Sicily

This June we spent just over a week exploring the north west corner of Sicily and all it has to offer. When we got back it almost felt like we’d been on multiple different holidays as we got to see and do so many different things, from enjoying cultural cities steeped in history, to cycling around and exploring quiet charming islands. Plus the local food and wine was fantastic every single day.

Palermo

We stayed in Palermo a few nights, which bookended our trip, and it’s left me wanting to go back already. It’s filled with attractive Italian piazzas and has churches on almost every corner, all with a bit of a run down charm. The streets are lively and we had a great time wandering around the streets discovering markets and all the delicious food and wine.

Drink: I keep wishing I could re-live the evening we spent at dal Barone, or that is was more local to me, as that’s how great it was. The people there were so friendly and encouraged you to have tasters of the wine you were interested in and all the wine we had was truly excellent, plus bonus points from me for having lots of orange wines. The road it’s on in Palermo was also one of my favourites, almost every shop/bar/restaurant we passed was somewhere I wanted to stop.

Eat/Drink/Visit: Antica Focacceria San Francesco is one of the most historic restaurants in Palermo. The building itself is beautiful or grab a table outside to enjoy a very picturesque piazza. Our experience was especially great as a wedding was about to start at a church on the piazza so we got to watch a catwalk of very elegant guests arriving - I can’t promise it but I wouldn’t be surprised if that happens every Saturday at around 3pm.

Visit: Mercato del Capo is a great food market, I loved it so much we went back three times. I would try and go in the morning as there was definitely more produce then, which included the largest tuna and swordfish I have ever seen (sorry for the kind of horrible photo below but look at the size of them!).

Visit: Cattedrale di Palermo is a really striking cathedral (and also a UNESCO world heritage site), I’d really recommend a visit even if you only see the outside.

Stay: We stayed at two different airbnbs and both were great. The first one was the nicer and more expensive of the two, although it still felt quite reasonably priced. The space itself is beautiful and has clearly been very sensitively converted into an apartment, with all the furniture and art feeling thoughtfully chosen. The second place was a cheaper option but was also really lovely, and the host was particularly friendly and helpful.

Trapani

When I originally planned the trip I mainly booked for us to stay in Trapani because it was a convenient place for some day trips I wanted to do, and it’s also where the ferry goes from to get to Favignana (our next stop). As it turns out, I had really underestimated Trapani as it’s definitely worth a stop for the city itself. The historical centre is quite small and is quieter and a bit more polished than Palermo, but still had enough going on to keep us entertained.

Eat: We only stayed in Trapani three nights and for two of them we went to Serisso 47 (embarrassing but true) and it was a real highlight of the trip. It’s michelin-recommended but also really reasonably priced for the standard of food, we had quite a few courses and a bottle of wine and it was €110 for two of us. Will had a seared tuna dish that he says was one of the best dishes of his life.

Drink: Another place we frequented a couple of times was Jabir Cocktail Bar, they do a great negroni and lots of original cocktails too.

Visit: IMMANU’EL vintage shop is a real gem. There’s two shops opposite each other, one is exclusively filled with jeans/trousers/shorts with lots of Levi’s and other great brands.

Visit: If you’re into colourful ceramics then Ceramiche Perrone is a great stop. I’m pretty sure it’s run by a father and son and you can see the father painting in the store.

Stay: We stayed at Ai Lumi B&B which felt like a real bargain and was very lovely. It’s a beautiful B&B set around a courtyard in a great location in the historic centre of Trapani, the staff were lovely and the adjoining restaurant is highly respected too. I had just opted for the cheapest room but I think next time I’d pay a bit more for one of the rooms with a balcony as they looked beautiful.

Day trip from Trapani: Scala dei Turchi

We both agreed that this was probably our favourite day, especially as we unexpectedly almost got the beach to ourselves. The drive from Trapani is about 2.5 hours each way so you will need to get some playlists ready, but it was so worth the drive.

Day trip from Trapani: Scopello

Another great day trip is to the old fishing town of Scopello. The area has become a bit of a tourist destination so you have to pay €15 for entry but in return you get a deckchair, an optional tour of the historic buildings and it never felt too busy.

Favignana

Favignana is the largest of the Egadi Islands, just off the north west corner of Sicily, and seems to be where the Sicilians go to go on holiday. I really loved how almost everyone explores the island by bike, there’s something particularly special about cycling along quiet single track roads dotted with whitewashed houses that I can’t quite put into words.

Eat/Drink: The photos of Cibo Chiacchiere e Vino were what really made me want to go to Favignana and it didn’t disappoint. Book ahead asking for one of the “beds” and watch the sunset while enjoying the food and delicious wine. It’s pretty special.

Visit: Bue Marino Beach is perhaps less of a beach and more of a stoney area (plus some caves) with access to the sea. Dive into the incredibly clear, dazzling blue sea or stretch out and enjoy the sunshine or shade created by the interesting rock formations and caves.

Visit: Cala San Nicola Beach is hidden behind a cemetery and was quieter than some of the more well known beaches. There’s one van renting umbrellas and selling granita and beers, which kept us very well looked after for the day.

Eat: Quello Che C’è C’è is a great seafood restaurant in the main town, focused on local and seasonal produce.

Stay: We stayed at Casa dell’Arancio in the main town of Favignana. The place itself was really lovely and it was a good convenient location.

Day trip from Favignana: Marettimo

I had been to Marettimo 9 years previously with my mum, and very pleasingly it’s still as unspoilt and charming as it was then. It’s the most isolated of the Egadi islands but still only a short ferry from Favignana, or you can also go straight from Trapani on the mainland. The town here is much smaller and quieter than Favignana, with only a handful of restaurants, so you get to feel like you’re the only one in on the secret of the place.

Eat/Drink: We had a great time sitting outside at La Scaletta overlooking the port and enjoying their Sicilian fare and gelato/granita bar.

Drink: Caffe Tramontana is great for watching the sunset with a cocktail or beer in hand.

Eat: We didn’t have time to visit La Cambusa but I’ve heard really great things about their evening set menu, so that will be my first stop if I’m ever there again.

Car Hire

We hired a car from Avis. Car hire prices seem to have gone up a lot recently, so this was one of the cheapest we could find. Even though it felt quite expensive I would still recommend them - the staff were really helpful and friendly plus our little car did everything we wanted!