Sicily has a longer and more complex history than almost anywhere else in Europe. Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Swabians, Aragonese, Spanish; each wave of conquest left its mark on the island's towns and cities, and these layers often coexist within the same building, the same square, the same facade. The result is an urban landscape unlike anywhere else in Italy.
Sicily's UNESCO sites rank among the Mediterranean's most significant: the Arab-Norman architecture of Palermo, Cefalù and Monreale, the late baroque cities of Val di Noto, the archaeological park of Agrigento with the Valley of the Temples. Add Taormina, which ranks among Europe's top twenty destinations for international tourists in 2026.
Val di Noto: Baroque Sicily
Following the 1693 earthquake that devastated much of eastern Sicily, the affected cities were rebuilt in a single style: Sicilian late baroque, featuring elaborate facades, balconies with sculpted corbels, and monumental squares. This collection of towns is now a UNESCO site and represents one of Europe's most coherent examples of baroque architecture.
Noto is considered the capital of Sicilian baroque. The city was completely rebuilt on a new site after the earthquake, following a rational urban plan. The Corso Vittorio Emanuele unfolds as a succession of churches and palaces in honey-coloured stone that shifts tone with the day's light. The Cathedral of San Nicolò, with its sweeping staircase and three-tiered facade, ranks among Italy's most photographed baroque buildings.
Ragusa Ibla is the historic core of Ragusa, clinging to a rocky spur and separated from the modern city by a hundred-metre drop. Narrow streets, baroque churches, noble palaces and viewpoints across the Ibleo landscape make it one of Sicily's most enchanting towns. Piazza del Duomo with the Church of San Giorgio forms the city's heart.
Modica is famous across Europe for its chocolate, produced using a recipe of Aztec origin transmitted by the Spanish: no butter, no milk, ground cold. But Modica is also a baroque city of considerable beauty, built in a valley between two hills with houses clinging to rocky walls.
Scicli is the least known of the group but perhaps the most authentic. Less touristy than Noto and Ragusa, it sits at the confluence of three rocky valleys, with cave dwellings carved into limestone cliffs and a main street lined by palaces with sculpted balconies. Fans of the Montalbano detective series will recognize Scicli's town hall as the police station from the show.
Taormina
Taormina has been a continuous tourist destination since the Grand Tour put it on the map in the eighteenth century. In 2026 it ranks among Europe's top twenty destinations favoured by international tourists, alongside Cefalù.
Taormina's Greek Theatre, built in the third century BC and transformed by the Romans into an amphitheatre, stands among the world's best-preserved ancient theatres. Its defining feature is the view: from the cavea you see the Ionian Sea and, behind it, Mount Etna. In summer the theatre hosts concerts and performances.
Taormina's historic centre is a pedestrian course, the Corso Umberto, running through the town from one medieval gate to another. You walk past shops, bars, restaurants and sea-facing viewpoints. At the foot of Taormina lies the Isola Bella bay, reachable by cable car or on foot.
Cefalù
Cefalù is the Sicilian town most beloved by European tourists. A UNESCO site for its Arab-Norman Cathedral, built by Norman king Roger II in the twelfth century, with Byzantine mosaics decorating the apse and presbytery. The interior ranks among Sicily's finest.
Cefalù's compact historic centre is entirely walkable: the waterfront, Piazza del Duomo, the medieval quarter's alleyways, the Rocca dominating the town from above with remains of a fifth-century BC Greek temple. The sandy beach lies just steps from the centre.
Cefalù sits on Sicily's northern coast, roughly seventy kilometres from Palermo, and is easily reached by train.
Palermo
Palermo is a complex, chaotic, extraordinary city. Capital of the Norman kingdom in the twelfth century, it was then one of the Mediterranean's largest and most cosmopolitan cities. The Palatine Chapel, within the Palace of the Normans, is a masterpiece of Arab-Norman art: golden mosaics, Islamic stalactites, ancient columns, all within the same space.
Palermo's Cathedral, the Martorana, the Church of the Holy Trinity of the Mountains: Palermo holds a concentration of Norman churches with golden mosaics unmatched in Europe. The Arab-Norman complex of Palermo, Cefalù and Monreale has been a UNESCO site since 2015.
Palermo's historic markets, Ballarò and la Vucciria, rank among Italy's most vibrant and authentic neighbourhood markets: fish, vegetables, street food, noise, colours. Caponata, pani ca meusa, sfincione, arancini: Palermo's street food culture ranks among Italy's finest.
Erice
Erice rises 750 metres above sea level on its namesake mountain, overlooking Trapani, reached by cable car. It is a medieval town frozen in time, often wrapped in mist that locals call 'Venus's kiss'. The streets are stone-paved, the houses built of stone, the Castle of Venus dominates the valley below.
From Erice's summit, on clear days, you see the Egadi Islands and, with favourable conditions, the coasts of Tunisia. The town is small and visited in a few hours, but the combination of position, atmosphere and landscape makes it one of western Sicily's most distinctive stops.
Practical Advice
Spring and autumn are the best seasons for visiting the interior towns: mild temperatures, excellent light for photography, no crowds. Noto and Ragusa Ibla in May, with almond blossoms in the background, rank among Sicily's most beautiful landscapes.
Summer is the right season if you want to combine towns and sea. Taormina and Cefalù are lively, theatres and festivals are active, but temperatures in July and August in the interior can be intense.
How to get around. A car is almost essential for exploring Val di Noto independently: the cities are close to each other but bus connections are slow. For Taormina and Cefalù, trains work well from eastern Sicily and from Palermo respectively.
Noto at sunset: the honey-coloured stone of the Corso glows with warm light in the late afternoon. Book Palermo's Palatine Chapel in advance: access is limited and sells out in season. Modica chocolate is best bought directly from producers in the historic centre; look for those without added vegetable fats. Erice: take the cable car up and walk down towards Trapani for the views.
