Palermo
In the baroque capital of Sicily, the reflections of Arabian and Norman cultures are entwined. An intimate neighbourhood culture survives and one could still see the elderly sipping their tea over a conversation on the streets. Palermo is on the orange belt stretching from Sevilla to Damascus and it is possible to find an orange juice stand at every corner. The local tastes that should be tasted: Cornetti alla crema (croissant with lemon custard), pane con la milza (spleen sandwich), caponata (eggplant salad with tomato and olives), granita di mandorle (almond sorbet), torrone (nougate with saffron and honey), as well as a huge variety of ice-cream! And here are the city's leading monuments not to miss: Palazzo dei Normanni is a palace built by Arabs on the ruins of a Roman temple and is famous for its magnificent mosaics. Teatro Massimo, on the other hand, is one of the oldest theaters of the modern times with an unbeliavably good acoustics. The grand stairs of the theater is where Don Corleone's daughter was shot in the famous Godfather 3. The theater deserves a visit for its great cultural program too. Quatro Canti is another symbol of the city. This baroque monument is actually made of four fountains sitting on a junction of four roads and carries the statues of four leading kings and saints of Italy. Glorious Capella Paletina with its Byzantine mosaics and San Giuseppe dei Tantini with its ornamental Sicilian baroque style are the religious masterpieces of the city.
Monreale
The city, overlooking the Bay of Napoli, is just 15 kilometers from Palermo and famous for its Monreale Cathedral built by the Norman kings. This UNESCO protected 12th century masterpiece charms the visitors with its mosaics made by the craftsmen from Constantinople, finishing it up with 2200 kg of pure gold! The turquoise waters of the popular beach town of Mondello is just a stone's throw away.
Cefalu
This highly touristic medieval city, half an hour drive from Palermo, hides some architectural treasures, as well as the most beautiful beaches of the island. It is not a coincidence that Guiseppe Tornatore's famous Cinema Paradiso was filmed here.
Messina
The famous 18th century Italian painter Caravaggio spent nine months of his life in Sicily, mostly in the city of Messina. Two of his masterpieces, The Raising of Lazarus and Adoration of Shepherds, can be seen at Regional Museum of Messina. This port city is also where you could catch the boats for the Aeolian Islands.
Taormina
This impressive city has its roots at ancient Greek and Roman times, but it was after the 18th century, when it was discovered by European elite, who went on a Grand Tour to explore all around Europe. It's been an important tourist destination ever since, never losing its charm. Some of Sicily's best luxury hotels and restaurants are here. It is a great privilege to watch a summer concert at its 3th century BC Greek amphitheater, watching the volcano of Etna from a distance. Another famous spot of the city is Isola Bella. This little islet, located at the end of the public beaches, was once a private property, but later it was purchased by the city government to be transformed into a little nature sanctuary. Today it is the favourite spot of the sunbathers.
Catania
This ancient city, built by lava rocks, is among the flight destinations of Turkish Airlines. Its main cathedral and plaza with an elephant statue, which became the symbol of the city, worth a visit. The fish market is a must-see and dining at a no-frills restaurant here is a pleasure. Most of the tours to Etna mountain start from here. If you are thinking of visiting the volcano, make sure to explore it respectfully with a guide, covering your mouth while trekking on its sulfur emanating soil.
Syracuse
Syracuse is among the beautiful spots you could explore with a daily tour from Catania. Apollon Temple and the ancient Greek theatre should be visited here. Ortygia, a historic island connected to the city of Syracuse by a bridge, is also a good pit stop with its cathedral and cafe-lined piazza. Here, you can also see the Fountain of Arethusa, which has been an inspiration for artists and poets for centuries with its interesting story about the beautiful water nymph Arethusa. She was transformed by goddess Artemis into a natural spring here, while escaping the lustful river god Alpheus. This small lagoon, fed by a natural spring, is today filled with papyrus plants and swans.
Noto
This is perhaps the most beautiful of the UNESCO protected "Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto". The city is the result of Spanish city planning genious. Once the rich would live at the upper parts of the city, while the poor would live at the lower parts. You could catch the best city panoramas from the top of St. Carlo Church, that could be reached by 80 stairs. Villa Dorado is another baroque jewel that deserves to be seen.
Piazza Armerina
This hilltop village is one of the busiest tourist destinations of Sicily. The main reason to visit is Villa Romana del Casale, which is an ancient villa commissioned by a powerful Roman family around the 4th century AD. The villa's UNESCO protected mosaics, which cover an area of 3500 square meters, are among the best preserved mosaic examples from the antiquity.
Agrigento
The archeological park of Valle dei Templi (Valley of Temples) is fairly a good reason to visit Agrigento. Seven UNESCO protected doric style Greek temples are still intact here. Hotel Villa Athena (below) offers magnificent views of them day and night, from its rooms and poolside. Agrigento is also one of the most promising wine producing regions of the island.
Erice
This little fortified city overlooks the Trapani port from an altitude of 750 meters. Its adjacent castles of Pepoli and Venus deserve to be explored. The nearby town of Segesta, on the other hand, hides a doric style unfinished antique theater, known to be made by Athenean architects.
The Islands Around
Sicily is never complete without its little volcanic islands! The Aeolians, Egadi and Pelagie Islands, Pantelleria and Ustica scattered around the shores of Sicily offer unique sceneries. The Aeolians is a true volcanic archipelago, whose crystal clear waters are to be reached by boat from Naples, Palermo or Milazzo. Stromboli Island is one of the most famous, whose constant lava flow into the sea could be best observed from its black sandy beaches. Panarea Island, on the other hand, is a small jet setters' and yachtmen's paradise, highly visited since 1960s thanks to its calm waters. Fevignana and Levanzore islands that belong to Egadi archipelago also wait to be explored with an easy daily trip from Trapani.