Sun-soaked Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and perhaps one of the most charming. From its deep and complex heritage to its striking natural beauty and mouth-watering culinary delights, it has everything you need for the perfect holiday.
Taking a self-guided walking or cycling holiday to explore this island is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in its many delights. Our Senior Product Development Manager, Emily Lockwood, booked a trip to Sicily this April and was utterly captivated by its allure. Below, we share her experiences of the island, the highlights she enjoyed, and her exclusive insights that will help you have the most memorable experience here.
Emily visited the eastern coast of Sicily and described how it has so much to offer, “Beautiful coastline, historic sites in baroque hilltop towns, exquisite cuisine, and an active volcano! The locals are welcoming, the sun is shining, the scenery is wonderful everywhere you go – perfect for an adventure or sightseeing holiday.”
A stand-out attraction during Emily’s holiday to Sicily was her visit to the iconic volcano, Mount Etna. Drawing thousands of visitors each year, it remains the most active stratovolcano in the world, having been in a constant state of activity over the last decade. However, with volcanologists monitoring every detail of Etna’s stirrings, it is considered safe to visit with a professional guide. Choose to hike its winding paths, and you’ll get to see close-up the incredible volcanic landscape with cinder cones, lava flows, and steaming vents or fumaroles.
Emily shared, “Mount Etna is a must-do when visiting Sicily.” She took a guided walk up the volcano, something that is included in both our Sicily: Vino & Volcanoes and Volcanoes of Sicily Walk trip itineraries. “Our walk up Mount Etna was made very memorable by our guide Fabio. He is a local expert who’s incredibly passionate about the area and shared his knowledge on Etna’s volcanic activity and geology. We found this excursion really insightful. I never knew you could ski on Etna and then be sunbathing on the beach within an hour!”
If you’d love to have this experience but are worried about the fitness required, Emily offered some reassurance, “Fabio was excellent at gauging everyone’s walking pace and could adapt to our needs. He also carries extra walking poles should you need them.” However, if you prefer, you can also ascend the volcano by cable car and jeep up to 2900m before joining a guide to reach the summit (conditions allowing) and experience Etna’s humbling magnificence.
Back at sea level, Emily also enjoyed the local wine-tasting tour – another fantastic experience included on our Sicily: Vino & Volcanoes itinerary. “The winery was close to the coast and incredibly windy,” she described, “but we were told this all adds to the harvesting!” This experience starts with a site tour. “The grounds were lovely, and the inside tour of the barrels and huge concrete vats was really informative,” Emily commented. But it was the generosity of the tasting experience that really surprised her, “Not only did we sample six local wines (which were all delicious), we were also treated to homemade bread with local olive oil, local cheeses including my favourite – stracciatella with anchovy, home cooked pasta with a simple tomato sauce, courgette lasagne, and freshly piped cannoli; it really was a treat, and we were stuffed!”
Of course, Sicily is well-known for its delectable food and wine. Emily explained, “Everywhere you go, the food is very simple, yet excellent. It’s so flavourful.” Emily enjoyed sampling many of its local specialities, “We tried all the staples – arancini, granita, pistachio, gelato, and of course lots of pasta and wine!”
When asked about her favourite dish, Emily responded, “One of my favourite meals was in Syracuse at a tiny restaurant called A Putia. Hidden down one of the cobbled alleyways, it was full of locals and had quirky décor. I had a type of pasta I’d never eaten before, served al dente, of course. It was cooked in a pistachio sauce (a speciality in Sicily) with fresh prawns – delicious.” She continued, “Another favourite was the arancini I had, a staple of Sicily. Again, I had the pistachio with melted cheese. It was a perfect snack to enjoy on the Piazza in Taormina, but you can find these everywhere. However, you can’t really go wrong wherever you eat, and you don’t feel guilty after walking or cycling it all off.”
In fact, one of Emily’s favourite days provided just that opportunity as she cycled from Ragusa to Modica, a route provided on our Cycling through Baroque Sicily trip. “We cycled downhill out of the hilltop town Ragusa with beautiful countryside around us. Crossing over a bridge, we climbed up through the greenery (e-bikes were a great help here!). It was a very relaxing ride from there; fellow cyclists happily waved ‘ciao’ as we passed each one.” Emily also reassured us about cycling on the roads in Sicily, “Initially, I was concerned about the cars, but drivers are very cautious. They give you plenty of space with a small beep to let you know they’re there.”
All our guests are provided with a Headwater Navigation app for their trip, which Emily found really handy. She explained, “The navigation app was very useful. We just put it on the front of our bike and turned the volume up. Listening to the directions meant we weren’t staring at our phones or reading notes – we could simply enjoy the ride.” She added, “It guided us expertly all the way into Modica city and to its grand San Giorgio cathedral.”
With our routes and itineraries designed to be accessible for as many people as possible, Emily did not find the cycling or walking overly challenging, “We didn’t require training for the cycle rides or the walk. We used e-bikes, but I don’t think that’s essential.”
Another of the many enticing attractions of Sicily is its remarkable history, with influences from the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans and Spanish over the years. This rich tapestry is reflected in its architecture and archaeological sites, making the island a treasure trove for history enthusiasts. Emily particularly enjoyed soaking up the stories of Sicily’s past when exploring Taormina. “It’s such a unique town with an incredible history. The Greek Theatre was fascinating; it dates back to the 3rd century but is remarkably preserved.”
The views around Taormina are also spectacular, particularly when overlooking the bay with Mount Etna looming in the background. Emily loved taking the cable car down to the beach. “We enjoyed a drink there while watching the sunset,” she described.
Emily also highly recommends extending your stay in Sicily to take in the vibrant city of Catania, Sicily’s second largest. “It completely exceeded my expectations. The city itself is very walkable and friendly and packed full of things to see and do; I wish I’d spent more time here.” Describing some of her highlights here, she shared, “The farmers’ market is an unforgettable experience with so much colour and noise. The prices are low, and the produce is fresh – we had the best strawberries we’ve ever had here! Then there are the views of Etna from the gardens in the city. They are fabulous! There are great flea markets to explore as well as many churches to visit.”
Our self-guided walking and cycling trips to Sicily are hotel-to-hotel holidays, meaning you can follow our detailed route directions to get from one hotel to the next. Your luggage is transported, so you can travel light, and you usually get a ‘rest day’ to spend more time relaxing in a local destination. Emily particularly enjoyed her stay at the Hotel San Giorgio in Modica. “It had an excellent location in the city centre, right opposite the stunning San Giorgio cathedral. Our rooms had a large balcony with the most incredible view of the front of the cathedral to our left and overlooking the city to our right – this was especially beautiful at night when it was lit up!”
Visiting in mid-April, Emily said the weather was perfect for walking and cycling, “warm with a breeze but not too hot.” This time of year was also a lot quieter than Emily had imagined, benefiting from fewer visitors than during the height of summer. September is also a great time to visit Sicily, as the climate is similar. Emily commented that this time is also when they harvest the grapes for Etna wine.
So, looking back on her experiences, how did Emily evaluate her trip to this glorious Mediterranean island? “We did so much within a short period of time that gave us a real insight into Sicilian life. It was great to see the iconic tourist sites like Mount Etna and Taormina, but the lesser-visited baroque towns of Ragusa Ibla and Modica offered a different perspective to the region, too.” In fact, Emily was so taken with Sicily that she’s considering a return visit at some point, “I can’t wait to go back,” she said. “I’d love to visit the same places all over again, spending more time in each one. But I’m also excited to visit the west coast of Sicily; I hear Palermo may give Catania a run for its money!”
If Emily’s experiences have persuaded you to consider a holiday in sunny Sicily, please head over to our Active Holidays in Sicily page to learn more about our itineraries.
