Sicily for Families and Curious Travellers

Sicily experience collection

Ancient temples, Roman mosaics, a living historic city, volcanic landscapes, river gorges, islands and a proper Sicilian beach: Sicily gives curious travellers many ways to experience its history and geography directly.

Visitors walking with a guide through Mount Etna's volcanic landscape

Each place offers a different pleasure: follow Roman stories through mosaics, walk among Greek temples or discover landscapes shaped by lava and water. Choose a few that appeal to you, leaving time to enjoy Sicily’s towns and coast.

Use these ideas to begin your holiday plans. The destination links help you choose a place to stay, while the detailed guides explain visits, walking routes and practical arrangements.

Western Sicily

Greek temples and time by the sea

Walk among Agrigento’s Greek temples, then enjoy a few days beside the sea at San Vito Lo Capo. The two places offer different experiences and are far enough apart to deserve their own time in a western Sicily holiday.

Ancient Sicily · Agrigento

Valley of the Temples: walking through ancient Akragas

The Temple of Concordia within the cultivated landscape of the Valley of the Temples
Follow the ridge between temples, olive trees and traces of the ancient city of Akragas.

The Valley of the Temples is engaging because the scale of the ancient city remains visible. The route moves along an exposed ridge between temples, fortifications, sanctuaries, olive trees and the remains of a much larger urban world. A good guide can connect that landscape to mythology, ritual and the ambitions of Greek Akragas without turning the visit into a classroom lesson.

Allow for a substantial outdoor walk with exposed stretches. In summer, choose a cooler part of the day, carry water and leave time to rest along the way.

How it fits

Allow at least half a day, whether you stay near Agrigento or visit while travelling across Sicily. We recommend giving Villa Romana del Casale a separate day so you can enjoy both visits fully.

Explore Western Sicily Read the Valley of the Temples guide

Beach and local life · Trapani coast

San Vito Lo Capo: beach days and village evenings

Shallow clear water and the mountain beside San Vito Lo Capo beach
San Vito is first and foremost a proper beach stay: pale sand, shallow water and a town that can be used on foot.

Swim from the broad sandy beach, walk into town for lunch and try the fish couscous for which this corner of Sicily is known. San Vito’s food reflects the island’s long Mediterranean connections, including those with North Africa.

Add a boat outing along the coast or a visit to Segesta, Erice, Trapani or the salt pans. For walking in Zingaro, check which designated paths are open. Leave plenty of days for the beach and meals in town.

How it fits

Stay several nights to enjoy the beach as well as a few outings. August is busy and hot; June and September are appealing for combining sea time and exploring, with quieter stays possible in late spring and early autumn.

Explore Western Sicily Read the San Vito Lo Capo guide

Central Sicily · Piazza Armerina

Villa Romana del Casale: Roman life told in images

Great Hunt mosaic showing animals, handlers, cages and transport at Villa Romana del Casale
The Great Hunt turns transport, animals and the reach of the Roman world into a story that can still be followed visually.

Villa Romana del Casale is different from a conventional ruin because the floors still communicate directly. Animals are captured and transported, women compete in athletic events, chariots race, hunters eat outdoors and Ulysses approaches Polyphemus. Visitors can begin with the action in the images and then understand what each room says about wealth, education, status and Roman domestic life.

This makes the Villa particularly effective for visually curious children, teenagers and adults who respond more readily to stories than to foundations and architectural fragments. The modern raised route also helps visitors read the mosaics in relation to the rooms for which they were made.

How it fits

Allow roughly half a day for the villa. It can make a rewarding stop on a journey across Sicily, or a day out from nearby accommodation; we help you allow enough time for the drive and visit.

See how Sicily fits together Read the Villa Romana del Casale guide

South-east Sicily · City and sea

Siracusa: a city where the layers stay visible

Ortigia waterfront buildings rising directly above the rocky shoreline
Ortigia keeps history, food, boats and the sea within the same lived-in city experience.

Stay in Siracusa for a varied few days of history, food and time by the water. The Greek theatre and Neapolis archaeological park provide the monumental history, while Ortigia brings temple fragments, Baroque streets, markets, food, boats and the sea into daily life. Enjoy these different sides of the city while staying in one place.

Spend one day at the archaeological park and another wandering Ortigia, stopping at the market and choosing a restaurant for lunch. With longer, explore the nearby coast, Pantalica or the Baroque towns of the south-east.

How it fits

Three or four nights leave time for archaeology, Ortigia’s streets and leisurely meals. Stay longer for coastal days and excursions into the south-east.

Explore Siracusa holidays Read the Siracusa guide

Eastern Sicily · Volcanic landscape

Mount Etna: lava landscapes, walks and villages

Volcanic crater and vegetation across Mount Etna
Etna offers several different days out, from high volcanic terrain to gentler lower slopes, villages and wine country.

Take the cable car and authorised high-altitude vehicles, join a guided walk or explore gentler routes on the lower slopes. Lava caves, villages and wine country offer further ways to enjoy the mountain.

Choose the outing around your group’s ages, fitness and walking confidence. Altitude, weather and current volcanic restrictions affect access; we can arrange a guided day that suits your family.

How it fits

Allow a full day. Stay near Taormina, Catania or on Etna’s slopes, choosing the start point around the part of the mountain you would like to explore.

Explore Taormina and Mount Etna Read the Mount Etna guide

Eastern Sicily · River and gorge

Alcantara River Park: a different way into volcanic Sicily

Guided walkers crossing the rocky landscape beside the Alcantara River
Admire the basalt gorge, follow a river walk or join a guided activity in the water.

The Alcantara shows another consequence of Etna’s volcanic history: water cutting through old lava to create basalt walls, pools, rapids and a greener river landscape. Simply seeing the principal gorge is very different from joining river trekking, body rafting, canyoning or a gentler guided experience.

Choose the activity around age, swimming confidence and fitness. Water levels and the season affect what is possible, and guided activities have their own age and equipment requirements.

How it fits

Allow part of a day for a straightforward gorge visit, and longer for a guided river activity. We recommend separate days for substantial Etna and Alcantara outings, giving you time to enjoy each.

Explore Taormina and Mount Etna Read the Alcantara River Park guide

Aeolian Islands · Volcanic island

Vulcano: crater walking, sea and island geography

Walkers following the crater route on Vulcano above the Aeolian Islands
The crater route places the volcanic landscape within the wider geography of the Aeolian archipelago.

Vulcano brings crater scenery, a small port and volcanic shores together on one island. Combine an authorised walk with time by the sea, or enjoy the coastline and views from a boat.

The climb is exposed and heat can make the experience considerably harder. Current access arrangements and volcanic guidance must always be checked before travelling. Travellers who do not want the crater can still understand the island through coastal views, boats and its relationship with the rest of the archipelago.

How it fits

Enjoy Vulcano as part of a stay in the Aeolian Islands. Allow time for ferry connections and a few nights in the archipelago, with boat outings, village meals and swimming between visits.

Explore the Aeolian Islands Read the Vulcano guide

Where these experiences fit

Choose the part of Sicily before choosing every day out

Choose the part of Sicily that most appeals, then enjoy experiences nearby. A well-placed stay leaves more time for exploring and less time on the road.

Western Sicily Agrigento, San Vito Lo Capo and the western landscape For ancient sites, beach time, reserves, food and a route that needs sensible distances. Across Sicily Villa Romana del Casale within a wider journey For deciding where a central-Sicily visit belongs between established bases. Siracusa A cultural base with archaeology, food and the sea For travellers who want several different experiences without moving accommodation repeatedly. Eastern Sicily Mount Etna and the Alcantara River Park For volcanic landscapes, active days and a choice between town, coast and countryside bases. Aeolian Islands Vulcano during an Aeolian island stay For crater scenery, boats, swimming and time to understand the archipelago rather than rush through it.

Start planning

Let us shape the right mixture around you

Tell us who is travelling, your dates and the experiences you would most enjoy. Include children’s ages and your walking or swimming experience where relevant. We can recommend places to stay and arrange a holiday with time for discoveries and relaxation.

Start planning your Sicily holiday
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