Where to Stay in Sicily

One of Italy’s most in-demand destinations is Sicily: read on to find out where to stay in Sicily. The island of Sicily is packed with cultural treasures, verdant vineyards, and abundant scenic areas. It boasts vibrant cities, packed with cathedrals and palaces filled with frescoes. It has mountain towns with Roman amphitheaters, and beaches that stretch endlessly. If you can’t decide what to do, our guide to a week in Sicily may be the place to start.

Many of the island’s restaurants are farm-to-table, relying on fresh local produce and fish caught from the azure waters. There are several UNESCO World Heritage Sites to explore, like Agrigento, the 7 Aeolian islands, and Mount Etna. With boat trips to grottoes, train rides around the base, cave exploring, and cycling, there’s something for everyone here. Booking one of our best guided tours of Sicily will enable you to get the most out of your visit. In terms of accommodation, this list should assist you throughout your stay. If there isn’t something for you below, look at our full list of hotels in Sicily.

Where to Stay in Palermo

Palermo is Sicily’s vibrant capital, bursting with colorful markets, lively piazzas, and architectural gems. Highlights include beautiful Palermo Cathedral, a stunning blend of Norman, Moorish, Gothic, Baroque, and Neoclassical architecture. If you enjoy exploring more unusual attractions, Capuchin Abbey and Catacombs will satisfy your needs. When it comes to food, Palermo offers a wide selection of restaurants where fresh, seasonal ingredients are used to create mouth-watering cuisine. Take a trip to Mondello outside the city to experience life in a 1930’s Sicilian beach resort. Whatever you decide to see and do in Palermo it will be an adventure – a glimpse into the past, present, and future of Sicily.

Hotel Principe di Villafranca

This centrally-located 4-star hotel is a short walk from the Old Town of Palermo, the port, and Palermo Cathedral. Choose from 32 contemporary-styled rooms equipped with all the amenities you need during your stay. The Hotel Principe di Villafranca offers a buffet-style breakfast brimming with Sicilian treats, plus there is a cozy lounge bar where you can sip a glass of local wine before dinner. It’s the perfect boutique bolt-hole for culture lovers in the city.

Via Giuseppina Turrisi Colonna 4, 90141, Palermo

Masseria Susafa 

This converted farmhouse has remained largely unchanged over the past two centuries, offering guests the chance to experience bucolic life in the midst of their travels. Savor the olive oil from their olive groves on fresh baked bread, dive into the glittering blue pool, walk through the swaying fields of grain, take a traditional cooking class, or take a yoga class from their instructor.

Most of the food you’ll eat in their restaurant, located in the old granary, is harvested from the hotel’s own herb garden, orchard, or fields, making it a sinfully delicious delight to eat even the simplest salad. From the luscious food and wines to the peaceful nature that surrounds you, Masseria Susafa is the perfect escape in the Sicilian countryside. The rooms are traditional but elegant, with crisp sheets and garden views inviting you to surrender. Because it is a historic farmhouse, there is a limited number of rooms that ensures you’ll truly get to escape at this stunning hotel.

Contrada Susafa, 90028 Polizzi generosa PA, Italy

Rocco Forte Villa Igiea

This beautiful, apricot-hued, turn-of-the-century palazzo sits by the waterfront overlooking the Gulf of Palermo. A luxurious hotel, Rocco Forte Villa Igiea is popular with royalty and Hollywood stars. It offers a palatial atmosphere, with design-driven guest rooms, world-class Italian restaurants, and landscaped terraces. Drink, dine, and socialize with like-minded travelers while admiring magnificent sunsets.

Salita Belmonte, 43, 90142, Palermo

Where to Stay in Catania

The bustling city of Catania sits between Taormina to the north and Syracuse to the south. It’s the second largest city in Sicily with much to see and do for families, couples, and activity lovers. There are busy marketplaces and piazzas where you can feast on all flavors of gelato, which you can experience on our Catania city and street food tour.

Explore subterranean city attractions, like the Achillee Thermal Baths and underground tunnels. Catania has a well-preserved Roman theater tucked between city buildings and an impressive Norman fortress – Ursino Castle, overlooking the sea. During summertime, sit in an ancient courtyard by the sea watching movies al fresco, take a fun boat trip, or participate in a whole host of water sports, including sea kayaking, paddle boarding, or surfing. Mount Etna is an hour’s drive from Catania. You can take a fun train ride around the base, hike, or take a thrilling 4 x 4 excursion to the crater of the active volcano.

Duomo Suites & Spa Catania

Duomo Suites & Spa is a chic design hotel close to the historic center with elegant themed rooms and suites decorated with local artwork and quotes from popular movies. Each room is light and airy, with comfortable beds, signature furniture pieces, TV, air conditioning, and a private kitchenette. This chic hotel also has its own spa and wellness center with trained therapists ready to revive and rejuvenate you following a day of sightseeing and activities in Catania.

Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, 23, 95121, Catania

Donna Carmela Resort & Lodges

This historic residence is nestled in the hills between the Ionian Sea and simmering Mount Etna. It’s now a luxurious resort that focuses on returning to nature. From the lush gardens and nurseries to the on-site spa with eco-friendly products, pamper all of your senses. With wine tours, upscale dining, helicopter rides, and a fitness center, you’ll never want to escape this retreat. The 3 restaurants offer everything from traditional Italian fare to light interpretations of regional cuisine with a twist. A fully stocked cocktail bar and extensive wine cellar are there to help you unwind. Step into the sleek and airy rooms of Donna Carmela to recharge between your days of exploring.

 Contrada Grotte, 7, 95018 Carruba CT, Italy

Monaci delle Terre Nere – Etna

On the edge of Parco dell’Etna close to Mount Etna, you’ll discover the idyllic Monaci delle Terre Nere. This stylish Sicilian boutique hotel estate is perfect for couples, families, and groups looking to enjoy the finer things. The historic estate dates to the 18^th century, and features romantic terrace gardens, vineyards, a swimming pool, and farm.

Rooms and suites are located inside the historic farmhouse or tucked away in sustainably-built villas and suites. Each room preserves original elements with wooden beamed ceilings and lava stone walls. Dining in the hotel is also a treat. Chefs prepare Sicilian gourmet cuisine from fresh, seasonal, home-grown produce, each dish paired with delicious local wines. If you wish to explore the local area, the hotel also offers a range of unique experiences for guests. These include bike rides, olive oil and wine tasting tours, yoga sessions, and horse-back riding.

Via Monaci, 95019, Zafferana Etnea

Where to Stay in Taormina

Taormina is perched on a rock above its beaches, offering incredible vistas over the coastline and Mount Etna. Once a popular holiday resort for the aristocracy, the city is divided into two parts. It has a historic hilltop center and Taormina Mare, accessed by cable car. The city is so full of great things that we recommend our insider tour of Taormina to see it all.

By day, rent a scooter and whiz through city streets or sip a frothy cappuccino in Piazza IX Aprile. Escape on a romantic boat ride to the nearby Blue Grotto. Taormina boasts stylish artisan stores, an ancient 3^rd century B.C. amphitheater, and beautiful palazzos. With Mount Etna right on your doorstep, and countryside ripe for hiking, there’s much to see and do.

Castello di San Marco Charming Hotel & Spa

A perfect hotel for romantic couples, Castello di San Marco is a 4-star Baroque residence with its own private beach. Set between Mount Etna, the sea, and Taormina, the castle is a perfect starting point to explore all of Sicily. The hotel has its own spa – Aquae Leonis. It offers beauty treatments, massages, and holistic therapies, the perfect way to relax after a day of touring the area. Thirty elegantly designed, modern guest suites are surrounded by tropical parkland. The hotel has its own atmospheric restaurant serving delicious Sicilian cuisine.

Via San Marco, 40, 95011, Calatabiano, Sicily

Hotel Villa Ducale

Villa Ducale is the perfect place to experience Taormina and the magic of Sicily. The romantic boutique hotel sits atop a hillside, a 15-20 minute walk from the heart of the city. Guest suites are stylish and cozy in design, decorated in colors that bring the essence of exterior landscapes indoors. Dinner and drinks can be enjoyed on a candlelit terrace overlooking the lights of the bay. Drink in the shimmering waters that stretch as far as the eye can see. There’s a panoramic swimming pool to cool off in following a day of sightseeing. Concierge service is available should you wish to rent a car or plan an excursion.

Via Leonardo Da Vinci, 60, 98039, Taormina, Sicily

Where to Stay in Syracuse

On the southeast coast of Sicily, Syracuse is the one of the oldest cities in the Mediterranean. It’s a perfect getaway for history enthusiasts as it boasts a wealth of archaeological gems, including the well-preserved Greek Theater. The ancient amphitheater was constructed in 470 B.C., offering unique insight into days of old. The Temple of Apollo, Maniace, and Eurialo Castles are also superb historic attractions to explore near the city. Syracuse’s rich history is abundant in Piazza del Duomo or when dining near Fonte Aretusa in the historic center. You can visit the Ear of Dionysius, a cone-shaped limestone cave filled with legend and myth. Or drive to the Valley of the Temples archaeological site a couple of hours away in Agrigento. If all of that isn’t enough, try our 8 day highlights of Sicily package tour to see more!

Country House Villadorata

Country House Villadorata is a short drive south of Syracuse, close to a natural reserve with Mediterranean flora and fauna. Nestled in the hills of Noto, the hotel is a tranquil retreat away from the city. It sits on an organic farm extending over 27 acres, containing myriad almond, citrus, and olive trees bordering the vineyards. The nine guest rooms are elegant, luxurious, and temporary with floor-to-ceiling windows which open up to spectacular countryside views. The hotel boasts a crystalline swimming pool, perfect for a swim following a day exploring Syracuse. The hotel restaurant, Orti di Villadorata, serves tempting gourmet cuisine created by seasonal local produce.

Contrada Portelle s.n 96017, Noto, Sicily

Donna Coraly Resort

This pretty countryside boutique hotel sit only 15 minutes from Syracuse in a scenic area surrounded by verdant landscapes. The Donna Coraly Resort is a romantic hotel, an old farmhouse hosting 5 suites with private gardens, a beautiful park, and restaurant. Guest suites are fresh, crisp and bright, peppered with subtle bursts of color and decorated with local artwork. Outside, lush tropical gardens house a swimming pool where you can chill out and soak up the sunshine. This sustainable hotel also has its own garden where they grow vegetables and local herbs for use in their restaurant. Relax with a glass of wine and dine in a restaurant with garden views. Enjoy plates of food so beautiful they’re begging to be photographed.

Contrada San Michele, 96100, Syracuse, Sicily