34 Best Sights in Sicily, Italy

Though the bar first opened in 1962—and the building has been around since the 1400s—this little café didn't gain worldwide popularity until Francis Ford Coppola chose it as the setting of significant scenes in The Godfather. In fact, prior to Coppola, the bar didn't even have an official name. He chose "Bar Vitelli" for his fictional café, had the name painted on the exterior wall, and the name has stuck for decades. Here, Michael Corleone famously asked Apollonia to marry him. And most street scenes where Michael is seen walking up the road were filmed on the building's side. The interior of the café functions as a small museum of the filming that happened in Savoca, with film stills and photos throughout. Outside, small tables sit under fairy lights and an arbor of vines. Be sure to order a lemon granita with a splash of Zibbibo, a sweet dessert wine. And though the rest of Sicily serves granita with brioche, here you'll find lightly sweetened "zuccarata" cookies. 

When visitors think of classic Sicilian landscapes, they often think of arid, desertlike lands. However, as you head to the island's center, the views you see may encompass much greener rolling hills, frondous trees, and carpets of wildflowers, confirming the island's biodiversity, especially if you are traveling in the spring. West of Caltanissetta is Bosco Gabbara, a natural reserve known for its hiking trails, which are especially popular among locals during the spring and fall. Pack lunch and snacks because there are no restaurants or stops with food along the trails. You may consider hiring a guide who knows the ins and outs of the area.

Just a 20-minute drive from Enna, occupying a similarly dramatic crag top, the town of Calascibetta is built atop a honeycomb of caves, most of them hidden from sight as they form the cellars of simple houses. Look closely, however, and you’ll spot some houses built straight into the rock, and keep an eye open if anyone opens a garage door as there may well be a cave inside. An entire network of these caves has been uncovered—and is evocatively floodlit at night—on Via Carcere. Head up to Piazza San Pietro, where there are the ruins of a Norman tower and panoramic views. Follow signs from Calascibetta to the “Villaggio Bizantino,” and you’ll come to a stunning complex of caves overlooking a magnificent valley inhabited (and used as a cemetery) from ancient times until the Byzantine period when some of the caves were turned into tiny churches. The caves continued to be used by shepherds as shelter for themselves and their flocks until relatively recently. Today, the villaggio is run by volunteers, who will organize guided tours and walks in English, and introduce you to some of the local shepherds and cheese makers. It's always open Friday and Saturday, but reach out in advance if you want to visit another day. Not far from the villagio (and clearly signposted from Calascibetta), there is another series of caves (not guarded) at Realmese which you can scramble into and explore alone (but be careful as the rock is slippery). From here, a clearly marked track leads back to the village, a walk of just over 3 miles.

This husband-and-wife team makes artisanal cheese from the rare breed sheep that graze on their fields, and also grows and collects their own saffron to make a distinctive local cheese, Piacentino Ennese, flavored with saffron and studded with black peppercorns. If you want to watch the whole cheese-making process, you will need to book several days ahead and be prepared to rise well before dawn. Otherwise, give them a ring and pop by for a morning bowl of hot ricotta curds with fresh bread. Groups of nine or more can book a lunch or an aperitif.

A visit to this fantastic castle, the biggest in Sicily and one of the grandest in all of Italy, is like stepping into the Middle Ages, complete with a well-stocked medieval armory, creepy dungeon prison, and elegant upper-level rooms decorated with detailed woodwork carving and majolica ceramic floors. The castle was the property of the Chiaramontes, once a powerful Sicilian aristocratic family. The views of the Rosamarina artificial lake and valley below are breathtaking.

Not far from Termini is the hamlet of Buonfornello, a fascinating archaeological site that includes the remains of the ancient city of Himera, founded by Greek settlers in 648 BC. Hannibal later destroyed ancient Himera in 409 BC, and the surviving population moved to the nearby thermal springs, which later became Termini Imerese. The outdoor archaeological area houses the ruins of many Roman temples and buildings. The more important items recovered from the excavations are housed in the on-site museum and in another rather neglected museum located across the SS113 road. Artifacts include bronze and ceramic vases and intricate artworks made with other precious metals.

According to legend, it was at the huge natural lake of Pergusa that the Greek goddess Persephone was abducted by Hades and taken to live with him in hell. Ringed these days by a motor-racing track and overlooked by modern villas, a less evocative setting for the myth would be hard to imagine. Far more inspiring is the nearby hilltop known as Cozzo Matrice, riddled with caves that have niches carved into their walls for tombs, votive objects, and candles, with 360-degree views stretching as far as Mount Etna and the coast. One of the caves is known as the Grotta di Ade, or Cave of Hades, and would indeed be a far more resonant spot for his abduction of Persephone to the Underworld than the overexploited lake.

Castelbuono is located just outside this 80,000-acre regional park of the Madonie Mountains, which means it is a perfect spot to explore the splendid natural reserve. There are walking paths, camping areas, horse riding, mountain biking, and caving activities to experience. You can even simply take a scenic drive out into the park for a picnic.

There are numerous small, niche swimming spots in the Capo San Vito area, but the grandest and by far the most popular beach of all—and the centerpiece of the whole town—is San Vito Lo Capo's beach, a blissful arc of silky, white sand at the foot of Monte Monaco. Most of its length of nearly 3 km (2 miles) is public and free to use, but sections have been roped off as private lidos, where you'll pay €15–€20 for a full day's use of sunbeds and a parasol, plus access to bars and bathroom facilities. Needless to say, both public and private beaches get intensely crowded in July and August, which is the perfect time to seek out all those other lesser-known beaches in the vicinity. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; toilets; water sports. Best for: families; swimming; walking.

A beautifully kept hill village of neat stone houses and cobbled streets, Sant'Angelo Muxara is where locals have collaborated to give travelers a firsthand look at rural traditions. Programs can be adapted to meet individual needs and interests, but highlights include cheese making and tasting with a local shepherd, making bread or pizza in the wood-fired oven of the village’s ancient bakery, and visiting a herbalist in his remote cabin and learning how to gather edible wild greens. Guided walks can also be organized, led by an archaeological and nature guide, that take in ancient cave dwellings and tombs and the town’s small but very well-presented archaeological museum. Mindful walks with yoga and meditation are also on offer and highly recommended. Email or call in advance to set up a tour.

For those seeking sea air, limpid and shallow waters, and fine sand, Sampieri's wonderful beach is a popular destination. There are a few bars, restaurants, and beach clubs at the west end; walking eastwards a pine-forest-and-sand-dune-backed free-access public beach leads to Punta Pisciotto's sculpted volcanic stone cliffs and picturesque ruin, Fornace Penna. This former brick and tile factory built in 1912 is a stunning backdrop in both reality and in the Montalbano TV series, although the fictional inspector's beachside pad in the show is up the coast at Donnalucata. Adventurous walkers and cyclists will enjoy the coastal paths from Sampieri to nearby Marina di Modica, while a westward rocky shoreline trail traces the Covo dei Contrabbandieri to another small beach town, Cava d'Aliga. Sampieri is a 6-mile drive from Scicli along the SP40, or 20 minutes via bus or train (getting to and from Sampieri's train station and beach involves a walk along the busy road without sidewalks, though). Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

The protected reserve encompasses 15,000 hectares with paths crisscrossing bird- and wildlife-rich lagoons, macchia scrubland, and unspoiled beaches, including Calamosche, Eloro, Marianelli (most pristine and peaceful), and Vendicari with its tonnara (fishery) ruins. There are five entrances, the nearest to Noto being Ingresso Marianelli, some 7 miles southeast of Noto via SP19. There's no reliable public transport here, so you'll need a car.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the twin hill towns of Cammerata and San Giovanni Gemini were famous throughout Sicily for their traveling ice cream and granita makers. The key to this ice-cream industry was the collection and preservation of snow, and a local family of ice-cream makers has restored several of the neviere, circular buildings resembling stone igloos, strewn over the forested slopes above the towns. Snow was shoveled into the neviere, trodden down until it turned to a thick layer of ice, then covered with a mat of rushes and straw before another layer of snow was added on top. Stored like this, the snow would keep frozen for months, and with the giant blocks of ice fetching the equivalent of €3,000, it had to be carefully guarded. The best way to see the neviere, learn how to make Sicilian granita, and visit a small private ice museum, is on a guided tour, which can include a lunch of cold cuts, local cheeses, and grilled meat and vegetables in a pretty, family-run café.

Established in 1873, this museum located directly in front of the Duomo is perfect for lovers of ancient Greek and Roman art. It houses an impressive collection of artifacts recovered from the archaeological area of Himera, including old coins, statues, and many other objects from daily life. The gallery also houses the works of Sicilian artists from the 16th and 17th centuries, some Flemish works, and even a Byzantine triptych. It is an astoundingly random collection that's a testament to the passionate dedication Sicily has always had when it comes to artists and pieces of art. 

There is no general access to the 17th-century Benedictine convent of San Michele, currently inhabited by just four nuns, but if you ring the doorbell, the nuns will invite you into the lobby to buy the traditional cookies they make, including nutty muconetti, made of candied pumpkin and almonds. You place your money—and the nuns place your cookies—in a small revolving hatch originally designed so that unwanted babies could be left to the care of the nuns while maintaining the anonymity of the mother.

It is common to see castles along Sicily's coastline as the Normans used them to defend the island from invaders throughout the Middle Ages. Castello di Milazzo lies high above the town and is a beautiful example of an authentic medieval castle. It's well worth the hike up for the views out to the sea.

Once a vital part of the city's defenses, today Collesano's medieval castle is a picturesque ruin that makes for an evocative exploration of the town's topography and history. The castle's impressively thick walls are on the north side of the town in front of the town's original parish church. The castle was built during the 12th century by King Roger II of Sicily after he decided to move his administration to a more strategic place to head off invasions from North Africa and the Middle East. What remains of this original project are the remains of a series of defensive buildings in a small medieval neighborhood, making it a fascinating place to visit.

As is usually the case in Sicily, this church is one of the best places in town to see some incredible art. The Chiesa di San Benedetto is decorated with an elaborate and remarkably well-preserved majolica ceramic floor designed and crafted by 18th-century Palermo artist Nicolò Sarana. The decorative gold-highlighted stucco wall decorations make the church glow in the sunlight.

Castelbuono's main cathedral, located on the central square of Piazza Margherita, was originally established in 1362; the current church is an elegant Romanesque structure dating to the 16th century that is filled with religious art and paintings. The Gothic Catalan bell tower reflects a similar Andalusian style to Palermo's Duomo and is a prominent feature of the town's landscape. A painted altarpiece, with intricate wooden carved details and portraits of various saints, dominates the church interior. The images on the polyptych are from the 1500s, created by Antonio di Saliba, the nephew of the famous early Renaissance Sicilian master Antonello da Messina.

Termini's main cathedral is dedicated to St. Nicholas and, like most Sicilian churches, is filled with precious artwork. The interior chapel and altar are from the 17th century and are decorated with precious inlaid colored marble, while the facade was remodeled in the early 20th century with the addition of four saintly statues and three colonnaded doors. The Duomo also has an on-site museum of sacred art, filled with silverwork, vestments, religious relics, and liturgical objects of great value.

This outdoor sculpture park is filled with contemporary art and is especially gorgeous against the stunning Tyrrhenian coastline. One of the park's most spectacular permanent installations is the Monument for a Dead Poet by Tano Festa, a giant, blue-framed window that looks out towards the sea and can be seen from miles away. Other fascinating pieces include a bronze pyramid placed precisely on the 38th parallel of latitude and the labyrinth of Arianna, which recalls the ancient Greek myth of the Minotaur.

There's no doubt that the highlight of Castel di Tusa is its beaches, which stretch out from the beginning of the Tusa Cape in the east and end on the other side of the town at the Lungomare di Tusa. The beaches here vary from rocky, pebbly ones to golden sandy ones. Generally, Sicilian beaches are rustic with minimal facilities. Sicilians like to find a secluded spot to swim and sunbathe and might bring something for a picnic along with a simple beach umbrella. The same can be said for Tusa beaches: very basic but with crystal clear waters. Amenities: none. Best for: swimming; walking.

The town's beach is a 2-km (1-mile) stretch of sand, unusually clean for its proximity to the city. You can choose between public areas or private lidos where you can rent sun loungers and a parasol and gain access to washing facilities with hot showers and changing rooms (expect to pay €15–€20 for an entire day, though afternoon rates may be reduced). The private beaches are also noticeably tidier and are patrolled by lifeguards. All the beaches get very busy on weekends but you should always be able to find space. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; water sports. Best for:  swimming; walking.

Housed in a restored palace that originally belonged to the Chiaramonte, one of the most powerful noble families in Sicily, this museum's architecture is a wonderful testimony to Sicily's complex history, an appealing fusion of Romanesque, Byzantine, Norman, Gothic, and Spanish. Highlights are the Gothic chapterhouse and the old defensive tower; the holes in the faded Byzantine frescoes of saints were created by American soldiers billeted here during World War II, who needed pegs to hang their kits on. Best of all, the ethnographic collection is on the top floor. Formed entirely of bits and pieces donated by locals at the end of the 20th century, it offers fascinating and often funny insights into everyday life, with exhibits ranging from recipe books to an ammunition belt modified for school exams so that cheat notes could be rolled up and stored in the bullet pockets.  The museum is located at a high point in the city on a street inaccessible to cars, so that it may be challenging for those with mobility issues. 

This collection of more than 4,000 masterpieces showcasing the traditional Opera dei Pupi (puppet show), both Sicilian and otherwise, will delight visitors of all ages with their glittering armor and fierce expressions. The free audio guide to the colorful displays is only available in Italian, but the well-designed exhibits include video clips of the puppets in action, which requires no translation. There are also regular live performances in the museum's theater (Monday 11 am and Tuesday–Saturday 5 pm), which center on the chivalric legends of troubadours of bygone times. The museum can be hard to find: look for the small alley just off Piazzetta Antonio Pasqualino 5.

Begun in 1906, the Targa Florio car race weaved its way through the picturesque towns and villages of the Madonie Mountains every year until it was stopped in 1977 for safety reasons; today the same route is driven as part of the annual Italian Rally Championship. Collesano has been an important stage of the race since its inception, and today the city is home to a museum dedicated to the history of the car race. In a detailed exhibition, you can learn of its origins and participants, including some of the most famous drivers that Italy has ever produced. It's an excellent museum for those who love racing and cars.

The Castello di Milazzo is home to this museum founded by Sicilian marine biologist Carmelo Isgro who recovered the remains of a sperm whale that died after it was caught in an illegal fishing net off the Aeolian Islands. Isgro reconstructed the whale's skeleton, and it became the central figure of the museum along with other exhibits that highlight the relationship between man and the sea and how it can be improved. While the museum is free, you still have to book your ticket online at least 24 hours in advance.

Designed by architect Vincenzo Sinatra in the 17th century, Palazzo Ducezio (now the town hall) is still a sight to behold. Up until 2024 you could visit both of its two floors, with the top floor offering panoramic views of the surrounding area. However, a legal wrangle has halted visits. Still, the steps of the palace make for popular pews for watching the world pass before the Duomo's magnificent staircase. The best time to visit is in the afternoon or evening when the local buildings take on a golden hue in the fading light. Around the back, the Bassi di Palazzo Ducezio interiors stage exhibitions, including regular shows of the large, vibrant canvases by charming Siracusano artist Mario Zito, lecturer at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Palermo.

This adventure park is located inside the Parco delle Madonie and offers several activities, including archery and obstacle courses, through the forest and above the trees on rope ladders. There are different levels of varying difficulty, which are designed for children and adults alike. You can also rent a tree house or glamping accommodations to spend the night suspended 20 feet above the ground.

Located in the geographical heart of the Parco delle Madonie about a half-hour north of Petralia Sottana, the hamlet of Piano Battaglia makes a good day trip for anyone hoping to have a true mountain experience. This is where locals, and many Palermitani, come to enjoy the mountains, whether it's skiing in the winter or picnicking in the summer. The visitor center is a good place to find out about any number of summer and winter activities, including snow tubing, sleighing, skiing, mountain biking, and hiking excursions, and to have a snack at Café Fun Park.