Scenic attractions on the island of Sicily - nature and beach

Blooming landscapes...

The sunny island has always been considered a blooming landscape. It is in spring that Italy’s southernmost part displays one of its most beautiful faces, when countless almond trees turn the island into a sea of blossoms. Attractions include not only masterpieces of architecture, but also tranquil fishing villages and solitary nature reserves.

Charming lemon groves are to found all over the island, but above all on the fertile lava soil at the foot of majestic Mount Etna, Sicily's landmark and Europe's largest volcano. With its almost 60,000 ha, Mount Etna Regional Park is one of Italy's largest nature parks. Taking part in a guided tour of the volcano is sure to be an exciting experience and a lasting memory of your holidays on the island of Sicily.

Not only fascinating Mediterranean maquis and gorgeous dune landscapes are found in the southeast, south of Taormina, but also some of Sicily’s most beautiful sandy beaches. Wide and gently sloping and stretching for kilometers on end, they are a paradise for water bugs of all ages, e.g. the beach of San Lorenzo/Marzamemi or the beaches around Capo Passero, the southernmost tip of Sicily.

...and unspoiled nature - ...

Nature reserve Oasi di Vendicari in the southeast of the island forms a unique coastal landscape. Dunes, sandy bays, woodland and lagoon lakes provide shelter for and are home to rare species, such as flamingos, cranes, pelicans and pond turtles. The bay of Cala Mosche at Oasi di Vendicari counts among Sicily's most beautiful beaches.

The UNESCO World Heritage listed Necropolis of Pantalica and the Anapo Gorge near Syracuse are two natural and highly interesting destinations and, like all nature reserves, ideal places for hiking.

Cava Grande del Cassibile near the small town of Avola is the Italian equivalent of the Grand Canyon. Lush maquis, fragrant oleander and giant palm trees line the descent into the river valley of the Cassibile. At the bottom of the gorge, at a depth of 250 m, you are welcome to take a refreshing swim in the water basins (Please mind "No swimming" signs!) and afterwards a sunbath on the heated rocks.

In the sparsely populated inland region, the mountain area with its valleys, gorges and barren high plateaus creates an almost mystic atmosphere; in the mountain villages, time seems to have stood still.

...there is so much to discover

The northwest near Palermo enchants you with an impressively green, hilly landscape and Caribbean-like beaches, e.g. the picture-perfect beach at San Vito Lo Capo. Nature reserve "Riserva dello Zingaro" near Scopello, a protected area by the sea with solitary bays and crystal clear water, is very much worth a visit.

Not far from Zingaro lies the nature reserve around Monte Cofano, from where you can spot the Aegadian Islands and where hikers and mountain bikers really get their money's worth.

In no case should you miss out on stopping by the "Saline", the salt pond area with its picturesque windmills, which is found between the harbor towns of Marsala and Trapani.

The islands around Sicily are worth a visit, too. The Lipari and Aegadian Islands, for example, are easy to reach from Sicily. 

Scenic highlights near Taormina and Palermo:
- Mount Etna
- Nature reserve Oasi di Vendicari
- Necropolis of Pantalica
- Anapo Gorge
- Cava Grande del Cassibile
- Riserva dello Zingaro
- Monte Cofano
- Salt ponds "Saline"
- Aegadian Islands
- Lipari Islands

Cultural sights/sites - impressive witnesses from times gone by

Witnesses from times gone by – on Italy's largest island, you encounter them at every turn.

Taormina, the famous small town high above the sea in the foothills of Mount Etna, offers an adorable setting – be it an event at the amphitheater, the fantastic view of the east coast or a stroll through the small alleys.

Syracuse with its Old Town of Ortigia, which is located on an island, as well as the Baroque gems of Noto and Modica are UNESCO World Heritage listed and well worth being explored.

Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples are a must-see for friends of antiquity. The impressive ruins are also listed as a UNESCO World Hertiage Site and quite rightly so.

Sicily’s northwest near Palermo offers cultural sites which are no less interesting. Not only Agrigento, the temple of Segesta too, for example, counts among the island's best preserved Greek places of worship.

The small, medieval town of Erice, which sits enthroned high above Trapani, was the destination of pilgrimages in ancient times. It should still be on the to-see list of travelers to Sicily today.

A masterpiece of Norman architecture is found near Palermo - the monastery of Monreale with its Normal cathedral and impressive cloister. 

Cultural sites/sights near Taormina and Palermo:
- Taormina
- Syracuse
- Modica
- Noto
- Agrigento
- Segesta
- Erice
- Monreale

A melting pot of cultures

As manifold as the island's landscape and sights, as manifold its inhabitant – the Sicilian. The poet Angelo Fiore said, with regard to the attempt to describe the sicilianità, that there were "five million Sicilies", just as many as there were inhabitants. In the Sicilian melting pot of cultures you find elements 'contributed' by the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Normans, the Hohenstaufen dynasty, the Spanish and the French.

Southern Italian hospitality, celebrating colorful, lively festivals and keeping up religious customs are surely among the islanders' characteristic traits.

When looking at Sicilian cuisine, you will find that Sicily combines the cuisines of its ancestors. Apart from traditional Mediterranean dishes, you frequently find couscous on the menu, and the deliciously sweet dolci 'reaveal' Arab influence as well.