🇮🇹Sicily

Sicily blends Greek temples, Mount Etna hikes, stunning beaches, and one of Europe's most exciting street food cultures into a family holiday unlike any other.

9Cities

0Guides

Your family guide

Sicily with your family: volcanoes, ancient ruins, and the best street food in the Mediterranean

“Sicily doesn't just show you history: it feeds it to you, one arancino at a time.”

— San & Jo

Sicily is one of those places that gets under your skin from the very first bite. As the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, it packs in more history, flavour, and drama than most countries twice its size. Your family will find themselves standing inside a 2,500-year-old Greek theatre one morning and splashing in crystal-clear Ionian waters by afternoon.

The island's food culture is unlike anywhere else in Europe. Centuries of Greek, Arab, Norman, and Spanish rule left behind a cuisine that is bold, layered, and genuinely exciting for curious kids. Street markets like Palermo's Ballarò buzz with colour and noise, arancini sizzle in open pans, and cannoli are filled fresh right in front of you. Food here isn't just fuel: it's the whole experience.

Whether your family loves hiking the lunar slopes of Mount Etna, exploring the jaw-dropping Valley of the Temples, or simply chasing gelato through cobbled Baroque towns, Sicily delivers. It's a place where every generation finds something to love, and where even the most reluctant young traveller tends to leave asking when you can come back.

Sicily, ItalyLargest island in the Mediterranean

Warm Mediterranean climateBest visited April to October

Euro (€)Mid-range destination

Cities and places in Sicily

9 places

Aeolian Islands

Discover the Aeolian Islands with your family: active volcanoes, black-sand beaches, thermal springs, and some of the freshest seafood in Italy.

0 guides · ItalyExplore →

Agrigento / Valley of the Temples

Explore the Valley of the Temples with your family: a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sicily with ancient Greek ruins, hidden gardens, brilliant street food, and goats with twisted…

0 guides · ItalyExplore →

Catania

Discover Catania with your family: a UNESCO historic centre, Mount Etna on the doorstep, incredible street food, and lively markets that bring Sicilian culture to life.

0 guides · ItalyExplore →

Cefalù

Cefalù combines a UNESCO medieval old town, a Norman cathedral, sandy beaches, and outstanding Sicilian food. One of Sicily's best family destinations.

0 guides · ItalyExplore →

Mount Etna

Mount Etna is Europe's highest active volcano and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ride the cable car, explore lava caves, and eat the best pistachio granita of your life.

0 guides · ItalyExplore →

Noto

Explore Noto's honey-gold Baroque streets, world-class granita, and nearby beaches with your family. A UNESCO gem in south-east Sicily that is wonderfully easy to navigate.

0 guides · ItalyExplore →

Palermo

Palermo is Sicily's chaotic, beautiful capital — packed with UNESCO sites, legendary street food, and enough history to keep curious families busy for days.

0 guides · ItalyExplore →

Syracuse

Syracuse, Sicily is a UNESCO World Heritage city where families explore Greek ruins, wander Baroque Ortigia, and eat incredibly well. Two to three days is the sweet spot.

0 guides · ItalyExplore →

Taormina

Explore Taormina with kids: a Greek theatre with Etna views, a cable car to a beach island, and the best granita in Sicily. Here is everything your family needs to know.

0 guides · ItalyExplore →

What makes it special

Why families keep coming back to Sicily

Mount Etna: Europe's most dramatic volcano

At over 3,300 metres, Etna is Europe's tallest active volcano and one of Sicily's most unforgettable experiences. Your kids can ride a cable car, walk across hardened lava fields, and peer into ancient craters: all with sweeping views across the island. It genuinely feels like another planet.

Ancient ruins that actually wow children

The Valley of the Temples near Agrigento is one of the best-preserved Greek sites in the world, with temples dating back to 580 BC still standing tall against a golden Sicilian sky. Taormina's ancient theatre adds a sea view that makes history feel genuinely cinematic.

Beaches for every kind of family

From the white marl staircase cliffs of Scala dei Turchi to the calm waters around Isola Bella near Taormina, Sicily's coastline is endlessly varied. You'll find sandy stretches perfect for toddlers, rocky coves for snorkelling teens, and dramatic gorges like Alcantara for the adventurous.

A food culture your whole family will love

Sicily's street food scene is one of the most exciting in Europe. Arancini, cannoli, fresh granita, and sfincione are all easy wins with kids. The island's Arab-Norman-Greek-Spanish culinary heritage means every meal tells a story, and even picky eaters tend to find their new favourite thing here.

Baroque towns that feel like a film set

Noto, Ragusa, and Modica are among the most beautiful towns in Italy, with honey-coloured Baroque architecture lining every street. Modica is also famous for its ancient-style chocolate, made without cocoa butter: a must-try with curious kids in tow.

Your kind of holiday

Beach and sea days

Sicily's coastline stretches for hundreds of kilometres, offering everything from calm, shallow bays to dramatic cliffs and sea caves. The area around Taormina and the beaches near Agrigento are particularly well set up for families who want easy access to the water alongside sightseeing.

Food and market adventures

Palermo's Ballarò market is one of the most vibrant street food scenes in Europe. Watching arancini being fried, tasting fresh cannoli, and navigating the sensory overload of a Sicilian food market together is the kind of shared experience families talk about for years.

Volcano hikes and outdoor exploration

Eastern Sicily is dominated by Mount Etna, and the landscape around it is unlike anything in Europe. Cable cars, guided lava field walks, and the wild gorges of the Alcantara River make this a brilliant base for active families who want something genuinely different from a typical beach holiday.

Fun facts

Things your kids will love knowing about Sicily

It's the biggest island in the whole Mediterranean

Sicily covers more than 25,000 square kilometres, making it the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It's bigger than some entire countries, which explains why it feels like a whole world packed into one island.

Mount Etna has been erupting for around 500,000 years

Etna is not just Europe's tallest active volcano: it's one of the most consistently active volcanoes on the planet. It erupts regularly, and scientists actually live and work on its slopes to study it. Your kids can walk on lava that flowed just a few years ago.

At least 13 different civilisations have ruled Sicily

Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spanish, and many more have all conquered and shaped Sicily over the centuries. That's why the food, architecture, and language all feel like a giant, delicious remix. Every corner of the island is basically a layer cake of history.

Taste Sicily

What to eat with kids in Sicily

Arancini

Crispy fried rice balls stuffed with ragù, peas, and mozzarella: Sicily's most beloved street snack. You'll find them everywhere, from market stalls to bakeries. In Palermo they're called arancine, and the debate over the name is taken very seriously by locals.

Kids love it

Cannoli

Crispy pastry shells filled with sweetened ricotta and often studded with chocolate chips or candied peel. They're best eaten fresh, filled to order right in front of you. This is non-negotiable for any family visiting Sicily.

Must try

Pasta alla Norma

Catania's signature pasta dish, made with fried eggplant, rich tomato sauce, fresh basil, and grated ricotta salata. It's hearty, comforting, and a reliable choice for kids who are happy with a straightforward pasta.

Safe choice

Granita con brioche

Sicily's answer to breakfast: a semi-frozen flavoured ice served alongside a soft, pillowy brioche bun for dipping. Almond, lemon, and pistachio are the classic flavours. Your kids will think they've discovered the best breakfast in the world, and honestly, they might be right.

Daily treat

Modica chocolate

Made using an ancient Aztec method brought to Sicily by the Spanish, Modica chocolate is grainy, intense, and unlike any chocolate you've tasted before. It contains no added fats or milk, just cacao and sugar worked at low temperature. A genuinely fascinating food story to share with curious kids.

Local favourite