Etna Circuit: Circumetnea Road
Must-DoIconicLoop around Mount Etna through lava fields, vineyards, and hill towns. Start from Catania, pass through Adrano, Bronte (pistachio capital), and Randazzo — the highest town on Etna. Stop at a winery on the eastern slopes.
Southeast Baroque Triangle: Noto – Modica – Ragusa
Must-DoThree UNESCO baroque masterpieces connected by quiet country roads through the Val di Noto. Noto for the cathedral, Modica for chocolate, Ragusa Ibla for the most dramatic hilltop setting in Sicily.
Madonie Mountain Road: Cefalù to Petralia Soprana
Hidden GemClimb from the coast into the Madonie mountains — forests of ancient Nebrodi fir, medieval villages, and views down to the Tyrrhenian. Petralia Soprana is one of Italy's most beautiful inland villages. Almost no tourists.
West Coast: Trapani to San Vito lo Capo
FamilySalt pans, windmills, and the Zingaro nature reserve entrance along Sicily's far west. San Vito lo Capo has the best beach in Sicily — a Caribbean crescent of white sand. The seafood couscous here is legendary.
SS185 Messina to Novara di Sicilia
Hidden GemA mountain road through the Peloritani range — dense forest, waterfalls, and the stone village of Novara di Sicilia perched on a cliff. Sicily at its most unexpected and wildest.
Our pick
The Etna circuit for the surreal volcanic landscapes. The Baroque Triangle for culture and food. Both are full-day drives that define the Sicily experience.