A Sicily Vacation That Won’t Break The Bank
Choosing what excursions to do in Sicily, Italy while not overspending doesn’t have to be a struggle.
Regardless of where you stay in Sicily, Italy, there are countless activities and excursions to experience without depleting your funds. This beautiful island has much to offer, especially for those who prefer inexpensive vacationing in Sicily.
Tripadvisor can be a great aid in deciding what excursions are worth the cost, especially for those vacationing on a budget.
Palermo
Palermo is the largest city in Sicily, and its multitude of options for exploring prove why this is the perfect city to traverse.
By simply walking the streets of Palermo, sightseeing the architecture can fill your day.
Walking tours can go for less than $40 and can include seeing the Royal Palace, the Cathedral of Palermo, and a stop for food. This stop is a few hours of time, so plan this for a day when you have some free time.
Also, if you’re an animal lover, there are plenty of cats roaming the streets that are great models if you tire of the architecture.
Cefalù
Cefalù, a town located in Palermo, also holds The Palatine Chapel. This Chapel alone could fill a whole day with its captivating beauty and rich history.
The golden mosaics inside are breathtaking and present the rich history of Palermo.
Guided tours tend to be a bit pricey, so do your research to decide if the price is what you’re willing to spend, but simply walking around the Chapel can still be enriching.
Walking inside the chapel is free, but some areas do require payment to enter. This activity may only need about an hour or two of your time.
Vince Hayman, who has a keen eye for the arts and religion, visited Sicily this summer and especially loved the architecture of Cefalù.
“The architectural design by itself is jaw-dropping, and then you walk in and see the most beautifully well-preserved and detailed mosaic that depicts the Old and New Testament accurately according to The Bible.”
Vince Hayman
The beaches are also beautiful and a great way to cool down when visiting in the summer months.
Tours can cost as little as $60 per person and include five stops, one of them being the historic Lavatoio Medievale, a medieval washing place. These tours tend to be a few hours long, so plan accordingly!
Mondello Beach
Mondello Beach is the perfect place to cool off and enjoy some swimming after touring the streets of Palermo. You’ll see local kids jumping off the pier as well, which isn’t recommended but can be fun for those who are cautious.
Vendors are also set up along the street next to the water, where you can purchase inexpensive souvenirs to take home. Little gifts like two pinecone magnets cost as little as €1 ($1.08).
The restaurants, cafes, and gelato shops also make this a must-visit location during your vacation to Sicily.
Syracuse
Syracuse, or Siracusa, is a large coastal city that you need to put on your bucket list.
This city offers sightseeing options for Greek and Roman architecture, including an amphitheater that is spectacular.
The Teatro Greco is a great stop for history buffs and only costs $26 to enter. This is without including food in the price, but there is a cafe you can stop in for drinks and snacks.
This tour is about 1–2 hours, so plan snacks and meal breaks around this tour.
The beautiful blue statue of Icarus within the amphitheater also catches your eye on this excursion.
Guided tours of the Neapolis Archaeological Park can be a great option but are a little more costly. This tour covers the Teatro Greco along with a few other places like the Anfiteatro Romano di Siracusa.
The historical center of Siracusa, Ortigia, also has lots to see.
This town has plenty of streets to discover beautiful architecture. The beaches on this peninsula are also open to the public. Walking around and visiting the beach could take the whole day, depending on how much you want to walk.
The Piazza Duomo in Syracuse is a hotspot for perfect photos and enriching history.
Agrigento
Agrigento offers a unique experience that makes you feel like you’re in Rome.
Valley of the Temple is a hilltop section of the city that holds ruins of the ancient city of Akragas.
These ruins encapsulate the history of Sicily in a magnificent way because they show the ability to withstand time. They are some of the most well-preserved ruins in the world and should be a must-do excursion for your Sicily trip.
These Greek ruins are well-preserved, and it costs less than $30 to enter the site, but the guided tour may be worth the extra $10-$15 to get a fulfilling experience.
These tours don’t include the price of food, but there is a small cafe at the site to stop at for refreshments.
This tour is about 2–3 hours, but the rich history you get from the guide makes it worthwhile.
Catania
Sicily’s second-largest city is limitless when it comes to activities that you can do. Walking the streets of Catania offers countless restaurants, cafes, markets, and sights to see.
Site Walking Tours are an inexpensive option to peruse the streets of Palermo as well and can offer a unique side of history.
Piazza del Duomo, the main square in the city, is also a great spot to visit, with little restaurants, markets, and cafes surrounding the area.
You may also find performers singing in the main square.
The surrounding blocks have great spots to stop for food.
Bars and restaurants in Catania offer great options for drinks, seafood, and especially pizza. The many bakeries are great for breakfast and snacks.
Mt. Etna
The island’s volcano also sits next to the main city of Catania.
Hikes here can be beautiful, but be careful as Mt. Etna is currently erupting. Visiting Catania now, you may see ash-coated areas that are not often cleaned.
Tours can be as cheap as $65 and last about 6 hours. Morning hikes also may work best for those who want to avoid the heat.
Food is not always included in tours, so plan accordingly.
Depending on which tour you choose to do, these hikes can last up to 6 hours.
Accessibility for this excursion may not be available for everyone as you may break a sweat and do some climbing.
You are not permitted to hike to the summit, but tours consist of hiking the crater surrounding the mountain, and some tours even include tours of the caves at the base of the mountain.
Noto
If you’re looking for a relaxed walking tour of a breathtaking town, Noto is the way to go. This small town has plenty of sights to see.
The arch at the entrance of the town is beautiful and a testament to the town’s exquisite architecture. Churches and chapels litter the main street, along with plenty of shops and cafes to peruse.
Noto isn’t one of the top tourist locations compared to larger cities like Palermo and Catania. This quiet town allows for exploration that isn’t as crowded as other cities.
Walking tours often add Noto as a stop but are included in a larger package that can get costly.
To avoid pricier options, walking around unaccompanied can be an inexpensive option, but tours may offer more information than what meets the eye.
Noto is on the smaller side compared to other, larger cities on this list, so you may only need a few hours to peruse the town.
Taormina
Taormina is the city to be for the hustle and bustle of a larger metropolis.
This city has a plethora of stores to shop in that could take multiple days to get through all of them.
The Greek amphitheater located here is a great place to take photos because it faces Mt. Etna and the sea. Entrance to the amphitheater cost about $20.
Taormina is a pricier option for most excursions since it’s a center for tourism, but walking the streets and window shopping can be an inexpensive option to enjoy the sights of this city.
Carolann Coffey also visited Sicily this summer and planned the excursions for her family. She found that TripAdvisor was helpful in scheduling what activities to do.
“I think it would be very easy for Gen-Z. And they’d be able to filter by price because price is a big deal for some kids.”
Carolann Coffey
Filters on Tripadvisor can help you find quality excursions that fit your budget to get the most out of your money.
Taormina and Isola Bella tours are a bit pricey, with the cheapest option being $127, but for this price, you get to see it all for the whole day.
This tour offers sightseeing and snorkeling.
Set aside a few hours for this tour, along with some food for yourself, because it is not included in the price.
Regardless of which cities you decide to visit and what plans you make, there’s beauty in every place of Sicily.
Now, the only hard part of vacation planning is choosing what outfits to wear. In the summer, Sicily can get hot, so pack some breezy outfits to keep cool.
Wearing white can also help with staying cool and looking like a local.
Bathing suits are also a must for this island since there are plenty of beaches and excursions on the water you can do.
Packing doesn’t have to be tricky when you choose what beverage to drink! Matching what you sip can be a great way to avoid overpacking while also picking cute attire to bring on your trip.
Being on a budget doesn’t have to dampen the fun of a vacation, especially one to a place as special and stunning as Sicily, Italy.
Make sure to do your own research, as prices may change, and some excursions are not accessible to everyone. Sicily is a beautiful island that can offer days of unlimited fun, and planning an inexpensive trip doesn’t have to be a hassle.
