Choose from 68 Fun Things to Do in Sicily
ShowingFilter 61-68 of 68 listings.
Acireale
In addition to larger and more famous cities and towns on Sicily's eastern coast - like Catania, Taormina, and Syracuse - there are several notable towns that may not be on your radar but are excellent bases for exploring the area. One of these cities is Acireale, which sits at the base of Mount Etna, not far from Catania.
Attractions in Acireale include a number of beautiful churches (one of which is in the famous Sicilian Baroque style) and several public parks and gardens. One of the parks overlooks the sea, giving visitors the lovely combination of being surrounded by a nature reserve and having glorious views of the water.
Acireale is a mid-sized city, but compared to nearby popular destinations like Taormina it may feel a bit further away from the tourist crowds, even in the summer. The time when Acireale will feel like the entire planet has arrived is during the city's annual Carnival celebrations.
Carnival - or "Carnevale" in Italian - occurs each year right before Lent. The exact dates change every year, but it usually happens during mid-to-late February or early March. You've probably heard of the elaborate costumes of the Venice Carnival, but Acireale's contributions to the Carnival season are larger than life: floats adorned with enormous and colorful allegorical characters parade through the city. There are often more than 10 days of festivities, including parades for children in costume, musical performances and fireworks.
The Carnival parades have proved so popular that Acireale stages "summer carnival parades," too, so check the schedule of events for the time when you'll be visiting the area.
Attractions in Acireale include a number of beautiful churches (one of which is in the famous Sicilian Baroque style) and several public parks and gardens. One of the parks overlooks the sea, giving visitors the lovely combination of being surrounded by a nature reserve and having glorious views of the water.
Acireale is a mid-sized city, but compared to nearby popular destinations like Taormina it may feel a bit further away from the tourist crowds, even in the summer. The time when Acireale will feel like the entire planet has arrived is during the city's annual Carnival celebrations.
Carnival - or "Carnevale" in Italian - occurs each year right before Lent. The exact dates change every year, but it usually happens during mid-to-late February or early March. You've probably heard of the elaborate costumes of the Venice Carnival, but Acireale's contributions to the Carnival season are larger than life: floats adorned with enormous and colorful allegorical characters parade through the city. There are often more than 10 days of festivities, including parades for children in costume, musical performances and fireworks.
The Carnival parades have proved so popular that Acireale stages "summer carnival parades," too, so check the schedule of events for the time when you'll be visiting the area.
Address: Sicily, Italy, Italy
From $ 116
La Zisa
La Zisa is yet another remnant of Moorish reign in Sicily. The Norman castle was built in the 12th century, and it's worth a visit although the interior has long since been cleared of its original decoration.
The palace of La Zisa was originally designed as part of an extensive park that served as a royal summer retreat. The grounds were stocked with wild animals (and fenced), giving the royals something to hunt. The park, known as the Genoard, also included another Norman-era palace that still stands in Palermo, La Cuba.
There were architectural alterations made in the 14th century, and by the 16th century the building had fallen into disrepair - it was even being used to store items contaminated with the plague. In the 1970s, city officials in Palermo acquired and began to restore La Zisa, a project that took more than 20 years. Today, the palace houses a Museum of Islamic Art on the second floor. The most impressive room is called the "Fountain Room," a two-storey chamber into which you enter from the main doors, which contains some of its original Moorish decorations.
The palace of La Zisa was originally designed as part of an extensive park that served as a royal summer retreat. The grounds were stocked with wild animals (and fenced), giving the royals something to hunt. The park, known as the Genoard, also included another Norman-era palace that still stands in Palermo, La Cuba.
There were architectural alterations made in the 14th century, and by the 16th century the building had fallen into disrepair - it was even being used to store items contaminated with the plague. In the 1970s, city officials in Palermo acquired and began to restore La Zisa, a project that took more than 20 years. Today, the palace houses a Museum of Islamic Art on the second floor. The most impressive room is called the "Fountain Room," a two-storey chamber into which you enter from the main doors, which contains some of its original Moorish decorations.
Practical Info
La Zisa and its adjacent garden are open daily, with hours varying from weekdays to weekends.
Address: Piazza Zisa, Palermo, 90135, Italy
Hours: Sun-Mon 9am-1:30pm, Tue-Sat 9am-7pm
From $ 10
Lido Mazzarò
Taormina is one of Sicily's most popular beach resort towns, but the town itself is high above the water. The closest beaches are in the Mazzaro area, just below Taormina.
The Lido Mazzaro is a beautiful stretch of beach between two rocky promontories. The famous Isola Bella is on one side of the bay - you can walk to the tiny island at low tide via a sand bar, which gets covered at high tide. On the other side of the bay is a sea cave called the Grotta Azzurra - Blue Cave - in which the water glows in the sunlight.
Like many beaches in the area, Mazzaro is a pebbly beach rather than sandy. Its proximity to Taormina makes it among the most popular beaches along this stretch of the Sicilian coastline, and there are parts of the Lido Mazzaro that are free as well as others for which visitors pay a daily fee to get access to an already-set up beach chair and umbrella.
Those who aren't spending a whole day at the beach can still enjoy the sights and sun of Lido Mazzaro. There are several boat tours along the Taormina coastline that include this pretty beach as well as interesting geologic formations such as the Grotta Azzurra.
Practical Info
One of the things that makes Lido Mazzaro so popular among people staying in Taormina is access. The cable car connects central Taormina with the beach easily - it's a 15-minute ride one-way.
Address: Mazzaro, Sicily 98039, Italy
From $ 359
Palazzo Chiaramonte-Steri
The imposing Palazzo Chiaramonte-Steri sits at one side of the Piazza Marina, today home to the administrative offices of the University of Palermo, was once a fortified private home.
The palace was built in 1307 as the private home of the Chiaramonte family. The most notable interior decorations, however, were added later in the 14th century. In particular, the Grand Hall has a huge painted wooden ceiling. The scenes captured by artists include some Biblical stories, some from mythology, and others.
After the palace was no longer a private home, it was used as a prison by the Spanish Inquisition (there are small cells with anguished graffiti on the walls), and later as Palermo's courthouse. Today, part of the palace is where the city's university is headquartered, though much of the building is also a popular attraction for visitors.
Practical Info
In addition to the gruesome sights in the palace related to the Spanish Inquisition, there is also an art collection worth seeing. The best-known piece in the collection is a painting called, "La Vucciria," after the bustling Palermo market, by Sicilian painter Renato Guttuso.
Address: Piazza Marina 61, Palermo, Sicily 90133, Italy
Hours: Tue-Sun 10am-7pm
Admission: €8 adults, €5 adults over 65/children ages 10-17, children under 10 FREE
From $ 23
Piazza Duomo
The city's most memorable architectural and navigational landmark, Piazza Duomo is the buzzing center of downtown Catania and a strategic starting point for walking tours of the city. The UNESCO-listed square is encircled with grand buildings, the creative vision of local architect Vaccarini and a prime example of the acclaimed Sicilian Baroque style.
Dominating the northern edge of the piazza is the ornate Palazzo Degli Elefanti, now housing the City Hall, while the palatial Cathedral of Sant'Agata looms to the east, flanked by the elegant Bishop's Palace and the arched walkway of the Porta Uzeda. At the center of the square is Duomo's star attraction - Giovanni Battista's Fontana dell'Elefante, a monumental fountain crowned by the city's emblem - a statue of an elephant carrying an obelisk, sculpted from volcanic rock and dating back to 1736.
Practical Info
Piazza Duomo is located in the center of downtown Catania, at the meeting point of major boulevards Via Etnea, Via Garibaldi and Via Vittorio Emanuele II.
Address: Catania, Italy
From $ 48
Ballarò Street Market (Mercato Ballarò)
If you are looking to immerse yourself in the local culture of Palermo, the Ballarò Street Market is the place to go. As the city's oldest street market and one of the most vibrant markets in Europe, Ballarò also provides a glimpse into Palermo's past as a major commercial center and port.
The Basics
Said to be more than 1,000 years old, the market winds through the narrow medieval streets surrounding Piazza Carmine in the Albergheria, one of the five Norman quarters in the center of Palermo. While it is primarily a food market specializing in fresh produce, fish and meat, and local specialties, it is also a great place to buy inexpensive clothing and other goods.
Listen for street vendors speaking a local dialect similar to Arabic"”the name Ballarò comes from Bahlara, a town outside Palermo where Arab merchants historically made their home. And, sample some of Sicily's famous street food while you stroll through this colorful market as part of a Palermo walking tour or bike tour.
Things to Know Before You Go
- As with any busy outdoor market in Italy, pickpockets can be a problem in the Ballarò, so be vigilant.
- Be sure to bring your camera, as the colorful stalls (and charismatic vendors) in the Ballarò make for fantastic photos.
- Market tours through the Ballarò Market are on foot, so wear comfortable shoes and a sun hat.
- There is limited space filled with crowds of shoppers between the market stalls, so Ballarò is not recommended for wheelchairs or strollers.
How to Get There
The Ballarò Market occupies the streets from Piazza Casa Professa past the Church of San Nicolò toward Corso Tukory, about a 10-minute walk from the main train station in Palermo.
When to Get There
The Ballarò Market is open daily from 7am to 7pm, but it is especially lively on Saturdays and Sundays when the weekly flea market is also open and food stands prepare traditional street food from Palermo.
Palermo's Many Markets
Palermo has a number of landmark outdoor markets in the city center famous for their lively and authentic atmosphere. Aside from the Ballarò, the most famous are the Vucciria Market and the Capo Market.
Address: Via Ballaro, Palermo, Italy
From $ 32
Cefalù Cathedral (Duomo)
Though the giant, craggy La Rocca may dominate the Cefalù skyline, the Cefalù Cathedral competes for that attention. The Norman-style church was constructed starting in 1131, prompted "” according to legend "” by Roger II, who, during a shipwreck at sea, promised God that if he survived, that he'd construct a church right in this very place. Today's cathedral is noted for its fortress-like exterior, and for its interior mosaics, particularly the lavish Christ Pantokrator mosaic.
The grand mosaic is complemented by a relatively humble interior, which makes the contrast all the more striking. Almost just as important as seeing the inside of the church is experiencing it from the outside from the palm tree-filled plaza. It's the perfect place to grab pizza, coffee or an ice cream "” you might pay a premium for it, but the splendid views and free cathedral-entry more than make up for it.
Practical Info
While entrance is free, there is a couple-euro charge to visit the cloister, whose entrance is located on the side of the cathedral. Also, note that visitors are expected to cover up appropriately.
Address: Piazza del Duomo, Cefalù, Sicily 90015, Italy
Hours: April-September: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; October-March: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: Free, though there is a small charge to visit the cloister
From $ 58
Church of the Gesù (Chiesa del Gesù)
Often called the Casa Professa, the Church of the Gesù (Chiesa del Gesù) is one of the most important Baroque churches in Sicily. Built by the Jesuits in the late 16th century on the edge of Palermo's Jewish Quarter, the church took almost 50 years to build, with help from hundreds of artists and artisans. Inside, visitors will find colorful frescoes, intricate stone carvings and marble reliefs in a stunning setting for reflection and worship.
Many of the church's frescoes were replaced after being destroyed in World War II, but are impressive nonetheless. Look for the paintings covering the dome's vault, as well as those in the side chapels on the right, such as a depiction of the Adoration of the Magi and of St Paul the Hermit. Marble reliefs from the 18th century depicting the Adoration of the Shepherds and the Adoration of the Magi both survive.
The church can be visited on a walking tour of Palermo's markets and monuments, which includes stops at the Palermo Cathedral and the Royal Palace of Palermo"”part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Practical Info
Getting there
The Church of the Gesù is a short walk from the Ballaro Street Market in Palermo's Albergheria neighborhood. The nearest bus stop is on Via Marqueda, just east of the church. Take bus line Marqueda"“Palazzo Comitini for the ARANC bus.
Admission
The church is free to enter, although there is a suggested donation of EUR 2.
Opening hours
The church is open Monday to Saturday from 7am to 11:30am and again from 5pm to 6:30pm; it is open Sunday from 7am to 12:30pm. The church is closed in the afternoon during the month of August.
Address: Piazza Casa Professa 1, Palermo, Italy
Hours: Mon"“Sat: 7am"“11:30am & 5pm"“6:30pm; Sun: 7am"“12:30pm
Admission: EUR 2
From $ 32