Road trip
Eastern Sicily road trip: a ready-made 10-day itinerary for two
Taormina at the foot of Mount Etna, the old island town of Ortigia in Siracusa, the best beaches on the east coast, and finally the fishing village of Marzamemi, with a day trip into Inspector Montalbano country. Ten days, three bases and time to slow down. You can book every step right here, day by day.
The trip at a glance
- Who it’s for: couples or two friends who want food, the sea, old towns and a volcano
- When: May, June, September or October. In July and August, inland Sicily can get close to 104 °F (40 °C)
- The route: three nights in Taormina, four in Ortigia and two in Marzamemi. In and out of Catania airport
- Getting around: a rental car. The longest drive is about 1½ hours
The trip takes place in the marked area. Each base has its own map with the day trips.
This is the other half of our western Sicily itinerary. We once did almost all of Sicily in one trip, and looking back, it was too much, so we split the island into two vacations.
Flights and the car
There are no nonstop flights from the US or Canada to Sicily, so fly to Catania with one connection, and back the same way. Pick up the rental car at Catania airport and return it there on your last day. A small car is plenty for two and much easier to park.
Day 1: To Taormina
From Catania airport, it’s about an hour’s drive north to Taormina. Park the car for the next three days: Taormina is best on foot.
🍙 Arancina or arancino? Sicily’s rice ball has two names. In Palermo and the west, it’s arancina, plural arancine, and usually round. In eastern Sicily, in Catania and Taormina for example, it’s arancino, plural arancini, and often cone-shaped, said to look like Etna. You can order it either way, but locals will notice.
Stay: Taormina, 3 nights.
Day 2: Etna
A trip up Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe. A guided tour is easiest, so you don’t need the car, and many combine the craters with a winery. Bring warm clothes, because it’s cold up there even in summer. We haven’t been to Etna ourselves, so this is based on other travelers’ reports.
Day 3: Your own day in Taormina
The ancient theater, with views of both the sea and Etna, and an afternoon down at the Isola Bella cove, reached by cable car.
Day 4: To Ortigia
Drive south to Ortigia, the old town of Siracusa on its own little island. Park on the mainland side or at your hotel’s recommended garage, and walk across the bridge.
Stay: Ortigia, 4 nights.
Day 5: Your own day in Ortigia
No driving. Morning at the fish market, a swim off the rocks and a long lunch. If you like, visit the ancient theater on the mainland side.
Day 6: Vendicari
About 40 minutes south to the Vendicari nature reserve, where Calamosche is, for many, the best beach on the east coast: a small cove with turquoise water. You walk to the beach on a path from the parking lot, so bring water and snacks.
Day 7: Noto
About 30 minutes to the baroque town of Noto, whose main street of golden stone is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Back to Ortigia for the afternoon.
Day 8: To Marzamemi
A short drive further south to Marzamemi, a small fishing village with a pretty square by the old tuna works. Slow evening, fresh fish.
Stay: Marzamemi, 2 nights.
Day 9: Ragusa Ibla and Punta Secca
About an hour to Ragusa Ibla, the old baroque town on a hill. A morning in its lanes is plenty. From there, about 30 minutes to the coast at Punta Secca, a small fishing village where the Inspector Montalbano TV series was filmed. There isn’t much to do in the village itself, but the inspector’s house sits right on the beach, and next to it is Enzo a Mare, the restaurant where Montalbano eats in the series. When we visited Punta Secca, it was closed. The restaurant was also badly damaged in a storm in early 2026, so check before you go whether it’s open. Back to Marzamemi for the night.
Day 10: Home
From Marzamemi to Catania airport is about 1½ hours. Return the car and fly home.
What it costs
A rough estimate for two in May or September, flying from the East Coast:
- Flights: about $1,500 to $2,000 for two, round trip with one connection. More from the West Coast
- Rental car: about $385 to $600 for ten days
- Stays: about $1,000 to $1,550 for nine nights
- Food: about $90 to $130 a day for two
All in, roughly $3,800 to $5,450 for two. Taormina is the most expensive stay on the route. Prices change a lot with the season and how early you book, so treat these as a ballpark.
Cook Sicily at home with our Sicilian recipes.
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