Hidden In Plain Sight - Undiscovered Gems of Sicily

Italy is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world. Whether holidaymakers prefer the sophistication of Milan, the history and culture of Rome or the idyllic landscapes and fabulous beaches of the country’s Mediterranean coast, ‘Europe’s Boot’ offers something to fit all tastes.

Even with so many attractive regions gathered within one country, however, some do still manage to shine as prime locations for a first-rate European holiday; and in this regard, one of the most popular locations in the country is Sicily. With its mixture of all the above elements, this lovely island continues to be one of the hotspots of the Italian summer, with thousands of foreign visitors renting villas in Sicily each year.

And yet, for all that this region’s wonders have been documented and explored, plenty of semi-secret spots remain hidden in plain sight, somehow undiscovered despite their proximity to the area’s main urban centres or to hotspots for rental villas in Sicily. Below are just a few of the hidden gems of the Sicilian region.

Unspoilt Beauty

Most of the island's hidden gems have one trait in common: their enormous, largely unspoilt beauty. While inhabited, these areas are remote and undiscovered enough to retain many of the traits that heavily touristy areas tend to rapidly lose, and will therefore delight fans of a more natural type of holiday.

Locations such as the island of Mozia (one of the many smaller land-masses off the coast of the larger island), or Golle Dell’Alcantara (a river canyon formed in pre-historic times) offer everything visitors renting villas in Sicily could want, but without the 'touristy' aspect. Both offer plenty of opportunities for nature walks through pristine landscapes, with the first charming visitors with its quaint windmills, and the latter impressing with its river-gorge views of tall cliffs and natural trails. Volcanic Ustica, with its wealth of natural inlets and caves to explore, also presents an excellent alternative for a nature walk.

Historic Towns

Nature lovers are not, however, the only ones who will find something to love in the ‘secret’ places of the island. History buffs renting villas in Sicily will also find the area to offer plenty of unspoilt locations to explore.

The cliff-side town of Verice, for instance, combines a stunning, nearly vertical location with a number of interesting historic monuments and landmarks that may also interest those with a taste for architecture. This latter group might also enjoy Modica, which will also entice foodies with its offer of world-renowned chocolates.

Ragusa Ibla and Monreale are another two locations that may interest fans of historic buildings, as the former boasts the best of Italian Baroque architecture and the latter a plethora of impressive Norman buildings, allowing visitors to glimpse two very different sides of Italy’s history. The ceramics of Caltagirone, the medieval castle at Enna, or the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo are other sites in the region well worth a visit by history aficionados.

These are only a few of the undiscovered secrets of this wonderful Italian island. Visitors willing to go off the beaten path will certainly discover a few more of their own.

Jonathan Magoni is Senior Manager of Cottages to Castles, a family owned company specialising in high quality holiday villas, apartments and cottages in Italy. For spectacular villas in Sicily or accommodation in the Italian lakes, ski resorts or city centres, we offer only the very best. Discover Italy at your own pace and without time restrictions in our hand picked villas and cottages.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.