Western Sicily

The western half of Sicily, with Palermo as its gateway, offers Arab-Norman architecture, the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento, Trapani's salt pans and the Egadi Islands.

This region follows the east/west Sicily split commonly used in travel guides, and includes the metropolitan city of Palermo and the free municipal consortia of Trapani, Agrigento and Caltanissetta, as well as the outlying islands of Ustica, the Egadi, Pantelleria and the Pelagie Islands. In the east, the provincial boundaries of Messina, Enna, Catania and Ragusa separate it from Eastern Sicily, and inland Caltanissetta is included in this region. Palermo is the island's largest city; the Norman Palace with the Palatine Chapel, the Cathedral and Monreale Cathedral outside the city together form an Arab-Norman World Heritage site, and old markets such as Ballarò and street snacks like arancini are a real draw. To the east, Cefalù has a seaside old town and a Norman cathedral. Around Trapani you will find the Greek temple of Segesta, the hilltop town of Erice, the Marsala wine country and salt-pan windmills at sunset; from Trapani you can take a boat to the Egadi Islands such as Favignana, while the beach at San Vito Lo Capo and the Zingaro Nature Reserve are also popular. On the south coast, the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento is Sicily's most spectacular Greek site, and the white cliffs of the nearby Scala dei Turchi attract many visitors. We suggest 5–7 days: 2–3 in Palermo, 2 for Trapani, Erice and the Egadi Islands, and 1 for Agrigento. Both Palermo and Trapani have airports, the train from Palermo to Agrigento takes about 2 hours, the hydrofoil from Trapani to Favignana about half an hour, and Segesta, San Vito Lo Capo and similar places are most convenient by car. Traffic in Palermo is congested, so drive and park with care.

Destinations

• Palermo
• Agrigento
• Western Sicily
• Pantelleria

Itineraries

• Classic Sicily Road Trip: West to East – Fly into Palermo and out of Catania, connecting ancient temples, Roman mosaics, Baroque towns, and Mount Etna.
• Western Sicily Coast & Egadi Islands – Fly into Palermo and out of Trapani, linking Zingaro hiking, Erice, salt pans, and Favignana.
• Car-Free Sicily: Train & Bus Itinerary – Explore the northern and eastern coasts using only trains and buses, from Palermo and Cefalù to Taormina and Syracuse.
• Pantelleria Volcanic Island Escape – Fly to this black volcanic island to see the Elephant Arch and Lake Specchio di Venere, stay in a traditional dammuso…