Sicily’s Top 5 Holiday Beaches

Sicily’s beaches are reputed to be some of Italy’s best; the transparent blue-green waters, long sandy beaches and picturesque villages located nearby are not to be missed. While any such list is certainly subjective, Sicily does have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and here is our choice of the 5 that we believe that you should not miss on your next holiday in Sicily.

Mondello

In the vicinity of the small fishing village of Mondello, on the Mediterranean Sea, is Mondello Lido, only nine kilometres from Sicily’s exciting capital Palermo. From Monte Pellegrino to Monte Gallo, the broad, ivory sandy beach spreads out for over a mile. The shore of Mondello is filled with bars, cafés, nightclubs as well as hotels. After your evening meal of delicious mussels, clams and octopus at one of the seaside restaurants, do as the locals do and take a leisurely “passeggiata” along the waterfront. Be sure to include the city of Palermo in your travel plans as it contains many beautiful palazzos, including the Palazzo dei Normanni, with its Baroque architecture. You will immerse yourself in the busy street life and the colorful markets around Piazza San Domenico. Here you can window shop the elegant stores, and eat in some of Sicily’s top restaurants. Don’t forget to stop by the eerie catacombs and hire a car to visit the gorgeous Monreale Cathedral and Cefalù, a charming town by the sea.

Mortelle

This is where local residents like to come when they want to leave the summer heat behind them; Lido di Mortelle, located on the northeast end of the island, 12km north of Messina, is home to a couple of incredible beaches. Lido dei Tirreno is both a wonderful family destination and a great place to relax alone on smaller, less-trafficked beaches. Messina, with a population of 250,000 that makes it Sicily’s third biggest city, borders the shallow and narrow Messina Straight, which connects the Tyrrhenian Sea, to the west, with the Ionian Sea, to the east. Sight-seeing options include the National Museum of Messina, the restored Norman Cathedral, and the Gothic Church of Santa Maria Alemanna. Some of the finest holiday villas in Sicily are located in and around the Mortelle area.

Spiaggia Sabbie Nere

This off-the-beaten-track beach, with its black sand, is located on the island of Vulcano, the greatest of its kind in the Aeolian Islands, which surround Sicily. Travel to this island by boat, and you’ll be able to take a 3-hour trek to the top of the Gran Cratere, last erupting in 1890. Spectacular sights can be seen at its summit.

Lido Mazzarò

Located close to the bustling resort town of Taormina is the popular Lido Mazzarò, which you can get to via a 15-minute cable-car ride down the hill. Very popular with the rich and famous for quite awhile, this sandy beach is bordered by bars and restaurants. A variety of water sports and shore activities are available. Make a point of visiting the sea caves of Grotta Azzurra, and the little island of Isola Bella, accessed along a narrow strip of sand. Taormina used to be a medieval town, and now it boasts streets full of charming boutiques, artsy stores, cafes and bars.

Giardini-Naxos

Also located at the bottom of the hill from Taormina is Giardini-Naxos, a thoroughly modern beach resort, which is close by to a charming old town, lively waterfront promenade, and busy Cape Schiso harbor. It’s a short walk to the gorgeous beaches where you can swim or enjoy some water sports. The restaurants do not disappoint seafood lovers and you can always pop in to one of the many bars in the area. A couple miles inland is Alcantra Gorge, where you can walk to see beautiful scenery.

If you are planning a holiday in Sicily you will never be too far from a world-class beach, but choose any of the 5 above and you certainly will not be disappointed.

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