Sicily is an unexpectedly vast island, with landscapes that shift from golden towns to rolling vineyards to volcanic slopes. Time passes slowly, yet the energy is electrifying, heated and alive. In summer, the atmosphere is charged, with people spilling into the streets, voices carrying, and music blending with the warm air. It’s a place that leaves a mark: for its beauty, its culture, and its dramatic landscapes. Muse Aina Velasco (@aina.velasco) shares her favorite insights and places throughout the eastern side of the island.

WHAT TO SEE

The landscapes of Sicily are endlessly varied: olive groves and vineyards, pear and lemon trees, dark volcanic rock, sheer cliffs, and long, soft beaches. The cities themselves are just as striking, each with its own personality. 

Noto is one of Aina’s favorites ‘it’s like walking inside a painting,’ she says. The town looks different at different times of day, but at sunset it radiates light, its ornate facades and yellow-orange walls glowing as if the whole city has been gilded. Balconies spill with detail, terraces catch the last sun.  

Taormina, perched high above the sea, offers another kind of magic. The road there winds through lush mountains, the air shifting as the ocean breeze grows stronger. Its Greek theatre frames Mount Etna in the distance, and every narrow street opens onto a new view. Busy and full of life, it’s also deeply romantic: ‘the perfect place to feel on holidays, calming and romantic. Very romantic.’  

The beaches along the eastern coast are all different, and Aina has a few favorites. Calamosche is quieter and a bit hidden; Isola Bella feels dramatic and iconic, its strip of sand connecting to the little island like something out of a film. Further south, the dunes at Montagne di Sabbia stretch wide and wild. In summer, it’s not unusual to see people arriving at sunrise, towels in hand, ready to claim a spot by the sea and spend the whole day there, soaking up the sun and the sound of the waves. 

WHAT AND WHERE TO EAT

Sicilian cuisine is unlike anywhere else in Italy, with traditions that change from region to region. In summer, locals often begin the day with granita, a mixture of water, sugar, and fruit, ‘surprisingly grainy and creamy’, served with a soft brioche bun. 

For Aina though, it’s always the cannoli. ‘My choice will always be a chocolate one. At Caffè Sicilia in Noto, the cannoli are close to perfection: not too sweet, with a shell that’s perfectly crunchy.’ In Taormina, a small stand in Piazza IX Aprile makes ricotta-filled versions that are just as worth trying. And if you love chocolate, Aina recommends seeking out the rich cakes made with Modica chocolate, found in pastry shops and food stores beyond the cities. 

Food, of course, is as much about setting as taste. For aperitivo in Taormina, Aina recommends the bar at Hotel Timeo. Overlooking the coastline, it’s one of the best spots to take in the sea and watch the light change with the evening. ‘Order the granita or the gelato there, to pair with your drink. Or a coffee, they have great cappuccinos with almond milk, made in the island’.

WHAT TO PACK 

Packing light is essential. ‘It’s about inventiveness and reimagining the same pieces in different ways: a bathing suit as a top, a pareo tied as a skirt, a dress that doubles as a beach cover-up during the day and, with jewelry and sandals, as an evening look.’ 

She always makes sure to bring several bikinis, in different colors and silhouettes (‘I dread tan lines’ she admits), a pair of black trousers, multiple dresses, easy to rotate, a crisp men’s shirt and a few good pieces of jewelry to elevate any outfit. ‘It’s about making the same pieces work in different ways’.