Top Hiking Trails in Sicily: Discover the Best Routes

With its volcanic islands, rugged shorelines, and brilliant blue-green waters, Sicily offers some of the most dramatic coastal landscapes on earth, along with a slew of gorgeous trails.

Whether you’re looking for a single-day hike or a whole vacation’s worth of walking, you’ll find it here. To avoid heat, crowds, and high prices, it’s advisable to visit during spring (April–June) or early autumn (September–October).

Stromboli Volcano

Best hike for volcanic action

Start/end: Stromboli town, 2.5 miles (4km) round trip, 2–3 hours, moderate

For sheer excitement, nothing compares to Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands. Sicily’s showiest volcanic island has been lighting up the Mediterranean for millennia, spewing out showers of red-hot rock with remarkable regularity since the age of Odysseus.

In fact, Stromboli erupted again in 2019, which changed the way people can hike the slopes. Instead of climbing to the 3032ft (924m) summit, hikes now stop at an observation point at about 400m. Still, even from this level, the views are grand and feature a close view of the Sciara del Fuoco, a jet-black lava scar running down Stromboli’s northern flank. Note that guides are required for this hike.

The trail (initially a switchback road) starts in Piscità, 1.25 miles (2km) west of Stromboli’s port. Hikes to the current endpoint only take about an hour but are still very steep and not for the timid. Be prepared – the trail narrows and gets steeper as you climb.

You’ll likely see minor eruptions every 20 minutes or so during your time on the path. After particularly strong eruptions, you can watch red-hot rocks tumble down the slope, creating visible splashes as they hit the sea. For best viewing, come on a still night, when the vivid red Sciara and exploding cone are dramatically visible.

Monte Fossa delle Felci

Best hike for sweeping views

Start/end: Valdichiesa, 2.5 miles (4km) round trip, 3 hours, moderate–hard

The ancient Greeks dubbed this island Didyme (the twins) for its verdant pair of dormant volcanoes. These days, Salina remains the Aeolian Islands’ greenest island, dotted with wineries that produce renowned Malvasia wine. For sweeping views of the vineyards and surrounding seascape, climb Salina’s highest peak, Monte Fossa delle Felci (3156ft/962m).

The trail starts at Santuario della Madonna del Terzito, an imposing 19th-century church at Valdichiesa, in the valley separating the island’s two volcanoes. It switchbacks steeply up the mountainside, climbing through pine and chestnut woodlands and fields of ferns. Along the way, you’ll see plenty of colorful flora, including wild violets and asparagus.

The last 328ft (100m) to the summit is tough. Once there, you’re rewarded with jaw-dropping views of Salina’s second cone, 2821ft (860m) Monte Porri, backed by the distant volcanic islands of Filicudi and Alicudi.

Pianoconte to Quattropani, Lipari

Best hike for coastal scenery

Start: Pianoconte, end: Quattropani, 5 miles (8km), 3–4 hours, moderate–hard

Fabled for its rich obsidian deposits, Lipari also boasts stunning coastal scenery. This classic hike starts from Pianoconte’s school (3 miles/5km west of Lipari Town), descending toward the sea along a paved road that eventually narrows to a trail. Leveling out along the coastal bluffs, a relatively flat section skirts Lipari’s western shoreline, offering fabulous views of Salina, Vulcano, Filicudi, and Alicudi before climbing steeply to Quattropani.

As you descend from Pianoconte, you’ll pass the old Roman baths of San Calogero, famous for the thermal spring that flowed at a constant temperature. The strenuous climbs and steep descents are rewarded with spectacular coastal scenery and dramatic vistas of flower-covered slopes cascading to the cobalt sea below.

Fossa di Vulcano

Best hike for steaming craters

Start/end: Vulcano port, 2.5 miles (4km) round trip, 2–3 hours, moderate

Volcano hikes don’t get much more satisfying than the gradual climb up 1283ft (391m) Fossa di Vulcano, the smoldering grayish-orange peak that dominates the island of Vulcano in the Aeolian Islands. The crater was mythologized by the ancient Romans as Vulcan’s forge.

Start early and bring a hat, sunscreen, and water. Follow the signs south along Strada Provinciale, then turn left onto the zigzag gravel track leading to the summit. It’s a 30- to 60-minute climb to the rim, where you’ll be rewarded with views of the steaming crater encrusted with red and yellow crystals.

It’s worth lingering at the summit for stunning views of the remaining five Aeolian Islands aligned symmetrically on the horizon. The truly ambitious can descend steeply to the crater floor (beware of hot steam vents and toxic fumes).

Capo Milazzo

Best hike for families

Start/end: Chiesa di San Antonio, 1.9 miles (3km) round trip, 1 hour, easy

You couldn’t ask for a more scenic family-friendly loop around the hook-shaped Capo Milazzo peninsula north of Milazzo. The trail passes through a level landscape of olive groves and cactus before descending toward the surging sea.

The views become truly dreamy near the peninsula’s northern tip, where you’ll find a lighthouse. Short trails lead to the Piscina di Venere, an idyllic natural pool perfect for a swim. Loop back along the peninsula’s western shore, stopping to visit the cactus-covered ruins of the 13th-century Santuario Rupestre di San Antonio da Padova.

Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro

Best hike for reveling in nature

Start/end: Scopello, 8.7 miles (14km) round trip, 5 hours, moderate

Spanning a sinuous series of coves and steep headlands one hour west of Palermo, the Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro was established as Sicily’s first nature reserve in 1981. The result is one of Sicily’s best walking locales, with the would-be highway converted into a 4.4-mile-long (7km) trail snaking between bluffs and beaches.

The area hosts around 40 bird species and 700 species of flora, alongside a visitors center and several small museums celebrating traditional farming and tuna fishing. The trail is most easily hiked as an out-and-back from the park’s southern entrance.

La Rocca

Best hike for historic ruins

Start/end: Piazza Garibaldi, 1.9 miles (3km) round trip, 1.5 hours, moderate

Towering above Cefalù’s sandy beach, the craggy outcrop of La Rocca makes for an exhilarating short day hike. To reach the summit, follow signs for Tempio di Diana, taking Vicolo Saraceni off Corso Ruggero or Via Giuseppe Fiore off Piazza Garibaldi.

The route climbs a winding ancient stone staircase and passes through three city wall tiers, offering picturesque views of the cathedral’s honey-colored towers. At the summit, enjoy spectacular coastal views and explore the ruins of an 11th-century Norman castle atop a 9th-century Arab citadel with 360-degree panoramas.

Riserva Naturale Oasi Faunistica di Vendicari

Best hike for bird-watching

Start: main entrance, Vendicari reserve; end: Spiaggia Calamosche, 3.1 miles (5km), 1.5 hours, easy

One of Sicily’s easiest coastal walks runs through this birdwatcher’s paradise just south of Syracuse. From the reserve’s main entrance, the trail follows boardwalks through coastal marshes filled at various times with flamingos and other migratory bird species.

Nearing the sea, you’ll discover the remains of an 18th-century tuna-processing plant and a 15th-century defensive tower. Continue along the shoreline to reach Spiaggia Calamosche, a beautiful strip of sand with excellent swimming opportunities.

Castello di Punta Troia, Marettimo

Best hike for castle lovers

Start/end: Marettimo town, 3.1 miles (5km) round trip, 2.5 hours, moderate

An hour west of Trapani, the green-hued island of Marettimo in the Egadi Islands offers an attractive off-the-beaten-track hiking destination. From the port, a network of well-marked trails fan out around the island.

Especially scenic is the trail winding north along high bluffs to Castello di Punta Troia, a 12th-century Norman castle built atop an earlier Saracen watchtower on a lonely promontory. Not far from here, significant historical events unfolded, making it a peaceful spot enriched with history.