Sicily
Sicily is the perfect blend of art, history and natural beauties; it has has a soul of its own and lots of luxury family hotels. A melting pot of different historical ages, it's a crossroad of Arab, Greek and Roman civilisations, which have left their traces in the architecture and gastronomy. Kids will marvel at the screaming Sicilian street vendors, the bright colourful markets, the scent of almond and Brontë pistachio stands, and the fluorescent oranges, tangerines and lemons that hang, literally, everywhere. Foodies will adore the homemade mandarin jam and local ice cream. Sicily is also home to some of Italy’s best beaches, such Rabbit Island on Lampedusa.
La Barella
With an elevated hillside position, La Barella is a rustic, welcoming house decorated in a traditional Sicilian style.
With an elevated hillside position, La Barella is a rustic, welcoming house decorated in a traditional Sicilian style, just a short drive to sandy beaches and the attractive, historic town of Cefalu. Comfortably sleeps eight people across five bedrooms. Surrounded by juniper, oak and pine trees, La...
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Casa Ganzirri
Casa Ganzirri is a liberty-style villa located near Taormina on the northeastern tip of in Sicily.
Casa Ganzirri is located near Taormina on the northeastern tip of in Sicily. It is a liberty-style villa in the region of Messina. The fishing hamlet of Ganzirri offers nearby facilities and the well-known beach resort of Taormina is just 28 miles away. Casa Ganzirri comfortably sleeps seven across four bedrooms...
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Villa Petronella
Villa Petronella has sea views and a private pool, all situated just a few miles south-west of Syracuse on the protected stretch of coastline at Plemmirio.
Villa Petronella has sea views and a private pool, all situated just a few miles south-west of Syracuse on the protected stretch of coastline at Plemmirio. Villa Petronella is a short walk from a rocky beach and just a brief drive from sandy beaches. All the rooms are on one level and you can enjoy the sun and the sea...
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Hotel Jebel Sicily
In the centre of elegant Taormina, Sicily, close to designer boutiques and infamous archaeological sites, resides the Hotel Jebel.
Hotel Jebel Sicily is at the heart of Taormina, where designer boutiques and elegant alleyways are juxtaposed against the impressive, and very large, ancient Greek Theatre that overlooks both the bay and Etna Volcano. The hotel, a former historic palazzo inspired by the Catalan Gothic style, rises in the old town...
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Eremo Della Giubiliana
A medieval ashram turned into a boutique hotel, Eremo della Giubiliana is set in the heart of Sicily’s Baroque region.
Eremo della Giubiliana is a white-washed stone, luxury ashram-turned-hotel that has the privilege of hosting an archaeological site: a necropolis. It's a sort of miniature village rising up amidst wild Sicilian countryside, and on clear days, from the tower, you can spot Malta and the African coast. It’s like living...
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Hotel Giardino di Costanza Sicily
Giardino di Costanza resort offers lots of luxury and a private beach to boot.
Immersed in a huge park with majestic fountains and lush olive trees, Hotel Giardino de Costanza Sicily offers the pleasure of tranquillity away from mass tourism. Close to several important archaeological sites and temples that are bound to fascinate your kids, the wide panoramic pool terrace and elegant saloons are...
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Verdura Golf and Spa Resort
The Verdura Golf & Spa Resort is 5-star, nestled in a lush park close to the Valley of the Temples.
Close to Agrigento's Valley of the Temples and in an ideal spot to visit the beauties of southern Sicily, the modern eco-friendly Verdura Golf and Spa Resort is set in 230 hectares of stunning landscape with 1.8 kilometers of private coastline. The scent of lemon trees will literally envelope you. This may be a...
Baby-friendly / Family-friendly Spa / Pre-Teen friendly / See this Hotel & Book »Ristorante Corbezzoli
16, Vicolo Pietro Gerardi, Sciacca
This is probably Sciacca’s most traditional and popular restaurant, an ideal place for families with a relaxing atmosphere and wide choice of dishes. It’s elegant and traditional, but fiercely family-friendly, and makes the finest pasta with Brontë pistachio sauce in the area. The fried calamari are a must, and the restaurant is happy to serve anything the children could want.
Granduca Ristorante Pizzeria
Corso Umberto I, 172 98039, Taormina
Located on Taormina’s elegant main street in a superbly restyled 15th Century villa, the kids can play around the exotic garden and terraces, replete with sea-view, while they wait for their food to arrive. The panorama is breath-taking, stretching beyond the Greek Theatre all the way to Etna Volcano. You’ll have a great time choosing a bottle of wine from the restaurant’s cellars. Children can order anything they wish, from grilled fish and vegetable soups to chicken and steaks.
Restaurante Federico II
6, Via Normanni, Ragusa Ibla, Ragusa
In the historical centre of Ragusa Ibla, Ristorante Federico II is located inside an old stone palace, decorated with tapestries and medieval weapons with an internal garden that creates a totally unique ambiance. The menu spans from pizza to fresh fish, meat to traditional Sicilian pasta dishes like spaghetti with pilchards. Whatever your kids are up for, they’ll love both the food and decor.
Sight-seeing
Sicily is not just great for its beautiful beaches, but it also makes for great sightseeing. Must-see spots include the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, Taormina and the Baroque regions of Syracuse, Noto, Modica and Ragusa Ibla. In Syracuse, take the kids to visit the famous Ear of Dionysius, a 30-meter tall cave where, it is believed, you can still hear the laments of old-time prisoners.
See the internal city of Caltagirone
The internal city of Caltagirone features an impressive, ancient majolica stairway and the best pistachio slushies in the world: treat your kids to the mixed pistachio-almond-fig flavour – they will want more.
Satisfy a sweet tooth
Don’t forget to buy a pack of traditional sugar-dried orange and lemon peels, and a box of fruit-shaped Marzipan cakes, dubbed in Sicily “pasta reale” (Royal Pastry).
Explore the capital, Palermo
Sicily’s capital, Palermo, offers a lot to explore, the most fascinating being its open-air vibrant marketplace Vucciria, with screaming vendors and sea-urchin “cocktails.”
Hit any of the many beaches
As for great beaches, the Turks’ Staircase near Sciacca will give the children a real thrill: it’s set against a natural white-rock sea cliff that looks just like a gigantic staircase.
About
For emergencies dial 112, and for either first aid or an ambulance, dial 118. Palermo has several excellent hospitals and there are many local medical units (called “ASL”) scattered across the island. All major cities have hospitals or first-aid centres and your hotel should be able to assist you with further information.
When to go
You can come to Sicily with your children anytime during the year, but it’s probably best during the spring or summer so you can enjoy the beaches with warm weather. Being Italy’s southernmost region, warm temperatures start pretty early in the year, so anytime from April to mid – October should provide you with good weather, if that’s important to you. We recommend avoiding crowded August, when most Italians go on holiday and prices reach the stars, if you can. Perfect months, temperature-wise, are June, July and September.
Currency
Euro
Language
Italian