Travel · Italy
Where to Stay in Sicily
east or west, pick your Sicily
Where to stay in Sicily — Taormina and Etna in the east, Ortigia's baroque maze, or grand Palermo in the west. Base in one region; a few rooms we'd send a friend to.
Sicily is too big to base yourself in one spot and see it all, so choose a region. The east — Taormina, Etna, the baroque southeast, Ortigia — is the polished classic. The west — Palermo, Agrigento, Trapani — is wilder and cheaper. Fly into Catania for the east or Palermo for the west, and rent a car.
Below are places across the island, from the grand Taormina classics to a wine estate on Etna's slopes and a palazzo in Ortigia.
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Where to Stay
Hand-picked Hotels
Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo
$$$$Taormina
Beside the Greek theatre with Etna in view — the grand Taormina classic.
Check Availability →Monaci delle Terre Nere
$$$Etna (Zafferana Etnea)
An organic wine estate on Etna's slopes — volcanic, slow, and delicious.
Check Availability →Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel
$$$Ortigia, Syracuse
A restored palazzo in the sandstone maze of Ortigia, steps from the sea.
Check Availability →Villa Igiea, a Rocco Forte Hotel
$$$$Palermo
A restored belle-époque villa above the bay — the grand way to do Palermo.
Check Availability →Book an Experience
Live on GetYourGuide
What to See & Do
Mount Etna
Europe's largest active volcano — cable car and trails near the summit, vineyards on the slopes.
Taormina's Greek Theatre
A cliff-top ancient theatre that frames Etna and the Ionian sea.
Valley of the Temples
Some of the best-preserved Greek temples anywhere, at Agrigento in the south.
Ortigia
The island-old-town of Syracuse — a sandstone maze of markets, sea, and the best evening passeggiata.
Questions, Answered
Where is the best place to stay in Sicily?
Choose a region rather than trying to cover the island. Taormina is the polished base for the east (with Etna and the baroque southeast nearby); Ortigia at Syracuse is atmospheric and walkable; Palermo is the base for the wilder west. Fly into Catania for the east or Palermo for the west, and rent a car.
Should you stay in one place or move around Sicily?
For a week, base in one or two places within a single region rather than changing hotels constantly — the island is large and the drives are slow. East-coast travelers often split between Taormina/Etna and Ortigia; west-coast travelers base in Palermo with day trips to Agrigento and Trapani.
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