Top 10 Viewpoints in Sicily
Sicily is dominated by Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe, and ringed by a coastline of cliffs, white marl terraces and offshore islands. Greek temples, hill towns and baroque cities add layers of history to the dramatic terrain. The island's viewpoints range from the steaming craters of Etna to clifftop terraces over the Ionian Sea. These ten capture Sicily's volcanic, coastal and ancient landscapes at their best.
Mount Etna craters
Europe's largest active volcano, Etna rises to around 3,350 metres, its height varying with eruptions. A cable car and 4x4 vehicles climb from Rifugio Sapienza toward the summit craters at around 2,900 metres, where guided walks approach the steaming, sometimes erupting vents. The view extends across eastern Sicily to the sea and, on clear days, the Aeolian Islands.
Teatro Antico, Taormina
The ancient Greek theatre of Taormina is built into a hillside at around 200 metres, perfectly framing Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea between its ruined columns. The view from the upper tiers, with the volcano often smoking in the distance, is one of the most famous in Italy. The terraces of the town below offer further panoramas over the coast.
Scala dei Turchi
The Scala dei Turchi ("Stair of the Turks") is a striking white marl cliff on the south coast near Agrigento, eroded into smooth, stepped terraces that descend to a turquoise sea. The clifftop viewpoints frame the dazzling white rock against the blue water. Access to the cliff itself is restricted to protect it; the view from above and the adjacent beach is the classic perspective.
Valley of the Temples, Agrigento
The Valley of the Temples holds some of the best-preserved ancient Greek temples outside Greece, strung along a ridge above Agrigento. Viewpoints among the temples, especially of the Temple of Concordia, frame the Doric columns against the sky and the sea beyond. At sunset and after dark, when the temples are lit, the setting is unforgettable.
Erice
The medieval hill town of Erice sits at 750 metres on a mountaintop above Trapani, often wrapped in cloud. On clear days the viewpoints from the town and its Norman castle look down over the salt pans of Trapani, the Egadi Islands and the western coast. A cable car climbs from Trapani; the contrast of medieval town and sweeping sea view is striking.
Stromboli
The volcanic island of Stromboli in the Aeolian archipelago is in near-constant mild eruption, throwing up glowing fountains of lava. Guided evening hikes climb toward the craters, and boat trips view the Sciara del Fuoco, the lava channel where rock tumbles into the sea. The night view of glowing eruptions is among the most dramatic in the Mediterranean.
Cefalu Rocca
The town of Cefalu is overlooked by a great rock, La Rocca, rising around 270 metres above the medieval streets and the Norman cathedral. A steep path climbs to the ruins on top, with a sweeping view over the red roofs, the harbour and the Tyrrhenian coast. It is one of the finest town-and-sea viewpoints on the north coast.
Monte Pellegrino, Palermo
Rising above Palermo, Monte Pellegrino at 606 metres gives a panorama over the city, the wide bay and the surrounding coast. The road and trails climb to the sanctuary of Santa Rosalia and viewpoints over the Conca d'Oro plain. It is the classic overlook of the Sicilian capital, especially fine in the clear light after rain.
Ragusa Ibla
The baroque town of Ragusa Ibla, rebuilt after a 1693 earthquake, tumbles down a ridge in the Val di Noto. Viewpoints from the upper town and the church terraces frame the honey-coloured baroque domes and rooftops cascading down the hillside. It is one of the most photogenic urban panoramas in south-east Sicily.
Aeolian Islands viewpoints
From the islands of Lipari, Vulcano and Salina, viewpoints look across the volcanic archipelago, with the cones of Stromboli and Vulcano often smoking. The climb to the crater rim of Vulcano gives a sweeping view over the islands and the fumaroles below. The combination of sea, volcano and island is unique to the Aeolians.
Explore on the map
From the craters of Etna and Stromboli to the terraces of Taormina and the white cliffs of the Scala dei Turchi, every viewpoint above is plotted on the interactive map. Use it to see which require a volcano hike or cable car, which are town terraces or coastal cliffs, and plan a route across the volcanic island of Sicily.