10 Best Hotels
Sicily’s cities and landscapes shift dramatically across the island: Palermo has street markets and the mosaics of the Palatine Chapel, while Taormina looks towards Etna from above the sea. Syracuse pairs ancient remains with Ortigia’s waterfront lanes; Noto brings honey-coloured Baroque streets, and Agrigento’s temples rise along a southern ridge. Palermo and the eastern coast work as separate bases, with substantial journeys between them. Rural estates and coastal resorts often require a car for exploring nearby towns.
San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel
Taormina, Italy
San Domenico Palace gives Taormina’s dramatic setting a deeply atmospheric place to stay. A former fourteenth-century convent has become a hotel of gardens, refined interiors and an infinity pool above the Ionian Sea. Rooms and suites vary in outlook and outdoor space, with selected categories adding terraces or private plunge pools. Choose it when the hotel itself is an important part of the journey, and allow time to enjoy the grounds as well as exploring the town.
Historic grandeur above the Ionian Sea
Villa Igiea, a Rocco Forte Hotel
Palermo, Italy
Villa Igiea sits at Palermo’s edge, where tiered gardens and views towards the port create a more spacious rhythm than a central city hotel. Art Nouveau interiors and period details give the rooms and public spaces a strong identity, while Florio Restaurant and the terrace bar make evenings at the property appealing in their own right. Treat it as a retreat for exploring Palermo, with transport planned around visits to the historic centre and time reserved for returning to the gardens.
A palatial retreat beside the city
Villa Sant’Andrea, A Belmond Hotel
Mazzarò, Taormina Mare, Italy
Villa Sant’Andrea brings the feeling of a Sicilian summer residence to Mazzarò, below Taormina. The beach club, pool and gardens encourage days centred on the water, while rooms and suites offer different amounts of space for couples or families. A shuttle connects the hotel with Grand Hotel Timeo and the upper town, making cultural outings possible without giving up the beach setting. Choose it for a stay where the shore is the starting point, then plan excursions around that slower rhythm.
A classic beachside stay
Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel
Taormina, Italy
Grand Hotel Timeo occupies a privileged position beside Taormina’s ancient theatre, with Mount Etna forming part of its outlook. Rooms and suites combine the character of a historic hotel with a choice of layouts, including accommodation in the separate Villa Timeo. Dining terraces, a pool and a spa create reasons to linger between outings. It suits travellers who want the town close at hand while keeping a sense of occasion around the hotel, especially for an evening meal or aperitif.
Town access and Etna views
Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte Hotel
Sciacca coast, Italy
Verdura Resort uses the space of Sicily’s southern coast to offer a substantial resort experience. Sea-facing rooms and suites, larger villas, golf and a spa give different travellers room to shape their days. Restaurants draw on produce from the resort’s farm, with styles ranging from Italian favourites to Japanese influences. Choose it when you want activities and dining within the property, while leaving time for selected excursions rather than treating this spread-out coastal base as a quick overnight stop.
An active coastal resort holiday
Il San Corrado di Noto
Noto countryside, Italy
Il San Corrado di Noto places suites and villas among the countryside of the Val di Noto. Travertine finishes, generous terraces and gardens create a calm architectural setting, while two main pools, a spa and dining options support a stay with little need to rush. Selected villas provide private pools, and the seasonal beach club adds a coastal dimension. Choose the accommodation category carefully and balance time at the resort with visits to Noto and the surrounding southeast.
Privacy and contemporary country comfort
Monaci delle Terre Nere
Zafferana Etnea, Italy
Monaci delle Terre Nere spreads its suites and villas across an estate on the slopes of Mount Etna. Trails pass vineyards, orchards and lava-stone terraces, while pools look towards the volcano and sea. Estate-grown ingredients give the dining a close connection to the landscape. The accommodation varies in character and pool arrangements, so compare locations as well as photographs. It is an appealing base for wine-country exploration, with enough space and atmosphere to justify quiet days at the property too.
An Etna wine-country retreat
Susafa
Polizzi Generosa countryside, Italy
Susafa offers a slower encounter with Sicily’s interior, in a former farmstead still closely connected to agricultural life. Rooms and suites sit around the estate’s gardens, while the restaurant occupies the old granary and uses seasonal produce, house-made bread and the family’s olive oil. Cooking workshops and garden experiences add substance to time spent here. Come for the rural setting and unhurried meals, with a plan that allows the property’s quieter rhythm to become part of the holiday.
A rural retreat shaped by food
ADLER Sicilia
Siculiana, Italy
ADLER Sicilia looks over the Agrigento coast from a low-rise setting close to Torre Salsa’s protected landscape. Wellness is central: heated pools, saunas and treatment rooms create a substantial programme around time outdoors. Junior and family suites use natural materials and private terraces, while the kitchen draws on the hotel garden and local seafood. Choose it for a holiday where the spa and landscape share the agenda, then check which treatments, activities and dining arrangements are included in your chosen package.
A coastal wellness escape
Country House Villadorata
Noto countryside, Italy
Country House Villadorata occupies a rural estate in the hills outside Noto, surrounded by olive groves, citrus, almonds and vineyards. The former wine-making buildings give the property a connection to agricultural Sicily, while contemporary rooms and suites and the main Aqua Madre pool set a relaxed pace. Orti Villadorata brings local producers into the dining experience. Choose it for countryside calm with access to the southeast’s towns and coast, and distinguish it carefully from the separate Seven Rooms property in central Noto.
A contemporary stay among orchards