Sicily by three seas: beaches worth planning a trip around

Summer is here, and the sea is calling.

If you’re still in the office but hear waves instead of keyboards, a change of scene may be due. Here are several reasons, in the shape of beaches, to plan a Sicilian escape. The White Lotus made good use of the island, taking us through Taormina and the views from San Domenico Palace. We’re putting a few more specific beach pins on your map.

Letojanni

One train stop from Taormina’s station, Letojanni is a charming seaside town with pale aquamarine water. It deserves more than a quick beach stop between destinations. Stay if your idea of a holiday involves colourful façades, wooden shutters, good food with a sea view and quiet. While tourists make for Taormina,

Sicilians enjoy their dolce far niente in Letojanni.

For a beach club, try Movida. Weekdays can feel wonderfully spacious while locals are at work; Sundays bring music, cocktails and dancing in the water. The Italians know how to make a beach day into a party.

San Lorenzo

Head south from Catania towards the island’s southern tip, where the Ionian Sea shifts between clear blue and emerald beside fine golden sand. More adventurous visitors can combine San Lorenzo’s beach with Vendicari Nature Reserve,

where pink flamingos are among the natural attractions.

Lido San Lorenzo Da Sempre has two beach bars, one bohemian, the other an elegant all-white affair. Food is hardly an afterthought in Sicily: four restaurants take care of the beachgoers. Pasta alle vongole and a glass of white wine would be a reasonable place to start.

Mondello

Change direction and change seas. Mondello, a Palermo neighbourhood, makes a strong claim to some of Sicily’s most beautiful coastal water.

The Tyrrhenian Sea shades through rich turquoise,

with the old waterfront building standing out like a keeper of the view. You needn’t seek out somewhere elaborate: choose a beach bar with colourful parasols, like an old postcard, and settle into the day.

San Vito Lo Capo

Perhaps we spoke too soon about the finest turquoise. Visit both and you’ll understand the difficulty. Where Mondello has its grand waterfront building, San Vito Lo Capo has nature working twice as hard.

Monte Monaco rises above the beach,

creating a scene that brings Rio’s Copacabana to mind as soon as you step onto the sand. Day trips by yacht or boat from Palermo offer another way to see it.

Scala dei Turchi

On Sicily’s central southern coast, the “Turkish Steps” rise above the Mediterranean. Brilliant white, lime-rich rock has made this one of the island’s recognisable sights,

helped by appearances in the Inspector Montalbano novels, familiar to many from television.

The name is associated with Turkish pirates who once sheltered here. More recently, the rock itself drew sunbathers. Visitor rules restrict sunbathing to the sandy areas around it, with ticketed, time-limited access to the steps to protect against erosion. Check the current access arrangements before visiting.

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