Allora. Sicilia is magic. I really hope you all get the chance to explore this beautiful Island. I have been twice now. The first time I went, I stayed near Mount. Etna which is spectacular. It was during the winter time which was special. Second time I went was for summer and wow! What a totally different experience. I will speak from both perspectives.

How to get around:

You can either get around by train or car. I did both! There were times where trains came in handy but for certain and specific places, a rental car was helpful.

Catania:

Bronte. This is home of the pistachio cannoli. Such a cute town and when I say the cannoli’s are fantastic, I truly mean it. So yummy.
Mount Etna. It’s an active volcano with just stunning views of the the mountains and vineyards. I really loved it so much. There is amazing wine to try nearby as well.
Amphitheater of Catania. (Pictured above) Left over from the Roman Period, these ruins are not to be ignored. You are able to walk through it and get a taste of what it was like back in time.
Piazza del Duomo. This is located in the main city square. Lot’s of shops nearby and a great location to be. I enjoyed this Piazza because of it’s history. It was originally constructed around 1078-1093. It’s crazy to me that these types of buildings are still around.
Wine tasting. This is a MUST. We visited Dott Siciliano. Got to tour the vineyard and sip on some really delicious wine. I had a lot of fun. I would recommend looking up some vineyards in Sicily, wherever you’re staying at, and go visit.
Palermo:
I only had a day here before I had to catch my train so here are the landmarks I hit….
Palermo Cathedral
Capella Palatina
Palazzo dei Normanni
Royal Palace and Palatine Chapel

Agrigento:

Valley of the Temples

Stair of the Turks

This was where we based ourselves for 3 nights. It was definitely a great spot for getting around and not too far from the other places we wanted to go to.

Visit the Valley of the Temples. It is one of the most outstanding examples of ancient Greek art and architecture, and is one of the main attractions of Sicily.
Have aperitivo at Enoteca 'Nzolia.
Visit Stair of the Turks. This beach is super popular, mind you, so it will be the type of beach that is crowded with tourists but I do believe it worth at least stopping by to experience. When I went, you couldn’t climb the white cliffs. Not sure if that had changed or not.
Go to Punta Bianca! This beach was a journey to get to but so worth it. It is a white sand beach with old ruins of an abandoned stone house on white cliffs. Make sure to bring a hat and SPF as shade is a minimum.
Walk around the old town city center. There are plenty of shops, restaurants, bars, churches and night life. It’s very fun to get social and sight see as well.
Have dinner at I Morgante Bottegabistro'. The pistachio crusted salmon was delicious.

Avola:

I spent 1 night in Avola and it was very charming to say the least. The town is quite small so you don’t need to spend more than that here in my personal opinion.

Spend a day at Sun Sea Beach. My friends and I reserved beach chairs and laid out for hours. There is a restaurant you can order food from right on the beach and the water is swimmable. I loved every moment of it. Definitely a great beach to just relax and enjoy yourself.
Visit the nature reserve: Riserva Naturale Cavagrande del Cassibile.

Santo Stefano di Camastra:

I stayed here at my friends apartment for a few nights and it was the base location to a few spots nearby. It’s a really small town so no need to spend too much time here.

Capo d’Orlando

We took the car and drove to Capo d'Orlando. The beach here was incredible and we laid out for hours. You can have lunch along the strip and relax under the sun. We ate lunch at Sunset Beach Club and it did not disappoint!
Walk around Santo Stefano di Camastra and marvel at all the ceramic stores nearby. There are quite a lot. I bought myself a few pieces to bring home and even got a mini Testa di Moro.
Have dinner at Trattoria Osteria. Very yummy food!
Have pizza and drinks at Carpe Diem!

Noto:

I spent the day here in Noto and it was so charming! It’s small enough to spend a day or two.

Wine tasting at Planeta Buonivini. We had the best time trying the food and tasting the wine. There was a bonus olive oil tasting as well. They even gave us a tour of the vineyard at the end. You can book here.
Relax at San Lorenzo Beach and Lido Beach Agua.
Get lost admiring the Baroque architecture in the city center of Centro Storico. We had dinner here one night and it was a great time walking around and seeing the churches and stores everywhere. We had dinner at Ristorante Crocifisso. Everything on the menu was incredible and the desserts were scrumptious.
Ristorante Manna Noto - Delicious food. Even better wine!

Sicily, Italy