Perfect Sicily Itinerary for One to Two Weeks: Without a Car
We love Italy! Having returned already twice, exploring everything from the dramatic peaks of the Dolomites and rolling hills of Tuscany to the ancient streets of Rome and the sun-drenched Amalfi Coast. Maybe it’s the delicious homemade pasta, the pizza dough that is perfectly crunchy yet fluffy at the same time, the stunning landscapes, or the warm and welcoming culture- but there is something truly magical about this country.
Our latest adventure took us to Sicily, and honestly? It might just be our favourite! It perfectly combined the freshest and mouthwatering seafood, breathtaking coastal views, ancient history, and charming quaint towns that feel frozen in time. Now that we’ve explored it firsthand, we’re sharing all our research and experiences to help you plan the perfect Sicily itinerary. Whether you’re driving or relying on public transport, we’ve got you covered—but this guide focuses on how to explore Sicily without a car!
Top Experiences On our Sicily Itinerary
Sicily offers an amazing mix of experiences, from indulging in delicious Sicilian cuisine and exploring charming towns to relaxing on turquoise beaches, taking scenic boat trips, and even hiking up a volcano. To be honest, it reminds us a lot of our road trip through the Peloponnese in Greece.
When we put together an itinerary, we love first highlighting the top experiences you’ll get to do so you can quickly see if it’s the right fit for you.
So, without further ado, here’s what you can expect to experience in this 7-14 day Sicily itinerary:
Main Towns visited on the Sicily Itinerary
Sicily is huge! Although there exists one week itineraries that seem to cover the entire island, we wouldn’t recommend it. Traveling in Italy is all about slowing down and embracing the Bella Vita.
With two weeks in Sicily, we still decided to focus on just one region—exploring from Taormina down to Val di Noto and Syracuse. This way, we had time to truly soak in each town, savour the experiences, and not just check places off a list.
So these are the main towns that will be included in the itinerary:
Sicily Travel Itinerary without Car?
Many of the itineraries found online about Sicily seem to recommend renting a car. Normally, we’d be all for it—after all, we’ve road-tripped through Utah, Namibia, and even Japan’s Izu Peninsula. But this time, we hesitated.
For one, Sicily has a reputation for aggressive and reckless drivers. Maybe this is something we could’ve handled, but the other factor is the huge lack of parking. In hotspots like Taormina, you’re looking at 28€ per day just to park, unless you stay in a luxury hotel that includes parking… for a cool $1000+ a night. No, grazie.
The parking situation in Catania is a lot better, but many street parkings are limited to 2 hours. Then you will encounter a similar limitation in Ragusa/Ortigia.
Since all the experiences we wanted were easily reachable by public transport—and we weren’t keen on battling traffic or worrying about parking—we ditched the car. And honestly? It was the best decision. Sure, we may have skipped a beach or two outside town, but honestly? Totally worth it for the savings—both in cash and sanity!
How is Sicily’s Public Transportation?
Sicily’s buses are cheap, reliable, frequent, and saved us a ton. To compare: a bus from Taormina to Catania costs 8€, while renting a car for a week is around 300€, before factoring in parking, gas, and insurance. In total, we spent about 80€ for the both of us in transportation for our entire 2 weeks in Sicily. With a car rental, that would’ve been easily over 600€.
To check out the routes and book your bus tickets ahead of time, we would recommend using Omio. We used them throughout our trip in Sicily and it made the planning very easy! It shows both the train and bus options, and what we loved the most is how they highlight the locations on a map. This is especially important since the buses do stop at multiple stops even within the same town.
Sicily Itinerary: Two weeks
Where to Arrive in Sicily: Catania or Palermo
When traveling to Sicily, you will have the option of arriving at Vincenzo Bellini Catania Airport (Catania) in the South or Aeroporto di Palermo Falcone e Borsellino (Palermo) in the North.
For this itinerary, we recommend landing in Catania as you will be significantly closer to all the main cities that you will be visiting. Arriving in Palermo is more recommended if you will be visiting the Northern and Western parts of Sicily, including Cefalu, San Vito lo Capo, Trapani, and Agrigento.
From Catania Airport, you will have multiple options of buses and trains that can bring you directly to central Catania, or to the neighbouring cities. The best way to figure out the transportation options is by checking out Omio.
How to Travel this Sicily Itinerary
This Sicily travel itinerary can be done completely without a car rental and by using their public transportation buses. The buses in Sicily are not only reliable, but also affordable and frequent.
After arriving in Catania, you can take a bus directly to your first destination. In this case, we decided to visit Taormina first, then Catania, then Ragusa, and finally Syracuse before returning to Catania. This can also be done in the reverse order.
Should you base yourself in one city and do day trips?
We’ve seen plenty of travelers debating whether to base themselves in one city, like Catania, and simply take day trips to explore the rest of Sicily. While that might sound convenient, we’d strongly recommend switching bases and spending a few days in each town. Staying overnight lets you experience the true charm of each place, beyond just a quick visit.
Day 1-4: Taormina (3 nights)
Once you arrive at Catania airport, you can take the Etna bus directly to reach the centre of Taormina. We recommend taking the bus instead of the train since the train will only bring you to Taormina-Gardini station which is all the way at the bottom of the mountain. This means that you will need to take a secondary transport to reach central Taormina, whereas with the bus, you can easily walk 5-10 minutes to reach your hotel.
Taormina was easily one of our favourite stops in Sicily. We first heard about this stunning town while watching White Lotus Season 2, but seeing it in person? Even better.
It’s the perfect blend of vibrant streets, ancient history, mouthwatering food, and jaw-dropping coastal views from high above. Yes, it’s touristy—but that’s exactly why we recommend staying a few nights. This way, you can soak in its charm during the quieter hours, away from the daytime crowds.
📝 For a full guide on Taormina, the best things to do, where to eat, and where to stay, check out our Complete Taormina Travel Guide.
Best Things to do in Taormina
Where to Stay in Taormina
We stayed at Hotel Vello D’Oro and it was perfect for us. Not only was it one of the more affordable hotels in Taormina, but it is also conveniently located right next to Corso Umberto. It also has a huge rooftop terrace where we spend every evening sipping on an Aperol Spritz while enjoying the coastal views and Mount Etna.
If you’re celebrating a special occasion or planning a honeymoon and want to stay somewhere truly spectacular, take a look at Hotel Médousa Bistro & Suites. If you’re looking to indulge in pure luxury, just like in White Lotus, then be sure to check out San Domenico Palace!
Day 4-8: Catania (4 nights)
Next, to reach Catania, you will take the same bus back from Taormina centre to Catania Centrale.
Catania has a bit of a mixed reputation and is often overlooked by travelers due to it’s gritty and shabby appearance. Honestly, we almost made the same mistake when planning our Sicilian itinerary. But let us tell you—we’re so glad we didn’t.
Nowhere else during our time in Italy did we encounter streets so lively at night, where locals spill out of bars and restaurants to share drinks and meals, plazas hum with crowds gathered around talented street performers, and the atmosphere feels entirely authentic—not staged for tourists. Here, you can fully soak in the true essence of Sicilian life.
Catania is also an amazing base for doing day trips like visiting Mount Etna, Wine Tasting Tour, Alcantara Gorge, or even sailing along the coast.
📝 For a full guide on Catania, the best things to do, where to eat, and where to stay, check out our Complete Catania Travel Guide.
Best Things to do in Catania
Where to Stay in Catania
Catania has a reputation for not always being the safest city, so we highly recommend staying in the downtown area, near Piazza Duomo, Castello Ursino, and Via Etna.
During our stay, we were always in the central areas and despite walking at night, we still always felt safe.
To help you decide where to stay, we have summarized our top 3 hotels for every budget, including their standout features:
Hotel | Features | Price | |
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Day 8-11: Ragusa (3 nights)
After Catania, you will have the choice of either visit Ragusa/Val di Noto or Syracuse/Ortigia first. From Catania Central bus station, you can take the ETNA bus to reach Ragusa in around 1h45, and costing only 10€. Do keep in mind though that the bus station in Ragusa is about a 20-30 minute walk to reach Ragusa Superiore.
While we chose to stay in Ragusa, the region of Val di Noto boasts eight UNESCO World Heritage towns, including Modica, Scicli, and Noto. Although each town is beautifully rich with its Baroque architecture, we chose Ragusa for its dramatic landscape, rich history, and quieter, off-the-beaten-path vibe.
Ragusa is actually made up of two distinct towns, each perched on its own hilltop. This unique layout is what made it so special for us. Standing in Ragusa Superiore, we could take in the breathtaking view of the valley below, with the historic Ragusa Ibla dramatically rising on the opposite hillside. Authentic, off-the-beaten-path, and undeniably beautiful, Ragusa also makes a great base for exploring the nearby UNESCO towns of Modica, Scicli, and Noto.
📝 For a full guide on Ragusa, the best things to do, where to eat, and where to stay, check out our Full Guide on Ragusa.
Best Things to do in Ragusa
Where to stay in Ragusa
When visiting Ragusa, you can choose to stay in either Ragusa Superiore or Ragusa Ibla. Check out the table below as we highlight some of the best hotel options in each. If you want more details about the reasons for staying in each town, check out our Ragusa Guide.
Ragusa Superiore | |||
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Ragusa Ibla | |||
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This post is part of our series about Italy. If you want to learn more about Italy, planning your trip, and some of the best experiences there, check out the guides below:
Day 11-14: Syracuse/Ortigia
The final destination on your Sicily itinerary is the stunning coastal town of Syracuse/Ortigia. To reach it, you can again take the bus or train from Ragusa to reach central Syracuse.
Syracuse, with its captivating historic island of Ortigia, was one of our favourite stops on our Sicily road trip.
This city is like an architectural buffet, blending Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Baroque influences into one irresistible package. Although it doesn’t have the glamorous charm of Taormina, nor the immersive Baroque architecture of Ragusa, nor the raw authentic culture of Catania, Ortigia somehow creates the perfect blend of all of them.
We ended up spending 3 nights here and felt like it was the perfect amount of time to explore what Syracuse and Ortigia had to offer. The pace here is slow, relaxing on the turquoise beaches, sailing along the coast, admiring the castle, and savouring delicious seafood.
📝 For a full guide on the best things to do in Syracuse/Ortigia, how long to stay, where to stay, a comprehensive walking route, and more, check out our Complete Syracuse Travel Guide.
Best Things to do in Syracuse/Ortigia
Where to stay in Syracuse/Ortigia
The good thing is that whether you stay in Syracuse or Ortigia, you will be only a short walk from all the main attractions. Syracuse is more modern and a little cheaper, whereas Ortigia provides the ultimate historical immersion, but is a bit more expensive. Here are some of our top picks for places to stay:
Hotel | Features | Price | |
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One Week Sicily Itinerary (If you have less time)
This itinerary is doable even if you only have one week in Sicily. If you still want to visit each of the cities, then we would recommend spending 2 nights in Taormina, 1 night in Catania, 1 night in Ragusa, and 2 nights in Syracuse.
Taormina to us had the most amount of things to do and provided the most highlight “Italian Sicily” experience. Although we enjoyed both Catania and Ragusa, there was the fewest amount of things to do there and the enjoyment came from immersing in the local culture and people. Finally, with two days in Syracuse, you will have time to explore the beaches as well as some of the historical sites.
Feel free to change it according to your preferences, but this is a general guidelines of what we would recommend with 7 days in Sicily:
- Day 1-3: Taormina
- Day 3-4: Catania including a day trip to Mount Etna
- Day 4-5: Ragusa
- Day 5-7: Syracuse/Ortigia
Alternative One week Sicily Itinerary (3 towns instead of 4)
Another way that you can travel this itinerary is by removing Ragusa and instead simply doing a day trip to Noto from either Catania or Syracuse. Noto, one of the most famous UNESCO Baroque towns in Val di Noto, is only 45 minutes away from Syracuse and 70 minutes from Catania so can be easily done as a day trip. In this way, you will not need to pack your stuff and change accommodations as often.
This would be the outline of the alternative one week Sicily itinerary:
- Day 1-3: Taormina
- Day 3-5: Catania, with one day doing a Baroque day tour to Modica, Noto, and Ragusa.
- Day 5-7: Syracuse/Ortigia (or you can do this Baroque day tour from Syracuse)
I believe that if we were to redo our trip and had only one week, that is how we would do it.
Do you Need a Car for the Sicily Itinerary
If you will be traveling through the same region shown in our itinerary, from Taormina to Catania and Val di Noto, then the short answer is no, you do not need a car.
We travelled through that itinerary for two weeks and were very happy to use their efficient public transportation system and not have to worry about reckless drivers or challenging parking.
If your plans include exploring Sicily’s western and northern coast—such as Agrigento, San Vito Lo Capo, and Cefalù—renting a car is definitely the way to go. This region is packed with fascinating ancient ruins and charming coastal towns that are spread out, making public transportation less convenient. Having your own car allows you to easily hop between scenic spots and hidden gems without the hassle of rigid bus schedules.
How Long do you Need in Sicily
Sicily is very large and as can be seen from our itinerary, we spent 2 weeks there and only saw a small portion of the island. If you will be exploring the same section as we did, from Taormina to Val di Noto and Syracuse, then we would recommend staying at least one week. If you would like to travel at a more comfortable pace and have more time for extra tours and day trips, then 10-14 days is advisable.
In the case that you are interested in exploring all of Sicily, then we would say a good 3 weeks or more is required. We have seen itineraries that do it within 2 weeks (or some even in one week, which sounds incredibly packed) but that would require a lot of driving and changing accommodations every day or two. This doesn’t fit our travel style and feels rushed so we would recommend spending 3 weeks or more to explore the entire island of Sicily.
Best Time to Visit Sicily
The best time to visit Sicily will depend on what kind of experience you’re looking for. The peak season is during the summer from June to August, with temperatures around 30-35 degrees celcius, and minimal rain. This coincides with the European travel holiday, so there will be more crowds, especially in Taormina and Cefalu, and resulting in higher prices.
We travelled there during late August and the heat at points was very intense! This was especially the case in Catania since we did not have air conditioning in our hotel (Tip: get air conditioning if you will be traveling during the summer months!)
In Spring from March to May, and Autumn from September to November, you will experience milder temperatures around 15-25 degeres celcius, and see a significant drop in the amount of crowds. For this reason, we believe the shoulder season of May and September to be the best combination of ideal weather, but avoiding the higher prices and crowds.
Using WISE card in Italy
When taking cash out of an ATM while abroad, you will most likely be charged both a foreign exchange fee and a foreign transaction fee by that country’s ATM. With my Canadian card, this can easily be 3-4$ + 2.75% + a markup on the exchange rate charged by my bank, and then another 3-5$ charged by the foreign ATM.
This can be really costly. For this reason, we recommend using WISE card which has only minimal fees and just about no foreign currency exchange markup. This helps me save at least 5-7$ every time I take out money from an ATM. If you want to see our full review of the card showing exactly how WISE can help you save, check out our WISE Travel card Review post.
Recap: Sicily Travel Itinerary
Sicily truly stole our hearts with its perfect mix of history, scenery, and mouthwatering food. Whether you’re wandering through ancient ruins, soaking in coastal views, or indulging in the freshest seafood, this island has something for every traveler. And the best part? You don’t need a car to experience it all! With efficient public transport and plenty of incredible stops along the way, exploring Sicily without the stress of driving is totally doable. We hope this guide helps you plan an unforgettable trip—now go enjoy that Sicilian sunshine (and maybe an extra cannoli or two)!
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