THE SIGHTSEEING HIGHLIGHTS
OF SICILY
The beautiful Mediterranean island dazzles with historical treasures in its picturesque cities and villages and impressive UNESCO World Heritages.
The cities Palermo, Cefalù and Trapani
The capital Palermo once was conquered by the Arabs and still reminds of a typical Arabic metropolis. This is reflected by the unique Arab-Norman architecture, especially of the Cattedrale di Palermo and the prestigious church Martorana, which was built in the 12th century and was originally planned to be a mosque. The theatre Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele on the Piazza Verdi is the largest opera in Italy and the third largest in Europe.
The picturesque coastal village Cefalù lies east of Palermo and is one of the “Borghi piú belli d’Italia”, the most beautiful villages of Italy. It attracts with its legendary Roman-Norman cathedral, which is listed as UNESCO World Heritage. If you go west along the coastline from Palermo, you will reach Trapani, with its crescent shaped harbour and a beautiful old town with fascinating Baroque buildings, like the Sant’Agostino church. The neighbouring village Erice is also worth a visit. Its historic city centre lies up on a hill and offers spectacular views of the coastline!
The UNESCO World Heritages of Sicily
The provincial capital Agrigent lies at the southern coast of Sicily and impresses the visitors with the famous Valley of the Temples. It is one of the UNESCO World Heritages of the island and hosts the ruins of the Greek temples from the former Greek city Akragas. It was one of the most important Greek metropolises in the past. The prestigious Villa Romana del Casale lies in Piazza Armerina, not far from Agrigent and dazzles with its unique collection of Roman mosaics from the 4th century.
Going south you will find the villages Ragusa and Noto, which belong to the UNESCO World Heritage of the Baroque cities of the Noto Valley, together with eight further villages in Sicily. These villages were almost destroyed by the serious earthquake in 1693 and were rebuilt by the most famous architects of Sicily in the original Sicilian Baroque.
The village Noto dazzles with numerous prestigious palaces and churches and looks like a stage set. Catania also belongs to the Baroque cities and was rebuilt with the dark lava stones of the volcano Etna.
The provincial capital Syracuse lies at the eastern coast of Sicily, and attracts with its abundance of history in its buildings, architecture, and geography. It once was the mightiest city of the ancient Greek world and is also listed as UNESCO World Heritage. Its historical old town lies on an island and is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Its Greek amphitheatre and the cathedral Santa Maria delle Colonne, which is an impressing composition of an ancient temple and medieval church, are worth a visit!
And, of course, the impressing volcano Etna, which is Europe’s tallest active volcano, should not be missed. A hiking trip along the slopes of the 3,343m high giant is an unforgettable experience! It belongs to Sicily’s UNESCO World Natural Heritage, like the paradisiac Aeolian islands. The island group lies offshore the northern coast of Sicily and is part of a volcanic chain, stretching from the volcano Vesuvius to the Etna. The volcano Stromboli is one of the most active volcanos in the world, and spits glowing lava fountains hundreds of meters skywards constantly!
Booking and further information
Experience the sightseeing highlights of Sicily on a custom-made round trip for groups! We will be glad to provide the detailed travel schedule of our sightseeing trip to Sicily. Feel free to contact us for further information and send us your no-obligation request via our contact form, e-mail or by telephone at +49 611 945879 42.
Sicily is a picture-postcard island.
Geographical location
Most beautiful villages
Provinces & capitals
Sicilian delicacies
Sightseeing highlights
The Aeolian islands
The Egadi islands
The active volcano Etna
The beaches of Sicily
UNESCO World Heritages
Zingaro nature reserve
