Our most recommended things to do in Sicily

Taormina: Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket to the Ancient Theater

1. Taormina: Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket to the Ancient Theater

Pre-book your entry ticket to the Ancient Theater of Taormina and enjoy the added perk of skip-the-line entry privileges. Take a stirring journey through the archaeological ruins and enjoy the freedom to explore at your own pace. After the one of Syracusa, the Ancient Theater of Taormina is the largest building for shows in the Italian Peninsula. The archaeological site offers the opportunity to step back into the past as well as enjoy the views of the surrounding landscapes. The Greek building, built in a dominant position, dates back, by layout, to the III-II century B.C., but the monument you can admire today appears in the forms acquired in the roman imperial age under the emperor Trajan or Hadrian. It becomes an amphitheater under the emperor Caracalla and, in the same period, the orchestra was converted into an arena to host gladiator fights. After centuries of neglect, in 1465, part of the monument was used as a palace of residence of the Zumbo family.

Mount Etna: Guided Volcano Summit Hiking Tour with Cable Car

2. Mount Etna: Guided Volcano Summit Hiking Tour with Cable Car

Ascend to the summit of the craters of Mount Etna, one of the most coveted excursions a hiker can make. Hike in full safety with an authorized alpine and volcano guide, and marvel at the beauty and wonder of the highest active volcano in Europe, up to 3,000 meters. Depart from Sapienza Refuge in Nicolosi, and ascend 2,504 meters by cable car and begin your hike. You’ll hike 1.5 hours uphill, passing many craters, in particular toward the crater of the 2001 eruption and the moon-like landscape that marks out the area. During the hike you will take long pauses to take pictures and rest. You will then carry on exploring on your hike towards the Cisternazza and the Belvedere on the Valle del Bove, considered the best panoramic spot on Mount Etna on a dazzling volcanic depression dating back to 64000 years ago! Here you will take a break to cherish the surroundings, take a few pictures and simply admire the landscape as from up there you are able to see the coast from Taormina until Syracuse. From here you will reach the Barbagallo craters, up to 3,000 meters, the highest point allowed, and enjoy a privileged view on the summit craters and their constant emission of gases and water vapours. Then you will march back to 2500 mt and take the cable car back to the Rifugio Sapienza. Experience the incredible feeling of being on top of the world in this rocky, beautiful landscape with the giant sky above you.

Catania: Mount Etna Morning or Sunset Day Trip with Tasting

3. Catania: Mount Etna Morning or Sunset Day Trip with Tasting

Enjoy an adventurous day trip to Mount Etna, including free roundtrip transfers from Catania. Best of all, customize your tour according to your needs, choosing from either a private or small-group experience in a choice of languages. Explore the volcano’s ancient craters, a lava flow cave, and try some local products, while taking in some breathtaking panoramic views along the way. Start your day with a free pickup from your Catania accommodation in an air-conditioned minivan. Digest some fun facts about the volcano from your professional guide as you drive 2000 meters up. Hear about everything from the volcano’s natural resources, memorable landscapes, and flora, to lava flows that have swallowed roads and buildings in past spurts of activity. Once you reach 2000 meters up, take a guided walk around the ancient craters, recent lava flows, and other-worldly landscape. Rest easy as the trek is an easy one, suitable for both families with younger children and older family members. Try a mini-sampling of Sicilian delicacies during the trek, with some "cantucci" biscuits and "zibibbo" wine both up for tasting. After a short break, head to your next stop — a lava flow cave. Using a helmet and flashlight, you’ll discover the cave’s origins and stand-out features in ample time with your guide. Your last stop is a panoramic viewpoint at Monte Pomiciaro, granting you unforgettable views and photo opportunities over the Valle del Bove, the volcano’s most important valley. If the sunset option is selected, take in breathtaking views of Etna during 'Golden Hour'. After your volcanic adventure, head back to Catania, where your tour will conclude.

Nicolosi: Mount Etna Cable Car, 4x4 Excursion, and Trek

4. Nicolosi: Mount Etna Cable Car, 4x4 Excursion, and Trek

A valid alternative to the summit craters is the 3,000m Etna excursion. You go up by cable car up to 2,500 meters, then by 4x4 up to 2750 meters. From here begins the path on foot up to 3000 meters. It will be possible to observe the summit craters, then we will stop on a lateral crater (barbagallo at about 3000 meters). You will admire the recent lava flows (2023) until you reach the inside of a lava channel. We will visit an effusive vent (2002 eruption) and from here we will descend along the sandbanks to the mound from where we will observe the Bove Valley, admiring, on fine days, a view that sweeps from the Ionian Riviera to the interior of Sicily. Duration: 4 hours walking / 5 hours total tour. Departures at 9.30 and 10.30, meeting time 30 minutes before departure (the departure at 10.30 is compatible for those arriving by bus (AST) from Catania). Meeting Point Shelter Alpine Guides Etna Sud, next to the Refuge Sapienza

Agrigento: Valley of the Temples Entrance Ticket & Pemcards

5. Agrigento: Valley of the Temples Entrance Ticket & Pemcards

Take a stirring journey through the archaeological ruins at Agrigento with a skip-the-line entry to the Valley of the Temples. Immortalize your visit with Pemcards -- a digital photo that you can send as a real postcard to anywhere in the world.Discover the immense artistic and archaeological heritage of Sicily as you explore the site which extends over approximately 1,300 hectares. Learn about a millenary history that began in the 6th-century BC with the foundation of the ancient Greek colony of Akragas.See the terraced levels of the site that used to be a center of the public life of the ancient Greco-Romans and marvel at the aqueducts. Walkthrough the core of the archaeological site of Agrigento, passing magnificent temples such as the Temple to Zeus, Tempio della Concordia, and Tempio di Eracle.Lastly, admire the gymnasium, an ancient location for athletic, educational, and recreational activities.

Taormina: Boat Tour with Aperitif on Isola Bella

6. Taormina: Boat Tour with Aperitif on Isola Bella

Boat excursion to Taormina aboard a typical Sicilian boat guided by expert skippers. We will take you on a boat trip to Taormina to visit one of the most beautiful bays in all of Sicily that will make you fall in love. Boat excursions in Taormina include the Blue Grotto of Taormina and all the bays of the marine reserve. We will sail along the entire bay of Giardini Naxos to try to meet the dolphins that have always populated this stretch of sea. You can admire the Taormina coast from the Bay of Naxos and then off towards the tip of Capo Taormina, to head to the bay of Mazzaró inside the protected marine park. During this journey we will stop in the bay of the sirens. You will enter the blue grotto of Taormina with the whole boat, famous for the seabed illuminated by the sun's rays that manage to penetrate through spaces in the submerged rock, giving an intense fluorescent blue backdrop. To round off our boat tour in Taormina, we will stop at the beautiful island. Famous rocky islet close to the coast with a piece of beach characterized by unique views in the world. Here you can dive and refresh yourself in these crystal clear waters among seabeds full of local colors and corals. This fantastic boat ride in Taormina will be framed by an aperitif and enriched by typical local fruit and drinks. Our goal will be to capture the time spent in these heavenly places in your memories.

Syracuse: Boat Trip of Ortigia Island and Sea Caves

7. Syracuse: Boat Trip of Ortigia Island and Sea Caves

Immerse yourself in Ortigia, the historical heart of Syracuse as on this guided boat tour. Enjoy listening as your skipper tells you about geological formations and step back in time with stories and information regarding the area's rich history. Board a comfortable boat and embark on your water adventure. Glide from the bridges of Ortigia and will enter the "big port" of Syracuse where you can gaze out of the the stunning Alfeo Promenade of Ortigia. Sail outside the port to circumnavigate the entire island. Follow the coast north of Syracuse to see some naturally-formed sea caves. Cruise into the "small port" and navigate inside the Ortigia canal that divides the island from the city. Have the chance to stop and take a dip in the turquoise waters with views of the shore. Pass under the bridges to return to the starting point of the tour.

From Milazzo: Panarea and Stromboli Boat Trip by Night

8. From Milazzo: Panarea and Stromboli Boat Trip by Night

Experience the glitz and glamour of the Aeolian Islands on this full-day tour. See the famous Capo Milazzese, Cala Degli Zimmari, Saint Vincent’s Square, and other places before witnessing the magical sunset over the island. After departing from Milazzo, sail to Panarea, the smallest of the islands. Soak up the glamorous atmosphere of the island, favored by VIPs, as you stroll around the narrow streets of its historic center. You will continue to pay a visit to the prehistoric village of Capo Milazzese, where you can learn more about Panarea's ancient origins. Visit Cala Junco Bay, a spectacular beach in the shape of an amphitheater that is ideal for underwater swimming. Finally, relax on the sandy beach of Cala Degli Zimmari before continuing your journey. Having left Panarea, sail through the picturesque inlets which form a micro-archipelago between Lipari and the island of Stromboli, your next stop. Enjoy some free time to discover this island, which is home to one of the most active volcanoes in the world, at your own pace. Visit Saint Vincent’s Square, named after the church dedicated to the same Saint, and the house in which Rossellini and Ingrid Bergman lived during the shooting of the film "Stromboli terra di Dio" (Stromboli land of God). As the sun sets over the island, enjoy panoramic views of the port and volcanoes from the main square. Watch as the fire of the eruptions and the dark sky clash with each other providing ever-changing colorful creations in the Sciara del Fuoco, which will be visible from the sea during the return journey.

From Trapani: Mini Cruise to Favignana and Levanzo

9. From Trapani: Mini Cruise to Favignana and Levanzo

Take this Journey with us: Departure at 9:30 AM from Trapani port. First stop will be in Favignana around 10:20 AM. Here you will have free time, you can enjoy the visit in the Favignana centre and take the advantage of doing shopping, or visiting museums like the Ex Stabilimento Florio, but also spend the time on the beach. We depart from Favignana at 12:30 PM and we start our journey trough the cost, we will visit the most beautiful and suggestive "calette" such as Cala Rossa and Cala Azzurra, here you will have the time to swim and have a lunch (included). The we will depart to reach Levanzo, where you will have free time to visit the fishing village. From Levanzo we will visit by boat Cala Fredda e Cala Minnola, and we will have a second stops to swim. We will arrive to Trapani around 5:30 PM.

From Palermo: Zingaro Reserve, San Vito Lo Capo and Scopello

10. From Palermo: Zingaro Reserve, San Vito Lo Capo and Scopello

Depart from Palermo and discover the colors of the sea that cannot be missed during a trip to Sicily. Leave from the main pick-up points in Palermo and arrive in Castellammare del Golfo a bit like a small pearl of sailors from where the cruise departs. The boat leaves Catsellammare port at 9:30 AM. You will first discover the famous caves that rise right out of the sea and where the captain comes over to see them. Resuming navigation, we enter the 7km-long Zingaro Reserve where beaches and coves alternate and where you will meet the most beautiful beach called "Cala Uzzo". Cala Uzzo is the largest bay, the most beautiful, and the place richest in fish due to the fishing bans in the reserve, therefore a perfect place for snorkeling. Continuing the navigation at 11:30 AM you will arrive in San Vito Lo Capo where you will have 4 hours of free time to visit it. San Vito is a very small town: the boat mooring, the beach, and the center are very close on foot (7 min). Here you can find the most beautiful beach in the area with white sand and Caribbean color of the sea. In the center, you can eat the typical "couscous" which will make you relive the Arab culture that characterized the town in the past. Or you can taste the typical "hot-cold" ice cream. Above all, walking through the narrow streets with their scents and colors is an experience not to be missed. Free time in San Vito Lo Capo is from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM. When you get back on board, on the way back you will be enchanted at the sight of the famous "Faraglioni of Scopello" exclusive place that invites you to come back and where to do many bath with a breathtaking view. Return to the Port of Castellammare at 5.30 PM and arrive in Palermo at 6.30 PM. During the day you can choose to buy a typical light snack on board: "Pane Cunsato", water The cost of round trip transfer from Palermo to Castellammare is € 29,00 per person. This rate will not be applied if you come by your own means.

Add dates

Things to do in
Sicily
With Mount Etna, ancient sites, and beautiful beaches, this Mediterranean island has something for everyone.

Top activities

Top sights in Sicily

All activities

806 activities found
Sort by:
Page 1 of 51

Immersive experiences

Go beyond Sicily

Explore all

Frequently asked questions about Sicily

Other Sightseeing Options in Sicily

Want to discover all there is to do in Sicily? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Sicily

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 21,292 reviews

Even despite the closure of the roads leading to Mount Etna due to bad weather conditions, our optimistic, joyful and patient guide was able to provide a wonderful trip to our group. We were able to visit most of attractions of the program (even though with small alterations) while listening to the numerous interesting stories about Mount Etna and its relations to the city, myths and history of Catania. The tasting of local products like honey, olive oil and pistacchio cream took place in a small antique museum of the tradition of beekeeping, which was the perfect location to round up the trip.

Enzo was an incredible guide. His vast amount of knowledge was impressive and you can tell he truly has a passion for what he does. The sights to Mt. Etna, the cave, the village with honey, and Taormina included so many experiences that we wouldn’t have navigated on our own. We highly recommended this tour because we were able to see the best of these areas in only a day with a guide who really knows his stuff.

Fabrizio was the perfect guide. The food tour was a great introduction to Palermo, with a great balance of iconic sightseeing, exploring the street market, learning and eating. Being able to ask Fabrizio for recommendations both during and after the tour via text made our trip feel fulfilling, stress free and authentic.

Absolutely amazing experience! Marco and his team provided equipment and took really good care of every aspect of the tour. Highly recommended!

Was a great experience. Dario was a very good and friendly guide!