Influenced by Romans, Normans, Greeks, Byzantines and Arabs, the island is loaded with interest, from historic sights to spectacular natural landscapes.
Interesting destinations are the capital, Palermo, containing many of the island's primary attractions, although it is somewhat polluted, crowded and anarchic, but still worth a few days, Siracusa for its Greek ruins, and the Temples Valley in Agrigento, a group of Greek temples overlooking the sea and the most interesting Greek ruins outside Greece. There you’ll see perfectly preserved Doric temples including the Temple of Jupiter Olympus, Hercules Temple and the Dioscuri Temple, which is the symbol of Agrigento.

Temples Valley, Agrigento

Mount Etna, an active volcano, which with its 3300 m is the largest in Europe, dominates the island and is home to many outdoor activities. It even becomes a ski resort in winter.
Taormina, one of the most beautiful cities in Sicily is a famous holiday destination and a favourite stop for the rich and famous. It has a picturesque Greek theatre set on a cliff, and open to the night sky, the ancient arena offers majestic views over the Gulf of Naxos and the crumbling columns and arches of the back wall frame of Mount Etna. In addition, Taormina has a beautiful village with plenty of shops and restaurants. The small village is perched on top of a hill, the walk down to the beach can be quite tiring but there is a shuttle service to take people up and down.
The archipelago of the Aeolian Islands situated north of Sicily includes 7 islands of volcanic origins, which thanks to the uncontaminated sea and a considerable presence of thermal springs are popular tourist destinations. The main islands are Lipari, Salina and Volcano followed by the smaller Alicudi, Stromboli, Filicudi and Panarea.
As well as being one of the most spectacular of the Aeolian Islands, Stromboli is one of the best known active volcanoes in Europe. A trip to Stromboli is a must for visitors of the archipelago, the climb to the rim of the crater, where the volcano's regular plumes of fire and smoke can be observed from close distance, is well worth it.

Stromboli

Scuba-diving in Pantelleria is a definite must - the volcanic sea beds surrounding the island are spectacular. Many diving schools and centres offer trips around the island to discover different sub-aquatic landscapes. Popular diving spots are Cala Levante, Cala Gadir, Cala Tramontana, Punta Tracino and Punta Limarsi. The local waters offer a wide range of subaquatic wonders including corals, sponges, parrot fish and lobsters. All along the island's shores, the sandy sea-bed suddenly turns an intense dark-green due to the posidonia, a marine plant known as the Mediterranean lung because it releases oxygen in the water.