Visiting Sicily's southern coast

Propelled by HBO’s “White Lotus,” Sicily has become an increasingly popular international destination. But while the tourism focus has remained on the northeast part of the island, in the coastal hill town of Taormina, the island has so much more to see, especially in the south: the moody beaches of the southernmost points of the island, the charming inland towns like Scili, its remains of ancient Greece.

Sicily’s southern coast boasts stunning architecture and wineries, but what perhaps sets the region apart is its people. While the language barrier can be challenging, the Sicilian people carry a deep and clear pride in their island - one reflected in their celebrated food and the enthusiasm they project in describing their land.

The island’s tourism renaissance, after all, is not just because of TV. It also has gained popularity in recent years as chefs, winemakers and architects from the Sicilian diaspora have returned to the island from abroad to reconnect with their culture, build businesses and reclaim the vibrancy of Sicily. Giuliana Pucci and Salvuccio Cappello, the owners of a catering and private chef business in Val di Noto, said returning home brought a sense of purpose.

“We left London in 2019 aware that moving back to Sicily wouldn’t be easy, but our love for this island motivated us to build the idea of our own business,” Pucci said.

Over the past few years, I’ve traveled around Sicily and gotten to know some of the locals, who have shared their best tips on how to experience its overlooked gem of a southern coast.

Fly in to Catania and get started

You can see the most in southern Sicily by car, so fly in to Catania Airport and rent one there. A network of highways will take you to Sicily’s main towns, but note that some roads can be narrow. Rent the smallest car you can, and, to be safe, purchase full insurance.

There’s a good bus network, too, with direct connections to cities like Noto and Syracuse. But traveling by car will allow you more freedom to reach the beaches, wineries and smaller villages off the beaten path.

A good place to begin is the small island of Ortigia, which dates back 2,700 years to ancient Greece, when it was the capital of Syracuse (Siracusa) and one of the world’s most important cities. Now it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, its narrow streets leading to the Ionian Sea. Start your visit with a boat tour to see historic sites like Castello Maniace from the best vantage point and to gain an orientation of the city.

Part of that orientation: taking stock of all the swimming coves around the island. Hot Sicilian summers call for a dip in the sea, and Ortigia provides plenty of places to cool off. My favorite was the beach pavilion Spiaggia di Fonte Aretusa, whose old dock makes it more accessible than others. If you want full service with beach chairs and towels, head to the beach club next door, Zefiro Solarium and Restaurant, where you can sip on limoncello spritzes with a sunset view.

Sicily is known for its food, so a trip to a food market is a must with mounds of spices, cones of fritto misto (fried seafood) and bright-red tomatoes that are probably the best in the world.

“Certainly one must visit the Ortigia Food Market in the mornings in order to hear, see, feel and taste the culinary culture of the islands,” said Marcello Baglioni, a Siracusa-based travel planner and tour guide at Agave Travel Creative.

If you want a guide, local chef Maurizio Moceo, the owner of Macallè, a restaurant that sources ingredients from the region and from a charming in-house herb garden, offers tours of the market.

Consider a home base in Noto

With its central location and highway access, Noto is an ideal town for a home base. Visit hungry, because there is no shortage of great food, and with some space in your luggage so you can fit your ceramics, gourmet pestos and colorful dresses from small, independent shops. Go on a walking tour to learn about the baroque architecture of the city.

After a busy day exploring, order a heaping plate of pasta, pistachio pesto and cozze (mussels) at Cantina Modica di San Giovanni with a glass of Grillo from their winery, or enjoy gambero rosso (red shrimp) with a view of the Porta Reale at Osteria Giovanni Trombatore. Either way, treat yourself from there to a gelato at L’Artigianale, which offers traditional flavors such as pistachio and fiori di latte but also unique flavors such as turmeric, mandarin and a chili blend that I am still thinking about. Order a Profumo di Sicilia, a cocktail with Sicilian sparkling wine and locally made orange liqueur, at the bar of Viva Il Bistrot for an aperitif.

You will not find large chain hotels in Noto but rather cozy guesthouses, apartment rentals and idyllic villas on the city’s outskirts. If you’re traveling in a group who craves the Italian countryside feeling, Villa Contrada Noto is surrounded by olive groves and comes with a sea view, but it’s still only a six-minute drive from the city center. Those looking for a bed-and-breakfast might consider one like Marla’s Boutique Rooms, where the owner’s mom makes traditional Sicilian orange cake for breakfast.

“People go and visit Syracuse for a day or two, but people come to Noto and they want to stay,” said Samuele Mazza, an interior designer, author and real estate developer. Mazza would know: He visited Noto and then moved there in 2009.

Since then, he has restored many villas and apartments in the city and surrounding areas, which he called “a community of locals, artists and even celebrities that come together at a cafe.” That feeling of community suffuses Noto. When you ask its business owners where you should shop or eat, they recommend one another.

Taste Sicilian wine country

There are several wine areas throughout Sicily, and you will find a concentration of independently owned vineyards in the south of the island. “Most of the grapes produced in this area are Nero d’Avola, Moscato and our indigenous wine of the region, Grillo,” said Angela Sergio, who runs Barone Sergio with her sister Luigia.

Their farm has been in the family for 300 years, and the sisters took over a few years ago from their father. Classic methods remain, but the winery takes on a modern look with colorful murals depicting ancient Greek gods and women farmers as odes to their ancestors. The winery hosts tastings, and in the summer their popular Baronetto parties featuring Sicilian DJs bring locals and tourists alike to dance and sip the Rossatto made with Nero d’Avola.

Wineries line the roads leading from Syracuse to Pozzallo, with many offering English-language tastings. You can book tastings online at Feudo Maccari, owned by Tuscan winemaker Antonio Moretti Cuseri. Tastings come with homemade bread and no shortage of locally made cheese; at the tasting room, you can also buy pasta, made from the farm’s own wheat. As you taste the wine, take a stroll around the property and farm.

And nota bene: Before lugging any bottles back to the United States, ask the wineries if they offer shipping or partner with distributors in your area.

Explore beaches and nature

When traveling in the south of Sicily, a visit to the Vendicari Nature Reserve in Noto is a must. With almost 4,000 acres of land, the reserve hosts more than 180 species of birds, ruins from ancient Greece, the remains of a Byzantine necropolis and an old tuna fishery, the Tonnara di Vendicari. You also can walk 20 minutes to Calamosche Beach, a sandy cove with clear, turquoise waters. Make sure you bring snacks, plenty of water and sunblock and rent an umbrella at the parking lot, because the beach has no shops or restaurants once you get there.

Santa Maria del Focallo is another southern Sicilian gem. “This is one of my favorite places, because it’s quiet without the beach clubs and [is in] beautiful nature,” said Pucci, a sommelier. Park on the side of the road, and climb the smooth dune paths leading to the ocean. You’ll find a small beach club, but the rest of it is an expansive, less crowded beach.

Beach club culture is big along the Italian coasts, and Sicily has plenty that cater to every taste, allowing visitors to rent beach chairs and dine and drink at full-service restaurants and bars. At Lido di Noto, the beach enclave outside of Noto, you will find shallow beaches with tranquil waters perfect for families. If you go farther south to Pachino, the vibe changes, with wilder and wavier beaches, some used for kitesurfing and surfing, and upscale beach clubs like Puravita and Kale Beach that offer luxury cabanas, craft cocktails and DJ parties on the weekends.

Don’t miss Sicily’s small towns

The beauty of southern Sicily is that you can go from lively and lovely beach towns like Marzamemi to inland architectural gems like Noto, Scicli and Modica in an hour or less. A former tuna-processing town, Marzamemi reinvented itself with oceanside restaurants, local designer stores and small jewelry shops. At the center of this reinvention is La Cialoma, built by Lina Campisi, a mother of five who decided to open a restaurant at an abandoned tuna processing pier at 50 years old. Well into her 70s now, Campisi is still at the restaurant, leading the kitchen as chefs prepare grilled gambero rosso (red shrimp) and pasta topped with grilled tuna.

As one of the baroque towns of the Val di Noto, Modica is home to striking 18th-century architecture, such as the Cathedral of San Giorgio and the Castle of the Counts. If you have time to fit in a fine-dining experience, Mazza recommends a meal at Accursio Ristorante with a view of the castle.

Then, drive 15 minutes south from there to Scicli to find another charming baroque town that’s slightly smaller but just as magical. The carefully preserved city has served as a set for Italian films, with its stone canals, cobblestone streets and elegant buildings dating to when much of the city was rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in 1693. Treat yourself to a pizza at Pizzeria Busacca, with a view of Piazza Busacca, and finish the evening with a stroll along the canals and alleys of the town.

It’s a picturesque spot, on a picturesque island, to get a little lost.