Sicily's small towns are layered like archaeological sites. Greek foundations, Arab street plans, Norman churches, Spanish Baroque facades — sometimes all in one piazza.
Plan a trip here →Norman cathedral with Byzantine Christ Pantocrator mosaic (1131), beach town, Madonie mountains behind. 1h from Palermo. La Rocca hike (20 min) for panoramic views.
The lower half of Ragusa: a cascade of golden Baroque rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake. San Giorgio cathedral. Quiet, elegant, a fraction of Noto's tourists. Inspector Montalbano filming location.
Another Val di Noto Baroque gem, famous for Aztec-method grainy chocolate. Bonajuto (since 1880) offers free tastings. San Giorgio's 250-step staircase is the town's centerpiece.
Walled town at 751m above Trapani. Norman castle on Phoenician foundations. Venus temple ruins. Cable car €9. Maria Grammatico's almond pastries from convent recipes.
Taormina: Greek Theatre with Etna behind. Expensive, beautiful, best in shoulder season. Not exactly "small" in spirit but small in size (pop: 11,000).
6. Gangi — €1 houses program, Madonie mountains, zero tourists. 7. Savoca — where the Corleone scenes in The Godfather were filmed. Bar Vitelli still exists. 8. Castelmola — above Taormina, almond wine, vertiginous views. 9. Petralia Soprana — highest town in the Madonie, Borgo dei Borghi winner 2018. 10. Sambuca di Sicilia — Arab quarter, €1 houses, Lake Arancio.
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