What To Do - 101 Things to do in Sicily

With its shores bathed by the Mediterranean Sea and the snow capped Etna watching overhead like a sentinel, Sicily is a land of contrasts. A kaleidoscope of immense beauty, charm, sensuality and captivating history, be prepared to visit Sicily with an open mind. Its culture is deeply set within the roots of tradition.

1. Try the famous Cannoli Siciliani a sweet made out of fresh ricotta encased in a roll of fried pastry.
2. Wear comfortable shoes and walk through the streets of Ortigia in Syracuse and marvel at the ancient town houses and the Palaces.
3. Swim in the crystal waters of St Alessio beach close to Messina
4. Marvel at the enormity of Mount Etna
5. Hire a car, drive to Noto and appreciate it baroque beauty and splendid architecture. When in Noto, have a 'granita' from Bar Sicilia.
6. Fall in love with the gentle hues bestowed upon the buildings by the sun in the evenings
7. Sit in a town square and watch the gathered old men animatedly discuss the latest political events or dispense advise on their favourite football team
8. Go to the Fish Market in Catania at dawn and smell the seawater emanating from the freshest daily catch of an amazing variety of fish as well as the loud negotiations of the fisherman selling their produce.
9. Step back in time as you wander through the 2500 year-old ruins at Agrigento, Segasta and Syracuse.
10. Celebrate on the 5th February the feast of St Agatha in Catania
11. Be enchanted by the magnificent floor mosaics at Piazza Armerina or those of the Villa Romana del Casale buried under mud for 700 years.
12. Take a bus to Milazzo, board a ferry or Hydrofoil to visit the 7 islands that make the Aeolian Islands
13. Watch the movie Il Postino which was filmed at the charming island of Salina and visit the beach of Pollara, one of the locations of the movie.
14. Help a farmer pick oranges or lemons
15. Do some spectacular dives in the waters off Ustica
16. Take a guided tour and peer into the explosive crater of the very active Stromboli volcano
17. Go for a seaside walk along one of the coastal shores holding hands with your loved one
18. Taste the lovely Pachino tomatoes – they are small and incredibly sweet
19. Ride a bike in the country side.
20. Trek up Mount Etna – Europe's largest and highest active volcano. Take the cable car that will take you to 2500m and walk up the rest with the obligatory guide.
21. Ski down the slopes of Etna in Winter and then drive a few kilometres to walk along the sea shores below
22. Try the Donnafugata wines – Mille e una notte is very impressive!
23. Eat fresh bread dipped in Olive Oil from the Monte Iblea the best olive oil in Sicily
24. Visit the Valley of the Temples a UNESCO World Heritage site in Agrigento
25. Attend an open air summer concert at the Teatro Greco in Toarmina.
26. Drink a bottle of Nero D'Avola on a beach – its red and most enjoyable
27. Attend the processions during Easter Holy week, where life sized statues are carried around the quarters of many villages
28. Visit the salt pens of Trapani, they are world renown.
29. Go to Castello di Lombardia which is Enna's closely guarded secret, a provincial and agricultural town that has a been the sea of a sacred cult to Demeter – the Goddess of Fertility
30. Visit the Cathedral in Piazza del Duomo of Ortygia Syracuse and admire the Doric Columns that adorn this old Greek temple.
31. Buy a sculpture made out of Lava stone
32. Hire a sailing boat and sail off from Trapani
33. Taste the Ragusana Cheese in Ragusa
34. Horse ride in the Nebrodi mountains in Messina
35. Jog along the sand shore of Scoglietti near Vittoria
36. Sit on the sand with your loved one at Marina di Ragusa and kiss at sunset
37. Dine at Locanda Don Serafino in Raguza Ibla and savour the gastronomic specialities of this Michelin star restaurant
38. Windsurf off the coast of Gela
39. Visit the Teatro Greco in Syracuse and the Orecchio di Dionisio a grotto that is in the shape of an ear and has excellent acoustics
40. Try Sicily's bar-b-qued fresh sausages
41. Palermo is the capital city of Sicily filled with raw energy, chaos, palaces, churches, decay and splendour – can you handle it?
42. Wear designer shades and mingle with the crowds
43. Visit Feltrinelli the bookshop that has a foreign language section
44. Stay at Azienda Agrituristica Limoneto and taste their homemade Limoncello given free after your modestly priced but excellent typically Sicilian meal.
45. Be seduced by the charm of Taormina, a beautiful small medieval town that is both chic and sophisticated.
46. Shop for your bathing costumes in one of the tiny shops scattered along the main street of Taormina
47. From the Taormina bus stop take a short bus ride up to Castelmolo and admire the magnificent views from there.
48. Admire Catania's symbolic monument - Fontana dell'Elefante in Piazza del Duomo
49. Take a ferry from Palermo to visit the island of Pantelleria and fall in love with this volcanic, wind-swept isle and its Dammusi (typical homes)
50. Bathe in the Lago di Venere (Venus's lake) and enjoy its mud bath or the natural steam baths along some of the shores of Pantalleria
51. Have coffee at Bar Europa in Catania on a Sunday morning and watch the locals buy myriads of pastry cakes to take home with them.
52. Sicily is the home for Ice-cream, go to an ice-cream parlour and be amazed at the sheer quantities of flavours and local specialities
53. Wander around the Tonnara at the Port of Favignana one of the Egadi Islands off the coast of Trapani
54. Enjoy a different type of breakfast – try the cold 'granita' with panna and dunk in a warm brioche into it. Sinfully delicious.
55. Taste the Zibbibu – one of the local liqueurs after a meal.
56. Go to Bronte and try out some of the local dishes or sweets made with the best pistachios grown locally and world renowned
57. Go to Erice one of the most spectacular hill towns which sits on the legendry Mount Eryx, on a good day you can see Cape Bon in Tunisia from here. Wander around the medieval streets interspersed with churches, forts and cobbled piazzas – the town is said to be the abode to Venus the goddess of Love.
58. Taste some of the delicious marzipan sweets made by the local nuns at Antica Pasticceria del Convento – Erice
59. Enjoy a helicopter ride over Mount Etna and the Aeolean Islands
60. Read one of Andrea Camilleri's novels. He is one of the most popular Sicilian writers
61. Learn the art of making fresh ricotta, visit one of Modica's old family homes who still practice this culture.
62. Taste the different types of honey to be found locally
63. Eat fresh fish cooked to perfection at Sacaleo's restaurant in Scoglietti near Vittoria.
64. Buy typical pottery plates or ornaments from Caltagirone
65. Sun bathe on the shores of Fontane Bianche near Syracuse
66. Visit the Church of San Giorgio in Modica Alta a honey coloured masterpiece perched on top of a 250 step staircase
67. Visit the church of San Pietro in Modica Bassa, another magnificent church atop a vertiginous staircase lined with statues of the apostles
68. Watch the Puppet shows at the Teatro Dei Pupi, not quite what you would are normally used to and very entertaining for children and grown up alike
69. Drive in the countryside and get lost in a small town
70. Use private and guarded car parks if you are driving in Sicily petty crime is not uncommon
71. Charter a boat from Syracuse and go around the coastal shores of Syracuse
72. Try body rafting at Gole di Alcantara in Fiumefreddo near Taormina
73. Enjoy the nightlife in Catania and its bars
74. Visit the Teatro Massimo Bellini and enjoy one of the operas or stage productions
75. Shop for some lovely jewellery in Corso Italia in Catania or walk through Via Etnea, its a road that will lead you to Etna eventually!
76. Dine at Da Federico's in Acitrezza, they make delicious pasta with lobster
77. Drive through the neighbouring villages on the foothills of mount Etna
78. Eat fresh mushrooms in October, the Sicilians cook a variety of dishes with this ingredient, from raw with parmesan cheese, to pasta and main courses.
79. Go mushroom picking but be sure to know your mushrooms – some are poisonous
80. Taste the Modica sweets flavoured with cinnamon, vanilla and orange peel at Antica Dolceria Bonajuta
81. Visit the grand old Dame of Raguza, a well aged provincial town which collapsed during the 1693 earthquake and the gem of Ibla the oldest part of the town, better still why not stay in one of the hotels there!
82. Visit the Cathedral of San Giorgio and the smaller Church dedicated to St Joseph on the east of Piazza Duomo in Raguza Ibla
83. The civic heart of Palermo is in Piazza Pretoria, see the ornate Fontana Pretoria dubbed as the Fountain of shame due to the flagrant nudity of the provocative nymphs adorning the fountain
84. Watch Al Pacino's godfather and remember that the Mafia still exists even if the main villains have been captured and are imprisoned for life.
85. Take a trip to Malta from Pozzallo using the Virtu Ferry line
86. Watch Mount Etna in eruption from afar and if you fail the unannounced event buy postcards or photographs. Spectacular!
87. Eat fresh giant prawns cooked over the grill in Mondello near Palermo
88. Try marinated raw fish 'cooked' in fresh lemon juice and olive oil
89. Relish the Arancini – a savoury which is made of beef sauce and cheese covered in rice and deep fried once covered in breadcrumbs. Delicious and can be bought from main table d'hote bars.
90. Have an express coffee – dark and strong!
91. Feast your eyes on the gorgeous women and the hot Italian men. Sicilians are known as the best lovers and they are proud of this.
92. Giuseppe Garibaldi planned his daring and dramatic unification in Marsala, visit this city and enjoy the vinification of special wines including the famous Marsala wine.
93. Try the Passito of Pantelleria – a sweet dessert wine that make a perfect marriage to most Sicilian desserts
94. Enjoy the calorie filled Casatella Sicilian made out of sponge cake, ricotta cheese and candid fruits, peel and nuts covered in marzipan
95. Sit in a local garden and enjoy the chirping Mediterranean crickets in the afternoon.
96. Sip on champagne whilst watching the sun set over the coast
97. Propose to your loved one on a boat at sunset.
98. Listen to the Sicilian songs and appreciate the passion with which the mandolin players perform
99. Dine at Da Nino in Letojanni, close to Taormina – the ultimate in fresh fish cuisine.
100. Drive to Vendicari – a natural and protected reserve and see all the fauna there.
101. Watch the shooting stars whilst lying down on a sandy beach at night on San Lorenzo's feast day the 10th August