Welcome to Sicily!
A wonderful climate, friendly people, superb food and wine, beautiful beaches, stunning landscapes and a heady mix of cultural attractions, Sicily has the lot.
This beautiful island’s rich and colourful past, colonized by the Greeks, Normans, Romans and Moors, has given rise to an incredible land of contrasts – from the fascinating ‘souks’ of Palermo and the tuna fisheries of Trapani to the majestic Greek temples of Agrigento and the baroque UNESCO treasures of the South East.
Only two and a half hours’ flight from the UK, Sicily truly is the melting pot of the Mediterranean and is its largest island, perfectly nestled between the toe of Italy and the North African coast. Blessed with a fabulous climate, summers are long with temperatures sometimes reaching 25°C as early as March/April and as late as October/November.
Due to its size and fantastic variety of landscapes and regions, Sicily makes for an ideal touring destination. With the exception of the centre of both Palermo and Catania, driving is a pleasant experience and aside from its excellent motorway network many of the roads are relatively quiet.
For either a twin or multi-centre holiday the easiest formula is to pick your car up on arrival at the airport and then drop it on departure at the airport, (we strongly recommend hiring a satellite navigation system).
Here is just one of our tour suggestions, but we will gladly suggest an itinerary tailored to your personal requirements.
The Sicilian Classic Experience
San Vito Lo Capo – Cefalu – Taormina
From the fine white sands of San Vito in the ‘wild west’ with its dramatic mountain scenery and exotic feel, to the soft Mediterranean landscape of Cefalu and Sicily’s verdant North coast.
With mountains on one side, the road hugs the coastline on the other, affording memorable views of the volcanic Aeolian Islands rising from the Mediterranean’s blue yonder like Phoenixes from the ashes!
As you turn Sicily’s North East corner the elegant and stylish resort of Taormina awaits you.
Total driving distance approximately 340 miles.
Suggested hotel accommodation at Hotel Ghibli (San Vito Lo Capo), Hotel Artemis (Cefalu) and Hotel Villa Belvedere (Taormina).
Accommodation
There is a great choice of accommodation on the island.
From sophisticated five-star properties in the stylish and elegant town of Taormina like the San Domenico Palace, a member of the ‘Leading Hotels of the World’, to the fashionable boutique hotel of Principe di Villafranca in Sicily’s colourful and exotic capital Palermo.
The beautiful medieval town of Cefalu boasts a lovely sandy beach and good choice of accommodation, from the three star Hotel Tourist to a number of comfortable four star properties. The authentic fishing town of Castellammare del Golfo captures the essence of the ‘real’ Sicily and offers a small selection of three-star properties like Hotel Al Madarig and Hotel Cala Marina.
On the other side of the bay, the lovely, laid back beach resort of San Vito lo Capo with its crystal clear sea and white sands beckons. Stay at the three star family run Hotel Ghibli with its award-winning restaurant and get a real feel for this area.
Western Sicily is the authentic Sicily and closer to North Africa than it is to the Italian mainland. There are a variety of places to stay, from the five-star Verdura Resort to the four-star Colleverde Park Hotel close to the majestic site of the Valley of the Temples.
A well kept secret, but rapidly appearing on people’s radar thanks to television programmes like ‘Montalbano’, is Sicily’s Baroque South East. Stunningly beautiful towns, breath-taking architecture, gorgeous beaches and food and wine to die for! Stay right in the centre of historical Ortigia at the Algila Ortigia Charme Hotel or in a former baroque palace, the Palazzo Failla, in the stunning town of Modica.
For real relaxation try the Aeolian Islands, a magical and captivating archipelago comprised of no less than eight islands, volcanic in origin, situated between the north east coast of Sicily and the toe of Southern Italy.
Accommodation is offered on the island of Lipari in either the friendly and unpretentious three-star family run Rocce Azzurre or the stylish four-star Hotel Mea.
Sicily offers the more independent traveller an alternative style of ‘agriturismo’ accommodation. These tend to be small, family run establishments ranging from charmingly restored farmhouses (try Masseria Susafa, in a remote countryside setting) to wineries (try Relais Torre Marabino, originally a Saracen tower with many of its original features still visible) or olive oil estates (try Mandranova, a working olive oil farm near Agrigento offering stylishly designed accommodation in an informal atmosphere).
