Many first-time Italy visitors don’t make it to Sicily, focusing instead on the mainland. According to ISTAT, the Italian National Institute for Statistics, Tuscany had three times as many tourists in 2024.
But that’s even more of a reason to make time for Sicily. As Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, a German intellectual and one of the island’s early visitors, wrote in the 1780s: “To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything.”
On the Mediterranean’s largest island, art, architecture and food are all infused with a history of Greek, Arab and Roman rule. Sicily is not only geographically but culturally miles away from the mainland, and to see it well, you need an action plan. Whether you map out your own route or find a travel company to organize everything for you, these five tips will help you make the most of your time in Sicily.
Plan your transportation in Sicily
No matter who’s mapping out your Sicily trip, it’s essential to know that if you want to move among a few different places, you’ll be best off with a rental car, or hiring taxis or drivers, especially if planning to see smaller towns. There are buses to and from Catania and Taormina, Palermo and San Vito Lo Capo, and Catania and Modica; buses and taxis are also easy to catch from airports to city centers. Unless you plan on visiting only major cities and traveler hubs, you should plot out some of your transportation ahead of time.
Focus on one core city and side trips
Once you start researching Sicily, you’ll find that the itineraries are endless. That’s one reason why booking a tour (such as Culture Discovery Vacations’ “Sicily, The Motherland”) can be ideal for first-time visitors. While it may seem appealing to crisscross the island and maybe even hop over to a few smaller ones, focusing on one major city and then making shorter trips from there will be a more stress-free way to savor Sicily. Centering yourself in Catania, Syracuse or Palermo, and then adding a few day trips or a few nights in another city or town will mean you’ll be traveling less and getting to know each place better. Wherever your itinerary may take you, know that road conditions can be unpredictable between smaller towns, making it essential to allow for extra travel time.
Get your palate ready
From Palermo to Catania to Syracuse, one characteristic that stands out in Sicily is the diversity of its cooking — and the flavors may not be what you think of as Italian. Ingredients and recipes have a clear North African influence, such as with caponata and couscous dishes and the pairing of sweet and sour (known as agrodolce). Many of the rules of restaurant-hunting are the same in Sicily as they are on the mainland: avoid dining on tourist thoroughfares or in the immediate vicinity of big attractions; look out for restaurants where menus are in Italian, instead of in English; and avoid places with mile-long menus that disregard the seasons. For street food and to see the ingredients that make up Sicily’s beloved dishes, Palermo’s vast open-air daily markets and Catania’s outdoor fishmongers are worth exploring.
Take part in festivals and holidays
A food exploration in Sicily can carry over to cultural events. Events can be boisterous and crowded but if you don’t mind joining the masses, they can be worth planning a trip around. For Festa di sant'Agata in Catania during the first week of February (celebrating Agata, its patron saint) there are processions, fireworks and intricately carved wooden sculptures paraded throughout the city; there’s also a one-day celebration for Agata on August 17. In Agrigento, the Almond Blossom and International Folklore Festival in March includes music, dancing, and of course, food. In Noto, for the Infiorata (decorated with flowers) in May, artists carpet the Baroque city's stairs and walkways in colorful blossoms.
Learn about local traditions
Arts, culinary and crafts traditions are strong in Sicily. A class or demonstration on a tour, or browsing shops selling the creations of local makers is a way to learn about these traditions and support them. You can learn how techniques are passed down from centuries of ceramicists in Caltagirone to chocolate-makers in Modica and coral jewelers in Sciacca.
If you’re intrigued by Sicily, Culture Discovery Vacations’ planners have the details already mapped out for you. With an emphasis on “living the real life” in a place, they offer all-inclusive trips with a focus on cultural and culinary experiences. Visit the company website to check out trips headed to Italy in 2026 and beyond.
