Five reasons Sicily steals the spotlight

‘’To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything,'' wrote the famous poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. 

After experiencing the island’s natural beauty, laid-back energy, and cultural depth, you understand exactly what he meant. The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily is surrounded by vivid blue seas, dramatic volcanic landscapes, and seven UNESCO-listed sites.

This is a destination that feels both timeless and unforgettable, and here are five reasons it deserves a spot on your travel list.

The Landscapes

There’s a kind of nonchalance to Sicily’s landscapes that are similar to many Italians: unique, effortless and entirely unbothered.

From the golden, sundrenched hills dotted with olive trees and vineyards to the volcanic islands scattered across

impossibly blue waters, it’s an island of striking contrasts, where beauty is the constant.

UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mount Etna, is Europe’s tallest active volcano at 3,326 metres and has erupted frequently for centuries. The volcanic soil is ideal for agriculture and some of the region’s most renowned vineyards have been rooted on the slopes for generations; blending laid-back atmosphere, history, and incredible produce.

For an immersive day out, opt for an eight-hour tour  of Mount Etna experience complete with private car transfers. Guided by an agronomist or nature specialist, you’ll trace the geological story of Europe’s most active volcano before visiting a local winery, where the wines owe their bold structure to the mineral-rich volcanic soil. You even have the option of taking a scenic donkey ride or enjoying a curated picnic basket on the volcano’s terrain.

Once the private estate of a Sicilian prince, Il San Corrado di Noto is a luxury stay 1.5 hours away from Mount Etna and will make you feel like royalty. The ancient farm is idyllic, surrounded by olive and citrus groves with stone walls, two pools, spa and tennis court for the ultimate luxury stay.

The Food

Italy’s food scene comes alive in Sicily, where culinary experiences reach new heights thanks to its abundance of freshly caught seafood, passionate local makers and a layered history of cultural influences.

Palermo’s famous street food markets offer a great way to experience the city on foot while sampling casual bites passed down through generations. The alleys are filled with vendors selling fresh seafood, Sicilian produce, olive oil, Aperol Spritz with freshly squeezed Sicilian orange juice and golden arancini the size of a tennis ball, filled with ragù, peas and mozzarella.

Mornings are ideal for wandering Palermo’s street markets, sampling from different vendors while avoiding the midday heat. Most, including Ballarò and Capo, are open Monday to Saturday from 7:00am to 8:00pm, while the smaller La Vucciria tends to close around 2:00pm. 

Throughout history, the port city has been a melting pot of cultures, reflected in its everyday dishes. The pani câ meusa, a soft bread stuffed with sautéed veal spleen, dates back to the Middle Ages when Jewish butchers used offal to create a nourishing meal. The cassata siciliana, a decadent ricotta cake layered with sponge, candied fruit and marzipan, was originally inspired by Arab cuisine and later reimagined in Palermo’s convents by nuns who baked the cake for celebrations like Easter.

Sip your espresso at one of Palermo’s outdoor cafés, which is a daily ritual for many Sicilians and a cornerstone of relaxed piazza culture. As the day winds down, ease into aperitivo hour with an Aperol Spritz made with freshly squeezed Sicilian orange juice, or a glass of Nero d’Avola, the island’s bold and structured signature red, often layered with notes of black cherry, chocolate, and spice.

Naturally, seafood is plentiful on the island of Sicily, with fishing villages aplenty and mouth-watering dishes as reward. In the medieval village of Cefalù, restaurants serve swordfish steaks simmered in a sauce of cherry tomatoes, capers and green olives, or thinly sliced raw swordfish cured in citrus: carpaccio di pesce spada.

The island of Favignana is famous for its giant bluefin tuna, and a local family even revolutionised the industry by preserving tinned tuna in olive oil instead of salt. A visit to the museum, formerly a tuna-canning factory, delves into the island’s connection to the industry, and you can purchase a 300gram tin of tuna for around 24 euro apiece.

The Slow Pace

La dolce far niente is an Italian phrase that translates to “the sweetness of doing nothing,” and in Sicily, it’s more than a mindset—it’s a way of life.

Sitting just off Sicily’s northeastern coast, the UNESCO-listed Aeolian Islands take slow living to a deeper level, offering the perfect setting to embrace the laid-back approach Sicilians have long mastered.

Time seems to melt into a lazy crawl in the charming fishing village of Lipari. With cobblestoned alleyways, pastel-coloured buildings, and balconies draped in pink bougainvillea, Lipari feels like it’s straight from a storybook. Even the souvenirs echo the islands’ dreamlike energy: pumice stones formed from volcanic earth and jewellery hand-crafted from molten lava.

To embrace the slow pace further, take a boat ride and spend a languid afternoon exploring secluded grottos and swimming in the island’s impossibly blue waters.

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The History

From ancient empires to mafia resistance, Sicily’s history is layered, visceral and still evident in the streets, ruins and daily life.

The Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to one of Europe’s oldest and most iconic archaeological landscapes, featuring eight Doric temples, some of which date back to the 5th and 6th centuries BC.

The Temple of Olympian Zeus once featured colossal Telamon statues—male figures used as structural supports—in a design found nowhere else in Greek architecture. As one of the largest archaeological parks in Europe at 1,300 hectares, visitors can step back in time and walk alongside the ancient ruins.

A visit to the haunting archaeological site of Pompeii transports visitors to a tragic and unique moment in time. In 79 CE, Mount Vesuvius erupted violently, burying the resort town under six metres of volcanic ash and pumice.

The eruption was so sudden that it preserved the city, sealing homes, shops, frescoes, graffiti and the final moments of the people below. Visitors can also climb Mount Vesuvius, which is now a hiking trail with views of the site.

A word of warning: both the Valley of the Temples and Pompeii reach high temperatures in summer, so be sure to pack walking shoes, sun protection and plenty of water.

For more recent history, you can take a walking tour of Palermo led by passionate locals to learn about anti-mafia activism, civic resistance and visit key sites tied to the movement.

The Hollywood Factor

A visit to Sicily will have film buffs starstruck, spotting key sites from The Godfather Trilogy including Bar Vitelli, the village of Savoca and Teatro Massimo, from the opera-house finale in The Godfather Part III.

More recently Season Two of The White Lotus showcased the beauty of the region and fans of the HBO hit can follow in the footsteps of the second season’s characters with a stay at the luxurious San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel. The dramatic cliffside infinity pool and panoramic views of Mount Ettna offers main character energy for guests of the 14th century convent. 

Sicily lingers long after you leave, impressing not through noise, but with a salt-of-the-earth authenticity that honours its past and lives fully in the present. Whether you come for the food, the history, or the sea, Sicily invites you to slow down, look deeper, and leave changed. 

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Practical information about Sicily

When to go:

April – June: Spring in Sicily is mild and temperatures hover between 20–26°C. There are fewer tourists and wildflowers blanket the countryside, making it perfect for hikes, vineyard visits, and slow-living escapes.

June: A transition month that blends spring’s softness with summer’s vibrancy. Markets brim with produce, the beaches begin to fill, and the weather is reliably warm without tipping into extremes.

July - August: Peak season brings temperatures above 35°C and crowded sites and beaches. 

September – October: A sweet spot where summer crowds thin, the sea stays warm, and harvest season brings olives, grapes, and food festivals.

 

Getting there:

Flights:

Emirates, Qantas, Etihad, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines all offer flights from Australia to Rome. Flights from Rome to Sicily take around 1 hour and 15 minutes, with frequent departures from Rome Fiumicino (FCO) to Palermo (PMO), Catania (CTA), Trapani (TPS), and Comiso (CIY). You can also fly to Sicily from many European cities.

Train:

Begin your holiday at a relaxed pace and embark on a luxury rail journey from Rome to Palermo aboard the La Dolce Vita Orient Express. The three-day trip includes Michelin three-star dining, a curated selection of Italian wines, and round-trip transfers to and from the station.

Where to stay:

Travel Advisor Symonne Shenker travelled to Sicily recently and recommends the following hotels:

Taormina - Grand Hotel San Pietro

Overlooking the Ionian Sea, this restored boutique hotel is pure decadence. The 63 rooms were renovated recently and include specific family rooms and interconnecting options. The hotel has a large pool, restaurants on-site and is in an ideal location for accessing all the major attractions.

Taormina - Sirius Hotel

An old style Italian hotel, it's in a fantastic location with an infinity pool and panoramic views. With just 41 rooms, most have magnificent sea views and have been a real hit with our clients this year.

Siracusa - Grand Hotel Ortigia

A 5-star luxury hotel with large, spacious and elegant rooms with stunning views. This hotel also has its own private beach club which is accessed via the hotel's private speed boat.

Palermo - Hotel Plaza Opera

A fantastic location right in the heart of the city. The hotel offers premium wellness services through their Nerolavica Wellness & Spa and a new rooftop lounge with fantastic views.

Dreaming of Sicily? Our expert Travel Advisors will curate every detail—from flights and accommodation to bespoke experiences. Prefer a cruise or group tour? We can recommend and book the perfect option that includes Sicily. Contact us today.

Images by Kate Parker and Shutterstock