Guide to Sicily

Sicily had been on our bucket list for years, but somehow we always deprioritized it and chose to go somewhere else. We finally booked those tickets last May and I can confidently say, Sicily has very different vibes from Rome and Florence, at least it did for me. As a Lebanese, when we first arrived to Palermo by car, it genuinely felt like being in parts of Lebanon. Yes, I am talking about the chaos. It felt familiar. 

When I look back at my Sicily trip, there are definitely things I would do differently (see itinerary recommendation below). Sicily is not small, it has dozens of towns that are worth visiting and it really has something for everyone. There is of course commonality between most of them but you will still feel how each city has its own flavor.

Ragusa Ibla

You can check Sicily highlights here and the Instagram Reel here.

For the foodies out there, you will hear about how Arancini / Arancine is gendered differently depending on whether you're in the West or East of Sicily. So prepare to say Arancina (Palermo) and Arancino (Catania) and good luck getting it right.

On that note, make sure to eat more Arancini / Arancine while in Sicily because I did not do that and I regret it. 

Arancino / Arancina (cheese filling)

You will also get to explore Sicilian dishes done differently throughout the island. I learned the hard way that when you get a seafood pasta dish, it will be very seafoody in terms of sauce and flavor, I personally found it to be too much but maybe it just takes a bit of time for your taste buds to adjust. I am not a vegetarian but I do love many vegetarian dishes (not surprising given I am Lebanese and we are known for our vegan and vegetarian dishes), so if you're the same, I really enjoyed Pasta alla Norma. Another sicilian thing you must do is try their Granita, and finally, as a dessert lover, you need to try their traditional dessert "Cassata Siciliana" and try it in different places because it will not be the same. 

Pasta alla Norma

And before I let you go into the nitty gritty of such a trip, you might be wondering which town was my favorite. This is not an easy question to answer as I enjoyed every single place we went to in its own way, but as a sea, narrow alleys, good food and good history lover, I will go with Ortigia, although Palermo is a close second (despite the chaos). If you've been, which town was your favorite?

Ortigia

 

Ortigia

Itinerary:

If you want to customize your own itinerary based on what you're interested in and the duration of the trip you desire, here's a prompt you can use with your AI agent: "Help me create an itinerary for Sicily for X days by utilizing the insights in this post https://blog.funkyozzi.com/2026/02/guide-to-sicily.html and optimizing for food, night life and culture."

• We landed in Catania, rented* a car from the airport and drove to Palermo where we spent 3 nights. I would say 2 nights would've been enough
• We then drove to Agrigento but passed by Cefalu on the way where we had lunch. I really liked Cefalu and wished we had more time there. In retrospect, I would at least do one night there, and if you're a beach lover, I would even say 2-3 nights would be great. We stayed for two nights in Agrigento. I think 1 is enough if you just want to visit the Valley of the Temples and walk in the old town.
• After Agrigento, we drove to Ragusa where we spent 4 nights. This is a bit of a personal choice, you can use Ragusa as a base and visit multiple nearby towns, such as Modica (famous for their chocolate making style) and Scicli. Ragusa is two parts, the upper part, a bit more modern, and the lower part which is know as Ragusa Ibla. Unless there is a festival of sorts happening in Ragusa, I think 2 nights would be enough.  
• On our way to the next destination, we drove through Noto and had lunch there, I liked the town and felt it was cozier with more fun vibes. I feel this is where I could've shifted one night from Ragusa to Noto and did more nearby towns from Noto. 
• In Ortigia, Syracuse, we spent 2 nights. I would’ve liked to do even do 3 nights there as despite the island being small, it had a great character and I felt there was way more you can do. 
• And finally, we went back to Catania for one night. If you're keen on visiting Mount Etna, two nights in Catania would be better.

Ragusa Ibla

Palermo

Cefalu

* Quick one of transport:

You can use buses, trains and ubers between towns. Of course the latter is quite expensive and the first two take longer, but this all depends on the type of flexibility and budget you have. And yes, you can also fly between Catania and Palermo.

Things to do (generated by ChatGPT):

• Palermo: 

• Explore the Norman Palace & Cappella Palatina — stunning mosaics and royal rooms in one of Sicily’s most important historic sites.

• Visit Teatro Massimo — Italy’s largest opera house with beautiful neoclassical architecture.

• Stroll the lively markets (e.g., Ballarò or La Vucciria) for street-food, local produce, and a real Palermitan vibe.

• Walk Parco della Favorita & Monte Pellegrino — scenic natural areas with panoramic city and sea views.

• Check out Palermo Cathedral & Quattro Canti — a fascinating mix of Arab-Norman style and Baroque urban charm. 

• Agrigento:

• Valle dei Templi (Valley of the Temples) — the highlight of Agrigento with multiple ancient Greek temples, especially the well-preserved Temple of Concordia.

• Temple of Juno — another iconic temple offering great views over the sea and site.

• Archaeological Museum — contextualise what you’ll see in the valley with fascinating artifacts.

• Garden of Kolymbethra — peaceful citrus groves and shaded gardens amid historic ruins.

• Sunset or evening walk among the ruins for magical light and fewer crowds (especially in summer). 

Villa Romana del Casale - Armerina

• Ragusa:

• Ragusa Ibla (old town) — charming lanes, baroque architecture and scenic squares.

• Duomo di San Giorgio — the centerpiece Baroque cathedral with an elegant facade.

• Giardino Ibleo — peaceful historic gardens with wide views over the valley.

• Circolo di Conversazione & Palazzo Arezzo di Trifiletti — classic historic buildings & local culture.

• Santa Maria delle Scale staircase — climb for photos and great panoramas of both Ragusa Ibla and Superiore. 

• Visit to nearby towns such as Modica, Scicli and Armerina where you can explore Villa Romana del Casale, an UNESCO world heritage site known for its roman mosaics. 

A shop in Ortigia that sells chocolate made in Modica. Chocolate made in Modica is a unique, ancient Sicilian specialty made using a cold-processing method that creates a distinctively granular, crumbly texture without added fats.

• Noto:

• Noto Cathedral (Duomo di Noto) — imposing Baroque facade set in a gorgeous main square.

• Corso Vittorio Emanuele — walk this elegant street lined with golden Baroque buildings.

• Palazzo Nicolaci — baroque palace famous for its ornate balconies.

• Church of San Carlo al Corso — climb the tower for panoramic views of the town.

• Wander side streets and local cafes — great for gelato, pastries, and Sicilian street life. 

Cattedrale di San Nicolò

Noto

• Ortigia (Syracuse):

• Piazza del Duomo & Syracuse Cathedral — grand Baroque square built over ancient Greek foundations.

• Fonte Aretusa — the legendary freshwater spring by the sea with papyrus plants.

• Temple of Apollo & Neapolis Archaeological Park (nearby) — ancient Greek sights right at your doorstep.

• Ortigia Market & seafront promenades — lively markets and beautiful sea views.

• Solarium Forte Vigliena or a boat tour — relax by the Ionian Sea or enjoy a sunset cruise.

The island of Ortigia has 9 neighborhoods and 19 churches that are all connected by underground tunnels.

• Catania:

• Visit Piazza del Duomo & the Elephant Fountain — This UNESCO World Heritage site is Catania’s heart. See the iconic black lava stone Fontana dell’Elefante (“u Liotru”), the city’s emblem, and stroll around the grand cathedral dedicated to Saint Agatha.

• Explore La Pescheria Fish Market — One of Italy’s liveliest street markets just behind the Duomo. Great for local food, Sicilian seafood, and real local atmosphere.

• Walk Via Etnea & Villa Bellini — Stroll Catania’s main street lined with shops and cafes with views of Mount Etna on clear days, and relax in the lush gardens of Villa Bellini.

• See Ancient Ruins: Roman Theatre & Odeon — Discover Catania’s Roman past with impressive archaeological remains in the historic center.

• Visit Castello Ursino — A 13th-century fortress that now houses the Civic Museum with exhibits spanning Sicilian history and art.

Bonus Ideas (if you have more time):

• Climb or take a tour up Mount Etna — Europe’s most active volcano just outside the city for hiking or cable car views.

• Enjoy Sicilian opera at Teatro Massimo Bellini — named after the city’s famous composer. 

Catania

Accommodation: 

• Palermo: we stayed here, we loved the apartment and it was also well located. 
• Agrigento: we stayed outside of the old town, so you would definitely need a car as Ubers are scarce. It was also nice but I would say it might be better finding a place in the old town that has parking and just avoid going back and forth unless you plan to just spend a bit longer and chill by the pool, the accommodation has a very nice view.
• Ragusa: we stayed in this really nicely kept place, but do note that if you plan on using the pool, they only open it in the summer, location is not bad as it's only 5-7 minutes from the center, however if you want older and cozier vibes, staying in the lower Ragusa Ibla would be more enjoyable. I would assume though parking would be very limited, so better to double check with the host. If you do decide to stay in Ragusa Ibla, make sure you hike back up to see the town from above. 
• Ortigia (Syracuse): we stayed in a perfectly located place but a bit weird as all their doors were see-through. The place overlooked an ancient temple and it was right in the middle of the narrow cute alleyways. 
• Catania: we stayed in an ordinary apartment but it was a great, neat and well equipped apartment, and 10 minutes walk from the center. So if you don't mind walking, such an accommodation is great.

View from airbnb - Tempio di Apollo

Restaurants we tried and liked:

p.s. Restaurants are not open all the time and all days, so double check before you go. Most require reservations.

• Monreale (a cute nearby town to Palermo): La Bodeguita dei Sapori which had great Focaccia sandwiches. 
• Palermo: Trattoria Al Sorri. It felt like a family restaurant and lowkey, but always busy so make sure to book ahead. 
• Cefalu: Lilie’s club was excellent, I had the Gorgonzola risotto there and I still dream about it.
• Agrigento: Trattoria Concordia, a really cute quaint place, and had nice fish.
• Ragusa: 
• Pane e Cipudda was great, we went twice. 
• Mama Trattoria was also cute with some nice Vegan options. 
• Enoteca Il Barocco was lovely, we had crudités there with the view of the church. This place also has a shop, so you can buy some cheese, ham and wine to take back home.
• Noto:
• We had lunch at Sabbinirica which had excellent food (nice steak) and a lovely atmosphere as we sat on the street side.
• Ortigia (Syracuse): 
• La Tavernetta Uno de Simone (great seabass). 
• In Ortigia we did a food tour with @tasteofortigia_foodtour, but if you don’t have time for a tour, try to go by yourself to Caseifico Borderi that has excellent deli sandwiches. It's usually packed though. Keep an eye for a show!
• For a nice dinner and setup, Davè Sicilian Taste had a nice atmosphere with okay food.
• Catania: Osteria Bellini was great!

View from Enoteca Il Barocco of Chiesa di San Giuseppe

While walking around Sicilians towns you will encounter a lot of these statues in many different forms, sizes and designs. I really wanted to buy them all and bring them back. I won't spoil the legend behind it and will leave you to ask about it and enjoy the story. It's a bit unhinged.

Moor's head and the Sicilian pine cone

Hit me up for any questions you have!

#FROMITALYWITHFUNK