The nicest beach towns in Sicily

During beach season, many Italians and Europeans head to Sicily to enjoy the spectacular beaches found there, along with Sicilian culture.

Given its historical significance, it is hard to find the combination of spectacular beaches along with incredible historical landmarks to match what Sicily has to offer.

The following towns are seaside gems you can find in Sicily that are worth exploring as part of a trip to Sicily or considering for a classic beach vacation.

Castellammare del Golfo

Beach near Castellammare del Golfo

Castellammare del Golfo is a small historic town located about an hour west of Palermo along the northwest coast of Sicily.

The year-round residential population is about 15,000.

The name can be translated into Sea Fortress of the Gulf, which is related to the medieval fortress in the town’s harbor.

In more recent history, the town has primarily been a fishing village and it is becoming more popular among tourists.

Somewhat notoriously, Castellammare del Golfo is the birthplace of Salvatore Maranzano and Joseph Bonnano, two powerful members of New York’s mafia in the early part of the 20th century.

Most of the activity away from the nearby beaches is focused in the harbor area, where you will find some shops and restaurants.

During the day, this area is quite busy and noisy, as vehicles are allowed to pass through.  Later on, an area is blocked off to cars to allow only pedestrians.

The oldest part of the town is at the tip of the promontory where a citadel is situated.

From there you can head to the castle and then toward the more modern part of town, or cross over to a promenade that sits above the sea, providing spectacular views of the coast.

The main stretch of beach to visit is located to the east of town where there is a long sandy beach that stretches along the Golfo di Castellamare.

This area is lined with beach clubs and amenities so you can easily spend the day here.

The best way to visit Castellammare del Golfo is by renting a car, as public transportation is limited in this part of Sicily.

This will be the case with several of our other picks.  Check out Discovercars.com for the best rates for rental cars in Sicily.

San Vito Lo Capo

San Vito Lo Capo

San Vito Lo Capo is a quintessential beach town.

Located on a small peninsula that juts out into the Mediterranean at the northwest corner of Sicily, this is one of the few wide, sandy beaches to be found in Sicily.

The best way to get there from Palermo is by car, and it is about a 90 minute drive.

San Vito Lo Capo is located within the province of Trapani and it has a year round population less than 5,000 people.

The beach is overlooked by another rocky mountain, Mount Monaco. There is also an old lighthouse that was built in 1859 and stands 125 feet high.

San Vito Lo Capo is also known for its festivals.  Probably its most famous is the Cous Cous festival, held in September every year since 1998.

Other festivals include a kite festival in May, the feast of the patron St Vito Martyr in June, a festival of books and authors throughout the summer and the San Vito climbing festival in October.

The most attractive feature of the town is its beach, often considered to be among the nicest beaches in Sicily and Italy overall.

The water is notably clean and has the beautiful turquoise color we seek in the Mediterranean.  It is often awarded the Blue Flag for its clean water.

The beach stretches for nearly two miles and does have some public areas.  The beach is also quite wide and while it can get crowded in the summer, still offers space.

The beach alone is why San Vito Lo Capo made this list of the best beach towns in Sicily.

There are some other nearby beaches that can be less crowded, including Baia Santa Margherita beach, and Macari Beach.

At the heart of the town of San Vito Lo Capo is the San Vito Sanctuary, constructed in the 15th Century.

The town itself offers plenty of small shopping and restaurants and bars when you are ready to head back from the beach.

Due to the small size of the town, there are only a handful of hotels, and most vacationers will rent a home or apartment during their stay.

Siracusa

Beach near Siracusa

Siracusa is located at the southeast corner of Sicily.

This is one of the most historically significant cities in all of the Mediterranean, due to its prominent position between Europe and Africa.

As a result, the entire city was named a Unesco Heritage site in 2005 due to the presence of significant ancient Greek and Roman ruins.

Some of the sites of historical significance in and around Siracusa include the Temple of Apollo; the Greek Amphitheater; the Roman Amphitheater; the tomb of Archimede; and the Temple of Zeus.

There are numerous historical churches located throughout the city as well, including the Cathedral of Siracusa, originally constructed in the 7th century over top of a temple to the goddess Athena.

In the present day, it has a population of a bit over 120,000 people.

In regard to the beaches, there is no one single beach near Siracusa that stands out.  There is a mix of beach clubs, sandy beaches and rocky beaches near the city.

The most popular beaches are located about a 20 minute drive to the south of the city.  These beaches are more noted for having facilities, bars and cafes nearby.

The main draw to many of these beaches is the very appealing, clear turquoise and emerald water in the area.

Outside the city walls, as seen in the photo above, some residents will head down to rocky stretches to gain access to the water.

You can get to Siracusa by train in a few hours from the port city of Messina, but given that the main beaches are further to the south, you will probably want to rent a car.

Keep in mind, cars are prohibited in some areas of town, particularly in the Ortigia section where many of the monuments are located.

In regard to the city itself, it is spectacular and well worth a visit just to explore.

Taormina

Greek Theater in Taormina

Taormina is simply one of the most beautiful towns in Sicily, and in all of Italy you can ever visit.

Located on the east coast of Sicily, this resort town is perched on a hillside high above the Ionian Sea.

It is similar to the small towns you will find along the Amalfi Coast on the mainland, but with more historical significance.

The town is contained within about five square miles and has a year-round population of about 11,000 people.  Due to its spectacular scenery, its economy is heavily reliant upon tourism.

At the center of the town is the Teatro di Antico, an ancient Greek amphitheater that dates back about 2,500 years.  The views from the theater up and down the coast are truly spectacular.

The main pedestrian street in the town is Corso Umberto, which is lined with shops, cafes and restaurants.

Along Corso Umberto, you will find Piazza Aprile, which offers more spectacular views of the sea and coast.

You can also wander along some of the side streets to find more colorful buildings, shops and restaurants.

A tour through the public garden, which sits below the ancient Greek theater, is also recommended.

Taormina is also known for its beach, Isola Bella beach.  The beach is named for a small island that sits below town and houses a nature reserve that was once a private residence.

The beach is accessed by taking a cable tram down to the beach below, or a bus if the tram is not running.

There are actually two beaches available from taking this tram… Spiaggia di Isola Bella and Spiaggia Mazzaro.

Both beaches are comprised of a gray pebbly mix and out into the water, it is a bit rocky.  Water shoes are highly recommended.

These beaches are small, and in the summer, quite crowded.  You’ll need to rent a chair and umbrella for comfort.

The water itself is clear and makes for great snorkeling, and sitting on the beach, you have some pretty cool views.

Isola Bella beach is always ranked among the best beaches in Sicily.  For my money, I would not rank it so highly.

If I had a longer stay in Taormina, I would head to the beaches further to the north of Isola Bella or the south toward Naxos.

These areas have much longer stretches of beach, and thus more room.  They are a bit more sandy as well.

The best way to head to Taormina is by train, as parking in town is very difficult.

If you are staying in Taormina, you will also want to stay as close to Corso Umberto as possible, as everything you want to see and do, except the beaches, is within walking distance.

Another great way to view the coastline here is by boat and there are several tours to choose from.

If you are ever to visit Sicily, Taormina has to be on the list of towns to visit!

Cefalu – The nicest of the nicest beach towns in Sicily

Cefalu Promenade

Among this list of the nicest beach towns in Sicily, Cefalu stands out as the nicest.

Cefalu offers everything you want in a beach town… a great beach, plenty of shops and restaurants, and then a historic town center that is breathtakingly beautiful.

Add to that the setting of the Cefalu Rock behind and above the town, and you simply have an incredible setting for a beach town.

It is no wonder that the town literally receives millions of visitors every year.

The main section of the beach stretches for nearly a mile starting just outside of the historic area.

It is not particularly wide, but due to its length, you can find some room even on a crowded day.

There is a small beach that can be accessed from the historic area, and it is a perfect place to relax, enjoy the views and watch people swim.

Normally, the water is calm and quite clear.  However, when the weather kicks up a bit, it can be a good place to go surfing.

Outside of the historic center is the more modern section of town that contains the larger hotels along with local shopping and restaurants.

Connecting this section of town along the beach is a wonderful promenade that takes you all the way to the historic area, where you can then wander through the old cobblestone streets.

The main piazza is located uphill from the beach and small harbor area, and it ends at the Duomo di Cefalu, a Norman cathedral constructed in the 12th century.

Behind the duomo is a trail that takes you to the top of the Rocca di Cefalu, where you will find the ancient ruins of a Greek temple to the goddess Diana and the Castello di Cefalu.

From the top of the Rock you have spectacular views of the town below and the coastline in either direction.

Cefalu is easily accessed by train at less than an hour ride from Palermo.  The station is also just a few blocks from the beach, so it is perfectly located for a day trip.

Honorable mentions – the nicest beach towns in Sicily

There are two other very nice beach towns in Sicily that are worth visiting.

Mondello is the beach town closest to Palermo.  During beach season, it will be quite crowded, but it is one of the few sandy beaches in Sicily, has beautiful water and spectacular views.

Capo D’Orlando is a beach town similar to Mondello and the aforementioned San Vito Lo Capo.  It is located at the northeast portion of Sicily, close to Messina.

When to visit Sicily

As indicated, Sicily is a popular destination among Italians and Europeans during beach season, which is July and August.

Therefore, if you want to avoid the crowds, but still experience warm enough weather for swimming in Sicily’s beautiful waters, consider heading there from early September to about mid-October.

April and May are also excellent months to visit Sicily, but the water won’t be warm enough for swimming without a wetsuit.

How to get to Sicily

From North America, there are few direct flights to Sicily outside of New York City.

We are not particularly fond of flying to Italy through any of the major airports in Europe due to the massive size of airports such as London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Munich, etc.

If possible, try to fly directly to Rome and then consider spending a day there before moving on to Sicily.

You can then fly into Catania on the east coast or into Palermo along the northwest coast of the island, depending upon your itinerary.

Here are some more tips for flying to Italy.

Final Thoughts

If you intend to visit Sicily during the warmer months, it only makes sense to plan for a beach day.

One of these beaches, including our honorable mentions, will give you a spectacular day at the beach.

For a pure beach vacation, while providing yourself with options to visit other parts of Sicily, you can’t go wrong with Cefalu.