A White Lotus Getaway: 10 Reasons To Visit Sicily

As White Lotus Season 2 comes to a conclusion, the desire to travel to Sicily has rapidly increased. This is long overdue, as Sicily is fairly overlooked in comparison to mainland Italy. There are so many reasons to visit Sicily, and after I went in June of 2021, I can confirm a revisit will be on every trip I take to my favorite boot-legged country. Here are 10 reasons to add Sicily to your Italian bucket-list.

1. The Food

Ask anyone who’s traveled through Italy extensively where the best food is, and they are likely to tell you Sicily. From fresh seafood to arancini to mineral Sicilian wines, the food in Sicily is vastly different from the rest of the country and is worthy of its own category. Sicily is home to the cannoli, and they serve gelato donut sandwiches for those who are craving something sweet. Don’t forget to try Sicilian pistachios, though, it would be hard not to since most places offer them for free with a cup of coffee or wine.

2. The People

Sicilian people are definitely, overall, tougher than the rest of Italians, but just like everything else in Italy, they’re charming as hell. I always say Sicily is the nitty and gritty underworld of Italy, so though it has mixed safety reviews, I found that if I just stayed vigilant and used my street smarts, much like I would do anywhere else in the world, I had no problems in Sicily.

I will say for female travelers, I dealt with some extremely aggressive catcalling in Sicily which overall tarnished my experience, but it was not enough of a reason for me to never return.

3. The History

While I don’t claim to be an expert on Sicilian history, I learned a little bit while I was there that is certainly fascinating. There has long been a divide between Sicily and mainland Italy, and Sicily has had to fight for freedom of control by external powers.

What’s most exciting about Sicilian history is perhaps that organized crime, or the mafia, was and is a large part of Sicilian social construct due to governmental neglect. Better known as the Cosa Nostra, visitors to Sicily can learn more about the mafia on a guided tour.

4. The Charm

So many visitors from around the globe fall in love with Italy due to its charm: from nonnas hanging clothes out on their balconies, to mom-and-pop no-frills shops that serve fresh homemade pasta, to the stunning architecture. Sicily is no different. Sicilian charm is an old man selling freshly caught seafood at a local market, hand-painted espresso cups to bring home, a group of old men wearing paperboy hats smoking a cigarette. Sicilian charm is just as high as the rest of Italy, and makes wandering the streets an activity in itself, just to take it all in.

5. The Seaside

Many travelers don’t think of Italy as a beach destination, but that couldn’t be further from the truth in Sicily. Remember, Sicily is an island. Move over Greece: Sicily has some of the bluest waters you’ve ever seen. Towns like Taormina are also great for surfing and diving. My best advice when visiting Sicily is to make some friends with a boat and get out on the water! If you’re too hesitant to make friends with a boat, especially after watching the White Lotus season finale, you can play it safe and book a tour here.

6. The Cost

There’s no sugarcoating it: Italy has gotten increasingly expensive in recent years. Perhaps due to the influx of Instagrammers visiting popular cities like Rome, Florence, Milan, and the Amalfi Coast, plus the aftermaths of Covid-19, Italy is hardly considered an affordable destination anymore. However, as travelers head further south, they’ll notice the prices decrease, and one of the best bangs for your euro is a trip to Sicily.

Sicily is, generally, alarmingly affordable, with hotels costing around $50/night in major cities like Catania and Palermo. It should be noted that Taormina, where The White Lotus was filmed is a rich resort town, and is a bit pricier, but it still hardly compares to popular areas in Rome. Catania, for example. can easily be done for around $50-70 a day if your cards are played right (including hotel stay!).

7. The Nightlife

When I speak of Italian nightlife, I don’t speak of clubbing and partying. No, no, instead, I speak of how alive Italian cities come alive at night. Head to any city square in all of Italy, and around 9-10PM, the streets are bustling with locals. Italy simply has a late-night lifestyle. Most dinners don’t start until around 8:30PM, and Sicily is no different. Sit down at a spot in the city square of Catania or Palermo, and grab a plate of spaghetti ai rici di mare, or sea urchin pasta, washed down with some volcanic Sicilian wine. Of course, there are plenty of clubs and bars to go to, but my favorite thing about Sicilian nights are the dining and people-watching.

8. The Resorts

It’s likely you’re reading this because you’ve been inspired by The White Lotus, which was filmed at Four Seasons San Domenico in Taormina. Sicily is full of luxurious seaside resorts, from Villa Sant’Andrea, A Belmond Hotel, Taormina Mare to La Plage Resort, there are options for every type of traveler and all budgets. Sicily is in fact surrounded by three different seas: the Ionian, the Tyrrhenian, and the Adriatic.

9. Mount Etna

Is a volcano enough of a reason to visit a place? With Mount Etna, the answer is absolutely yes. The beauty of Mount Etna, aside from the volcano itself, is it’s an easy day trip from Catania, and can be paired with a stop at Taormina, the town that The White Lotus was filmed at. Mount Etna still erupts somewhat frequently, with its last eruption being in May 2022. It’s worth the risk to hike along the black volcanic soil and conquer Sicily’s highest mountain. What’s especially unique about Mount Etna is there are tons of ladybugs, or cocinella, especially in the spring and summer. This is because the ladybugs migrate toward mountainous areas as the weather gets warmer.

10. The Ruins

Just like the rest of historical Italy, Sicily is full of Roman theatres, Greek temples, and more. I didn’t get to see many while there, but the ancient theatre of Taormina was stunning, and better yet, empty when I visited. There are self-guided walking tours throughout many of the ruins so you can learn the history of what it is you’re seeing.