A savvy lady elegantly drinking coffee in a bautiful Italian balcony, living her extraordinary life, inspiring you to do the same by following the guides in the Savvy Ladylike blog

14 day Sicily itinerary for the Elegant & Slow Traveller

Welcome to this 14 day Sicily itinerary with us, tailored for our elegant and slow travel Lady. From spectacular landscapes and ancient ruins to exclusive dining and boutique stays. It has them all.

Sicily offers an unparalleled experience, where there are the luxury of the luxuries meet the depth of traditions.

This 14 day itinerary is meticulously crafted to immerse you in the most refined and classy experiences Sicily has to offer.

This means slow travel, immersing yourself in the sites and soaking up all the local culture.

Here at The Savvy Ladylike, we are all about quality experience rather than cramming in all things to do just to tick them off of a bucket list.

If you are looking for somewhere to relax and travel at a slower pace, then I’ve got you covered. With Sicily’s laidback culture, it makes it the perfect destination to unwind!

Planning your trip to Sicily

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea often referred to as the “toes” of the “boot” of Italy. It is rich in history and UNESCO Sites. The island is famous for its cathedrals, vineyards, and island beaches and is home to world-renowned Sicilian architecture and heritage sites.

Sicily Travel Series: view of the beautiful Cathedrale di Sant'Agata, from the balcony of our Catania hotel
Sicily Travel Series: view of the beautiful Basilica della Collegiata, from the balcony of our Catania hotel

Having said that, before my trip, I didn’t necessarily associate Sicily with elegance and luxury. I thought there were a lot of connotations towards mafias and gangs. Thanks for The Godfather and its shady history.

Not to mention, when our friends found out we were spending Christmas in Sicily, “Ooh be careful”, “we got jacked in our car” (you got what?!), and “Don’t say the ‘m’ word on the streets” were some of the most common of the things they told us. So as you can imagine, I naturally went there with heightened alerts and vigilance!

However, after spending two remarkable weeks travelling around Sicily, that couldn’t be further from the truth! Sure, the major cities like Palermo and Catania looked tired, grubby at times, and a bit rough on the edges where you can see traces of their tumultuous past.

But these cities went through years of degentrification and cleanup. There were certainly a lot of classy and elegant places to visit. We were vigilant of course, but that’s no different to anywhere else we’ve been.

Visiting Sicily in December

Sicily has become one of the most popular summer holiday destinations in recent years. With a plethora of beautiful beaches in town, it’s not hard to understand why! However, it will no doubt be crowded.

I wasn’t sure what to expect for a December holiday in Sicily. But it turned out to wonderful time to visit! There were significantly fewer tourists.

We often had the sites to ourselves. We didn’t have to fight for Instagramable hot spots! 😉 I also noticed a fair few Italian tourists (from mainland Italy) holidaying in Sicily during this time. That’s when you know you’re in for a treat!

Have I mentioned the most perfect weather (e.g. high 10Cs to low 20Cs during the day) the whole time we were there?! This was also the first time I spent Christmas in Italy and it was just magical – more on this later)!

The downside is that some restaurants and shops were closed for the holiday season, particularly in the smaller towns such as Noto and Cefalu. However, there were enough places open and we had plenty to choose from. But it’s worth keeping that in mind if you are planning to visit during the Christmas season.

Sicilians do Christmas differently. They certainly have their own style to carry Christmas markets
Sicilians do Christmas differently. They certainly have their own style to carry Christmas markets

14 day Sicily Itinerary for the Elegant Traveller without a Car

Alan and I spent an incredible 14 days uncovering some of the best hidden gems and the most luxurious experiences in Sicily.

From a wine cellar dining experience in Catania to exploring a UNESCO World Heritage site in Noto.

We relaxed in the elegant coastal town of Syracuse, luxury shopping in Taormina, and watched a concert in the most beautiful Opera House I’ve ever seen in Palermo, not to mention their breathtaking cathedrals.

How about an exclusive tour of an active volcano in Mt Etna? Have I tempted you to look at flights to Sicily already?

Elegant woman in blush pink blouse admiring the view from her hotel balcony. Behind her is an ancient cathedral in Catania, Sicily. A perfect start to this 14 day Sicily itinerary for the elegant and slow traveller.
Sicily Italy Travel series: view from the balcony

If you’ve been to mainland Italy, you would be familiar with their laid-back culture. And the Sicilians, slow it down by a notch, and then the Christmas holiday takes it down by another.

So be prepared to practise your patience if you’re not used to travelling at this pace. I fully embraced it, of course.

Both Alan and I are in high-pressured and demanding jobs, so we welcome this relaxed and leisurely travel style.

Related: The most amazing escape in Seychelles and Taking time out in Seychelles

This is a slow travel itinerary. If you prefer a faster pace, then you can cover these destinations in 10 days or add more destinations, such as Ragusa, Modica or Erice.

3 days in the vibrant heart of Catania

How to spend 3 days in Catania, Sicily
We spent 3 days in Catania, Sicily
We spent 3 days in Catania, Standing in front of the spectacular Cathedrale di Santa'Agata
Standing in front of the spectacular Cathedrale di Santa’Agata

Start your journey by spending 3 days in Catania, the second-largest city in Sicily. It is on the east coast of the island.

Before the trip, I was least excited about Catania because of its past association with mafias. But it turned out to be my top 3 favourite destinations in Sicily.

Contrary to what I was expecting, this charming city is full of life. Everyone was super chilled and friendly.

The best way to explore Catania is on foot and admiring a plethora of baroque architecture along Via Crociferi. We sat in the ancient Greek-Roman theatre from the 2nd century AD.

We had exceptionally fresh seafood from the Catania Fish Market and enjoyed a lovely meal inside a wine cellar. I discovered cannoli! Pistachio cannoli!! And the rest is history, said my waistline! haha…

We had the whole Greek-Roman theatre to ourselves. Sitting here reminiscing and imagining what it would be like watching a play here... back in 2 century AD!
We had the whole Greek-Roman theatre to ourselves. Sitting here reminiscing and imagining what it would be like watching a play here… back in 2 century AD!

We also took a small group private day tour to Mt Etna to see the active volcano. We hiked inside the craters and saw a strip of red lava flowing from the mountain on our way back!

2 days relaxing in serenity of Syracuse and Otigia

How to spend 3 days in Syracuse? How about watching people from our balcony with a cup of Italian brew?
How to spend 3 days in Syracuse? How about watching people from our balcony with a cup of Italian brew?

Next, we moved to Syracuse and spent 3 nights relaxing on the tiny island, Otigia, which is connected to mainland Syracuse by three bridges, also known as the ‘Old Town’ of Syracuse.

We walked around the island under the Sicilian sun and ate the biggest sandwich I’d ever seen in my life! This is a true seaside town with a beach just a minute’s walk away.

I can just imagine how popular it is in summer! But I really enjoyed the tranquillity the town offers in December.

We set off to explore the island and along the coast
We set off to explore the island and along the coast

1 Day in the majestic town, Noto

Spend a day at majestic little town, Noto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Noto is the epitome of Baroque architecture. So a must-visit!

Baroque city, Noto
We took a day trip to a Baroque city, Noto
Baroque cathedral in Noto, UNESCO World Heritage Site makes a great day trip in our 14 day Sicily itinerary

3 days in romantic Taormina and Castelmola

This is my favourite city in our Sicily Italy travel itinerary! It is on a hilltop town with stunning views everywhere.

It’s much closer to Mount Etna than Catania. We could see a red lava stream from the balcony of our hotel room, which was pretty spectacular!

We spent Christmas here, our first Italian Christmas! They have this tradition where they set a campfire around the town on Christmas Eve. That’s pretty special!

There was so much to do for a small town. Get lost in the panoramic view of the Ionian Sea from Piazza IX Aprile. Admire the Teatro Antico di Taormina.

Hike up to another elegant town Castalmola and have a meal there. We also had the BEST Sicilian cuisine here!

4 days in Palermo, a street food heaven

Sicily 2022 1 of 1 10

Finally, 5 days in Palermo, Sicily’s capital city. Whilst the city itself is charming, it was my least favourite time. Mainly because I broke out in rashes by our third day! But that’s a story for another post!

Palermo is a street food heaven! So don’t bother looking for restaurants. They also have a tonne of beautiful cathedrals.

But my favourite moment was watching the New Year’s Eve concert in Massimo Theatro, Europe’s third biggest Opera House.

This is one of the many beautiful cathedrals in Palermo, also known as the most OTT Cathedral ever! haha... But the skills and design are just unreal!
This is one of the many beautiful cathedrals in Palermo, also known as the most OTT Cathedral ever! haha… But the skills and design are just unreal!

1 Day relaxing in the sandy beaches of Cefalù

End your Sicily holidays relaxing at a coastal town, Cefalù. There are many day trips you can do from Palermo. One of my favourites was the seaside town, Cefalù.

Cefalù is a coastal gem with sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. This is the perfect place to unwind and mentally prepared to go back to reality.

You can sunbath on the beach or explore the quaint streets of the historic town. Check out Cefalu’s Norman Cathedral, a UNESCO site. Taking in the Sicilian sun, one last time before you bid farewell to Sicily.

You might also be interested: Not all holidays plans turn out accordingly. And when they don’t, how do you to deal with travel disappointments graciously.

How to get around without a car?

The best way to get around Sicily is via trains and Trainline makes it super easy and convenient to book tickets on the go.

Yes, hiring will give you more flexibility and control of your schedule. But it does come with challenges and stress such as traffic and parking!

Personally, the thought of driving on the other side of the road AND in Italy, where road rules are merely recommendations, gives me anxiety. I am already stressed enough at work, I don’t need any more during my holidays. So we opted for public transport.

We travelled around on buses, trains or taxis and it was super easy! I genuinely think it’s the safest and most relaxing way to get around. It is certainly the most economical way.

Bear in mind that public transport is operating on reduced hours during the festive period so make sure you check the schedule and give yourself plenty of travel time. We didn’t have any issues with delays or cancellations nor stressing about finding a car park!

In conclusion

Sicily is a perfect destination for an elegant holiday experience for the modern lady (and gentleman). Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway, a girls’ trip, or simply a way to indulge in the finer things in life, Sicily has it all.

Watching the sunset overlooking the Syrcuse coastline.
Watching the sunset overlooking the Syrcuse coastline.

I hope this 14 day Sicily itinerary has inspired you to book a trip there this summer holiday! I am certainly finding opportunities to go back!

Before you go, check out some of the things to do in Catania.

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