At a glanceThree nights in Ortigia, three in Taormina with a day on Mount Etna, then four slow nights on Salina in the Aeolian Islands, with a night boat to watch Stromboli erupt. It suits couples who want food, history and swimming in equal measure and do not mind some driving. Go from late May to June or in September and early October.
Sicily rewards couples who want more than a pretty view. In eleven days this route gives you the island's baroque southeast, the cliff-top resort town of Taormina, a day on the slopes of Mount Etna and four nights on Salina, the greenest of the Aeolian Islands. Everything starts and ends at Catania Fontanarossa (CTA), so there is no long drive across the island.
You change hotels only twice on the main island and once more for the islands. The first six nights are about food, stone and sea swims: granita for breakfast in Ortigia, golden hour in Noto, sunset at Taormina's Greek theater and a volcanic red with lunch on Etna. Then you park the car and take a hydrofoil out to Salina, where the pace drops to swimming, wine and sunsets over the cliffs at Pollara.
The big moment is a night boat to Stromboli, where you watch the volcano throw sparks into the dark from the water. Nothing else on an Italian honeymoon looks quite like it.
The route
- SicilyItaly · 6 nights
- Aeolian IslandsItaly · 4 nights
- Best months
- Late May to June and September to early October
- Trip length
- 11 days
- Budget
- About $300–700 a night for two in boutique to luxury hotels, more in Taormina's grand hotels in peak season (approximate)
Day by day
Days 1–3: Ortigia and Noto
Land at Catania (CTA), usually after a connection through Rome or a European hub, pick up a small rental car and drive about an hour south to Ortigia, the island old town of Siracusa. Park outside the historic center, since cameras enforce the limited-traffic zone. Walk to the cathedral piazza at dusk, when the pale stone glows. Then eat seafood in a side lane.
Day 2 is for the sea. Join locals on the wooden swimming platforms below the old town walls, then nap through the heat. In the late afternoon, drive about 40 minutes to Noto and walk its main street as the honey-colored facades light up. Stop for almond granita. That stroll is the romantic moment of this leg.
Use day 3 as you like. History lovers can visit the Greek theater and quarries in Siracusa's archaeological park. Beach lovers can drive south to the coves of the Vendicari nature reserve. Both of you will want granita and a soft brioche for breakfast, the Sicilian way.
Days 4–6: Taormina and Mount Etna
Drive north on day 4, roughly an hour and a half to Taormina. Park in one of the town garages and let the hotel handle the car. In the late afternoon, climb to the top of the ancient Greek theater to watch the light fade over Etna and the Ionian Sea. In summer, the theater hosts concerts under the stars.
On day 5, give the morning to Etna with a guide. You can take the cable car from Rifugio Sapienza toward the upper slopes or walk old lava flows lower down. Conditions change quickly and areas near the summit craters require licensed guides, so follow their advice. Bring layers, since it is far colder up high than on the coast. Afterward, head to a winery on the northern slope for a long lunch and a tasting of Nerello Mascalese.
Day 6 is your slow day. Walk down to Isola Bella, the tiny island joined to the shore by a sandbar, for a swim. Taormina fills with day visitors at midday, so explore the main street early or late.
Days 7–10: Salina
On day 7, drive about an hour and a half to Milazzo and leave the car in a secure garage near the port; several islands limit visitors' cars in summer. A Liberty Lines hydrofoil reaches Lipari in about an hour and Salina a little later. Arrive, unpack and do nothing.
Days 8 and 9 are the slow stretch of the trip. Swim from the rocks, taste Malvasia at a winery among the vineyards and eat pane cunzato on a terrace. Drive or take a taxi to Pollara for sunset beside the crescent cliffs where scenes from Il Postino were filmed. This is where you book the splurge: a night or two at Capofaro Locanda & Malvasia, a 25-room vineyard hotel beside a lighthouse facing Stromboli.
On day 10, take an evening boat tour to the Sciara del Fuoco on Stromboli's northwest flank and watch the volcano's glowing bursts from the water. If you prefer a calmer day, book a skippered boat around Panarea and its islets instead. Either way, it is the romantic moment of the whole trip.
Day 11: Back to Catania
Take a morning hydrofoil back to Milazzo, collect the car and drive about two hours to Catania (CTA) for your flight home. Allow at least four hours from Salina to the airport and book a flight that leaves in the afternoon or later. Hydrofoils can be cancelled in rough seas, so keep a little slack in your connections.
If you would rather not rush, book a final night near Catania or in Taormina and fly out the next morning. Couples flying via Rome sometimes add a last night there, which turns the long trip home into two easier legs and gives you one more dinner in Italy before the flight. Either way, buy a jar of Salina capers for the suitcase.
Getting Between Stops
Fly into Catania (CTA), usually through Rome or a European hub. Some summers bring seasonal nonstops from the New York area to Sicily, so check what is running for your dates. Rent a car at the airport. Catania to Ortigia takes about an hour, Ortigia to Taormina about an hour and a half and Taormina to Milazzo about the same.
Driving in Sicily is fine on the highways but chaotic in Catania and slow on back roads. Park outside old towns and walk in. Choose the smallest car that fits your luggage.
From Milazzo, Liberty Lines hydrofoils run to Lipari in about an hour and on to Salina. Siremar ferries are slower and carry cars, which you will not need. Book hydrofoil tickets ahead in summer and keep a flexible day in case of weather.
Where to Stay
In Ortigia, choose a boutique hotel or apartment inside the old town, ideally with a terrace, so you can walk everywhere and swim off the platforms each morning.
Taormina has Sicily's most famous hotels. Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo sits beside the Greek theater with terraces facing Etna. Villa Sant'Andrea is down on the water at Mazzarò and San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons hotel in a former convent, is the big splurge. For something quieter, Monaci delle Terre Nere is an 18th-century estate on Etna's eastern slopes near Zafferana Etnea, with organic vines and a pool, which makes a good base for the Etna part of the trip.
On Salina, Capofaro Locanda & Malvasia is the honeymoon choice. Villages such as Santa Marina, Malfa and Lingua have small hotels and good restaurants. Couples who want more nightlife can split the four nights with Panarea.
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When to Go
Late May, June, September and early October are best. The sea is warm, hydrofoils run frequently and hotels on the islands are open without the August crush. September often has the warmest water of the year. October suits couples who marry late in the summer.
July and August are very hot, often above 95°F inland. The islands are at their busiest. Expect minimum stays and higher prices, especially on Panarea and Lipari. If you go then, plan Etna and town walks for early morning.
April and late October are good for walking and touring, though the sea is cool and some island hotels have not yet opened or have already closed. Most Aeolian hotels close from November to March.
Budget and Booking
Sicily costs less than the Amalfi Coast or Tuscany outside Taormina. Plan on roughly $300–700 a night for two in good boutique to luxury hotels, with Taormina's grand hotels and Capofaro well above the low end in summer. These figures are approximate.
Book Taormina and Salina first; both have a small number of good rooms that fill early for June and September. Reserve the Etna guide and the Stromboli night boat when you book the hotels, since both run in small groups.
Other costs: the rental car, garage parking in Taormina and Milazzo, hydrofoil tickets and a nightly tourist tax at each hotel. Carry some cash on Salina, where cash machines can be scarce.
Make It Shorter or Longer
For a week, skip Ortigia and spend three nights in Taormina and four on Salina. You keep Etna and Stromboli but lose the baroque southeast.
With two weeks, add three nights at the start in Palermo and the west, flying into Palermo (PMO). Do a street food tour in Ballarò market, then drive across the island via the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento, best in the late afternoon when the stone turns gold. Continue to Ortigia and follow the route from there.
Another way to stretch it is to split the Aeolian nights between two islands. Salina suits slow travelers who like hiking and wine. Panarea is whitewashed and chic. Lipari is the lively hub with the most ferry links. Hydrofoils between them take less than an hour.
Honeymoon Tips
Respect the volcanoes. On Etna, go with a licensed guide near the summit and bring a warm layer even in summer. Hiking on Stromboli above certain altitudes generally requires an authorized guide and access rules change with volcanic activity, so the night boat is the easy option.
The sun and wind are strong at sea, so bring high-factor sunscreen and a hat for boat days. Wear sturdy shoes on volcanic trails.
Cover shoulders and knees for both of you in churches and cathedrals. Pack light for the islands, since you carry bags on and off hydrofoils. Mosquitoes can be active on summer evenings, so bring repellent. If you're pregnant or hoping to be soon, check CDC travel health notices before you go.
FAQPlanning this trip
Is Sicily a good honeymoon destination?
Yes, for couples who love food and history as much as beaches. In one trip you get Greek temples, baroque towns, Europe's tallest active volcano and swimming off volcanic islands. It feels less polished than the Amalfi Coast and prices outside Taormina are lower. The trade-off is that you will need to drive. Roads outside the highways can be slow.
How do we get from Sicily to the Aeolian Islands?
Drive or take a transfer to Milazzo, about two hours from Catania or an hour and a half from Taormina. Liberty Lines hydrofoils run from Milazzo to Lipari in about an hour and continue to Salina and the other islands. Leave your car in a garage in Milazzo. Book hydrofoil tickets ahead in summer and allow for weather cancellations.
Can we see Stromboli erupt?
Usually, yes. Stromboli erupts in small bursts most nights and evening boat tours from Salina, Lipari and Panarea take you to the Sciara del Fuoco on its northwest flank to watch from the water. Activity varies and trips can be cancelled in rough seas, so book for early in your stay and keep a backup night.
Which Aeolian island is best for a honeymoon?
Salina is the favorite for most couples. It is green with vineyards and caper bushes, quieter than Lipari and less of a scene than Panarea, with some of the archipelago's most charming small hotels. Panarea suits couples who want boutique glamour and nightlife. Lipari has the most restaurants and ferry links but is the busiest.
When is the best time for a Sicily honeymoon?
Late May, June, September and early October. The sea is warm, the countryside is green in spring or golden in fall and hydrofoils run frequently. July and August are very hot and busy, with the highest prices on the islands. Most Aeolian hotels close from November to March, so plan a winter trip around the main island only.
