Best of Sicily and Southern Italy

I dare you to look at these photos and not fall in love with the best of Sicily and southern Italy. Stunning beaches, ancient towns—it is all here.

We have covered a lot of southern Italy in the past. My wife Maria has a great feature on the Amalfi Coast, and there is our popular page listing the best beaches in Sardinia. Then we've got some "secrets" of southern Italy to share with you and a lot about the Cilento region too, as well as Calabria and Abruzzo.

Not satisfied with that, though we have been searching out new places. The first was our discovery of the best beach on the island of Sicily, which we feature on our Italian wines site. Of course, with our trip being part of our wine research, we discovered plenty of great wineries as well as amazing places to stay.

We combined all that we've discovered over the decades of exploring Italy in our Best of Southern Italy feature.

We took many photos, but so few of them really captured the beauty of the place.

Thank goodness then for our photographer friends like Doug Porter and others who have solved the problem by sharing photos that truly capture the magic of Sicily and southern Italy. 

Sicily

The Godfather's Sicily

The bar in the Godfather movie

The bar in the Godfather movie

Savoca

The photos above are of Savoca, Sicily. This is the village where Francis Ford Coppola filmed many of the Sicilian scenes for Godfather Pt. 1. It's here, in this rustic bar (first two photos above), that Michael Corleone, portrayed by the legendary Al Pacino, respectfully seeks the hand of Apollonia, marking a momentous scene in the Godfather saga.

This bar, a silent witness to cinematic history, echoes with the authenticity of Sicilian life.  

This is a village to be explored on foot, getting deliciously lost in its labyrinth of lanes. The proud 12th-century Chiesa di San Nicolo is a masterpiece of endurance, and the entire village rightfully holds its title among Italy’s Borghi più belli. But what wins your heart is the life here: unhurried, authentic, and incredibly warm. The locals have a way of making you feel at home. It’s an unforgettable slice of Sicilian soul.

Our Tip:

There's an incredible hotel nearby where an entire Godfather-style village is now the hotel; you can read more and see the pics here.

Cefalu

The Duomo in Cefalu, Sicily

Cefalu Beach in Sicily

Just imagine it: the scent of salt and jasmine in the air, your footsteps echoing on ancient cobblestones as you round a corner to find the shimmering sea stretched out before you. This isn't just a postcard scene; this is Cefalù.

Forget any guidebook checklist. To know Cefalù is to live the dolce vita in its purest form. It’s a town that weaves a Norman king's masterpiece cathedral into the fabric of daily Sicilian life, where the same golden light that gilds a 12th-century mosaic dances on the waves where children play.

A Town Where History Hugs You Close

Your journey begins with a gasp. The magnificent Duomo di Cefalù, a UNESCO treasure, commands the skyline. Step inside and let the breathtaking Byzantine mosaics—the Pantokrator Christ gazing down—send shivers down your spine. But the magic truly starts when you walk back outside.

This history isn't locked away. You’ll touch it in the cool stone of the Medieval Washhouse (Osterio Magno). You’ll find it in the charming clutter of the Mandralisca Museum, home to Antonello da Messina’s enigmatic Portrait of a Man. Every sun-drenched alley, every worn step in the labyrinthine old town, hums with the life of generations.

Your Perfect Sicilian Day, from Dawn to Passeggiata

Wake up and claim a spot on the golden curve of sand, with the iconic La Rocca cliff watching over you. The Tyrrhenian Sea here is a special kind of blue—clear, cool, and impossibly inviting.

When hunger calls, follow your nose. Pull up a chair at a family-run trattoria in a hidden piazza. Taste the crunch of a perfect arancino, savor the sweet surprise of a ricotta-filled cannolo, and let a simple plate of spaghetti with fresh sardines teach you what Sicilian cuisine truly means.

As the sun begins to dip, join the evening passeggiata along the Lungomare. This is where life happens. Gelato in hand, you’ll weave between laughing families, old friends debating the day, and the soft melody of the waves. The promenade sparkles, the cafes buzz, and the medieval town behind you glows warmly against the twilight sky.

A Living Canvas of Light and Life

Artists have always flocked here, chasing the extraordinary light that paints the colorful fishing boats and turns every linen-draped balcony into a masterpiece. You'll feel that creative spirit in the small galleries tucked into side streets, and you’ll understand it when you see the sunset set the cathedral on fire with golden light.

Come Feel the Heartbeat of Sicily

Cefalù doesn’t just show you Sicily; it lets you live it. It’s the warmth in a shopkeeper’s smile, the echo of festival music during the Feast of St. Salvatore, and the profound peace of a morning spent with only the sea for company.

Gioiosa Marea

Sunset in Gioiosa Marea, Sicily.  I would love to be there right now!

Lungo Mare in Gioiosa Marea

Caltagirone & Countryside

Caltagirone

The Sicilian Countryside

Positano

These photos of Positano are my own photos. Hope they don't disappoint too much :-(

Ceramic shop in Positano

Arriving in Amalfi by boat

A view of the sea from Positano

Positano Beach. For a list of the best beaches in the area, click here.  For more about Positano itself, read this.

Villa TreVille - a great place to stay in Positano. Click for details.

Puglia/Apulia

Alberobello, in the heart of Italy's Puglia region, unveils a unique architectural wonder: the enchanting Trulli houses. These distinct limestone dwellings, characterized by conical roofs and whitewashed exteriors, create a fairytale-like ambiance.

So, what's the story behind the Trulli houses of Alberobello?

Dating back to the 14th century, these iconic structures were originally built as temporary shelters for agricultural laborers. However, the residents' ingenuity in constructing these homes without the use of mortar or cement has turned them into enduring symbols of Puglian architecture.

Walking through the narrow streets of the Rione Monti district, you'll see streets lined with these cylindrical structures, each topped with a pinnacle that often bears religious or mystical symbols. The labyrinthine alleys lead to hidden courtyards and quaint squares, enhancing the enchantment of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You can explore the interior of some Trulli houses converted into museums, providing insights into the daily lives of the past inhabitants. The Trullo Sovrano stands out as a remarkable example, boasting two floors and an intricate architectural design. The museum also explains how this unique construction, with its thick walls and conical shape, offers natural temperature regulation, keeping the interiors cool in the scorching summer heat and warm during the chilly winters.

Even better than simply visiting a museum is to actually stay in one of these houses. The experience is something you will always treasure. Have a look at Trulli and Puglia. They've converted old Trulli houses, right in the old town of Alberobello, into a dream come true.