Islands & Beaches

3 Days in Sicily

You can't tackle the whole island in 72 hours, but you won’t waste a minute with this itinerary.

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We're willing to take sides when it comes to Sicily. Is there an island that competes when it comes to food, history, and culture? And what of the beaches? The translucent waters at Castellammare del Golfo match any you'd find in the Caribbean. So don’t worry that you only have three days to explore this time around—you'll want to book a follow-up trip regardless.

In the summer, there are daily direct flights out of London to Trapani, Catania, and Palermo, Italy. Palermo makes the most sense as your base for a short trip if you want to pack a lot in without battling the crowds at the more touristy spots (Taormina, a short drive from Catania, is a beautiful nightmare during high season).

Day 1: Phenomenal Markets and Grand Cathedrals

Hop a flight that lands in the morning so you get a full day to explore Palermo, a rollicking city with a fascinating past (hidden passageways and coded paintings around town are left over from the Beati Paoli, a secret society that preceded today’s Mafia); it also has some of the most exquisite cathedrals, beach access, and cuisine in Italy. Unfortunately, Palermo’s hotel game isn’t the strongest, but the central Grand Hotel Palme has generously sized rooms with club chairs and marble baths right next door to the beautiful 19th-century Teatro Politeama, home to Sicily’s orchestra. Check in, drop your bags, then do as the Palermitani and hit the food market.

Seeking the perfect eggplant in Ballarò market, Palermo's best.

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Every guidebook and non-local will tell you to do Vucciria, but all you’ll find are English-speaking tourists paying too much for castelvetrano olives. Head instead to Ballarò, the fish and farmers' market winding through alleys and tiny piazzas just north of the city center, about a ten-minute walk from the hotel. The place is an urban circus of vendors squawking out the prices of whole baby sharks and eggplant to those passing by, halal butchers carving up carcasses, and mounds of divine Sicilian pistachios and almonds. The tastiest snack is right at the end where stands sell traditional fried chickpea fritters, called panelle, for a euro; they pair brilliantly with the cold beer on tap at the outdoor bars nearby.

From there, make your way through the center’s series of small, whimsically painted churches (we love the baby blue walls at the 16th-century Chiesa del Gesù) as a warmup to an afternoon at the intoxicatingly beautiful Monreale. Palermo’s epic cathedral stands like a golden halo atop a hill overlooking the city. A trip to this gold-red-and-blue church—whose grounds are studded with palms and whose arches nod to the Arab influence you’ll find all over the island—is non-negotiable even for those who swear they've had their fill of European churches. But how to get up there? Cabs do the trick (it’s too far to walk), but the regular 389 bus goes up direct from the main square Piazza Massimo for less than €2. If you want to turn it into a whole afternoon, book a half day Vespa tour with a driver who'll whiz you up there as well as around other city sites. We like Don Saro tour guides.

Day 2: Hit the Beach

Pick up a rental car (essential in Sicily if you want to explore beyond the cities and easy to get at the airport regardless of the day) and take the 90-minute drive along the coastal highway east to Cefalu. This north-coast beach town, whose homes and storefronts are chiseled into the hillside, is one of the the island's most picturesque waterfront towns, combining centuries-old churches with beach bars serving phenomenal grilled fish on sandy shores. Pull in late morning (there's parking within walking distance of the beach) for an early seafood lunch. The main waterfront drag, Via Carlo Ortolani di Bordonaro, is lined with unassuming restaurants but if you can, get an outdoor table at Lo Scoglio Ubriaco so you can enjoy their scampi pasta and platters of fresh sardines with ocean views—and the obligatory bottle of crisp vermentino.

After lunch, cross the road and set yourself up on the beach for a few hours. The water is calm and clear on this side of the island, which makes Cefalu a great swimmer's beach, and the rock pools are fun to poke around in, too; you may spot an octopus. When ready to peel yourself away from the sun and shore, climb the steps up to the street level and head into the small, pedestrian Old Town lined with ice cream parlors and small boutiques. Most lanes lead to the main Duomo, Cefalu's cathedral, which is worth a photo from the steps at its magnificent entrance. Just be sure to make it back to Palermo in the early evening. You'll want to do an Aperol spritz at the funky Bar Garibaldi (go at 8 p.m. when the staff puts out free nibbles for aperitivo), then hit Ferro di Cavallo, a family-run Sicilian institution since WWII, for local classics like pasta con sardi (anchovy pasta) and melanzane alla norma, which you'll likely know better as eggplant parm.

Day 3: Wine Tasting in the Countryside

Though the best known Sicilian wine is produced in the east (that's where you'll find Sicily's signature red, Nero d'Avola, as well as the emerging wine district on Mount Etna), Menfi, home to Planeta, one of Sicily's premier wine estates, is an easy day trip from Palermo. It's inland, about an hour's drive southwest along the excellent autostrada from Palermo. But we say leave earlier in the morning and take the scenic route to get there, along the coastal highway heading west toward Trapani that will lead you to beaches like Tonnaro di Scopello (its centuries-old homes, cut right into the rock along the shore will be worth the detour, trust us). Take a swim or a stroll on the beachfront, then carry on south to Planeta in time for lunch. The estate, run by the powerful Planeta family—who have six vineyards throughout the island—has 720 acres of chardonnay and nero d'avola vines, a modern tasting room, and an excellent vineyard-side restaurant (don't miss a glimpse of their 16th-century farmhouse which has been in the family for 17 generations). Just be sure to book tastings and lunch in advance on their website; walk-ins may not be accommodated.

Take the autostrada direct back to Palermo so you can take a passeggiata, or long evening stroll, around the town on your final night, before dinner. We recommend walking right from your hotel down Via Roma toward the 15th-century Fontana della Vergogna, or Fountain of Shame, rumored to have earned its name from the nuns and monks who would meet in secret passageways underneath to live in sin with each other for a while. From there, detour past the grand, utterly romantic Teatro Massimo, Palermo's largest theater, and head to Piccolo Napoli, a clean, superb fish restaurant for dinner serving heaping portions of sea urchin spaghetti. It's so close to the Palermo shore that you can practically smell the sea from its small dining room, a scent that will linger long after you fly out the next morning.