Palermo’s Street Food
Palermo has some of the best street food in Europe. Arancini — rice balls stuffed with ragù, breaded and deep-fried. Pane con la milza: a roll filled with spleen and lung, braised in lard and dressed with lemon or soft cheese. Sfincione is the Palermo pizza, thick-based, topped with tomato and anchovies. All of this costs almost nothing and tastes like it has been made with complete seriousness.
The Valley of the Temples
Outside Agrigento, on a ridge above the sea, stand seven Greek temples dating from the 5th century BC — the finest concentration of ancient Greek architecture outside Greece itself. Most beautiful in the late afternoon when the light turns the golden limestone warm. The Temple of Concordia is the best-preserved Greek temple anywhere in the world.
Mount Etna
Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe. The crater zone at 3,300 metres is a landscape of black lava, sulphurous vents, and near-constant wind — extraordinary and otherworldly. The eastern slopes, in contrast, are fertile and densely planted with vineyards producing some of Italy’s most sought-after wines from old-vine nerello mascalese at high altitude.
When to Go
April through June is the ideal window: the landscape is green, temperatures are warm without being excessive, and the tourist season has not yet reached its peak. September and October give you warm seas with fewer people. Winter in Sicily is mild by mainland standards and almost entirely uncrowded — the temples of Agrigento in January, with no coaches and low winter light, are extraordinary. July and August are hot, crowded at the main sites, and expensive.
Getting There & Around
Fly into Palermo or Catania depending on where you want to start. A car is essential for any serious exploration of the island — the train network is slow and limited, and most of the best things require independent movement. The Palermo–Catania motorway is the spine; branch off it constantly. Car hire is cheap if booked in advance. Within Palermo or Catania, walking and occasional taxis cover everything you need.
Where to Eat
Sicily’s food hierarchy begins at street level. Arancini from a friggitoria; sfincione from a bakery in Palermo’s Ballarò; pane con la milza eaten at a market stall at 10am. Pasta alla Norma — with fried aubergine, ricotta salata, and tomato — is the signature of Catania. Fresh swordfish and red prawns on the eastern coast. Cannoli should be filled to order; reject any filled in advance. Granita e brioche for breakfast in summer: almond, pistachio, or coffee, with a soft brioche roll for dipping. This is the correct breakfast.
Practical Tips
Cash is essential at markets, street food stalls, and smaller restaurants across the island. The Valley of the Temples at Agrigento requires a timed entry ticket; book in advance, particularly for late-evening summer access. Etna excursions are best organised through a licensed guide — the summit area is geologically active and conditions change without warning. Drive carefully on mountain roads: they are narrow, poorly marked, and occasionally shared with livestock.
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