Sicily Travel Planning

Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, has a lot to offer the traveler. Sicily has beaches, mountains, an active volcano, and centuries of history and tradition. Travelers can visit Mount Etna, swim in the sea, or explore Sicily's Catacombs, magnificent cathedrals, Phoenician settlements, Roman amphitheaters, Greek temples, and castles.

Find out more about what to do and see in Sicily with my Sicily Travel Essentials and take a look at these Sicily Full-day Tours on Europe for Visitors, a good way to see what Sicily has to offer.

Today I received an email from Enrico Forte, a reader from Catania, Sicily who said I'd like to share with you my recent travel story of my trip in the north coast of Sicily (Capo D'Orlando, Messina). You can see pictures and read the details of his Sicily vacation, including itinerary and costs, on his Quick Travel Story blog post.

Sicily's coast is good for off-season travel with its mild climate but inland Sicily gets some winter snow. In fact, there's even volcano skiing. Sicily has many festivals at all times of the year. There are several good ones coming up in September - see September Festivals in Italy for details.

Whether you're traveling to Sicily or are an armchair traveler, you might want to take a look at Pictures of Sicily or my recommended Books about Sicily, too. My favorite is The Stone Boudoir: Travels through the Hidden Villages of Sicily. (compare prices). Theresa Maggio takes the reader on a fascinating trip through the small inland villages of Sicily, some of which are rarely visited by tourists, providing an insightful look at village life and traditions.

_{Photo of cathedral in Cefalu, Sicily © 2006 by James Martin, Europe for Visitors}