7 days in Sicily, itineraries for 1 week based on your type of holiday

Sicily is one of the most beautiful Italian regions, unique for culture and history.

Having 7 days in Sicily will allow you to visit the main attractions.

But is one week in Sicily enough to experience all this region has to offer?

Probably not, however, you would be surprised by how much you can see and how many things you can do if you plan your itinerary in advance.

And this is where this guide comes to help you, whether you are after the most amazing beaches, a romantic holiday, a family adventure, a trip full of historical sites or the lot.

But let’s dig into it

You can read also

7 days in Sicily – in a nutshell

With one week in Sicily, you can think to split your stay even in two or even three locations (although for families one base may be enough)

Sicily has two main airports, Palermo and Catania, and a small one in Trapani serving mostly Italian destinations.

In the map below I have drawn most of the major attractions, towns, villages and cities on the island

For all of the itineraries options below, I have assumed you will spend 7 days in Sicily without a car. 

However, there are sites that are difficult to reach by public transportation. In that case, I suggest renting a car for a day or join an organised tour for a more relaxed experience.

Map of Sicily with major attractions
Map of Sicily with major attractions
  • 7 days in Sicily for beaches: With 1 week in Sicily I suggest staying either on the west side of the island (if you fly to Palermo) or on the east side if you fly to Catania. Both areas have great beaches and you will be able to squeeze in also some time for a couple of visits to spectacular towns and villages, maybe at sunset time for dinner. Read more below on a 7 days beach itinerary in Sicily
  • Seven days in Sicily for couples: for this itinerary, I have picked a couple of romantic towns/cities to split your stay, close to Palermo or Catania. The choice is based, as usual, on your airport of arrival. The Catania area is better served by train meanwhile the Palermo area is mostly connected by bus. Read more below on a full romantic itinerary
  • 1 week in Sicily for families: with 7 days in Sicily, I would suggest booking a Holiday Home or Airbnb only in one resort area, with a nice beach to spend some time with the kids and access to a few interesting sites. San Vito Lo Capo, west of Palermo, and Avola, south of Catania, are the best bets. Read more below on a family itinerary
  • 1 week in Sicily for history: you will have enough time to experience some of the best historical sites that Sicily has to offer. Don’t discount Catania and Palermo. Both cities offer so much. The masterpiece is of course the Valley of the Temples, a must-visit site that should not be missed out on. Just for this itinerary, you can think to travel all around the island(or most of it) and not be based on a single spot. Read more below for the 7 days plan
  • 7 days in Sicily no car for everything: These two options will give you a bit of everything, including experiences as trekking, wine tasting, historical sites, beaches and much more, without the need to rent a car. Read below for more details

Do you have the possibility of flying to both Palermo and Catania? 

If so, you may ask if it’s better Palermo or Catania.

In my opinion, with 7 days in Sicily, you have enough time to have an awesome holiday doesn’t matter where you fly. 

In this respect, get the cheapest fare.

Palermo has a much bigger Old Centre (in fact the biggest in Europe), and you need time to visit it all. The local beach (Mondello) is one of the best of Sicily.

Catania is more city, it has a small Old Centre, easier to navigate around, with access to the underground level where you will find the antique Old Centre, a unique experience. The local beach (La Playa) is good but not the best.

How to move around Sicily? Check out this comprehensive list of options, with links to bus companies, trains and rental agencies.

Keep in mind that, unfortunately, there is no central booking system for buses and you will have to check the timetable on every single bus company.

In my itineraries below, I have mentioned, where applicable, the name of the bus provider for every trip

7 days in Sicily for beaches

The area around Palermo has some of the most amazing beaches that you can experience in Sicily.

The island has many amazing beaches along its southern coastline, however, you would need to rent a car to visit that part of Sicily, not well served by public transportation.

7 days in Sicily for beaches
7 days in Sicily for beaches

Palermo and the west

If you fly to Palermo then you have to make it to San Vito Lo Capo, one of the best beaches in Sicily and Europe.

You can experience some of the most beautiful beaches that this area has to offer by either car (quicker and more options) or public transportation (slower).

The Russo Autoservizi connects Palermo (Airport as well) to San Vito Lo Capo by frequent bus runs, stopping at some of the most beautiful locations between the two.

In the itinerary below I assume you will do 7 days in Sicily no car, however, you can do the same by car, with more flexibility, for example, on the beaches you want to visit (see more  beaches of Sicily I saved on my Google Map)

Start your week in Sicily by booking your hotel in Mondello, a neighbourhood of Palermo with one of the best beaches in Sicily

This itinerary also includes some sightseeing in the city.

  • Day 1: First day spent relaxing at the gorgeous beach of Mondello. Grab the bus (#806 in 30 minutes) or a taxi (20 minutes) and go to the old centre of Palermo for dinner.
  • Day 2: Day trip to Cefalù by quick train (50 minutes) to explore the old town and even better the boutique romantic beach in the old port. Do you prefer a bigger/wider beach? Walk down to the new part of town for the 1km long beach.
  • Day 3: Spend the morning in Palermo with the Ballaro’ Market a must-visit for its famous street food. After lunch head to one of these beaches: the city Spiaggia dell’Arenella, the Lido di Sferracavallo or the Rocky Beach of Mondello (follow the 2km track along the coast from Mondello centre).
  • Day 4: Time to move from Mondello to San Vito Lo Capo where you will spend the remaining part of the week. Rent a car or take the bus (Russo Autoservizi) to San Vito Lo Capo (1.5 hours by car or almost 3 hours by bus). Here you will find one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe. Spend the afternoon there and plan dinner at Poldo 2 for the amazing view and great food
  • Day 5: Chill out at the San Vito Lo Capo beach. You can also think to have a nice walk to the Torre dell’Usciere
  • Day 6: You can drive your rented car or take this easy-going shuttle bus (leaving at 9:30am or 10:30am) to the nearby Riserva del Zingaro, one of the most scenic national parks in Sicily full of coves and small beaches. What a day!
  • Day 7: Drive or rent a bike to Blue Marino Beach and/or Macari Beach, 5km south of San Vito Lo Capo. Both amazing

Accommodations:

Read more options on where to stay in the Palermo area.

Fontane Bianche and the South-East

South of Catania you will find another of the best beaches of Sicily, Fontane Bianche.

The great thing about Fontane Bianche is that it’s well connected by train to Catania (2-2.5 hours), other characteristic towns and of course other beaches

Start your holiday in Fontane Bianche where the beach is sandy, family-friendly and partially organised with sunbeds.

  • Day 1: it’s chill-out time at the local beach in Fontane Bianche. Plan dinner in town at La Capannina.
  • Day 2: Just 3.5km south of Fontane Bianche you will find Marchesa Beach, reachable by either rented car or an easy taxi ride. Access to the beach is free, but they charge for the parking. This is the beach of the locals when Fontane Bianche gets too busy in summer.
  • Day 3: Take the train to Avola (10 minutes, just one stop) and walk down to Patanello Beach, another jewel of Sicily. Take the train from Avola to Noto (7 minutes, only one stop) for sunset and dinner in one of the most beautiful baroque towns in the world
  • Day 4: If you have a rented car then drive south to Eloro Beach, around 20km from Fontane Bianche. This is a beautiful sandy beach, completely unspoilt, in fact, you need to take your water and food. Within walking distance, you can also find a nudist beach. If you do not have a car, in the morning have a walk south of Fontane Bianche to Punta del Cane for some snorkelling, so spectacular. Lunch and afternoon back at the town beach
  • Day 5: Catch the train (50 minutes) to Pozzallo for the Black Stones Beach. Another beautiful one. You could make it as a day trip with a visit to the baroque town of Modica in the morning and Black Stones in the afternoon. Modica is around 30 minutes from Pozzallo by train. The travelling time will be much shorter if you have a rented car.
  • Day 6: Take the train to Noto (30 minutes), another amazing baroque town. After lunch take the local bus or a taxi to Lido di Noto (less than 10 minutes) for another lovely long beach
  • Day 7: Time to move to Catania. Enjoy a leisurely stroll in Catania’s Old Centre before spending the afternoon on the local beach, La Playa.

Accommodations in Fontane Bianche:

Read more options on where to stay on the East Coast of Sicily.

Ortigia Island in Syracuse, Sicily
Ortigia Island in Siracusa, Sicily

Seven romantic days in Sicily for couples

If you are travelling with your partner, then you will be happy to know that Sicily is one of the most romantic regions of Italy

The cities and the towns are just so unreal, with beautiful old centres, plenty of charming corners and lanes to get lost.

Of course, there are also unattractive towns or neighbourhoods, but certainly, we will not include them in our guide 🙂

7 days in Sicily for couples
7 days in Sicily for couples

Palermo & Cefalù

If you plan to fly to Palermo:

  • Day 1: Start the 7 days in Sicily from the city of Palermo. Wonder around the wide Old Centre and do not miss out on the Ballaro’ Market where you can organise your lunch with simple, however very tasty, street food. In the afternoon join this exclusive Palermo Art Tour and enjoy the best of the city with a local guide.
  • Day 2: Just outside Palermo you will find another wonder of Sicily, the Monreale Cathedral, reachable by public bus (#389P) from Indipendenza Square. Wonder around the town and have lunch at the deli Le Bontà Di Peppe. Still some spare time in the afternoon? Relax at the Mondello beach, only 7km from the Old Centre of the city, connected by public bus.
  • Day 3: Take some time off in the morning for the last attractions of Palermo and in the afternoon catch the train to Cefalù (45 minutes) where you will spend 2 nights. Alternatively, you can leave Palermo in the morning and spend more time in the romantic town of Cefalù
  • Day 4: it’s time to get lost in the old town of Cefalù and climb up to the castle on the top of the hill. After lunch, chill out at the beautiful local beach. 
  • Day 5: Time to move to Scopello. From Cefalù, take the 50 minutes train to Palermo and then the direct bus (Russo Autoservizi) to Scopello, a lovely romantic coastal village West of Palermo dominated by the old Tonnara, a 13th-century building used to process the seafood from the fishermen.
  • Day 6: day for some light trekking in the Riserva del Zingaro, a beautiful national park that follows the coast north of Scopello where you will find unique coves and boutique beaches. Bring your own food and drinks.
  • Day 7: Back to Palermo for the last night or the flight back home. If you have some spare time I suggest some time off at Mondello, a neighbourhood of Palermo with one of the most impressive beaches of Sicily

Accommodations:

Taormina and Catania

Taormina is one of the most romantic towns in Italy, a great place to start your holiday with your partner

It’s surely a popular travel destination in Sicily, and for a good reason, it’s so charming and picturesque

From the Catania Airport, you can either take the direct bus to Taormina (Etna Trasporti) or grab the bus to the Catania Station and from there by train (1h15m) to Taormina. 

Etna Trasporti offers a quicker service, however, it all depends on the time of your arrival.

  • Day 1: Get lost in the romantic Taormina and spend the hot part of the day at the boutique beach of Lido La Pigna, connected to Taormina by cable car. 
  • Day 2: Taormina is also famous for its sightseeing tours. Well organised by local guides, like the visit to the local wineries around the Etna Volcano (with wine tasting) or the unique Godfather/Mafia Tour.
  • Day 3: Time for a walk down to the beach in Giardini Naxos (2 km), enjoy some sunbathing and explore the coast and the boutique Isola Bella (Beautiful Island) by boat
  • Day 4: It’s time to say bye bye to Taormina and move to Catania (1 hour by public train). Spend the rest of the day exploring the old centre of the city
  • Day 5: Do you love Italian Food? Join the Street Food Tour or the Private Home Cooking Class with a certified local cook. It’s gonna be a different day. Still some spare time? Visit the antique streets and buildings under the city of Catania. The access to the underground level is in Stesicoro Square.
  • Day 6: Catch the train to Siracusa to stay on Ortigia Island, one of the gems of Sicily. The entire island used to be the Old Centre of Siracusa. Today it is an open-air museum, absolutely stunning and so romantic, especially at sunset time when most of the day-trippers have left and you will share it with a small number of travellers and the locals.
  • Day 7: Keep exploring Ortigia Island and spend the hot part of the day at the Sbarcadero for a swim. Alternatively take a 30 minutes train to Noto, one of the most beautiful baroque towns in the world.

From Siracusa, you can take a direct bus to the Catania Airport (Interbus) bypassing completely the city of Catania and saving one hour or more on travelling time.

For lunch or dinner in Taormina go to the Rosmarino Restaurant, so romantic. In Ortigia book a table at aLevante Restaurant

Accommodations and experiences:

View of Taormina
View from Taormina

Seven days in Sicily for families

Avola and San Vito Lo Capo are two of the best family-friendly areas, well connected by bus to the two main airports of Catania and Palermo.

7 days in Sicily for families
7 days in Sicily for families

San Vito Lo Capo (Palermo)

San Vito Lo Capo is well connected by local shuttles to the main Palermo Airport (1h20m) and to the small Trapani Airport (1 hour).

If the timing does not work in your favour, you can also think to book this affordable private transfer.

You may already know that San Vito Lo Capo has one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe.

It’s long wide with shallow water, ideal for families with kids. Did I forget to mention the turquoise colour of the water?

When you are not busy enjoying the beach, you can think to rent a car and visit Trapani and the old town of Erice perched on a steep hill and reachable by cable car.

Another easy excursion, especially with grown-up kids is to the Riserva Dello Zingaro (easy-going shuttle bus leaving from San Vito Lo Capo at 9:30am or 10:30am).

This is a popular national park that follows the coast, ideal for some easy trekking to hidden coves and beaches.

Fancy some climbing? Check out Cala Mancina or organise an afternoon session directly at the local agencies.

AirBnb/Holiday Homes in San Vito Lo Capo:

Avola (Catania)

Avola has once again a great family-friendly beach, long and wide, perfect for kids. 

It’s well connected by direct Interbus (1 hour) to the Catania Airport, so practical.

You can also decide to rent a car if you want more flexibility with your time

The beach in Avola is seriously long, you can change location every day and feel in a new place.

Once there, I suggest a day trip to Fontane Bianche, another popular family-friendly beach (20 minutes by train)

And if you are getting bored with the beaches, why not organising a short trip to the baroque town of Noto (10 minutes by train) or Ortigia Island in Siracusa (35 minutes by train)

Plenty of possibilities in a good size town, with a great choice of Pizzerie and Restaurants like Marine’

AirBnb/Holiday Homes in Avola:

San Vito Lo Capo bay
San Vito Lo Capo bay

7 days in Sicily for history

Sicily is so packed with historical sites that you could be busy visiting them for a few months.

In saying that, in one week in Sicily, you can aim to visit the most important sites, including the main cities, Palermo and Catania.

The below itinerary is a loop of the island covering the following sites: Palermo, Agrigento, Catania and Noto

I assume a start from Catania, however, you could do the same itinerary starting from Palermo.

The ideal situation would be to fly into Catania and out from Palermo, or vice versa.

You can do this itinerary by bus/train (the slower option) or rented car (more flexible and quicker)

7 days in Sicily for history
7 days in Sicily for history

The Sicilian loop for history

  • Day 1: Arrival at Catania airport and direct bus transfer (Interbus) to the beautiful baroque town of Noto for 2 nights. I have already talked a lot in this post about Noto, a real open-air museum, unique
  • Day 2: Spend the day wandering around Noto. You can also think to take a 30 minutes train to Siracusa to visit the marvellous Ortigia Island and have dinner there.
  • Day 3: It’s time to move to Catania to spend the day wandering around the Old Centre. So many places to see of which the Duomo should be on top of the list, as well as the underground antique streets and building of Catania, accessible from the Stesicoro Square. Book your hotel in Catania
  • Day 4: Transfer to Agrigento in the early morning (SAIS Trasporti, 3 hours by bus). Visit the Old Centre of the Marvellous City (so was called Agrigento in the past). You will spend two nights in Agrigento
  • Day 5: This is the day of the Valley of the Temples, unique and unmissable. Describing it in just a few words would be a crime. You can read much more on another post I did. You can wander through the valley on your own, however, I at least suggest buying you tickets in advance, skip the line and get an audio guide. You can also think to visit it by e-scooter or e-bike.
  • Day 6: Transfer to Palermo in the morning by bus (Cuffaro Trasporti in around 3 hours) where you will spend the last two days. The afternoon is dedicated to the Old Centre of the city, the widest and biggest in Europe.
  • Day 7: Two options for this day. The first one is to start by visiting the Ballaro’ Market in the morning where you can also have the famous local street food for lunch. In the afternoon you can join this exclusive art tour. The alternative is to join this great local tour to visit the famous Segesta Archeological Site together with the Salt Pans of Marsala and Erice‘s old town.

The trip from Palermo to Catania can be done by train (3 hours)

Renting a car will allow you to save time on transfers and you will be much more flexible during your trip. The drawback is of course the higher cost and the possible stress with driving (very subjective of course)

Accommodations and experiences:

Ballaro' market in Palermo
Ballaro’ market in Palermo

7 days in Sicily without car for everything

In these two itineraries below without car you will be able to experience a bit of everything, from beaches to historical sites, from nightlife to chill-out time.

7 days in Sicily no car for everything
7 days in Sicily no car for everything

Palermo & Cefalù

This itinerary works well if you fly to Palermo where you will have the first three nights

  • Day 1: it’s all about Palermo. After getting lost in the old town, head to the Ballaro’ Market for lunch with some street food. Enjoy the afternoon at the lovely Mondello Beach. If the weather is not great, or the beach is not your thing, take this exclusive art tour.
  • Day 2: join this great local tour from Palermo to visit Segesta, one of the must-see temple sites in Sicily, the Salt Pans of Marsala and the old town of Erice, on top of the hill overlooking Trapani. So picturesque.
  • Day 3: on your last day in Palermo I suggest taking this Valley of the Temples from Palermo day tour. I already mentioned a few times in this guide how this unique valley should be on everyone’s bucket list. Unmissable. 
  • Day 4: Time to leave Palermo and move to Cefalù (50 minutes by train). Take time to explore the charming old town and enjoy the boutique beach in the old port area.
  • Day 5: More time in Cefalù to explore the old town and walk up to the castle on top of the hill. Spend the afternoon on the long beach, in the new part of the town.
  • Day 6: Take the train back to Palermo and get the bus (Russo Autoservizi) to San Vito Lo Capo where you will spend the last 3 days of your Sicilian adventure. 
  • Day 7: Once in San Vito Lo Capo, book this easy-going shuttle bus (leaving at 9:30am or 10:30am) to visit the nearby Riserva del Zingaro, a beautiful National Park that follows the coast south of town. There is an easy track to follow for amazing views, small coves to have a dive and boutique beaches to spend the day.
  • Day 7 (alternative): If you are not really into trekking then enjoy the local beach and if you have some spare time have an easy walk to the Torre dell’Usciere.

From San Vito Lo Capo you can take the Direct Shuttle to the Palermo Airport, a quick trip that will avoid you wasting time with a trip back to Palermo city.

Accommodations and experiences:

Noto, Catania and Taormina

This itinerary works well if you fly to Catania

  • Day 1: From the Catania airport (no need to go into the city) book your direct trip by local bus (Interbus) to the beautiful baroque town of Noto, your first base for 2 nights. You can read more about Noto in my guide.
  • Day 2: Spend the morning wandering around Noto, so many amazing corners, lanes, alleys and places to access and visit. Leave the afternoon for some beach time in Lido di Noto. There is a Local Shuttle that in 10 minutes will take you to the beautiful beach.
  • Day 3: It’s time to move to Catania, where you will spend two nights. Wander around the Old Centre. So many places to see of which the Duomo should be on top of the list, as well as the underground antique streets and building of Catania, accessible from the Stesicoro Square. You can also think to book this Customized Private Walking Tour for an easier time
  • Day 4: It’s the day of the Valley of the Temples with this day trip from Catania. It’s going to be a long day (2.5h drive each way), however, well worth the trip. You will have 2-3 hours at the site and you will have another stop along the way. 
  • Day 5: It’s time to move to Taormina, where you will spend the last 3 days. Taormina is a romantic, charming, picturesque town. Very popular for visitors, however, it gets less busy once the day-trippers leave, around dinner time. That’s when you will have the best time wandering around the maze of lanes. If the afternoon is warm enough, take the cable car down to the local boutique beach. 
  • Day 6: It’s trekking day at the Etna Volcano. Read my guide here for a DIY experience or just join this Etna Tour with wine tasting
  • Day 7: Enjoy a relaxing day down at the long and wide beach of Giardini Naxos or near Isola Bella (Beautiful Island). You can also think to explore the coast and the boutique Isola Bella by boat. 

From Taormina, you can take the direct bus to the Catania Airport (Etna Trasporti), a quick trip that will avoid you wasting time with a trip back to Catania city.

Accommodations and experiences:

The lovely Palermo
The lovely Palermo

Leave a Comment