We had visited Sicily briefly on a cruise having stopped in Messina and Taormina and we really enjoyed it. When we saw a great flight deal, we jumped at the chance to revisit Sicily and spend more time exploring this beautiful and historic island. It was like a proverbial offer we couldn’t refuse.
We put together our road trip itinerary to spend a week in Sicily stopping at three places: Palermo, Agrigento, and Syracuse. The car would give us flexibility to do a few day trips and venture a little further afield. A week would go by fast but we would make the most of it!
Getting there
We flew Turkish Airlines through Istanbul to Rome and then booked a short local flight with ITA Airlines to Palermo. We then rented a car that we would drop off in Catania (from where we would depart), allowing us to plan a one-way circuit to maximize the seven-night itinerary without having to double back.
Arriving in Palermo, Sicily
Arriving in the small Palermo airport was quick and easy. There are numerous daily flights out of Rome allowing you to match this short hop with your international arrival. While we didn’t really need a car in Palermo, we secured it at the airport so we could do day trips for the further afield destinations we wanted to see.
We opted for a local hotel, the Grand Hotel Wagner, which was conveniently located close to all the historic landmarks making it easy to explore the old city on foot.
Exploring Palermo Historic Center
We were really happy to be staying in the old town of Palermo so exploring was easy. We could even come back and rest our feet or grab a drink mid-day in the comfort of our room (although we rarely did!). On arrival we didn’t waste any time dropping off our bags and the car and heading out to explore.
Teatro Massimo
Our first historic site to visit was the beautiful Massimo Theatre. Built in 1897, the site is only accessible with a guided tour. The tours go quite frequently, and we were lucky to get on a tour just a few minutes after our arrival.
All the chandeliers and wall lights are made from Murano glass. There were 12 huge paintings forming a Symbolic Wheel on the ceiling of the horseshoe-shaped auditorium. In the summer they can open the middle of the round ceiling to create a natural ventilation.
In the foyer check out the model of the huge steam crane they created to help build the theater.
The Pompeian Hall (echo chamber) was fascinating too. If you go directly into the middle and talk upwards you hear a loud echo. Surprisingly those just a few feet to the side hear next to nothing.
The hall’s ceiling was spectacular with rings of frescoes including one made up of 48 female figures representing a dance of Bacchantes. How fitting in a theater!
The guide had some fun with us saying that there was a ghost that had been known to trip people up causing them to fall on the 9th step of the staircase. Be sure to pay attention and go up carefully!
Those with an affection for the Godfather movies may recognize the theater from Godfather III where Don Corleone was filmed at the opera house.
Fontana Pretoria
A little further up the pedestrian walkway from the theater is the Pretoria Fountain in Piazza Pretoria. While it was not working when we were there it’s an impressive set of sculptures even without the water works.
Just behind this you’ll find a historic area with multiple churches. All different and all worth visiting.
Churches, churches, and more churches
The Church and Monastery Santa Caterina D’Alessandria was our first stop.
While under a full restoration and some sides of the façade were under scaffolding and some parts inaccessible, what we could see was indeed beautiful. Incredible marble carvings and inlays. A masterpiece.
Great views too from the rooftop terrace. The church also houses a pastry shop downstairs.
Just behind, and across Piazza Bellini, one finds the churches of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio and San Cataldo.
The smaller San Cataldo church from the Norman era was built in 1154 and while sparsely decorated it certainly has a lot of history. It is one of the last Norman period basilicas, distinctive with its three red domes on the roof and the surrounding Arab era elements.
The larger Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio was also built in the 12th century. The arches and ceiling inside the church are decorated with some of the oldest mosaics in Sicily from the Byzantine period. Simply Beautiful!
The Church of San Giuseppe dei Padri Teatini is just on the other side of the fountain. It has a beautiful dome which we were able to climb for some great views. From the rooftop we counted at least a dozen spires of other churches in every direction.
There is no way to visit all the churches in Palermo even if you tried! Some were closed and only open for services but regardless, the sheer number of them would make it a daunting task.
A short distance up the street was the entrance to the Church of Santissimo Salvatore, this one shaped like an oval theatre or auditorium on the inside. Clearly Baroque with the intricate details in the carvings. This church doubled as an auditorium and the seating suggested it may still be used as such today.
Palermo Cathedral
Continuing up Via Vittorio Emanuele, one of the main pedestrian streets, we came upon the Palermo Cathedral and the attached Bishops Palace, now the Diocesan Museum.
We toured the Diocesan Museum first, partly to get some good views of the cathedral from up above. There are features from the original cathedral dating back to the 12th century. Be sure to see the Paschal candlestick, the Royal throne and the beautiful floor. The wooden choir stalls date back to 1466 and depict scenes of the Three Wise Men and the Sleeping Mary.
The Crypt of the Palermo Cathedral probably dates back to the 12th century AD. Many of the columns are made from Egyptian granite, others from Billiemi marble or red marble.
Be sure to climb to the rooftop terrace of the cathedral for some great views of Palermo and beyond.
Norman Palace
Next to the huge gate (Porta Nueva) that marks the city walls we came to the Palazzo dei Normanni.
At the time of our visit there was a Picasso exhibit going on which was very nicely presented in a dark historic room that looked like it may have been a royal cellar at one point.
Highlights of the Royal Palace also include the beautiful Palatine Chapel with the same byzantine gold mosaics we would come to see in many of the prominent cathedrals of Sicily.
There is also a small garden to see outside. Unfortunately, much of the outer wall was covered by scaffolding.
Outside the Palace’s Gate
Across the street from the palace, we stumbled across an open gate to the Orleans Palace Park. A nice guard invited us in and said it was free to visit. While initially not on our plan we were happy we went.
The Orleans Park had a nice sunken garden that was surrounded with many displays of exotic birds, emus and even some deer. A nice walk and a nice surprise. While the cages were a little small for some of the animals we thought, we were still happy to see them and imagine that this may be the only time or place some people will ever get to see these exotic beauties. Animals always make us smile.
As we headed back towards the center of town, we came to the Church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti. A small abbey built in 1132 with evidence of the existence of a previous mosque whose remains are still there.
While the church itself was closed and much of the site just visible from the small fenced in park it was an interesting mix of remnants from both the mosque and the medieval church.
Palermo Museums
Palazzo Butera
We walked back down the pedestrian street backtracking all the way to the waterfront where we also did a quick last-minute visit of Palazzo Butera.
This large building with a waterfront terrace seemed a little more like a school inside with various art exhibits spread out in the “classrooms”. We’d say that if you were out of things to do it could be a place to add to your itinerary but not something to place at the top of your must-see attractions list.
Puppet Museum
Close by there was also a puppet museum, the Antonio Pasqualino International Puppet Museum. If you come late in the day, you can also enjoy a puppet show that they put on at 5pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The puppet displays include international puppets from all over the world and there is an extensive collection.
The show itself was quite something. With a room filled with kids they had puppets having sword fights with heads splitting open other puppets getting decapitated along with some sexual innuendo and even some slaying of animals and borderline racist stereotypes. The show was quite entertaining and no one seemed to mind the overtures, but I could just imagine the police being called and the lawsuits that would follow should anyone try and put on such a show for kids back in the US.
Palermo Archeological Museum
Also, a little off the beaten track was a nice open-air museum showing some well-preserved Phoenician and ancient Greek artifacts. It’s set inside a historic building converted for the purpose.
Overall, maybe we were already artifacted out but we felt that there was not a whole lot to see in there and this too could be left in the ‘if-time-permits’ category.
Palermo Waterfront
Walking back along the waterfront. We visited a few of the parks along the way (and a few more churches!) but it was really more of a walk along a busy street in front of a marina than any kind of waterfront promenade. We later saw that there was a nicer area further from town to walk along the waterfront.
Further afield
We had planned two to three days to visit everything in Palermo but we managed to get through just about all the highlights in a day and a half, so we had some spare time to visit the environs with our car.
Monreale Cathedral
Just a short 30 minutes by car and easily accessible by train is the famous and spectacular Monreale Cathedral. There was a saying we read on a flyer that said: “You come to Palermo as a donkey but if you don’t visit Monreale you leave as an ass!” LOL Well, we have to say while we at first didn’t think we’d have the time to go, we are certainly happy we did as it really was the nicest cathedral we saw in Sicily.
While other cathedrals were decorated with gold mosaics around the altar, the Cathedral of Monreale was fully decorated wall-to-wall and floor to ceiling in these magnificent miniature Byzantine-era mosaic tiles.
There must have been millions if not a billion of the tiny 1/4” tiles forming magnificent pictures all around the cathedral. We climbed the stairs to the roof and there are areas where you can look in at the walls from above and see the mosaics glimmering in the sunlight. Simply breathtaking!
The cathedral dates from the late 12th century when it was built under King William II of Sicily. It also features beautiful marble floors with intricate designs including some nautical ones.
Also notable are the Norman-Arab architectural elements such as the numerous pointed arches, geometric designs, intricate stucco decorations, and massive columns, but it’s the mosaics that make the Duomo of Monreale a masterpiece and one of Sicily’s greatest cultural treasures.
We found the drive to be easy and parking was not a problem at the paid parking lot just 100m or so from the cathedral. If you have a car don’t hesitate to go but get there early as it did get more packed around noon.
Cefalù day trip
About an hour from Palermo and easily doable as a day trip, Cefalù is a beautiful seaside town with a huge historical cathedral in the shadow of an enormous and imposing mountain cliff with castle ruins on top. It’s a dramatic landscape and when you approach it, you can’t help but be drawn in. You just have to visit.
Cefalù Cathedral
The cathedral is beautiful. Built in 1131 by the Norman King Roger II, it predates the Monreale one. It has some of the same beautiful Byzantine gold mosaics that we saw in Monreale (but on a smaller scale) around the altar.
Of course, the highlight is the mosaic of Christ Pantocrator in the central apse. Intricate carvings can be seen throughout.
The cathedral is another magnificent Norman-Byzantine masterpiece in Sicily. The façade features two massive twin towers giving it a fortress-like look.
You can also walk along the roof and climb the towers to get some great views. There is also a museum and a treasury as well as a cloister with carvings representing Noah’s Ark.
The square in front is filled with coffee shops, restaurants and boutiques.
Cefalù Castle and Megalithic Ruins
While the clifftop castle hike looks intimidating it is something that most can do given an hour or so and a little huffing and puffing. There is even a gelato stand at the entrance to the park which is about a quarter of the way up. For energy of course!
It’s a very a scenic hike up to the castle ruins. Be sure to stop and look back at the city and the cathedral as you climb at the various stops.
The stairs are mostly even but closed shoes are a must (and enforced at the gate). There are lots of spots with benches to rest up. No bathrooms or concessions beyond the entrance, however. We had one of the coffee shops in the square in front of the cathedral pack us a picnic lunch of cannoli and cookies. For energy again of course!
About midway we stopped at the Megalithic stone walls and looking over we saw two pods of whales frolicking in the cold waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea below. What a treat! We saw heads bobbing up and fins coming out of the water. We enjoyed the view for a good 20 minutes along with others that were lucky enough to enjoy the moment as the whales made their way along the shore about 500m off shore.
Getting worried about the parking that was going to run out and already feeling the climb in our calves, we didn’t do the remaining hike to the very top. But even the views from the halfway point were spectacular and well worth the effort. Put some extra time in the meter if planning to go all the way up!
More to see in Cefalù
In town do take time to stop at the Lavatoio, a medieval laundry house. You can see the original stone wash basins and cast-iron lion head spouts.
We really loved Cefalù and if we could do it again, we would probably opt to stay a night or two and enjoy one or more of the great restaurants we walked past in the historic town. With Palermo as our home base, we headed back to have dinner closer to home.
Road to Agrigento, Sicily
From Palermo our next overnight stay was to be at the famous Valley of the Temples of Agrigento.
While the drive is about 2.5 hours, the scenery through the mountains was beautiful. Deep green valleys with the occasional sheep farm. Many of the high mountain peaks had remnants of castle ruins on them. We were tempted to follow the side roads and head up to visit the castles but with just the one day in Agrigento we didn’t want to take a chance to miss seeing the famous temples. There were also some clouds coming.
We had splurged on a temple view room at the only hotel that is actually inside the archeological park, the Villa Athena. As we approached, you could see the temples atop the mountain ridge from afar and it was really impressive.
We were lucky to find out that our room was ready when we arrived at noon. A nice treat. The Hotel Villa Athena was also an ancient noble residence in the 18th century inside the archeological park of the Valley of the Temples which is an UNESCO Heritage Site.
We booked really in advance and asked for one of the few rooms that has a private terrace with a direct view of the temples. We also exchanged emails with them letting them know we’d come early. Be sure to request it! Room 103 was a great choice.
We quickly dropped the bags and headed out through the private gate that the property has into the archeological park.
Valley of the Temples
The Valley of the Temples in Agrigento is one of the most important archeological sites in Sicily. It’s huge and the main pathway is almost 2.5 km long. It’s located on a rocky ridge along the coast of the mediterranean sea making it a very scenic site to visit.
The ancient Greek temples themselves are pretty amazing. It can take a couple of hours to wander around the site to see the remaining four temples that are still standing (of the original seven). Most temples date back to the 5th century BC.
Temple of Concordia
The first one we saw, the Temple of Concordia was remarkably well preserved so that much of the whole structure is intact including some of the inner walls.
In fact, it’s one of the best-preserved Doric temples in the world along with the Parthenon in Athens. This is likely due to the fact that it was converted into a Christian basilica during the 6th century AD which protected it from getting destroyed like some of the other structures in the area. The stones were often stolen in order to build other constructions.
Temple of Juno
Built around 450 BC, it’s impressive to see that there are as many as 30 standing columns, some with decorative capitals. The Temple of Juno is located at the end of the main path of the archeological site of Agrigento.
Temple of Heracles
The Temple of Heracles was erected during the 6th century BC making it the oldest temple in the valley. There are only eight columns remaining.
Temple of Castor and Pollux
Only four columns remain from the Temple of Castor and Pollux but it’s still impressive nevertheless and worth the trek to the other end of the path. Along the way we passed by other structures including the remnants of the Temple of Olympian Zeus.
Temple of Olympian Zeus
Once the largest Doric temples ever built judging from the size of its monumental altar and telamons. It’s estimated that it was 30 meters high and more than 100 meters long. Between its columns there were 38 telamons, huge 8-meter-high male statues that supported the structure. There is a replica of the temple as well as one of the colossal telamon at the Archeological Museum.
Other highlights
There are also tombs and other artifacts along the way. There was also a somber exhibition of martyrs killed by the mafia that had stood up for the people despite great risk to themselves and their families.
We did the trek twice from top to bottom in about 4 hours and loved it. Even a little sprinkling of rain didn’t discourage us.
While the temples themselves are for the most part roped off for their preservation and protection, you can get close enough to see them very well from all angles. The less complete sites are open and accessible to walk through.
Archeological Museum of Agrigento
While a lot of tours just come for the temples, we would highly recommend also visiting the small but impressive Archeological Museum less than a couple of kilometers away. Aside from historical information there are thousands of nicely laid out and well-preserved treasures. It is second only to the louvre in terms of Greek artifacts on display.
A final note about our stay in Agrigento
Being in the middle of an archeological park doesn’t leave many dinner options but the Villa Athena has a spectacular dinner (be sure to reserve!)
Unquestionably the best dinner we had in Sicily. The artichokes and spices were from their private garden, the honey was from local hives, and the goat cheese was from the local endangered Girgentana goats!
The desert looked as if it had been created by a team of master pastry chefs that must have hovered over it for hours placing decorations individually with tweezers to make sure it looked perfect.
It made for both a spectacular meal and an overall wonderful experience. Our waitress Manuella even gave us her number and promised to send us tips for a trip to her home country Romania.
Syracuse, Sicily
Next, we headed out towards the coastal town of Syracuse which is just an hour south of Catania.
As we headed towards the coast, the clear day gave us some great views of Mount Etna. What a huge volcano! It filled the view behind Catania. On a clear day it can be seen for over 250 miles! We even saw it peeking up through the clouds when we flew out of a Catania towards Rome a few days later.
Neapolis Archaeological Park
Our first stop was the archeological site of the Roman and Greek theaters. Surprisingly there was no parking lot, but we were able to find street parking. We got lured into a store at the far end of another bus parking area to what looked like an official ticket booth. We later hiked back through the bus parking only to find that they also sold tickets right at the main entrance of the archeological site. At least they were the same price!
After having visited the nearly intact and spectacular temples of Agrigento, the remaining ruins here were not as impressive to us. There were modern day sculptures added to the historical site to give it more character.
Overall, it was a nice open-air area but very few signs and not much of the original structures were left. A large grotto on the Greek Theater side called the Ear of Dionysius was a famous landmark that you could walk into.
The Greek Theatre was more preserved than the Roman Amphitheater and it had been converted to a venue where they could host modern day shows. Many of the original historic stone seats now had wooden covers and there were racks of lights and a stage. I guess it’s a way to help raise funds and put the theater to use but we also find it takes away from the historical attraction.
Siracusa Historic Center
We again opted to stay right in the old town of Syracuse at a historic Marriott Ortea Palace Hotel that had originally been a post office. Thanks to my husband’s status we got a great upgrade to a room with a terrace and a view of the harbor and the old town. Nice!
The next morning, we headed out to the Castello on the tip of the Island of Ortigia (Siracusa’s old town) and on the way stopped in at the small Nautical Museum. Just two small rooms with various knots, old fishing nets and rudders, and a boat replica. We were pleased to see a group of kindergarten aged kids getting some historical lessons.
Continuing along the waterfront we saw an ancient historical pond with geese and papyrus plants.
It was nice to walk along the stone passageways and walls of the city.
Castello Maniace
At the far end of the island is the Maniace Castello with its thick walls. The castle itself is pretty bare, but you get some great water views from the various windows and terraces.
There was a rehearsal going on complete with marching soldiers, but they let us tour the castle regardless which was nice. Built in 1232 the name comes from the Byzantine General Che Maniace, who in 1038 reconquered the city from the Arabs.
Syracuse Cathedral
The cathedral is also pretty amazing in its own right.
Built upon the ruins of the temple of Athena this 5th century AD Christian basilica incorporated the original columns from the Temple of Athena which are visible and prominent. The floor is a masterpiece and it’s one of those places where you can just stop and look.
The more you look the more you see and the more you realize you could look at the details all day long and not see it all. A real masterpiece.
Temple of Apollo
Right in the center of a busy shopping area there are the ruins of an ancient Greek temple dating to the 6th century BC.
Fountain of Diana
Also of interest in the historic center is the beautiful fountain featuring a statue of the goddess Diana and mythical marine sculptures.
Boat tour of the harbor
One of the other popular activities to do in Syracuse is a small boat tour around the island passing by the old fort and visiting some of the nearby caves in the sea. We had a glass bottom boat but there wasn’t much to see through the small glass panels. Still, for 20 euro a person it was a pleasant boat ride and a nice way to get a different perspective of the city from the water.
Heading back to Rome
We opted to fly out of Catania which was just an hour north of Syracuse. There are multiple daily flights from Catania into Rome with ITA Airways. Since we arrived early, we asked them to put us on an earlier flight which gave us a little extra time at our next stop, Ostia Antica on the outskirts of Rome.
Conclusion
We loved Sicily and a week went by quickly. A ten-day adventure here could easily be filled up and it would not be hard to spend two weeks or more. I do not think we will return for another road trip, but we would welcome a bit more of Sicily as a potential cruise port stop. On a prior trip we had visited Messina and Taormina, but perhaps next time we’ll have time to get a closer look at Mount Etna.
Visiting Sicily in April worked out great as the nights were a bit cool and the days were perfect. All the attractions were open, and the crowds were minimal. The gardens were already blooming, and the sunset was late enough at 7pm to give us lots of exploration time.
Of course, the possibility of swimming in the ocean or the outdoor pools was not an option, but it was a good trade off as we were here to see the sites and visit monuments.
Should you rent a car and drive?
While many tried to discourage us from driving my husband did ok. I guess the crazy drivers in Miami are good practice as he was often the one that blinked last at the intersections. Sicilian driving didn’t seem to have many rules. Red lights? Just a suggestion. Two lanes. Nah, you can squeeze in the middle to make a third lane and even get a couple of motorcycles on the inside shoulder while you’re at it!
Parking was a whole other story, with double and triple parking as well as sideways parking and corner parking. Cars were left haphazardly everywhere and the jeep we had was almost too large to pass on the narrow, crowded roads. We’d recommend a small Fiat instead! The roads were so narrow that my husband had one hand on the mirror retract switch as the big vans and trucks came at us full speed ahead with inches to spare. We were glad we took the full insurance with zero deductible and recommend you do as well.
Basically, if you’re not comfortable with aggressive drivers or even slightly faint of heart (or even just overly polite) you won’t get far! Take a tour or go with the train. We actually saw a train stop at all the places we stayed so doing this trip by train is certainly doable.
See our travel tips:
- Download the Local Parking App for Your Next Road Trip
- Opt for a Small Rental Car in Europe, Skip the Tempting Upgrade
In retrospect
If we could do it again, we would split up the four days we had in Palermo into two separate spots letting us visit more coastal towns. While there is a lot to see in Palermo, many of the attractions are quite small and you can get through them fast. It may have left us time to even visit the Etna National Park (but that would require packing some warmer clothes!) and maybe seeing more of Catania than just the airport.
Perhaps the best would have been to make the trip a bit longer as 7 days was really not long enough to see all that we would have enjoyed seeing.
It was worth the splurge for staying at the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento to see them lit up at night and shining in the morning from our room. The easy access to the park through a private gate and the amazing dinner at the Villa Athena made this extra special.
Be adventurous with the food
We didn’t once get anything we disliked and found some interesting dishes. Pistachios figured prominently and the pasta with pistachio pesto was delicious. The local fast-food seemed to be a deep fried and stuffed rice ball about the size and shape of a pear. We had one and while we were glad we tried it, it was messy to eat and wasn’t our favorite.
Another interesting dish was chips with basil cream we ordered as an appetizer. Turned out to be a Sicilian poutine with French fries covered in a cheesy white sauce with thick cut bacon bits on top. Not what we expected but we enjoyed it. Another was a grated aged ricotta that was served with onions, tomatoes, and cucumber. Like an Italian twist on a Greek salad.
One thing we missed and regretted was the serving of gelato in what looked like Brioche buns. We saw the kids eating them, and didn’t quite see the draw but once back home one of our friends said that it was delicious and a local favorite.
Unlike in North America the salads in Europe always seem to be freshly prepared. How did we ever get used to accepting the rusting and wilting lettuce that they shake out of week-old bags for us at restaurants back home?
We never had a bad pizza, or a bad cannolo (yes that’s singular for cannoli!), and the coffee was great everywhere too. The hotel also put some homemade soft almond-paste cookies in our room that were delicious. The gelato was good, but didn’t compare to what we’ve had at the Gelateria Della Palma that we love in Rome. But we don’t want to sound like gelato snobs.
Where we stayed?
- Grand Hotel Wagner: A historic place in in Palermo and a good choice to explore the city’s main attractions on foot. We had a nice suite with a balcony and a view. Would we recommend it? Yes.
- Villa Athena: A worthwhile splurge right in Agrigento’s archeological park with a great restaurant. We opted for a room with a view of the temples. Would we recommend it? Yes.
- Ortea Palace Hotel: A Marriott Autograph Collection in Syracuse only a stone’s throw from the harbor and historic district. This hotel is housed in a beautiful former historic post office with some great balcony rooms. Would we recommend it? Yes.
Other tips
- Bring lots of small bills for tips. We had to work at getting change and it was difficult to get any foreign exchange done. While Apple Pay and credit cards were accepted all over, tips could not be added electronically and were cash only. People were always happy with 10% and overtipping is not the standard here.
- We didn’t need and were not asked for our international driver’s license. Of course, that’s not to say we wouldn’t have needed it should we have gotten pulled over.
- We booked our local flights to and from Rome with ITA Airways and left plenty of time to connect. Arriving early, we asked if we could get on an earlier flight and since we had only carry-on baggage, they didn’t mind at all and got us on an alternate flight with no change fees or penalties.
We LOVED Sicily and highly recommend it. Learn a few words: Prego! Gratzi! Arrivederci!