Hostels in Sicily

Sicily, Italy, is an autonomous province located in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Appenine Peninsula, and north of Africa. With a territory of over twenty-five thousand square kilometres and five million inhabitants, the island is the biggest one of the Mediterranean region.

Sicily has been an incredibly popular holiday destination for the past decades, which is not a surprise given its warm and dry climate all year round, the closeness of the beautiful turquoise sea no matter where you are staying, the breathtaking natural wonders of the island, as well as its rich cultural heritage and the excellent Sicilian cuisine.

If you are coming to Sicily, there are a few things you should definitely include on your list of places to visit. Mount Etna, the biggest and most active volcano of Europe, might sound like a scary destination, but as scientists are now able to predict eruptions with precision, you have nothing to be afraid of. Once you see the impressive mountain peaks reaching toward the sky (they are covered in snow for half of the year), you will also be keen to visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

For a visit to Mount Etna, your best bet is staying in the city of Catania overnight, where you will be spoilt with a choice of a wide range of Sicily, Italy hostels. They are normally smaller and family run and offer a great taste of what life is like living in a Sicilian household. And once you are already here, why not spend a few additional nights in Catania? It is not only made attractive by its beautiful location right on the seaside and the Etna mountain range as its background, but also by the numerous magnificent Baroque villas that have earned Catania a UNESCO World Heritage title; this place is a vibrant Mediterranean city with massive cobble-stoned squares covered with traditional bars, cafes, and restaurants.

For the other pearl of the Sicilian culture, you will have to head a bit more to the north -- from Catania, you will read Palermo after a three-hour drive. Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is another seaside city that will enchant you with its rough beauty. With the narrow streets, haphazardly built houses of a mixture of styles, a chaos of mopeds driving by, and macho men waving at girls, here you will really feel like you're inside an Italian movie. Your Sicily, Italy hostel in Palermo is very probably going to be located on one of these shabby-looking streets, but do not be alarmed -- once you step inside, you are guaranteed a warm welcome and some amazing hospitality! Once here, you should definitely not miss out on visiting the main cathedral of the city, an impressive building that is a unique mix of European and Arabic styles and influences.

To those of you who are longing for a relaxing seaside holiday, the towns of Cefalu, Milazzo, or San Vito lo Capo might appeal most. However, these places are normally more pricey and Sicily, Italy hostels here are not abundant.

Handwritten by local expert for Sicily hostels JudyM