Top 10 Sicily Travel Tips

In the spring of 2018, travel guide author Cameron Hewitt spent three weeks in Sicily, circling the island to put the finishing touches on the brand new Rick Steves Sicily guidebook — which will be released in Australia in June. Throughout that trip, he collected 10 favourite practical tips for traveling in Sicily.

1.  Visit a mix of big cities, smaller towns and countryside sights.

For a good sampling of Sicily, plan to visit a mix of big cities (Palermo, Siracusa); smaller towns (Ragusa, Trapani, Taormina, Cefalù); and striking sights in the countryside (Mount Etna, ancient temples and theatres, the glittering mosaics at Monreale Cathedral). On a quick visit of just a few days, home-base in Taormina or Catania and make strategic side-trips to Siracusa and Mount Etna, then spend a day or two in Palermo. With more time, consider adding your choice of other towns: Agrigento (with its remarkable ancient temples), additional time in Siracusa (for its ancient sites and delightful urban bustle), Ragusa (for its low-key hill town ambience), Trapani (a pleasant west coast town with an array of tempting side-trips, from salt flats to hill towns to offshore islets), and the beach town of Cefalù. For most travellers, the best plan is to rent a car — but be prepared for the often challenging Sicilian roads, especially in cities.

2. Pick out on street food

The island’s cuisine — which is distinctly different from mainland Italy’s — is, like Sicily, a unique mix of cultural influences. Choosing between eggplant pasta and fish couscous on the same menu, it’s clear that you’re at a crossroads of Europe and Africa. And some of the best food is also the cheapest. Sicily is renowned for its street food. Try an arancina (deep-fried saffron rice ball), panelle (chickpea fritters), sfincione (rustic, Sicilian-style “pizza”), polpo bollito (a boiled mini-octopus), and — if you dare — pani ca’ meusa…the famed spleen sandwich. To sample several items in one go, just wander through one of the characteristic street markets in Palermo or Catania…or join a street food tour.

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Pre-order your copy of Rick Steves Sicily now, available in-store from mid-June.

Main image by TooMuchCoffeeMan, Pixabay