Sicily

Is 7 days enough for Sicily?

For a first visit, yes, but only if you stay east. Sicily is one island with two personalities. Palermo and the west deserve their own 7 days. This itinerary covers Catania, Siracusa, the Val di Noto, Mount Etna, Taormina, and a short hop to the Aeolian Islands. You will move every 2 to 3 nights. That is fine. Summer 2026 will be hot. Start early, rest at noon, and go out again at 17:00.

Day 1: Catania, Arrival and a Baroque Evening

Morning: Land at Catania Fontanarossa airport. Take the Alibus (4 EUR, 20 minutes) to Piazza Giovanni XXIII. Drop bags at your hotel. Walk to Piazza del Duomo. See the elephant fountain (symbol of the city). The cathedral is free. Inside, look for the tombs of Sicilian kings.

Afternoon (12:00 to 13:30): Eat lunch at a friggitoria near Via dei Crociferi. Try arancini al ragù (2 EUR each). Skip the tourist traps around Piazza Duomo. Walk Via Etnea for 15 minutes to the Roman Amphitheatre (6 EUR entry, 20 minutes visit). It is half-buried under modern buildings. Odd but worth it.

Afternoon rest (13:30 to 17:00): It is 35°C in July. Go back to your room. Use the air conditioning.

Evening (17:30 to 20:00): Visit the Via dei Crociferi, Catania’s most beautiful street. Four baroque churches in 300 meters. Enter San Giuliano (free). Then walk up to the Benedictine Monastery (now a university). The cloisters are open to the public (free entry, until 19:00).

Dinner (20:30): Book a table at Osteria Antica Marina (Via Pardo 29). Try pasta con le sarde (15 EUR). Cash only. No credit cards. Walk back along Via Dusmet, past the fish market closed but still smelling of the sea.

Day cost: ~35 EUR per person (meals, transport, entry).

Day 2: Siracusa, Ortigia and the Archaeological Park

Morning (08:30 to 09:15): Take the AST bus from Catania’s bus station (7 EUR one way, hourly). Arrive at Siracusa bus terminal. Walk to Ortigia (15 minutes).

Morning (09:30 to 12:00): Start at the Temple of Apollo (free, roadside). Walk to Piazza del Duomo. The cathedral incorporates a Greek temple. Entry 2 EUR. Then go to the Fountain of Arethusa. Legend says the nymph turned into a spring. It has papyrus plants growing there.

Lunch (12:00 to 13:00): Grab a pane e panelle (fried chickpea sandwich, 3.50 EUR) from a kiosk at Piazza Pancali. Eat sitting on the sea wall.

Afternoon (13:30 to 16:30): Take a city bus (1.50 EUR) to the Neapolis Archaeological Park. Entry 13 EUR. See the Greek Theatre (5th century BC), the Roman amphitheatre, and the Ear of Dionysius (a cave with crazy acoustics). Avoid the stone seats at 14:00. They are hot enough to burn your legs.

Evening (17:00 to 18:00): Bus back to Catania. Rest.

Dinner (20:00): At Catania, go to Trattoria del Fico (Via Santa Filomena 12). Order horse meat stew (10 EUR). It is a local specialty. Don’t be squeamish. Sicilians have eaten it for centuries.

Day cost: ~35 EUR.

Day 3: Val di Noto, Noto, Modica, Ragusa (Long Day)

Morning (07:00 to 08:00): Take the early Interbus from Catania to Noto (6 EUR, 1 hour 15 minutes). Noto’s cathedral faces a long ramp. The gold light hits the facade at 09:00. Take a photo then. Walk Via Nicolaci. The palace balconies have grotesque masks. Entry to Palazzo Nicolaci is 6 EUR. Skip the inside. The outside is better.

Mid-morning (09:30 to 10:30): Bus from Noto to Modica (3 EUR, 40 minutes). Modica is two towns stacked. The lower town is flat. The upper town clings to the hill. Visit the Duomo di San Giorgio. Climb the 50 steps for the view. Buy chocolate at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto (Via Cartara 19). A 200g bar costs 8 EUR. It is grainy, not creamy. That is authentic.

Lunch (12:00 to 13:00): Modica, Osteria dei Sapori Perduti (Via Risorgimento 6). Pasta alla Norma (12 EUR). Cash only.

Afternoon (13:30 to 15:30): Bus from Modica to Ragusa Ibla (3 EUR, 25 minutes). Walk down the 200 steps from Ragusa Superiore. The Duomo di San Giorgio (free) sits at the bottom of a staircase that looks like a wedding cake. Walk the whole effect. Then get a granita (2.50 EUR) at Bar San Giorgio. The almond flavor is best.

Late afternoon (15:30 to 16:30): Bus back to Catania (direct bus, 7.50 EUR, 1 hour 40 minutes). You will be tired. This day is intense.

Dinner (19:30): Keep it simple. Pizza at Pizzeria Fratelli La Porta (Via Grotte 5). Margherita 6 EUR. Eat at the counter.

Day cost: ~45 EUR (includes all bus transfers).

Day 4: Mount Etna, The Volcano Half-Day

Morning (07:30 to 09:30): Bus from Catania to Etna South (AST line, 6.60 EUR round trip). Departure from Piazza Giovanni XXIII. The bus goes up to 1900 meters (Rifugio Sapienza). Trip takes 2 hours.

Late morning (09:30 to 12:30): At Rifugio Sapienza, you have two options. Option A: Take the cable car (30 EUR round trip) to 2500 meters, then a 4x4 bus (30 EUR) to 2900 meters. Total 60 EUR. Option B: Walk the craters near Rifugio Sapienza (free). The small black cones are from 2002. I recommend Option B for normal fitness. You see real lava flows and save money. Option A is for the high-altitude lunar landscape but requires booking online at least 1 day ahead (funiviaetna.com).

Lunch (13:00): Back at Rifugio Sapienza. Eat a plate of grilled sausage with bread and a beer (12 EUR). Clouds roll in around 14:00.

Afternoon (14:30): Bus back to Catania (14:30 departure, check the return schedule at the bus stop the morning of).

Evening (18:00): Catania fish market (La Pescheria, open until 20:00). Buy a cone of fried calamari (5 EUR). Walk the streets of the old town.

Dinner (20:00): Self-cater if your room has a kitchen. Buy fresh swordfish at the market (12 EUR per kilo) and grill it. Otherwise, go to Trattoria di De Francesca (Via di San Giuseppe 15). Pasta al nero di seppia (13 EUR).

Day cost: ~35 EUR (with free walking) or ~95 EUR (with cable car).

Day 5: Taormina and Isola Bella

Morning (07:00 to 08:30): Train from Catania Centrale to Taormina-Giardini station (regional train, 6.50 EUR, 40 minutes). The train runs along the coast. Sit on the right side for sea views. From the station, take the cable car (3 EUR one way) up to Taormina town.

Morning (09:00 to 11:30): Visit the Greek Theatre (entry 10 EUR). The stage faces Mount Etna and the sea. Arrive by 09:30 to avoid crowds. Stay 45 minutes. Then walk Corso Umberto, the main street. At number 141, buy a cannolo at Pasticceria D'Amore (2.50 EUR). The ricotta is fresh.

Lunch (12:00 to 13:00): Osteria Nero d'Avola (Via S. Domenico 2b). Try the caponata (9 EUR). Book one day ahead during summer.

Afternoon (13:30 to 16:00): Cable car down to Giardini Naxos. Walk to Isola Bella, the tiny island beach. Entry to the beach is free. The water is clear. Swim there, not at the crowded public beach of Giardini. Bring water shoes. The stones are sharp.

Late afternoon (16:30): Train back to Catania.

Dinner (19:30): Catania, via Santa Filomena. Street food walk. Start with a cipollina (puff pastry with onion and tomato, 2 EUR) at Savia (Via Etnea 322). End with a brioche with gelato (3.50 EUR) at L'Isola del Gelato.

Day cost: ~40 EUR.

Day 6: Aeolian Islands, Lipari or Stromboli

Morning (05:30 to 09:30): This day starts early. Take the 06:00 bus from Catania to Milazzo (bus from Via D'Amico, 8 EUR, 2 hours). Then the hydrofoil from Milazzo to Lipari (23 EUR, 1 hour). Buy tickets at the port kiosk. Do not buy round trip online. The return time is unpredictable.

Mid-morning to afternoon (10:00 to 16:00): Lipari is the main island. Walk from the port to the castle (free entry to the park). See the archaeological museum (6 EUR). Then take a local bus to Canneto beach (1.50 EUR). Swim.

Lunch (13:00): At Canneto, Ristorante Eoliano. Spaghetti with bottarga (14 EUR).

Alternative (more active): Instead of Lipari, take a guided boat tour to Stromboli (from Milazzo, 80 EUR per person, 08:00 to 18:00, includes lunch and a hike to the crater at sunset). You need to book the Stromboli tour 2 weeks ahead in July. Then you skip Lipari entirely. This is better if you want the volcano experience.

Late afternoon (16:30 to 18:30): Hydrofoil back to Milazzo. Bus to Catania.

Dinner (20:30): You will be exhausted. Eat a slice of sfincione (Sicilian pizza, 2.50 EUR) at bakery Pasticceria Spinella (Via Etnea 300). Go to bed early.

Day cost: ~60 EUR (Lipari) or ~110 EUR (Stromboli tour).

Day 7: Relax, Catania Markets and Departure

Morning (08:00 to 11:00): Visit La Pescheria again while it is working. The fish market is loud, wet, and real. Fishermen chop tuna on marble slabs. You can buy dried oregano in 1 EUR bags. Walk up to Via Etnea for last souvenir shopping. Do not buy from the street vendors near Piazza Duomo. They sell Chinese-made puppets pretending to be Sicilian.

Late morning (11:30): Check out of your room. Store bags at the left luggage in Catania Centrale (6 EUR per bag for 5 hours).

Lunch (12:30): One last arancino. Do it at Pasticceria Savia. The burrata and pistachio flavor (3 EUR) is the 2026 hit.

Afternoon (14:00): Bus to the airport. Flight home.

Day cost: ~20 EUR.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Catania city center (Via Etnea or Piazza Università): Best base for all days. You sleep here 5 out of 7 nights. Typical price 80 to 120 EUR per night in July 2026 for a double room. Look for a room with air conditioning and windows that face an interior courtyard (quieter).

Siracusa (Ortigia): Optional upgrade for nights 2 and 3. You skip the Catania-Catania commute. But you pay more (120 to 180 EUR per night) and the bus connections to Etna are worse. I recommend staying in Catania.

Taormina (town center): Do not stay here unless you have a big budget (200 EUR per night). Not worth it for one night.

Practical tips

Transport pass: No single pass covers Sicily. Buy individual tickets. The AST bus from Catania airport (4 EUR) is cheaper than the Alibus if you buy at the tobacco shop. Trains are slow but air conditioned. Buses are faster but can be late.

Pre-book these: The Etna cable car (funiviaetna.com at least 1 day in advance). Stromboli boat tour if you choose it (2 weeks ahead). Dinner at Osteria Nero d'Avola in Taormina (1 day ahead). August is worse. July is busy but manageable.

Mistakes to avoid: Do not try to see Agrigento in 7 days. It is 3 hours west. Save it for another trip. Do not rent a car in July. Parking costs 20 EUR per day and you will get stuck in traffic. Do not eat at restaurants with plastic menus in multiple languages. They charge 5 EUR for water.

Scam alert: In Catania, men near the Duomo offer to put a rose in your hand. They then demand 10 EUR. Say no loudly. Walk away.

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