Sicily on Wheels: Best Places to Visit on the Island

By: Irene Cooper

The real Sicily is hidden away from hiking trails, lost among the mountain serpentines or concealed in small fishing villages.

The beauty of the island, its numerous cities, the diversity of archaeological sites and the wonderful atmosphere. This is the cocktail of impressions that attracts tourists from all over the world to Sicily.

We have prepared the whole route around the island including visiting the most popular places. Make sure to include the below destinations in your road trip around Sicily.

Sicily on Wheels: Best Places to Visit on the Island

Catania

Finding yourself in the city-port Catania, go to see the main attraction of Sicily, created by nature itself – the active Mount Etna in the eastern part of the island. Its dimensions exceed even Vesuvius.

Want a bite? You can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Sicily in the seafood market La Pescheria and choose among the abundance of freshly caught seafood the desired one. There you can also prepare a fish dish. In addition, the streets surrounding the market are a real treasure cave of Aladdin for souvenir lovers. There is everything from sweets to fragrant spices and the ubiquitous Sicilian wagons.

Syracuse

Further, we keep the way to Syracuse. The distance from Catania to Syracuse is 68 km. Be sure to see the Cave Ear of Dionysius, the second natural attraction of Sicily.

Look in the Museum of Arethuseo Dei Pupi, the first museum in Italy dedicated to the fairy-tale world of puppets. In addition to the dolls, the exposition contains various documents, decorations, fragments, tools for making puppets, etc. More than 50 figurines are exhibited here.

Agrigento

The next stop is Agrigento. It will take almost 200 km, but a visit there is worth it.

You will see the picturesque Valley of Temples, surrounded by deserted beaches and rare fishermen's settlements. The valley includes the construction in honor of the gods Zeus, Juno, Hercules, Vulcan, Aesculapius, and the Temple of Castor and Pollux, the Temple of Concord and the Early-Christian Necropolis of the Valley of Temples.

Marsala

We're going to try the wine in Marsala. 169 km and you are there. Discover the charm and versatility of aromatic wine and the amazing variety of its tastes from sweet to spicy and dry.

Palermo

How can you go to Palermo and not visit the botanical garden? 121 km separates you from the incredible beauty of the scenery. There you can see a huge number of diverse tropical plants, cactus groves, beautiful ponds, a variety of beautiful lilies and much more. The main attraction of the city is the royal Norman palace. Earlier, the palace was a residence for kings, and today there is the government of Sicily.

Visit one of the most extraordinary museums of our time -- the Catacombs of the Capuchins. They are underground funerary galleries and are a vast burial place of the Sicilian nobility of the 16-19 centuries, among which are the remains of the famous Spanish painter Diego Velasquez.

Taormina

Taormina is the next destination. The way is not close – 280 km. Medieval palaces and monuments of Greco-Roman architecture can be found there at every step. Go to the play in the Greek theater built in the III century BC. Here you can see the church of St. Pancratius, the ruins of the Serapida temple and the ancient aqueduct.

And only 47 km and you are again at the starting point of the trip – Catania.

The total length of the route is 885 km. The car rental is a very profitable decision. You can explore the surroundings and attractions on your own, having planned your route in advance. Choose car rental in Catania and go on the Great Sicilian trip!

The original content (article & images) is owned by Irene Cooper. Visit the site here for other interesting stories.