All the destinations explored by sicile-sicilia.net can be found below.
Agrigento is a city near the southern coast of Sicily, whose origins date back to 581 BC when Akragas was founded by settlers from Gela, located further east along the coast. Perched on a hill at nearly 230 metres above sea level, it offers a broad panorama over the Mediterranean Sea, and it has become […]
The Sicani Mountains are a mountain range in the hinterland of western Sicily, straddling the provinces of Palermo and Agrigento, which had a natural park created in 2010 whose status was revoked in 2018. There are several nature reserves: that of Palazzo Adriano and the Sosio Valley, that of Monte Carcaci, that of Monte Genuardo […]
The Madonie are a mountain range of the Sicilian Apennines in the north of the island, between the Palermo mountains to the west, the Nebrodi mountains to the east and the coastline at their feet to the north.Its highest peak is Pizzo Carbonara at 1,979 metres above sea level, the second highest in Sicily after […]
Cefalù is a small town of about 14,000 inhabitants, and a charming destination in Sicily, located on the Tyrrhenian coast, about 70 km east of Palermo.It captivates with its unique blend of history, nature and dolce vita, often described as one of the most beautiful destinations on the island, combining a Greco-Norman heritage with golden […]
The Gulf of Castellammare extends along the northwestern coast of Sicily, between Capo Rama, near Terrasini, and Capo San Vito, a rocky promontory that marks the entrance to the San Vito Lo Capo peninsula. This stretch of coastline alternates light sandy beaches, limestone cliffs and small coves, with a hinterland dominated by the ridges of […]
Segesta was an ancient Greek city, whose site is renowned notably for two major edifices located on two distinct hills of the archaeological site: the unfinished Doric temple, dating back to the end of the 5th century BC, and the Greek theatre. Historical overview of Segesta On Monte Barbaro, a site that was probably occupied […]
Since time immemorial at the crossroads of civilizations, between East and West, Africa and Europe, Palermo has preserved the imprints of all the cultures that settled there, through language, customs, architecture, and gastronomy. Its thousand-year history, and even more so the atmosphere that prevails there today, contribute to the fascinating charm of this city of […]
The Zingaro Reserve is one of the most beautiful nature reserves in Sicily, stretching along part of the coast of the Gulf of Castellammare in the north-west of the island, for nearly 7 km.It was created in 1981, as the first nature reserve in Sicily, following a citizens’ movement that prevented the construction of a […]
The town of Monreale, a few kilometres south-west of Palermo, is situated on the slope of Mount Caputo. From its position, at nearly 310 metres above sea level, it overlooks the fertile plain “Conca d’oro” (the Golden Shell in English), where orange, olive and almond trees grew for centuries. Seat of an archdiocese, it is […]
12 kilometres south of Mussomeli and near the beautiful Platani valley, the medieval village of Sutera is listed among “the most beautiful villages in Italy”, benefiting in particular from one of the most beautiful landscapes in Sicily, on a hill, at the foot of an enormous limestone rock. A medieval village and one of the […]
About 15 km south of Termini Imerese, a winding road climbs to the village of Caccamo, which preserves medieval remains and whose rocky crag has been fortified since antiquity.It is dominated by its large and superb medieval fortress, enjoying a commanding position over the valley. Caccamo Castle The feudal castle of Caccamo was built in […]
The Scala dei Turchi (“Stair of the Turks” in English) is a rocky cliff overlooking part of the coast near Realmonte, 15 km west of Agrigento.It has become a tourist attraction for its dazzling white color and wavy shapes, also popularized by cinema and novels, including those of the adventures of Inspector Montalbano. Description and […]
The village of Carini stands at the foot of Monte Saraceno, northwest of Palermo, overlooking the urbanized coastal plain of the Gulf of Carini.Monte Saraceno is a strategic relief occupied since protohistory, showing remains of fortifications and indigenous then medieval settlements.The main attractions of Carini are the Chiaramonte Castle (11th-12th century), of Arab-Norman origin, and […]
Itinerary west of Agrigento, starting from Pirandello’s birthplace south of the town, continuing through Porto Empedocle to Seccagrande, following the coastline, passing by the Roman villa of Realmonte, the Scala dei Turchi, Siculiana, the Torre Salsa nature reserve, Capo Bianco and the mouth of the Platani. From Porto Empedocle to Siculiana, passing by the Pirandello […]
An original destination, off the beaten track for international tourists, Bagheria is full of treasures with its many Baroque villas built between the 16th and 19th centuries.It is located about fifteen kilometres east of Palermo, close to the coastline from which it is separated by Mount Catalfano and Cape Zafferano, and neighbouring the remains of […]
The Mount Catalfano and Cape Zafferano Park is a natural area located between Bagheria and the sea, covering 300 hectares with three peaks: Cozzo San Pietro (345 metres above sea level), Mount Catalfano (376 metres above sea level) and Mount Città (230 metres above sea level), where the Punic city of Soluntum was built. Discovering […]
On the south-eastern slopes of Mount Catalfano, which rises to 376 metres, and a few kilometres from the centre of Bagheria, the ancient remains of Solunto occupy a panoramic position facing the sea and Cape Zafferano, about 20 kilometres east of Palermo. Phoenician Kafara In the time of Thucydides, Kafara (meaning village in Phoenician) was […]
Siculiana is a pretty little village 20 km west of Agrigento, set on a promontory overlooking the coastal plain and the Mediterranean Sea. Its origins combine traces of ancient settlement (necropolises and Roman remains along the coast) and above all a medieval evolution marked by the presence of an important fort, which became the current […]
A singular village: Albanian origins and traditions Like a few other Sicilian villages, such as Palazzo Adriano, Piana degli Albanesi has a significant community of Albanian origin, known as Arbëreshë, a population settled in Sicily more than five centuries ago, with the great immigration of the 15th century to flee before the Turkish advance. Piana […]
At the summit of Mount Jato (852 metres), the archaeological site of the ancient city of Laitas (or Laetia) occupies a very beautiful spot overlooking the Iato valley in the municipality of San Cipirello. The urban area covered about 40 hectares, protected on three sides by steep cliffs and on the south-east side by a […]
Termini Imerese, on the coast between Palermo and Cefalù, could be a potential stop during a visit to the region, although it is not very touristy, with a few buildings dating back to Roman times, a pretty viewpoint and an interesting museum that preserves ancient remains from Himera and the Middle Ages.The most interesting sites […]
In the hinterland of Bagheria, not far from Palermo, Cefalà Diana is an interesting stop with its Norman castle and medieval baths (26 km from Bagheria and 32 km from Palermo), also close to the Ficuzza Nature Reserve.This area, served by secondary roads, has had a tradition of transhumance and cereal farming since antiquity and […]
About 50 km from Palermo, the nature reserve covering nearly 7,500 hectares includes several woods such as the Ficuzza woods and the Cappelliere woods, dominated to the south by the limestone massif of Rocca Busambra (1613 metres above sea level). It is a territory rich in water, with several natural and artificial lakes.At the end […]
Campobello di Licata is a small town in the province of Agrigento, in Sicily, founded in the Middle Ages and characterized by its historic centre with Baroque churches and traditional squares. The surrounding area preserves prehistoric and ancient traces, including Bronze Age sites. Ravanusa is located about 5 km from Campobello, and the two municipalities […]
The small island of Ustica, which has largely remained wild, stands out in particular for the quality of its seabeds and its many caves. It is a paradise for divers, protected by Italy’s oldest marine nature reserve. Overview of Ustica Ustica lies off the coast of Sicily, about 65 kilometres north of Palermo and 95 […]
Corleone is associated in the collective imagination with mafia families, having in fact long been a stronghold of bandits, particularly in the 1980s, with the bloodthirsty Toto Riina and Provenzano. This image remains attached to the town because of the Godfather saga by Coppola, despite the residents’ desire to distance themselves from it. In fact, […]
The Sicilian coast east of Palermo stretches along the fairly urbanized gulf up to Monte Catalfano, where there are beautiful sites towards Capo Zafferano and Santa Flavia, with rocky coves and small fishing ports. The coastline then alternates between developed and urbanized areas with some wilder stretches and seaside resorts: the charming small port of […]
In the hinterland of Bagheria, not far from Palermo and Cefalà Diana, the San Nicola waterfalls (25 km from Palermo, 14 km from Bagheria), the village of Marineo (22 km from Bagheria, 30 km from Palermo), or the Ficuzza Nature Reserve, passing through the ruins of the Emir’s Castle in Misilmeri (10 km from Bagheria, […]
The Sicilian coast between Capo Rama and Terrasini extends just east of the Gulf of Castellammare, with a remarkable landscape diversity, combining protected natural areas, accessible coastal zones and small inhabited centres. Capo Rama and nature reserve At the eastern end lies Capo Rama, a rocky promontory classified as an oriented nature reserve, managed by […]
Montelepre is a village in the Palermo hinterland, situated on the first slopes of the hills that overlook the Gulf of Castellammare. Its historic center retains a compact structure of medieval origin, typical of many Sicilian villages.It does not have monumental wonders, but is quite close to several major sites in the region, including the […]
In the hinterland of Licata, Naro is a small town that rises on a promontory at an altitude of 600 metres with a striking panorama over the “Valle del Paradiso” and its surroundings.Its rich heritage bears witness to a very ancient continuity of occupation. Archaeological research indicates a human presence as early as the Neolithic, […]
