Sicily - tourist attractions, sightseeing, monuments, map, car rental, vacation. Guide.

A week in Sicily

Sicily is a large island. If you get in a car in Palermo and drive around it, then coming back to Palermo the counter will show us definitely over 1000 km. A lot. Where's the sightseeing? The island is full of attractions!
Sitting down to this plan I wondered for a long time how to bite him. Ultimately, I decided to stick to the realities in which most tourists coming here must be locked up: WEEK! That's exactly how long a stay in Sicily lasts for most tourists.

What is the most convenient way to visit Sicily?

Of course, the most convenient way to explore is by car. You lose the least time to travel, so you have more time for sightseeing and sunbathing. I definitely recommend this form of getting around the island.
Of course, you will need a car for this form of sightseeing, which you can rent on the island. Details of car rental in Sicily along with an analysis of the rental costs and advice on how to choose the best offer can be found in a separate entry: Sicily: Palermo, Catania, Trapani - rent a car without a credit card and a deposit? How do I rent a car in Sicily?

Sicily - car sightseeing plan, map, attractions

Below is a plan to explore Sicily by car, which can be implemented in a week (or better longer if you are in Sicily for more than 7 days and you have time to stay longer in some places). The plan is arranged so that you can flexibly modify it to suit your needs and interests. The number of attractions on the route is so large that in practice I can't imagine you could visit them all. However, the route is arranged in such a way that the modification of the plan in most cases simply consists of omitting attractions that do not interest you at the moment and it doesn't require rebuilding the entire plan. So your own plan may look completely different, although it will be based on the same sightseeing route. What's more, you can modify it even during the journey. I think it is a convenient and the most sensible form.
The route as a whole is demanding. Every day is what to do from morning to evening. Plan your visit from 10 - 12 hours a day. There are not many long and tedious journeys. In fact, every now and then there is a stop and a short or slightly longer tour of the attractions. The driver and passengers have time to stretch their legs. The longest uniform passage between Taormina and Cefalu is at the end of the trip.
Either way, closing this tour program in 7's daytime time frame is quite a feat. It would be much better to spread it over 10, and preferably over 14 days. If you can afford it, then do it. Make additional accommodation in places that you find most interesting for you.

Sicily - map

The map presents the route of visiting Sicily with the key points of the plan marked. These are the points where you should stop for the night: Palermo, Agrigento, Noto, Taormina, Cefalu. All the rest of the attraction is somewhere around these points or along the way between key points.
On the map it looks like this:

The route of the proposed trip around Sicily. There will be a lot to watch!

Sicily - detailed plan of sightseeing and trips around Sicily

I presented the plan divided into days, together with the places where I recommend accommodation. I tried to make the length of day trips not too long, and at the same time overnight stay in places attractive for tourists. Still, I want to make it clear that the presented program is demanding. As I mentioned earlier, the route itself is over 1 000 km long, and it is woven into visiting a large number of attractions.

day 1 - arrival in Palermo

The first day is arrival in Palermo, and then pick up the car from the rental company. Then await you travel to Palermo and hotel accommodation. Depending on the time you land in Palermo, you may still have some time for a short visit. Due to the fact that most arrivals will probably take place in the afternoon, I did not plan to visit the first day. However, if you are early enough to be able to visit something more on the first day, you can always carry out a fragment of the Palermo sightseeing plan, which I posted in a separate entry (it may be a good idea to go out for street food in the Vucciria Bazaar in the evening - more information in the entry about sightseeing Palermo: Palermo - Sicily: attractions, map, sightseeing, monuments. Guide, practical information). Then you will have a little less to do the next day.

day 2 - sightseeing in Palermo

Visiting Palermo will take you all day. A detailed plan for visiting Palermo can be found in the entry: Palermo - Sicily: attractions, map, sightseeing, monuments. Guide, practical information.
The entry contains a detailed map of the tour with descriptions of all attractions.

A stroll through the historic districts of Palermo has its charm.

day 3 - Cathedral of Monreale - Scopello - Erice - Castellammare del Golfo - Stairs of the Turks - Agrigento

trip length: 296 km
time of travel: 5 hours 41 min. (does not include time to visit attractions)
accommodation: Agrigento
route map: open on Google map - [click]

Sightseeing map - day 3

comments:
It's a very long day and it's worth thinking about whether you can do anything. Opting out of, for example, Erice shortens the total journey time by more than 1,5 hour. After correcting and subtracting this point, the journey time drops to 4h and 5 minutes. Be sure to check what time it is sunset to make it to the Turks' Stairs before sunset.

Cathedral of Monreale

The cathedral in Monreale is an amazing combination of the following styles: Norman Romanism, Arab and Byzantine. The body of the building, external ornaments, rich ornaments, gilding, wall mosaics ... all this creates a structure, which can be called a masterpiece of construction and ornamental art. No wonder that the cathedral has been on the UNESCO list since 2015.

parking lot 1 near the cathedral, GPS coordinates:
38°05’03.4″N 13°17’36.7″E lub
38.084278, 13.293524 - click and route

parking lot 2 near the cathedral, GPS coordinates:
38°04’46.7″N 13°17’29.7″E lub
38.079650, 13.291579 - click and route

Interior of the cathedral of Monreale. Sicily.
Scopello

parking at the entrance to the reserve and descent to the beach, GPS coordinates:
38°04’09.7″N 12°49’15.8″E lub
38.069371, 12.821045 - click and route

A characteristic fragment of the coast at Scopello.
Erice

parking lot 1 at the Trapani Gate, GPS coordinates:
38°02’09.4″N 12°34’59.9″E lub
38.035942, 12.583316 - click and route

parking lot 2 at Castello di Venere, GPS coordinates:
38°02’08.7″N 12°35’17.3″E lub
38.035746, 12.588147 - click and route

Erice, Sicily.
Castellammare del Golfo

viewpoint on Castellammare del Golfo, GPS coordinates:
38°01’52.5″N 12°52’26.1″E lub
38.031243, 12.873917 - click and route

parking at the marina, GPS coordinates:
38°01’41.2″N 12°52’42.0″E lub
38.028099, 12.878330 - click and route

View of the port and the city of Castellammare del Golfo. Sicilia
Turks stairs

more information about visiting the Turkish Stairs can be found in a separate entry: Turkish Steps (Scala dei Turchi) - Sicily: the whitest whiteness and shocking blue of the sea

parking at the Turków Stairs, GPS coordinates:
37°17’27.8″N 13°28’28.1″E lub
37.291066, 13.474461 - click and route

The sun goes down and the white stairs become colorful. Sicily, Italy.
Agrigento

This is a planned place of accommodation, so you will probably park your car in the vicinity of your hotel. Below, however, I give the coordinates of the parking lot, where it may be more convenient for you to park just to conveniently explore the town itself.

parking lot near the cathedral in Agrigento, GPS coordinates:
37°18’49.8″N 13°34’30.6″E lub
37.313835, 13.575154 - click and route

day 4 - Agrigento - Enna - Morgantina Agora - Caltagirone - Ragusa - Noto

trip length: 275 km
time of travel: 5 hours 12 min. (does not include time to visit attractions)
accommodation: Noto
route map: open on Google map - [click]

Sightseeing map - day 4

comments:
This is another very demanding day. It is almost certain that you won't be able to see all the places listed that day. I suggest planning immediately which attractions you can opt out of, which interest you less and which more. Then, during the course of the day, you can react accordingly. It is definitely worth going to the sunset to Noto.

Agrigento

parking in the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento (Valle dei Templi), GPS coordinates:
37°17’18.4″N 13°34’55.9″E lub
37.288442, 13.582186 - click and route

Valley of the Temples in Agrigento (Valle dei Templi), Sicily.
Enna

more information about visiting Enna can be found in a separate entry: Enna - Sicily: attractions, sightseeing, map, monuments, guide.

Parking at the Castello di Lombardia castle:
37°34’01.2″N 14°17’12.4″E lub
37.567003, 14.286786 - click and route

View from the viewpoint in Enna, Sicily.
Morgantina

car park at the archaeological site of the Amphitheater, GPS coordinates:
37°25’41.6″N 14°28’27.7″E lub
37.428230, 14.474356 - click and route

parking lot at Agora archaeological site, GPS coordinates:
37°25’55.5″N 14°28’45.8″E lub
37.432087, 14.479387 - click and route

Caltagirone

parking near the old part of town, GPS coordinates:
37°14’07.6″N 14°30’39.0″E lub
37.235455, 14.510824 - click and route

Eastern car park, free, GPS coordinates:
37°14’19.5″N 14°31’02.7″E lub
37.238762, 14.517414 - click and route

Stairs in Caltagirone: see the 360-degree panorama - [click]

Ragusa

viewpoint at the church of Santa Maria delle Scale, GPS coordinates:
36°55’31.3″N 14°44’05.3″E lub
36.925349, 14.734813 - click and route

public parking in the old Ibla district next to Giardino Ibleo, GPS coordinates:
36°55’36.6″N 14°44’54.5″E lub
36.926821, 14.748474 - click and route

public parking lot, GPS coordinates:
36°55’31.8″N 14°44’11.3″E lub
36.925490, 14.736474 - click and route

Viewpoint at the church of Santa Maria delle Scale, Ragusa, Sicily
Noto

More information about visiting Noto can be found in a separate entry: Noto - Sicily: a baroque pearl from the UNESCO list and the most important 4 minutes in the city's history

parking at the city gate, GPS:
36°53’26.9″N 15°04’31.5″E lub
36.890808, 15.075426 - click and route

Stairs to Chiesa di San Francesco. Noto, Sicily.

day 5 - Noto - Marzamemi - Syracuse - Etna - Castelmola - Taormina

trip length: 262 km
time of travel: 4 hours 29 min. (does not include time to visit attractions)
accommodation: Taormina
route map: open on Google map - [click]

Sightseeing map - day 5

comments:
It will be a long day full of emotions. If happiness favors you, you will realize it entirely. You can't complain about the lack of experience. I'm jealous of you.

Marzamemi

parking lot 1 in Marzamemi, GPS coordinates:
36°44’38.2″N 15°06’60.0″E lub
36.743955, 15.116662 - click and route

parking lot 2 in Marzamemi, GPS coordinates:
36°44’35.5″N 15°06’59.7″E lub
36.743189, 15.116573 - click and route

Marzamemi, Sicily
Syracuse

parking at the Archaeological Park, GPS coordinates:
37°04’23.4″N 15°16’34.6″E lub
37.073158, 15.276265 - click and route

parking in the old part of town, GPS coordinates:
37°03’52.2″N 15°17’11.7″E
37.064512, 15.286573 - click and route

Cathedral Square (Piazza Duomo), Syracuse, Sicily
Etna

parking under Etna, the car cannot be reached above, GPS coordinates:
37°41’57.9″N 15°00’01.7″E lub
37.699427, 15.000479 - click and route

Mount Etna, Sicily
castelmola

parking near the center, GPS coordinates:
37°51’34.3″N 15°16’39.9″E lub
37.859530, 15.277756 - click and route

Taormina

More information about visiting Taormina can be found in a separate entry: Taormina - Sicily: attractions, map, sightseeing, monuments. Guide, practical information

Parking at Porta Catania, GPS coordinates:
37°51’01.9″N 15°16’50.1″E lub
37.850519, 15.280577 - click and route

Sicily in February… 20 degrees in Taormina. Such weather prevails here in winter 🙂

day 6 - Taormina - Alcantara Gorge - Savoca - Cefalù - Palermo

trip length: 337 km
time of travel: 4 hours 58 min. (does not include time to visit attractions)
accommodation: Palermo
route map: open on Google map - [click]

Sightseeing map - day 6

comments:
It will be difficult to complete the entire program that day. You may have to choose something and give up something, although any resignation will be a waste ... Unfortunately, you can't do it otherwise. The day may be too short.

Alcantara Gorge

parking at the Alcantara Geological Park, GPS coordinates:
37°52’44.6″N 15°10’32.3″E lub
37.879057, 15.175641 - click and route

Interior of the Alcantara Gorge, Sicily
Savoca

parking by the viewing point, GPS coordinates:
37°57’21.9″N 15°20’24.5″E lub
37.956090, 15.340150 - click and route

Cefalu

more information about visiting Cefalu can be found in a separate entry: Cefalu (Sicily) - when you ask yourself, can it be more beautiful?

Parking by the beach, GPS:
38°02’09.6″N 14°01’02.4″E lub
38.035992, 14.017321 - click and route

Cefalu, Sicily, Italy.

day 7 - departure from Palermo to the house

You wake up in Palermo in the morning ...
... that is the end of the trip. And I know, I know ... you still want more.
Perhaps the time of your departure is that you do not have to spend the night in Palermo and you can slightly move the above sightseeing plan.
Remember, however leave a time reserve enough to make it on time return the car to the rental company before departure.

Sicily - car rental

Renting a car in Sicily is a key point of the trip. It is worth getting ready and choosing the best option. Fortunately, I have already done all this work and collected all the information in one clear entry: Sicily: Palermo, Catania, Trapani - rent a car without a credit card and a deposit? How do I rent a car in Sicily?
You will find the results of analysis of several dozen offers of car rental offices, and of course a selection of the best offers. Everything is arranged in a clear, legible and simple way for quick use.

Sicily - weather and climate

If you are wondering what time of year and in which month it is best to go sightseeing in Sicily, read the entry: Sicily - weather: air and water temperature, climate, holiday and vacation weather. Long-term weather forecast.
You will find all the answers along with the analysis of weather and climate throughout the year in Sicily, together with tables and graphs of air and water temperatures, the number of rainy days, etc. A complete set of data you need gathered in one place.

Sicily - cheap flights, or how to get here?

From Poland, you will fly here to several airports: Palermo, Catania and Trapani. Sample flight prices were provided in the entry related to the visit to Palermo: Palermo - Sicily: attractions, map, sightseeing, monuments. Guide, practical information.
If you live close to the Polish border, you can also fly to Sicily from airports from other countries, e.g. from Berlin. Often such a flight is much cheaper than from a domestic airport, and a resident of Zielona Góra, Gorzów Wielkopolski or Szczecin has a closer flight to Berlin than for example to Warsaw.
I described the devilishly effective ways of looking for cheap flights in the entry: Cheap flights. How to search for cheap flights and cheap flights? [GUIDE]
Thanks to the tricks contained here you will often find airline tickets at a price even below PLN 50 (!!!).

Hotels in Sicily

The route planned in this way requires hotel reservations in different cities. Do it well in advance! It will be definitely cheaper.
In entries describing visits to specific towns, I often recommend selected hotels. It's worth using these commands because they are not random places. I always try to place only information about places of particular interest and attractive prices.
You can also search for such places yourself. The mechanism of effective searching the hotel database is described in detail in the entry: Cheap hotels on Booking? Of course! Check how to find comfortable and cheap accommodation! Barcelona, ​​Rome, Paris ... wherever you want!
These two sources will certainly allow you to find a satisfying accommodation.

Organized trips and travel agencies offer in Sicily

Sometimes it is a good idea to use a travel agency's offer. If you are not going to travel around Sicily, then even staying only in Palermo, you can modify the above plan so that you can see a lot, After all, just rent a car for 2-3 days and calmly drive around everything that is relatively close to Palermo: Monreale , Scopello, Erice, Castellammare del Golfo, Cefalu. Everything is very close.
Then just select the travel agency offer in the form: flight + hotel or even flight + hotel + 2 meals a day (breakfast and dinner) and you can freely implement such a modified plan.
Of course, searching the offers of all travel agencies is pointless, because it would take hours. So I prepared ready-made links to the search engine and comparison engine of offers from many travel agencies at the same time. The search results compare the offers of several dozen offices (large but also smaller ones), including: Itaka, Rainbow, Coral Travel, Exim Tours, Ecco Travel, Oasis Tours, Atur, Ecco Holiday, Easy Travel, Logos Tour ... and many more!
Just one click and you'll get the result of comparing the offers of all offices, ranked by price from lowest to highest. Simple, easy, elegant ... the way I like the most!

links:
Sicily, Palermo: flight, hotel, breakfast - comparison of travel agency offers, price from the lowest - [click]

Sicily, holidays with different types of food, the whole island: flight, hotel, full board - comparison of travel agency offers, price from the lowest - [click]

The links are dynamic and whenever you click them you will receive a current summary of the chili. So if you need a current list of offers in half a year, just come back to this entry, click and it's ready !!!
Below is an example of a search result from which prices can be really attractive.

Examples of interesting vacation offers in Sicily

Other attractions in Sicily

You may like the attractions prepared by local guides living in Sicily, which you can book online. You can also buy tickets to some attractions online, without having to queue. I wrote more about this method of ordering tickets and local attractions: Tickets to attractions - skip the line, buy online, quickly and conveniently wherever you are !!!

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11 comments on "Sicily - tourist attractions, sightseeing, monuments, map, car rental, vacation. Guide."

  • o
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    Great plan. I will use it and I hope I will succeed 🙂

    Reply
  • o
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    A great proposition, I will use it when planning my trip to Italy and Sicily next year. Anyone would like to add something, supplement, propose ...? I'm open.

    Reply
  • o
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    Fantastic site, and the idea with accurate GPS data is a bull's eye in my opinion. Thank you very much for all this information. Best wishes.

    Reply
  • o
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    As always, everything is well planned, great tips and details to make your trip easier. I used it while traveling to Tenerife. On my second trip to Sicily, I will also gladly use it :)

    Reply
  • o
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    An excellent blog, short and to the point, and I still have everything I'm looking for. I will use!

    Reply
  • o
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    Sicily is a very attractive place. It is also part of Italy, but the Sicilians feel decidedly sovereign. Beautiful landscape, unique food and atmosphere. You have to see it.

    Reply
  • o
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    Excellent information, a mine of knowledge and experience. This is where I start preparing for the trip. I send bows and thanks

    Reply

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