Sicily tourist guide to help you find the best travel information about Sicily and plan your next vacation The island is one of the most popular travel destination in Italy. A tour around Sicily offers you different types of experiences and emotions. You'll visit beaches, volcanoes, mount sicily, natural parks and a millenary history across Phoenician settlements, Punic cities, Roman amphitheaters, Greek temples, Norman castles and Aragonese churches. How to find the best accommodations in Sicily? Top 
For your holidays you can choose between a great selection of Sicily accommodation services such as Hotels, Bed and Breakfast, Camping, Farm, Villas, Appartments and Resorts. You can choose in base of your preference, what type of activities you wish to practice, what places to visit and when you plan your vacation. Generally on summer beaches in sicily for a vacation i suggest you to choose an appartment, a camping or a villa on the coast. For a cultural visit around the major cities i suggest you to choose a Bed and Breakfast or an hotel.
If you prefer to practice a winter vacation you can choose a Chalet or Resort on Mount Etna. For a relaxing holiday Sicily all you need is a beauty farm just under the Etna slopes or in Acireale in its famous centers. The general rule is to choose an accommodation placed in a central point near the places you planned to visit. So you don't need to stay in too much different accommodations. You can find more information on a map where are signed the attractions to visit and the location of the accommodation. Find your hotel reservation in Catania / Look for discount hotels in Taormina / Read the accommodations in the ionic coast of Sicily Where is Sicily? Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean sea, between Africa, the south of Italy and Greece. Top How to arrive there? Top The easiest way to reach Sicily is by airplane. There are two airport in the main cities in Sicily, Palermo (Falcone Borsellino) in the west and Catania (Fontanarossa) in the est. Flights to and from Italy and other parts of Europe are very frequent. There is an airoport in Trapani (Vincenzo Florio) that is used only by Airone Company and charters. The Strait of Messina can be crossed by train. The trainline connect Milan, Rome and Naples to Messina, Catania, Siracursa e Palermo. The lines Milan-Rome and Milan-Naples are operated by Eurostar; from Rome and Naples by Intercity. For more information and schedules, visit the official web site of Treni Italia. Ferries connect Sicily to mainland Italy, Sardinia, Malta, Tunisia, and Egypt. Ferryboats connect Messina to Reggio di Calabria and/or Villa San Giovanni. Transportation takes from 25 to 45 minutes to cross the Strait. Fore more information visit the section of ferry bookings Sicily can be also easily reached by bus or car. To reach Sicily by car you need to cross the sea by ferry boat. Just park you car in the ferryboat and cross the sea. The Strait of Messina can be crossed by bus as the cars. You can have a look on this complete list of resources about "How to Arrive and move around the Island" What to know before a visit? Top - Time to visit: There is not a best time to visit Sicily, you can visit it all the year. There are different types of Sicily Italy vacation you can choose...for example if you like Skiing you can go on Mount Etna from November to February; If you like adventure and discovery the best time to visit is from March to October; For beach lover the best time is from June to September.
- Wheather conditions: For detailed wheather conditions visit this link (link)
- Passport & Visa: Foreign nationality tourists must have proper documents (passport, travel or identity document) required for entry into Italian territory if they wish to enter in Sicily and stay there for a period not exceeding three months.
- Language: Italian is the official language. However, English is widely understood.
- Time Zone: Six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time.
- Credit Cards: All major credit cards are accepted.
- Currency: The Italy's official currency is Euro. It is based on the decimal system. The Euro sign is €.
- Money Exchange: You can change money at the hotel or at the nearest banks, from 9:00AM to 1:30PM and 3:00PM to 4:00PM - Closed on Week end and national holidays.
- Voltage: The electric current in the hotels is 220 volts, 50 cycles. To convert local power to U.S. standard you'll need a transformer. For plugs you'll need an adapter.
- Shopping: Shopping hours are from 9:00AM to 1:00PM and from 5:00PM to 8:00PM from Monday through Saturday. Businesses are closed on Monday mornings and Sundays.
- Telephone: To call outside Italy you can use a calling card codes from any pay phone or hotel. The country code for Italy is +39.
How can i get around Sicily? TopThe major cities and any small villages of Sicily are well connected by Buses or trains. The principal train route connect Palermo-Messina-Catania-Siracuse. If you are not an Italian resident, you can purchase a Trenitalia Pass. It is an offer allowing travel in Sicily in first or second class on all Trenitalia trains in Italy for either 4-10 consecutive days or for non-consecutive days in a 2-month period. To move around the etnean territory you can use the Circumetnea railroad that stop at many small towns in sicily around Catania and Taormina. Moreover in the Airport there are a lot of bus services to several locations in Sicily. The islands of Lampedusa and Pantelleria are quickly reached by plane from Palermo and Trapani. Ustica, the Aeolian Islands and Egadis are easily reached by boat and hydrofoil. Traveling by car or motorcycle is probably the most convenient way. To hire a car the U.S. and Canadian travellers need an international driver's license. To apply for an International Driver's License, visit any AAA branch.
Things to remember: Sicily uses international road signs, you have to drive on the right and passing on the left. The speed limit is 50kmh (30 mph) in Cities, 90kmh (56 mph) outside the cities, 80Kmh (130kmph) in the highways. To reach the main cities of Sicily there are 3 different highways: The A18 highway that connects Messina with Catania, The A19 that connects Palermo with Catania, the A20 the connects Messina with Palermo and the A29 goes from Palermo to the main city of the western coast, Trapani. In case of emergency you can call to ACI number (tel. 803-116) you must pay a minimum of € 95 ($112). To rent a car, a driver must have a valid driver's license, and a valid ID or passport if not an EU citizen. The price can vary greatly depending on the vehicle, the average rental on the island costs € 50 (about $56) per day. There are two type of Bus that link towns and villages: linee urbane within a city or small centers and linee extraurbane that connect towns and villages through major roads or highways. The major bus company is AST (Azienda Siciliana Transporti), linking the main Sicilian towns of Palermo, Messina, Catania, Trapani and Modica. Giuntabus offers service from Messina to Milazzo and Catania Airport to Messina and Milazzo. Etna Trasporti (tel. 095-530396) travels between Catania and Piazza Armerina and between Catania and Taormina. You can buy tickets before boarding or at booths, tobacco shops (tabacchi), or newspaper kiosks. If you think to take a Taxi, consider that rates are generally pricey. A simple course can cost to 25€ like medium rate. Taxis are found at all airport arrival terminals. Most Sicilian cities have bike-rental firms. Rentals in cities start at about € 8 ($10) a day or € 30 ($36) a week. What about Sicilian Festivals and Events? Top 
There are a lot of events and festivals, the most known are:
-In February 5 St. Agatha's Feast, a two days of procession, said to be the second largest religious procession in the world. -There are also other religious festivities in the little villages of the island.
Among the cultural manifestation the most important is the Carnival, 40 days before Easter, especially in Taormina, Acireale and Adrano.
-Sagre and food festivals are very important, the most important are: The Almond -Blossom Festival in Agrigento, the Pistacchio nut festival at Bronte, The Chestnut Tree festival at Trecastagni and the Euro Chocolate at Modica.
-During the summer, Taormina's Greek Theater holds theater, opera, movie, and music performances. Siracusa holds its famous puppet shows in the Teatro dell'opera dei Pupi. Can i taste the Sicily? Top 
Sicily is famous for its pastries, especially its Easter and Christmas desserts. Wine is another well know product of Sicily with its variations like Marsala, Passito di Pantelleria, The Nero D'Avola and the most important the Etna Red. Seafood and fresh fish are also important products to taste. Sweets like Cannoli, Cassata, Marzapane and chocolate are the greatest Sicilian sweets coming from the tradition. Citrus fruits and almonds are used in much of Sicily's cuisine. Pasta with eggplant is common. In the sicilian cuisine you can feel an influence of Arabs domination. More info on Sicily wine tours here What are the best tourist attractions? Top 
Here a list of the most important attractions to visit: - Agrigento, on the southwest coast, and its complex of Greek temples, the Valley of the Temples, the medieval center with Arab and Norman influences.
- Cefalu, seaside town east of Palermo, with its beautiful beaches and scenery, museums, historical monuments, the cathedral and the Temple of Diana.
- Enna, 1000 meters high, a fortress town with ruins of a 13th century castle.
- Erice, a little medieval town perched atop a mountain with impressive views.
- Mount Etna, the tallest volcano in Europe and the second most active in the world, with walking paths with good views for great Mt. Etna excursions
- Marsala, the heart of wine-production, where can be visited a Roman archaeological site
- Palermo, the capital of Sicily, with a fascinating central market and many historic monuments.
- Segesta with some excellent ruins.
- Siracusa, on the southeast coast, with its classical ruins and a Greek theater.
- Taormina, the most important attractive holiday resort, with a beautiful Greek theater still used for summer performances. Lying on the slopes of Mt. Tauro, it has great views of the coast and Mt. Etna.
- The Alcantara Gorges , a river that flows on a lava flow under the Etna
- The Nebrodi Park, a natural reserve full of forests, lakes and rivers between Catania and Messina
- The Aeolian islands, 7 little island of Volcanic origin, with Panarea, Lipari and the volcano Stromboli
- Catania, the second most important city in Sicily, is a mix of historical evidences from the Romans to Normans domination and famous churches and museums
What is the best beach? Top 
- Mondello Lido (Mondello), where the citizens of Palermo pass the summer days. Its wide, sandy beaches extend for 2km (1 1/4 miles) from Monte Pellegrino to Monte Gallo.
- Mortelle, the best sands in northeast Sicily, where the Messina citizens go for summer vacations. The resort lies 12km (7 1/2 miles) north of Messina at the northeast tip of the island.
- Spiaggia Sabbie Nere (Vulcano), this is a unique of a kind "Black Sands Beach" is the finest in the Aeolian islands.
- Lido Mazzarò (Taormina), the best-equipped beach in Sicily, is a sea-bordering strip of sand. A 15-minute cable-car ride down from the medieval town of Taormina.
- Naxos beach Sicily, on the waterfront near Taormina, is one of the most sophisticated seaside resorts of Sicily. The beach lies between Capo Taormina in the northwest and Capo Schisò in the south.
- Marina di Ragusa, on the southeastern Sicily, is quite an appealing area near the city of Ragusa.
- Catania's beaches. Catania has an unique carateristic: Here you can find three different type of beaches, the San Giovanni Licuti beach in black lava cinder sable; the Scogliera, a reef formed by the eruptions of the Etna and the Playa, a yellow sable beach in the easter part of the city that goes to Siracusa.
What to see in a typical restaurant menu? Top
While travelling across Sicily it's easy to find good Sicilian restaurants to taste the recipes of the tradition. To be sure to taste all best recipes when you go into a restaurant try: - Pasta (Very good the Norma, Pasta cu li sardi, Al Pistacchio, With Ricotta cheese, Ca muddica, and much more...)
- Meats (Salsiccia, Horse's meat, Involtini, etc...) or Seafood (Polpo, Cozze, Swordfish, etc...)
- Don't forget wine...
- Sweets (Cannoli, Cassata and more...)
- For lunch i suggest you to try the Sicilian Pizza with Mozzarella and tomatoes and the Zubbibbo, a different type of wine similar to Marsala
What are the best activity to practice? Top 
There are different type of activities to practice like Sicily trips for a sightseeing tour of the best monuments, places and cities. If you don't like escorted tour Sicily, you can find a travel guide book or download our pdf and read the most important information about how to reach the place, what to see, when visit, what to pack, pictures and the description of the attractions. For most active visitors Sicily can offer: - Trekking tour around Mount Etna
- The Aeolian islands
- Natural parks and little islands
- Biking tour to discover the ancient ruins around Siracusa
- WInter sport on Mount Etna
- Birdwatching on the Lakes up on Mount Etna and Nebrodi park
- Horseback riding around the territory of the Volcano
- Excursions on the summit crater of the Stromboli volcano
- Scuba Diving in Acitrezza
What i need to travel in the island? Top During your trips to Sicily, when building your baggage don't forget:
Beach wear, sunglasses, i-pode, sun visor, sun cream, umbrella, jackets and Cardigans, comfort shoes, shorts, t shirts, gloves, sandals, passport, visa, voltage conversion kit (for U.S and Canadian), foreing currency, toilet accessories, suite case and make up. For other detailed info on Accommodation, tips, mount etna in sicily , wheather, rentals flights ecc...
|
Travel tips for Sicily 
