Top Things To Do in Sicily With 7 Days

Things to do in Sicily in 7 Days

Day 1: Catania

Our point of entry to Sicily and probably yours as well! The black city was rebuilt countless (at least 7 that we know of) times with the volcanic rock of the looming nearby Etna, an ever-present feature of the city’s beautiful baroque skyline.

Catania is home to the oldest university in Sicily and much of the city’s atmosphere, ranging from its cheap dive bars to the great selection of street food on offer, caters to the fun, young student population. This makes evenings in Catania a lively spectacle with near infinite choice on where to go for a good time.

We wish we had had a bit more time to spend here roaming the famous fish market or just taking in the views of Catania’s many wonderous streets and churches.

Tip: Catania tends to be the starting point of many Mount Etna tours.

Sights

• Basilica Cattedrale di Sant’Agata: Main church in Catania.
• Chiesa della Badia di Sant’Agata: You can climb to the top for a view over the city and Mount Etna at a distance.
• Teatro Massimo Bellini: Opera and classical music performances.
• Via Crocifieri: Numerous churches can be found on this street.
• Piazza Universita: One of the main, busy squares in the city.
• La Pescheria: Fish market, open until noon and closed on Sundays.
• Vía Etnea: Main pedestrian avenue in Catania with Mount Etna at a distance.

Where to Eat & Drink

• Osteria & Pizzeria Dai Pazzi: Great pizza and typical Catanese food.
• Trattoria U Fucularu: Sicilian restaurant
• Fud Bottega Sicula: Burger joint
• Vermut: Authentic and decently priced, recommended by locals.
• Uì – Sicilian Food Experience: Fine dining.
• Gulien – Cucina al Centro: Nice view over Catania’s main square and cathedral.
• Caffe Bellini Garibaldi: Great place to have a drink, at cheap prices.
• C&G – Cioccolato e Gelato: Bakery and gelateria, beautifully decorated pastries, and cannoli.

Day 2: Siracusa

Known as the oldest city in Sicily! The history of Siracusa dates all the way back to the Ancient Greeks and it remained an important city well into the Middle Ages. This history can be felt in the array of ancient sites you can visit and the vibrant culture of the city. From the largest Greek theatre in Sicily to the artificial caves of Dionysus or the many ruins of the archeological area. 

The highlight though is definitely the picturesque Ortigia Island, full of beautiful fountains like Diana’s font and baroque churches, such as the Duomo.

Indulge in delicious cuisine, stroll along charming streets, and bask in the warmth of the Sicilian sun and hospitality at Siracusa’s “lake”.

Sights

• Arethusa Spring is a pond that looks like a small patch of jungle placed in the middle of the city.
• The imposing Castello Maniace houses some interesting museums
• The Temple of Apollo is a huge temple ruin.
• The old market of Ortigia, next to the temple, is a buffet of sights and sounds where you can eat amazing delicacies.
• Fontana di Diana is a pretty fountain on Isola do Ortigia.
• Ipogeo di Piazza Duomo is a museum that shows the network of underground tunnels connecting the Duomo to the old outer walls of the city.
• The Duomo of Siracusa is another spectacular church. There are just so many great ones in Sicily.

Where to Eat & Drink

• Le Sorelle Bandiera: Run by three sisters, homemade local food.
• Caseificio Borderi: Sandwich shop.
• A Putia: Small, authentic, and fairly priced restaurant.
• Fratelli Burgio: Located on the fish market street with a great selection of Sicilian meat and cheese delights.
• La Lisca Cucina e Bottega: Seafood restaurant.
• MOON – Move Ortigia Out of Normality: Vegan restaurant 
• The Sicilian Delights: Street food 
• Antica Caffetteria: Make sure to try Cassata, a typical Italian dessert originally from Sicily. Made with ricotta, sponge cake, and almond paste and decorated with sugar glaze and candied fruit.
• Levante Gelato Artigianale: Make sure to try granita.

Day 3: Ragusa

Sicily isn’t only charming beach towns and stunning Norman cathedrals. Ragusa Ibla is a baroque gem sitting in, and on, the southern Sicilian hills. Full of beautiful views and unique churches, including its particularly spectacular Duomo. The wonderful Iblian gardens and an abundance of delicious restaurants make this a must-stop in your Sicilian itinerary.

Sights

• Via Scala is the long scenic staircase leading up to the new Ragusa with Chiesa Santa María delle Scale is the best viewpoint on Via Scala and a cute church.
• Chiesa di Santa Lucia is another great, lesser-known, viewpoint with benches.
• Via Capitano Bocchieri is a photogenic street with the Duomo in the background.
• Duomo di San Giorgio is the best example of Sicilian Baroque, it’s beautiful!
• Portale di San Giorgio is an intricate doorway.
• Giardino Ibleo is a large well-tended garden with spectacular views of the countryside.
• Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista is another impressive Ragusa church in the new town of Ragusa.
• Palazzo Cosentini is a palace underneath the beautiful blue domed church, great for photos.
• Palazzo Arezzo di Trifiletti a noble’s “house”, now turned into a museum.

Where to Eat & Drink

• Trattoria La Bettola: Great, Sicilian food in a cozy restaurant.
• Risìu: Also great Sicilian in a more simple, low-key locale.
• Camùri Ristorante: For an affordable fine dining experience.
• La Taverna Del Lupo: Tasty trattoria in the new town.
• Trattoria da Luigi: A great place to taste Sicilian specialties.
• Locanda Don Serafino: A Michelin-stared restaurant built into a cave system, also a boutique hotel.
• Ciccio Sultano Duomo: Only in a few places will you be able to get a 2 Michelin-star dining experience at such a low price.

Day 4 & 5: Cefalù

Cefalù definitely checked all our beach town requirements. With its amazing weather, soft, sandy beach, and lots of non-beach activities.

Sights

• Spiaggia di Cefalù is pretty much the only beach to choose from, stretching along the town, there are several beach clubs where you can rent a deckchair and an umbrella, alternatively, you can take your own things and choose a spot along the beach.
• Many streets in Cefalù are decorated with colorful flower pots, make sure to take the staircases in Via Caracciolo and Scalinata Fiore.
• A must-visit in town is the Duomo di Cefalù, adorned with its golden mosaics and Arab influences.
• Make sure not to miss Rocca di Cefalù, a breathtaking 2-hour hike to the panoramic cliff overlooking Cefalù. Entrance is €5 EUR per person.
• Make sure to check out all the sites on the hike, such as the Temple of Diana and St. Anne’s Church. Also on the cliff sits Castello di Cefalù, offering great panoramic views. For the hike, make sure to take some actual shoes and not flip-flops! We recommend starting the hike at 09:00 am, you don’t want to hike under the Sicilian midday sun.

Where to Eat & Drink

• Foodda: Awesome sandwich shop attached to a supermarket by the beach.
• History Pinsa: Here they serve the traditional pinsa, a rectangular-shaped Roman pizza.
• Golden Bar: Serves thin Italian flatbread, known as piadine.
• Cortile Pepe: Fine dining. 
• Sfrigola Cefalù: Arancini to go and they’re made in front of you.
• Kalapinta Craft Beer: A great selection of artisanal beer.
• Spritzando: Has dozens of fun and tasty spins on the classic Aperol and Limoncello Spritz.

Day 6 & 7: Palermo

Holding the title of “the most conquered city ever”, Palermo, the capital of Sicily is a city rife with history. There is so much interesting cultural heritage to unpack in Palermo and the countryside around it. The most spectacular examples of this would definitely be the Norman churches and cathedrals scattered throughout the city but the history buffet goes on with Roman villas and ruined Greek temples. Top all that off with great nightlife and some of Sicily’s best restaurants and you can enjoy Sicilian culture past and present in this amazing city.

• Cattedrale di Palermo is the heart of the city and a stunning example of Norman architecture.
• Norman Palace & Palatine Chapel to see some of the craziest golden Byzantine-style mosaics in the world.
• Palazzo Chiaramonte Steri lets you have a look at how nobles used to live it up in Palermo.
• The Botanical Gardens make for a great walk in the shade of exotic plants.
• Porta Nuova is the decorated entrance to the city, attached to the Norman Palace.
• Quattro Canti: a beautiful crossroad with 4 cornered fountains and statues.
• Teatro Massimo (can only be visited with a guided tour) is one of the biggest theaters in Europe.
• The Church of San Cataldo and the Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio are next to each other and in the heart of the city. Entrance is €2 EUR per person.
• Fontana Pretoria is one of the most extra fountains in Italy.
• Ballarò market to get some great street food.

Tip: Monreale Cathedral is a 30-minute drive outside of Palermo but it is so worth the short trip, don’t miss this!

Where to Eat & Drink

• Passami ù coppu: Fast food Sicilian street food.
• Caffè del Kassaro: Traditional Sicilian and good prices, try Spaghetti alla Norma, and Caponata. Frequented by locals. 
• Il Cambusone: Closed on Tuesdays, make sure to reserve in advance.
• L ‘Acerba Osteria Dinamica: Located in a nice square, has good prices, and serves a range of local wines. 
• A’nica Ristorante & Pizza Gourmet: Pizzeria.
• Pasticceria Costa: A bakery in town, you can try the typical Sicilian desserts such as cannoli & cassata. 
• BIGA Genio e Farina: Street food pizza.
• Taverna Celso: Bar in a nice lit-up street, Via del Celso.
• Mak Mixology: Cocktail bar.
• Beer & Co: Serves craft beers.
• Ke Palle: To grab arancini on the go!

What we missed

As promised, here is the list of places we missed but that we will definitely get around to visiting next year when we come back to Sicily.

• Taormina is a hilltop town close to Mt. Etna, with a Greek amphitheater with a spectacular view of the volcano. This is also where they filmed the second season of The White Lotus.
• Modica and Noto are two other towns close to Ragusa that are meant to be full of spectacular palazzi and churches.
• Agrigento is home to a treasure trove of excellently preserved Greek temples. Segesta and Selinunte also have very impressive ruins and may work better for your road trip based on their locations.
• Trapani is the heart of Western Sicilian culture and a great coastal city to visit.
• Erice is a spectacular medieval village close to Trapani.
• San Vito lo Capo was the other big contender for the greatest beach town in Sicily. With a dramatic coastline and many coves to choose from.
• Piana degli Albanesi is known as the “Cannoli village” as this is where they originate.
• Petralia Soprana was rated the most beautiful village in Italy in 2018. It’s close to Palermo, so definitely worth the trip out by car.

Where to stay in Sicily?

• Catania: Zahara
• Siracusa: Meridian B&B
• Ragusa: Locanda Don Serafino
• Cefalù: Agrodolce B&B
• Palermo: Le Cupole Decò

Did you Know

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How to get around in Sicily?

Sicily is a large island with incredible scenery, making it a treat to travel through. Despite the semi-long distances, the destinations are worth it.

A car is, by far, the most convenient way to travel, since with a car, you have the flexibility to stop wherever you want and travel at your own pace. Yes, distances can be far, but the stunning landscapes and cute towns are totally worth the road trip!

Alternatively, you can pay to join a tour. In Catania or Palermo, you will find tour agencies offering guided tours. This can be more expensive, but it saves you the hassle and energy of having to drive.

Check out our complete travel guide on how to best spend 4 days in Lake Como