossings. By road, you drive down the whole peninsula to Villa San Giovanni, in Calabria, and cross the Strait of Messina by ferry, in about twenty minutes, at any time of day.

## How do you get around Sicily?

By car. It's almost essential: trains are slow and buses don't reach the villages, wineries or beaches well. Sicilian motorways are partly free and partly tolled, such as Messina to Catania and Messina to Palermo. The historic centres of Palermo, Catania, Syracuse and Taormina have limited traffic zones: park outside.

Without a car, you can do the east by bus between Catania, Taormina and Syracuse, and the Aeolians by boat: hydrofoils and ferries leave Milazzo for Lipari, Vulcano and the other islands.

## When should you go and what does it cost?

Spring and early autumn. In April and May the fields are green and in flower, ideal for the temples and the Baroque; in September and October the sea is still warm and there are fewer people. July and August are very hot inland: visiting Agrigento at midday is an ordeal. In winter the coast is mild and Etna is covered in snow, but the islands empty.

Sicily is cheaper than northern Italy for eating and sleeping, except in Taormina, Ortigia and the Aeolians in summer. What rises most is the hire car in August: book it early.

## Dónde está
- Cerca: Campania (a 340.7 km), Apulia (a 395.3 km)

## Consejos

### Choose one half of the island
With a week, the east; with ten days, east and west, flying into one airport and out of the other.

### Agrigento first thing
The Valley of the Temples is a long walk with almost no shade. Go in at opening time, with water and a hat, and avoid midday in summer.

### Book the car in advance
In summer hire cars run short and go up in price. Check the insurance carefully: parking dents are common in the cities.

### Try a Sicilian breakfast
Granita with brioche, especially in the east. In Palermo, the street food of the markets: panelle, arancine and pane con la milza.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How many days do I need for Sicily?
A week for the east, with Etna, Taormina, Syracuse and the Val di Noto. Ten days or two weeks for the whole island. The Aeolians need four more nights.

### Should I fly to Catania or Palermo?
Catania for the east, Etna and the Baroque. Palermo for the west, Trapani and the Egadi. For the whole island, one in and the other out.

### Do I need a car in Sicily?
Almost always, yes. Without a car only the Catania–Taormina–Syracuse route by bus and the Aeolians by boat work well.

### Can you go to Sicily by boat from Spain?
There's no direct line. From Barcelona you can take a ferry to Civitavecchia or Genoa and board for Palermo from there, or drive to Calabria and cross the Strait of Messina.

### Can you climb Etna?
Yes. The cable car and 4x4s reach almost 3,000 metres, and the summit craters can only be climbed with a guide. The volcano's activity can close the high areas.

### What's the best time for the Aeolians?
May to June and in September: warm sea, frequent boats and fewer people than in August.