22 Best Sights in Mount Etna and Eastern Sicily, Sicily

Though the bar first opened in 1962—and the building has been around since the 1400s—this little café didn't gain worldwide popularity until Francis Ford Coppola chose it as the setting of significant scenes in The Godfather. In fact, prior to Coppola, the bar didn't even have an official name. He chose "Bar Vitelli" for his fictional café, had the name painted on the exterior wall, and the name has stuck for decades. Here, Michael Corleone famously asked Apollonia to marry him. And most street scenes where Michael is seen walking up the road were filmed on the building's side. The interior of the café functions as a small museum of the filming that happened in Savoca, with film stills and photos throughout. Outside, small tables sit under fairy lights and an arbor of vines. Be sure to order a lemon granita with a splash of Zibbibo, a sweet dessert wine. And though the rest of Sicily serves granita with brioche, here you'll find lightly sweetened "zuccarata" cookies. 

At the foot of Monte Serra in Viagrande, this family-run winery is one of the most internationally significant on Etna, distributing some 170,000 bottles worldwide. And the Benanti family has been instrumental in propagating the viticulture of the volcano. As you arrive at the 19th-century estate for a tasting, you'll easily be seduced by the historic grounds and hills flanked with vines. But their wines, approximately 15 different expressions of Etna, hold the real magic.

For a walk on the moonlike surface of Etna, visit the Silvestri craters on the southern side of the volcano, near Nicolosi. Located at an altitude of roughly 6,200 feet, these five extinct craters formed during the 1892 eruption. Just a few meters away, across from Rifugio Sapienza, you'll find the Funivia dell'Etna (€30 round-trip), a cable car that carries you 8,000 feet up to Monte Montagnola, where you can hike further with a guide or go skiing in winter. 

Also known as the faraglioni, these ancient volcanic islets are so dramatically stunning they have inspired writers throughout the centuries. Homer set Odysseus's battle with the cyclops here in The Odyssey, contending that the angered and freshly blinded cyclops Polyphemus hurled giant hunks of rock from Etna to the sea to destroy Odysseus and his ship. Sicilian writer Giovanni Verga set his most famous novel, I Malavoglia, on the island of Lachea, the largest of the isles. Today the area is a protected marine preserve. You can kayak or swim the waters or take a short boat taxi to Lachea to visit the Lachea Island Museum of Sea Studies, which highlights the flora and fauna of the area in a tiny museum perched near the top.

On the western side of Etna, just above the town of Bronte, Musa offers immersion into all things pistachio at their agriturismo. The property, with its stunning views of the volcano, is home to horses, donkeys, goats, fruit trees, and, of course, pistachio trees. You can wander the grounds (where they occasionally host small concerts) and see pistachios fruiting on the trees; the harvest happens in the early fall, every other year. On Sunday, Musa offers a set menu lunch (€30 per person; cash only) at a long wooden table under shady trees. Pistachios figure prominently on the ever-changing menu: think pistachio and artichoke lasagna; penne with pistachio pesto, ricotta, and a veritable mountain of ground pistachios; braised pork with pistachios and porcini; pistachio cannoli; and so on. It is possible to arrange a visit to the full pistachio orchard, though it helps if you speak Italian. 

Located between Monte Gorna and Monte Ilice, Pierluca Beneventano guides visitors up the steep slopes of his vineyard for a tasting (featuring red, white, and rosé) among the vines. From there, you can see the other ancient craters of the southeast and all the way down to the Ionian sea. In addition to traditional Etna grapes, Pierluca is working to recultivate grape relics, varieties that were historically found on Etna, such as Moscatella dell’Etna, Muscatetuni, and Terribbile. Young and endlessly energetic, he’s embracing the winemaking traditions of the volcano while forging his own path. Keep an eye on his Nubivago wine, a white made with Carricante, Catarratto, and Moscatella dell’Etna in which he freezes the grapes before pressing them.

Based in an ancient borgo, on a hillside overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, this 74-acre winery and vineyard specializes in natural reds and rosés made from Nerello Mascalese and Nocera grapes. From the vine-covered hilltop, you can see all the way to the island of Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands, and the wind whips through the oak, olive, and citrus trees and wild fennel and rosemary brushes. The ground here is a lesson in Earth's ancient history: throughout the white sand-clay mix, you can find sea fossils in the soil. Tastings (for up to six people) can take place in the vineyard or in the winery itself, and upon request include local cured meats and cheeses.

Built from basalt (the black lava stone of the area), this fortress sits high on a cliff jutting out into the Ionian Sea above a prehistoric lava flow. The exact construction origins are unknown, but it's generally accepted that the original fortification was built by the Romans as a spot called Castrum Jacis that was later rebuilt as a castle by the Byzantines in the 7th century, and subsequently controlled by the Arabs. The current castle was built in 1076 and is attributed to the Normans who ruled the area in the 11th century. Inside the castle there is a small museum divided into three sections: mineralogy, paleontology, and archaeology. But arguably the best reason to visit is the view from the top, from which you can see the nearby Cyclops Islands, great expanses of sea, and the craggy coastline stretching to Catania. 

Nobles of the 17th and 18th centuries in this area opted to have their corpses mummified. You can visit the somewhat creepy crypt, located beneath a 17th-century Capuchin monastery, to see their preserved remains and hand-woven silk garments. The catacombs are technically open daily (from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm), but it's advised to call ahead to be sure that someone is actually on-site to let you in.

Built in the 13th century, this church was renovated at the end of the 15th century, the beginning of the 18th century (perhaps due to damage from an earthquake), and most recently in 1981. From the Middle Ages up through the 19th century, it offered a final resting place to common citizens of Savoca. It's also known as the Chiesa di Santa Lucia, because of the silver statue of St. Lucia it houses, in addition to other sculptures and paintings from the nearby 15th-century church of St. Lucia that collapsed in a landslide in 1880. In popular culture, it's best known as the church where Michael Corleone wed Apollonia in The Godfather.

Each February 3–5, the Festa di Sant'Agata honors Catania's patron saint with one of Italy's biggest religious festivals. The saint herself was first tortured, had her breasts cut off, and then killed, when she spurned a Roman suitor in favor of keeping her religious purity. Since then, the Catanesi have honored her memory by parading her relics through the streets of Catania on an enormous silver-encrusted carriage. Throughout town, you'll see the minne di Sant'Agata in pastry shops. These supersugary confections (sponge cake with sweetened ricotta, candied orange, and chocolate chips, covered in fondant, and topped with a candied cherry) are meant to symbolize Agata's breasts. The entire festival is highly affecting, even for nonbelievers, and is not to be missed by February visitors.

The name translates literally as "the custodians of the vineyards of Etna," and Mario Paoluzi and his team take their roles as guardians quite seriously. From the low-intervention management of one of the oldest producing vineyards on Etna to the use of the alberello trellis system, this winery specializes in producing elegant expressions of Etna wines that pay homage to the history and culture of the area.

Salvo Foti, the patriarch of this family-run winery, has been called the most important Sicilian agronomist and winemaker. In fact, his work cultivating native grapes is part of the reason Americans have even heard of Nerello Mascalese or Carricante. His conscientious methods, which honor both the land and cultural traditions of Etna, have been passed on to his two sons (Simone and Andrea) who now manage the winery and lead tastings in the historic Palmento Caselle (c. 1840). In the fall, they still use the palmento to stomp grapes and press wine the way it was done centuries ago on Etna.

A little bigger than a square mile, this lake, along with the nearby Lake Faro, is fed by groundwater mixed with seawater that flows in from a pair of canals built by the British around 1830. As a result, the waters are particularly great for growing mussels, one of the most iconic foods of the area. You'll see little sticks poking up from the water to indicate various aquaculture plots. And on sunny days, it's common to see people rowing crew in the lake.

At the base of the pylon at Capo Peloro, where the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas meet, this little beach club stays open year-round. From the white-sand beaches you can see the Calabrian town of Scilla just across the strait. Because of the convergence of the seas, the waters are known for strong currents and whirlpools, which the ancient Greeks referred to as the sea monster Charybdis who would swallow ships whole. But the clear waters immediately hugging the coast are shallow and perfect for a dip. At the lido, you can rent chairs and umbrellas for the day or just pop in for a quick bite of lunch, a coffee, or a sunset aperitivo.

Though it's located across the Strait in Reggio Calabria, this fantastic museum delves into the shared archeological and geological history of these sister regions and is worth a visit. You'll find incredible examples of fossils from the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods (including the fossilized bones of a Neanderthal child), tools from the Bronze Age, insight into the military organization of the Iron Age, and details of Greek settlements on both sides of the Strait. Don't miss the bronze Riace warriors, a pair of impressive statues that were cast about 460 BC and found in the sea in 1972. To get there, take a 30-minute hydrofoil from the Messina port (€6.50 round-trip,  www.blujetlines.it).

One of Italy’s most celebrated Renaissance painters, Caravaggio spent a good deal of time in Sicily toward the end of his life, while on the run after committing a murder in Rome. The artwork he left behind includes two on display at this regional museum. The scandal-prone artist is best known for his religious works, which utilize dramatic shadows and heavenly lighting. The two here are the highlight of the collection, though there are also some interesting archaeological pieces salvaged from shipwrecks and several works by Antonello da Messina.

Throughout Savoca you'll see works by steel artist Nino Ucchino, such as the now-iconic sculpture of Francis Ford Coppola behind his camera and an amusing talking donkey. You can visit his studio, perched on the hillside on the road into town, to see the master at work or buy some of his creations. He's there in his studio most afternoons, but it's smart to call ahead to be sure he's available.

One of a pair of pylons (the other is across the strait in Villa San Giovanni, Calabria) that carried electricity across the strait from 1955 to 1994, this steel tower stands 761 feet over the most northeastern point of Sicily. Though the pylons are no longer officially in use, they do have protected historic monument status and are used to gather meteorological data. Access to the 1,000-odd steps to the top is closed to the public, but there's always some daredevil who decides to try. 

Just across the road from the Porto Turistico, area fishermen set up stalls inside the commercial plaza every morning (even Sunday). Though it's much smaller and less chaotic than the Catania fish market, the quality of seafood is excellent, and you'll see prime examples of everything that swims or crawls in these local waters. And it has a very locals' market feel to it, with people buying fresh fish each morning for their daily meal prep (it's open until about noon); even Catanesi will make the 40-minute drive to buy fish or frutti di mare from these vendors. 

This modern oversize Ferris wheel is very much a tourist attraction, but the views from the top, especially at sunset, are magnificent. You can see across the Strait to Calabria and on clear days all the way to Etna. At night, it puts on a multicolor light show that's made its way into many an Instagram story. 

This winery, in the shadow of San Nicolò, takes a decidedly biological approach to grape growing. Olive and fruit trees (kiwi, lemon, and orange) abound, and they alternate row crops between the vines to enrich the soil. Inside the winery and tasting room, you can see the stratification of Etna’s lava, with flows from 50,000 years ago and 3,000 years ago, and where plant roots continue growing down into the stone. In the old palmento, you can book a private winemaking experience with barefoot grape stomping and all.