Sicily: 7-day Itinerary
Discover Sicily on a 7-day itinerary through historic towns, turquoise beaches, dramatic landscapes, and authentic villages beyond the tourist trail.
Day 1.
Catania Airport → Aci Trezza → Taormina
Driving: ± 1 hr 15 total
Pick up your rental car at Catania Airport and head north along the Ionian coast. Make your first stop in Aci Trezza, a small fishing village known for its waterfront and the dramatic Faraglioni dei Ciclopi rising from the sea.
Continue to Taormina, where you’ll spend your first night. Explore the historic centre in the late afternoon and enjoy the spectacular views across the coastline towards Mount Etna.
Stay: Taormina
Day 2.
Taormina → Castelmola → Savoca
Driving: ± 1 hr 45 total
Start early in Taormina before the busiest hours. Visit the ancient theatre, wander along Corso Umberto and explore the narrow streets surrounding the historic centre.
Continue uphill to Castelmola, a small village with panoramic views over Taormina, Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea. From here, drive north to Savoca, a peaceful hilltop village filled with stone streets, historic churches and beautiful viewpoints.
Return to Taormina for the evening.
Stay: Taormina
Day 3.
Taormina → Mount Etna → Catania
Driving: ± 2 hr 30 total
Leave Taormina and drive towards the southern slopes of Mount Etna.
Explore the Silvestri Craters around Rifugio Sapienza or take the cable car and join a guided excursion towards the higher parts of the volcano. Access can depend on the weather and volcanic conditions, so always check the latest information before visiting.
Continue to Catania in the afternoon. Spend the evening exploring the streets around Piazza del Duomo and Via Etnea, with Mount Etna rising above the city.
Stay: Catania
Day 4.
Catania → Syracuse & Ortigia
Driving: ± 1 hr
Spend the morning exploring Catania’s historic centre. Visit Piazza del Duomo and, if timing allows, walk through La Pescheria, the city’s lively traditional fish market.
Drive south to Syracuse and spend the afternoon on Ortigia, the city’s beautiful historic island. Wander through its maze of narrow streets, visit Piazza del Duomo and walk along the waterfront towards Castello Maniace.
Stay for sunset and enjoy dinner in one of Ortigia’s quieter side streets.
Stay: Syracuse / Ortigia
Day 5.
Syracuse → Noto → Vendicari → Marzamemi
Driving: ± 1 hr 30–1 hr 45 total
Leave Syracuse and continue south to Noto, one of Sicily’s most impressive Baroque towns. Explore its honey-coloured streets, elegant palaces and magnificent cathedral.
Continue towards the Vendicari Nature Reserve, where walking trails lead through a wild coastal landscape of beaches, wetlands and abandoned historic buildings.
Finish the day in Marzamemi, a colourful former fishing village built around a beautiful waterfront piazza. Visit in the late afternoon, when the day visitors begin to leave and the village becomes more atmospheric.
Stay: Marzamemi / Noto
Day 6.
Marzamemi → Scicli → Modica → Ragusa
Driving: ± 2 hr total
This is where the road trip starts to feel much more Hidden Italy.
Drive west to Scicli, an elegant but often overlooked Baroque town filled with ornate churches, sunlit squares and peaceful streets. Continue to Modica, where historic buildings climb dramatically along the surrounding hillsides. Don’t leave without trying the town’s famous traditional chocolate.
End the day in Ragusa Ibla. Wander through its maze of narrow streets and finish at the Giardino Ibleo or beneath the impressive dome of the Duomo di San Giorgio.
Stay: Ragusa
Day 7.
Ragusa → Caltagirone → Catania Airport
Driving: ± 2 hr 15–2 hr 30 total
Enjoy a final morning walk through Ragusa Ibla before driving inland towards Caltagirone.
The town is famous for its colourful ceramics and the monumental Scala di Santa Maria del Monte, whose steps are decorated with traditional ceramic tiles. Explore the historic centre and stop for lunch before continuing to Catania Airport.
If you have an early flight, skip Caltagirone and drive directly from Ragusa to the airport.
Return your rental car at Catania Airport and fly home.