We Did 12 Days in Sicily Like Tourists. Here’s What Surprised Us Most.
- Jun 5
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 12
By Sarah Campise Hallier
Before our recent trip to Sicily, I did what most travelers do. I read articles, watched videos from a myriad of influencers, and studied itineraries created by locals and visitors who claim to be experts on what to eat and where to stay on the island.
The advice was surprisingly consistent.
Pick one region and move slowly. Stay put. Don't spend your vacation driving and don’t try to see the whole island.
Naturally, we ignored almost all of it.
Over two weeks, our family of six zigzagged across Sicily in an oversized rental van. We stayed a few nights here and a few nights there. We drove long stretches on the autostrada. We packed our schedule with everything from fishing villages and mountaintop towns to beaches, boat rides, cooking classes, and enough restaurants to make our suitcases smell permanently of pistachios and espresso.
And you know what?
It worked.
In fact, traveling like unapologetic tourists taught us a few things about Sicily that we might never have discovered had we stayed in one place.
Here are ten surprises that traveling like a tourist taught us:
1. Sicily's allergy numbering system deserves an award.
Italy's restaurant allergy numbering system is one of the most traveler-friendly things we've encountered while eating abroad.
Nearly every menu listed numbered allergens, making it easy to identify ingredients and ask questions. What surprised us most was finding the system not only in major cities but also in tiny fishing villages and family-run restaurants throughout the island. For a family managing multiple food allergies, it removed a layer of stress and allowed us to avoid the “hangriness” that often comes with traveling with food challenges.
2. The service is better than people tell you.
Americans are often warned that service in Europe is slower or less attentive.
That wasn't our experience in Sicily.
Servers enthusiastically recommended dishes, answered questions, and helped guide us through unfamiliar menus. Owners understood that visitors arrive with different expectations and patiently helped bridge the gap. We never felt rushed, but we rarely felt ignored either.
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3. The smallest towns often had the biggest surprises.
Some of our favorite meals were in small towns like Brucoli, Scoglitti and Salaparuta.
In these smaller communities, family-run restaurants served seasonal ingredients that were caught or produced nearby. We found dishes we'd never seen before and flavors that felt connected to the places where we were eating.
The farther we got from the tourist centers, the more memorable many of the meals became.
4. Family hotel rooms actually exist.
Anyone who has traveled in America with a larger family knows the struggle.
Many Sicilian hotels offered flexible room configurations with multiple beds, adjoining spaces, or family suites. Instead of booking three separate rooms (we were traveling with four teenager/adult children), we often found accommodations that comfortably fit everyone.
It made traveling as a family significantly easier.
5. Sicily changes dramatically from one region to another.
This may have been our biggest surprise. Had we stayed on one side of the island, we would have left believing Sicily looked one way.
Instead, we saw bright red poppy fields in the western countryside. We drove through rolling hills that could compete with California wine country. We stood atop rocky cliffs near Terrasini and later watched the coastline unfold around Sciacca.
The landscapes, architecture, agriculture, and even the atmosphere shifted from region to region.
The extra driving was worth every mile.
6. The roads are better than expected.
Yes, mountain roads can be narrow and nerve-racking, and the speed limit changes by the minute (who is following it anyway).
But Sicily's highway system is remarkably functional.
The autostrada is modern, well-marked, and filled with tunnels that cut through what would otherwise be lengthy mountain routes. GPS worked reliably throughout most of our trip, making navigation much easier than we ever could have imagined.
7. You don't need to know perfect Italian.
English isn't as widespread as it is in some parts of northern Italy.
Still, we rarely encountered communication problems.
A few Italian phrases, some patience, and plenty of hand gestures carried us surprisingly far. Sicily reminded us that people generally want to help one another, even when they don't share a common language.
8. The airports were refreshingly efficient.
We expected delays and confusion. Instead, our experience was remarkably smooth.
Even with Europe's new Entry/Exit System discussions dominating travel headlines, we experienced no significant delays at the Catania or Rome airports. Flights operated on schedule, lines moved quickly, and the process felt far less stressful than many travelers had predicted.
9. Every town has its own personality.
One of the biggest surprises was how different each town felt from the next. Cefalù, Noto, Ortigia, Terrasini, Sciacca, and Poggioreale all had their own character, pace, and even food traditions. The vibe drastically changed from city to city. Had we stayed in one region, we would have left thinking Sicily looked and felt a certain way. By moving around the island, we discovered that there isn't just one Sicily. There are dozens of them.
10. Sometimes the internet gets it right.
Travel writers love to complain about online booking platforms.
In our case, they delivered.
Every experience we booked via Booking.com or and GetYourGuide matched the reviews. A pasta-making class in Siracusa, a vintage Fiat excursion in Noto, and a boat trip in Cefalù all exceeded expectations. The comments were accurate and the experiences became highlights of the trip.
There were no sponsorships from these companies, just credit where it's due.
The Best Souvenir
By the end of two weeks, we'd driven hundreds of miles, crossed nearly every corner of the island, met new and old friends, and accumulated enough memories to fill several scrapbooks.
Would a slower trip have been wonderful too? Absolutely.
But Sicily rewarded our curiosity.
Sometimes travel advice suggests narrowing your focus. And sometimes that's the right choice. But other times, the best approach is to say yes to one more town, one more scenic detour, one more meal, and one more conversation. We did, and we will never regret it.
Travel has a way of reminding us that the world is both larger and smaller than we imagine. Larger because there is always more to see, and smaller because people everywhere are trying to build a good life, gather around a table, and welcome visitors into their communities.
We arrived in Sicily hoping to learn more about the island, and we left understanding a little more about the people who call it home and, perhaps, a little more about ourselves.
And if that required a few extra hours behind our janky van, well, we'd happily do it all over again.
Read more about the author's love of Italy over the years:
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