Travel to Sicily: 6 to Know Before You Go

1. Consider the Big Picture First

For a longer trip to Sicily, it is practical to fly into Palermo and out of Catania (or vice versa) rather than booking a round-trip flight from one airport. However, my husband and I always tell people to choose eastern or western Sicily if the trip is less than 10 days. Trying to see all of the highlights in less time is too strenuous and doesn’t allow time to relax and discover.

2. Adhere to the Sicilian Schedule

Sicily has its own rhythm, with many historic sites, churches and shops closing for siesta from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. We recommend embracing the slower pace and the Sicilian hours. For example, if we are visiting during a hot season, we explore in the morning, eat a big lunch in the shade, have a nap, go to the seaside from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., refresh in time for an evening aperitivo and passeggiata, and then eat a late dinner. (Most restaurants don’t open before 7:30 p.m.)

3. Embrace the Day Trip

Since day trips are a big part of Sicilian sightseeing, we recommend renting the smallest car that is comfortable for navigating tight hilltown roads and parking spaces. (We love driving in Sicily, but there are plenty of cars and drivers available.) If you do drive, be sure to get an international driver’s license; many car rental agencies will not rent you a car without this, even when you reserve through well-known rental companies. We see frustrated travelers at the car rental counters on every trip.

4. Choose Your Home Base Wisely

Our Sicilian life centers on the Val di Noto, the southeast region of Sicily where eight cities make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors here normally choose one or two bases and then explore the region with day trips to historical towns and sites, natural landscapes and beaches. One option is to rent a villa in the country for a week, but if you are choosing a city, each is a little different:

• Catania is a wonderful, large city with plenty of attractions and proximity to Mount Etna, but it is a little far from the smaller Baroque cities.
• Ortigia in Siracusa is magical, and there are plenty of ancient and urban attractions and shopping, but it is on the edge of the region, making day trips trickier.
• Noto, Ragusa Ibla and Scicli have small, charming historic centers that are easy to manage and delightful for strolling, but they are certainly tourist areas.
• Modica is a little more difficult, with its sites spread out horizontally and vertically (many of the “streets” are staircases). It also has more automobile traffic on the non-stair streets. But on a Saturday night, the passeggiata comes alive with both locals and tourists. We and many of our Italian friends who have houses in Modica were attracted to that more gritty authenticity.

5. Watch…

The Il Commissario Montalbano detective series on the RAI network is fantastic. (Fictional Vigàta is filmed in Modica, Ragusa and Scicli.) We were hooked by the stories, characters and productions.

6. Read…

I have read Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s The Leopard (Il Gattopardo) and have watched the Visconti film version numerous times. I heartily recommend both before a trip to Sicily. I’m currently reading The Viceroys (I Vicerè) by Federico de Roberto, written in the late 19th century about the fictional Uzeda Family in Catania that makes Succession seem tame. Of course, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Italian Journey offers wonderful insight into Sicily and Italy in the late 18th century—especially for an American with German ancestry.

Written by William Brockschmidt