Beach holidays to Sicily offer a vibrant escape filled with colour, culture, and unforgettable flavours. You’re sure to fall in love with either the electric atmosphere in the boisterous cities, the unbeatable beaches, or the peace and vitality of the verdant countryside – or perhaps all three.
There’s something on Sicily for everyone, from couples to families and solo travellers, and there’s a lot more to the island than just its two main cities Palermo and Catania. Pack your sunnies… here’s our guide to the ten best beaches in Sicily for every kind of holiday.
Sicily beach holidays for couples don’t get more romantic than Taormina’s stunning coastline, with Isola Bella Beach offering the perfect setting for a sun-soaked escape. Accessed via a scenic cable car from chic Taormina, this intimate pebble beach boasts heavenly, clear waters ideal for a peaceful day together. Popular with trendy locals, it’s perfect for a relaxed lunchtime swim followed by an early aperitivo. For a more exclusive experience, rent a sunbed and soak up the views, or wander hand in hand along the narrow, stony causeway leading to the wooded Isola Bella islet. While access to the private island itself is restricted, the crystal-clear shallows are perfect for snorkelling together in a picture-perfect setting.
Best for: Snorkelling & enjoying aperitivo
Facilities: Loungers, umbrellas, beach bars
Capo d’Orlando is a charming seaside town on the north coast, home to some of the best beaches in Sicily. One side of the town is entirely lined with lidos, but on the other side, near the pretty marina, is locals’ favourite Spiaggia di San Gregorio. The bay is dotted with impressive volcanic rocks that create sheltered pools, and the shore is a pebble-sand mix. This is an easy-going, no-fuss beach that doesn’t get too overcrowded, with glorious swimming, a sun-trap seating area and friendly restaurants behind.
Best for: A laid-back family beach day
Facilities: Restaurants/cafés behind the beach, on-road parking
Scala dei Turchi is arguably the most famous beach on Sicily. The sparkling-white limestone formation looks a little like stairs, or perhaps a neat stack of paper being pushed over. Either way, it’s a stunning backdrop for a photo, especially if you’re brave enough to climb up a little way. All of the parking spots and facilities, apart from a kiosk and a few sunbeds, are at the top of the hill. You walk down the actual stairs to the sandy beach and then head towards the dramatic cliffs seeking the dream snapshot.
Best for: Exploring and photo ops
Facilities: Restaurants and parking at the top, some lounger rental
Calamosche nestles in the Vendicari Nature Reserve, near Syracuse. There’s a nominal fee to park and enter the reserve, then you stroll for around twenty minutes along the paths across the shrub-covered headland until you reach the sandy shore. There are no facilities, although savvy Sicilians pack coolers, loungers, umbrellas and the kitchen sink for their visit. If you’re looking for the essence of a wild beach – unspoilt and clean, with exceptionally clear, shallow water and a spacious shore – but without a struggle to get there, this is your spot.
Best for: Feeling like a local and swimming
Facilities: Parking approx. 1km away
Every beach along the Zingaro Nature Reserve coastline is unique, but they all share the same colour scheme: verdant cliffs, striking black or honey-hued rocks, and cerulean sea. Cala della Disa feels like escaping to a lost world – pop your towel on a pebbly patch below the golden-and-green cliffs and slip into the magical water. You may not even spot Cala Berretta at first, since it’s so tucked into the rocks that reach out to form pools. The highlight here is submerging yourself in the sheltered sea and meeting the local fauna.
Best for: Feeling like an adventurer and snorkelling
Facilities: None
Sicily beach holidays for families are unforgettable at San Vito Lo Capo, a stunning coastal gem perfect for all ages. This picture-perfect beach, set against the dramatic backdrop of Monte Monaco, offers wide golden sands, swaying palms, and calm, shallow waters ideal for little ones to paddle and play safely. Kids will love the soft, sandcastle-ready sand, while the gentle waves make it perfect for splashing and swimming.
Families can relax under the colourful umbrellas lining the shore, with vendors offering ice creams and inflatable beach toys for extra fun. For those preferring to bring their own gear, a free public section of the beach provides space to spread out. With its breathtaking scenery and child-friendly waters, San Vito Lo Capo makes a dream destination for Sicily beach holidays with the whole family.
Best for: Sun, sea and sand
Facilities: Loungers, umbrellas, lidos, restaurants, parking, town behind beach
The Lake of Marinello Nature Reserve is a must-visit spot on Sicily’s Tyrrhenian coast. It’s a maze with swathes of sand and reed beds, brackish pools and rivers, leading to the beach where a long tongue of sand licks into the sea. You can reach these wild-feeling beaches by boat from the Oliveri Tindari bus stop in the village of Oliveri, or you can walk there. Some parts seem so far-flung that you could be hiking on the moon, while other spots offer loungers, watersports and boat rental.
Best for: Appreciating nature and walking
Facilities: At one end of the reserve – loungers and boat/windsurf hire
History literally lines the shore at Cefalù, making for a truly unique vista. The honey-coloured medieval buildings stretch right down to the sandy crescent, backed by the Lungomare (or promenade). At the back of town, you’ll find the UNESCO-listed Norman cathedral towering over the terracotta roofs. It’s quintessentially Italian here in that the beach is quite narrow and bustling – for the most iconic scenery, head to the Spiaggia del Porto Vecchio end – but the further away from the centre you walk, the quieter and more spacious it gets.
Best for: Combining culture and the beach
Facilities: Restaurants, supermarkets, parking and lidos
The colourful fishing town of Sciacca (reminiscent of a Cinque Terre postcard) is flanked by some of the best beaches in Sicily. Sovareto is a laid-back, sandy cove with lidos and watersports, but it’s not over-developed. It has a Caribbean feel with its palms and impossibly blue sea. In the opposite direction, the nature reserve of Capo San Marco is a gold and emerald coastline punctuated by glorious coves, the most easily visitable of which is Spiaggia San Marco. Some days the sea is pond-like and shallow, while on others, white-topped swells roll in.
Best for: A Caribbean-esque beach day or a rustic, laid-back afternoon
Facilities: Loungers, umbrellas and restaurants
A short boat ride from Tripani will take you to the Aegadian island of Favignana, one of Sicily’s less-discussed gems. This isle has a coastline dotted with incredible beaches like Cala San Nicola, Spiaggia di Lido Burrone and more. For a unique experience, though, head to Bue Marino. It’s no soft, sandy shore, but it is the most magical place to pop for a dip – better still if you have your snorkel. The wind-weathered orange cliffs make for a dramatic backdrop as visitors either jump or slide gracefully from the low rock platform into the cerulean depths.
Best for: The joy of swimming
Facilities: None
The Southeast coast of Sicily is renowned for its breathtaking beaches, including San Vito Lo Capo, Fontane Bianche, and Isola Bella near Taormina. These spots offer soft sands, turquoise waters, and scenic backdrops perfect for Sicily beach holidays. For a more secluded experience, Scala dei Turchi on the southwest coast boasts stunning white limestone cliffs and clear waters.
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