Sunny, Scenic and Sweet Sicily

I absolutely adore Sicily, the huge island at the bottom of "the Italian boot." Sicily represents the Southern life of Italy with its sunny weather, scenic views, and sweet treats. Apart from those, which secrets may Sicily keep from the average tourist?

Let's discover the island with me and other itinari editors:

The must see

Once in Sicily, you definitely should not miss th[e multicultural capital, Palermo](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/the-multicultural-palermo-er74). It is one of the most interesting cities I have visited in Italy because it has been influenced by the Greek, Arab-Muslim, Spanish, and French cultures, among others. My favorite day trip from Palermo was to visit th[e cathedrals in Cefalù and Monreale](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/cefalu-and-monreale-a-day-trip-from-palermo-pjfk). Apart from those, th[e ancient theaters and ruins](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/ancient-temples-theatres-ruins-and-churches-the-best-of-sicily-6cy2) in legendary places such as Syracuse and Ta[ormina](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/taormina-a-day-trip-from-catania-tnqi) are also worth visiting. Catania is another popular city in Sicily but I personally did not like it. I only went there to get to Ta[ormina](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/taormina-a-day-trip-from-catania-tnqi).

The hidden gem

Visiting Sicily, tourists tend to skip small town and villages such as Modica, Sciacca, Ortigia, and Er[ice](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/discovering-erice-nlc9). But according to Nicolas Casula in his article "Th[e Unmissable Sicilian Villages](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/the-unmissable-sicilian-villages-0vqu)," the borghi (the Italian word for "villages) will leave you speechless and take your breath away. The article really makes me want to visit all of those off-the-beaten-path villages. Among them, Modica is definitely on the top of my bucket list because I am a fan of the Aztec chocolate made in Modica.

The nature

One of my favorite things about Sicily is it[s breathtaking and untouched nature](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/the-remote-corners-of-sicily-volcanic-nature-and-beaches-under-the-sun-f428). During my visit to Palermo, I had the privilege of touching a sacred tree, one of the largest and oldest trees in Europe. Apart from trees, Sicily also has am[azing beaches, rivers, and mountains](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/best-nature-spots-in-sicily-nqby) - some of which are in natural parks such as Parco delle Madonie and Parco Naturale Regionale dei Nebrodi. And of course, we cannot forget the mighty Mo[unt Etna](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/etna-adventure-u2gp), the largest active volcano in Europe. Unfortunately, due to weather, I could not hike up Mo[unt Etna](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/etna-adventure-u2gp) but I hope I can come back for that and admire the volcano from as close as possible.

The cuisine

The most fun part of traveling is tasting local foods. “Food is more essential than clothes,” said Sicilians. Indeed, the Sicilian cuisine is exciting to explore. From tasty street food to delightful sweet treats, Sicily has them all. A list of the essential foods to taste in Sicily is in my article "Foods You Must Try in Sicily.**" If you are particularly interested in the Sicilian dessert ca*nnolo*, check out Eleonora Ruzzenenti's well-written piece "The king of Sicilia: the cannolo"**, an inside-out guide of the traditional pastry.