Some countries are blessed. And then there’s Italy, which is endowed with not one but two huge island regions in the Mediterranean.
Both filled with churches, vineyards, and sites testifying to millennia of history, Sicily and Sardinia are nonetheless truly distinct and truly wonderful. Are you having trouble picking between the two? We’ve asked two advocates to go to the mat for their picks.
Sicily: Savor Its Sumptuous Soul
A travel expert for more than a decade, Nicola Williams lives a scenic flit through the Mont Blanc Tunnel from il bel paese. Her favorite Sicilian journeys are those where time slowly stills.
Yes, certain spots in Sicily have all the dazzling beauty and million-dollar glamour of a Hollywood movie star. However, it is actually Sicily’s gutsy soul, ravishing virgin landscapes, and cultural treasures that make it utterly captivating and irresistible as a holiday destination. I challenge anyone to step foot on Sicilian soil and not leave with a burning desire to return.
My first Sicilian escapade was with my family moons ago. We sailed into the small but busy port of Trapani one April and spent two gloriously warm weeks roaming the less-explored west of the island. Learning to harvest salt along the Via del Sal, hiking mule tracks in the remote Madonie mountains, and running wild through meadows of sun-yellow fennel around Segesta’s majestic Greek-temple ruins captivated me. The fact we didn’t even make it to the chic Isola Bella, glitzy Taormina, or baroque beauty Noto was completely incidental. Sicily had me hooked.
I’ve spent countless weeks since digging deep into Sicily’s green soul: again with the kids, solo, and in the depths of winter, when snow caps Mt Etna and blood-red pomegranates ripen. During last August’s apocalyptic heatwave, Sicily’s paradise-like beaches became my second home. If you think it’s all dreamy sweeps of soft golden sand polka-dotted with parasols and hawkers roasting ears of corn to order, think again. Seaside Cefalù on the Tyrrhenian Coast is a shameless heartthrob, with its cinematic sands and honied old town showcasing one of Sicily’s greatest Arab-Norman architectural masterpieces.
Snorkeling off sun-scorched rocks with locals on Capo Cefalù, uncovering tiny pebble coves cradling emerald waters in the Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro, and clambering across wave-splashed rocks to Capo Milazzo’s natural piscina (swimming pool) in the sea are all equally awe-inspiring. If you’re after high-octane natural beauty and solitude, simply set your compass south to the wild and windswept seashore of the WWF-protected Riserva Naturale di Torre Salsa on Sicily’s Mediterranean coast.
Then, of course, there’s Sicily’s sublime islands: the Egadi and Aeolian archipelagos. Volcano aficionados naturally gravitate to “mainland” Etna. But it’s the spectacular nightly fireworks on back-to-basics Stromboli that are truly enchanting. Whether you’re hiking up its volcano at sunset or flopping on a black beach, you feel the car-free island’s primeval force sizzling off every last volcanic rock and grain of black sand. I love breakfast and aperitivo at buzzy Il Canneto and raw fish at the after-dark hotspot L’Angolo del Pesce. A half-hour hydrofoil ride away, fashionista Panarea provides a manicured ambiance for sipping cocktails at Bridge Ammare overlooking Baia Zimmari.
Sorry, Sardinia: you simply can’t compete with Sicily’s Herculean cultural heritage. No other place in Europe summons the ancient world with such drama. Greek temple ruins at Selinunte, Segesta, and Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples are unbelievably well preserved. Watching a classical tragedy unfold on stage at Syracuse’s ancient theater is something entirely unique. The island’s cache of baroque towns and an exceptional collection of Roman, Byzantine, and Arab-Norman mosaics showcase its rich history.
I’ve saved waxing lyrical about Sicily’s unpretentious grassroots cuisine until last. In all honesty, it’s hard to know where to begin: from a beefy spleen bun from a pushcart in Palermo’s intoxicating markets to a paper cone of battered frittura mista (deep-fried seafood) from one of Catania’s traditional fish vendors. You can’t forget the delicious lobster soup at Trattoria Il Veliero on Marettimo or decadent cannoli and dolci (cakes) to simply die for throughout the island.
Eat your heart out, Sardinia.
Sardinia: Into the Wild Unknown
Kerry Walker has made Sardinia her spiritual home in the Mediterranean over the past decade.
Sicily has hogged the limelight for long enough. The island is often lavishly featured in media—whether through the family drama of The Godfather or the secrets of the wealthy in The White Lotus—you feel you know it before you even arrive. While Sicily’s allure is undeniable, it can suffer from the over-tourism curse. Come summer, it’s simply overwhelmed.
And Sardinia? What do you know about this island? My guess is not much, unless you’ve been there. You might have heard about the jet-set haven of the Costa Smeralda, where celebrities escape the paparazzi—but beyond that, nothing. While Sicily has been busy blowing its own trumpet, its less flashy cousin is happy to remain in the shadows and whisper quietly about its charms.
But what charms! I’ve traveled nearly every inch of Sardinia over the past decade, and I promise this is the island of your wildest Mediterranean dreams. So, put Sicily out of your mind for a minute and follow me.
Let’s start with the beaches, shall we? Sardinia has some of the most stunning beaches you’ll find in Europe. Often likened to the Caribbean, the east coast’s Golfo di Orosei boasts exquisite bays that can be reached on foot or by boat. Here, ragged limestone cliffs dive into flour-white sands and a sea so turquoise it looks Photoshopped.
On the north coast, La Maddalena’s pink granite islands hide sublime coves and azure waters. Then there is La Cinta, with bleached sands sloping into cerulean seas and a lagoon teems with flamingos. The west reveals the great dunes and waves of the Costa Verde, while south-coast Is Arutas sparkles with an arc of frost-white quartz sand.
However, beaches are just the tip of the iceberg. Sardinia is just as wild and mountainous, ripe for adventure. Spring brings magic with wildflowers lighting up the slopes and coast. Visit then, and you’ll have the island’s trails largely to yourself. Substantial hiking opportunities abound, particularly the uphill scramble through a lush valley to the mysterious Bronze Age ruins of Tiscali, as well as the trek to Gola Su Gorropu, often touted as “Europe’s Grand Canyon.” For those seeking a challenge, the week-long Selvaggio Blu trek on Golfo di Orosei is epic, involving climbing and camping alongside a starlit sea.
If you prefer water adventures, it’s all available: from deep-water soloing to windsurfing, kite surfing, diving in the coral-filled depths of the Nereo Cave, or kayaking to a private cove on the island’s east coast.
Sicily’s cities get all the fuss, yet Sardinia holds its own culturally—typically less crowded and chaotic. For example, Alghero boasts honey-colored sea walls, Gothic architecture, and a cafe-lined atmosphere. I love heading up to Cagliari’s Il Castello district for a sundowner at dusk when the sky pinkens and the historic towers glow.
Historically, you might think Sicily has an advantage with its Greek temples and Byzantine mosaics, but Sardinia surprises with its thousands of megalithic nuraghi, Bronze and Iron Age towers, and settlements. One Unesco World Heritage site, Nuraghe Su Nuraxi, showcases the thrill of unexpected discoveries—like happening upon a 4000-year-old temple in a farmer’s field.
But what about the food? Again, you might think Sicily has the edge, but my most memorable meals have been on Sardinia. The local pasta is sensational: sun-dried fregola, shell-shaped malloreddus in rich sauce, and ravioli-like culurgiones filled with pecorino and mint. The seafood? Divine. Savor sea urchins, lobster from Alghero, and Cabras bottarga. Agriturismi (farmstays) provide spectacular feasts: antipasti, pasta, porceddu (suckling pig), and seadas, honey-drenched fritters filled with ricotta and lemon zest that are delicious.
You can enjoy the local Cannonau wine with a clear conscience. This full-bodied red contributes to the island’s reputation as one of the few “blue zones” in the world, places known for their extraordinary longevity and high percentages of centenarians. No wonder: there is so much here to live for.
