- Home
- Travel journal
- A Christmas Villa Holiday in Sicily
A Christmas Villa Holiday in Sicily
Discover why a villa holiday in Sicily during Christmas is a wonderful idea, and the unique traditions and events that can be enjoyed.
Christmas in Sicily
Christmas isn’t just about snowy mountains, wooly jumpers, and long, cold days. It can also be about blue skies, sea views, and colourful traditions!
Christmas in Sicily is a dream. Not only thanks to the island’s mild climate and gorgeous winter scenery, but also due to the warmth and authenticity of the events held during the festive period.
Imagine spending a Christmas in sunny Sicily. Bright, colourful lights decorate the towns and villages. Chestnuts roasted on street corners create a delicious scent. Music drifts through the air with the local town bands playing during a procession. The piazzas fill with Sicilian Christmas markets, celebrations, and foodie events. Sicily is magical at this time of year.
With traditions that go back centuries taking place all over the island, you’ll find authentic moments during this period wherever you choose to stay. Experience a Sicily that’s different from the typical summer holiday by the beach, and be moved by the beauty and history that flows through the island at Christmas.
Sicilian Christmas Traditions
Sicily is rich in traditions during the Christmas period. Each town and village have their own customs, and visitors are welcomed with open arms to take part and celebrate together.
Nativity Scenes
Nativity Scenes are found in most towns and villages. Caltagirone – a town that is famous for its colourful ceramics – has an especially beautiful one. The figures are set up on the incredible Santa Maria del Monte staircase in the town centre. Once the figures are in place, the festive season has truly started; people from near and far come to visit and stroll up the wonderfully decorated staircase, and the magical feeling of Christmas is clear to all.
Presepi Viventi
Presepi Viventi are also incredibly popular in certain parts of Sicily. These are nativity scenes with real actors playing the characters from the bible. The Presepe Vivente in Custonaci is a must. Held in the evocative Mangiapane cave, it is a solemn, yet beautiful moment. The Presepe Vivente runs for many days; visit and you’ll see actors in full costume reenacting the Nativity scene. Visit in the evening for extra atmosphere. It’s a unique experience, that pays homage to centuries of tradition in this part of Sicily.
Christmas Cheer and Culinary Excellence
Food is always a highlight during a holiday in Sicily, and this is no less true during a holiday at Christmas! There are many traditional Christmas foods in Sicily that are typical at this time of year, that you won’t be able to find if you visit in the summer.
Savoury Christmas Delights
There are many fantastic savoury choices to be enjoyed at Christmas. Annelletti al Forno is a Christmas tradition that you will adore. The pasta bake is incredibly tasty with a rich ragù sauce, cheese, ham, and sometimes peas. Meat-lovers will adore Agglassato – a stew made from veal with a velvety sauce that is perfect for celebrations.
Christmas Sweets and Desserts
Sweets, deserts, and pastries are very popular at Christmas. Of course, cannoli and cassata are always royalty in Sicilian desserts and have to be eaten at Christmas time. However, there are many other options. Buccellato are biscuits filled with dried figs, walnuts, and almonds. Cubaita is a crunchy nougat-like slice made from almonds and honey. Sfince di Natale are small fried doughnuts covered in sugar and honey and are a delight!
Sicilian Wines for Christmas
Of course, a Christmas celebration in Sicily wouldn’t be complete without a glass of local wine. Sicily produces a wide range of fantastic wines, so whatever your preference is, you’ll find something you love. For white wines, enjoy a glass of Grillo, or Inzolia made in the north of the island. For reds, choose from a fruity Cerasuolo di Vittorio from the south, or a minerally Etna Rosso produced on the famous volcano. Not forgetting Marsala, Sicily’s famous sweet wine that goes perfectly with desserts.
Villas in Sicily for Christmas
The best place to spend your Christmas in Sicily? At a beautiful villa! We have a superb range of villas ideal for a Christmas holiday in Sicily, where you can celebrate in unique, Sicilian style with all the comforts and luxurious touches that your heart desires.
Families and Friends Together
Christmas is all about spending time with your loved ones. Our large villas in Sicily are perfect for families or groups of friends who want to enjoy the festive season together.
Perla Nera is an impressive villa for large groups, where everyone can have their own space and privacy, but also come together for some quality time during celebratory meals and parties. Plus, its aristocratic atmosphere and evocative location on Mount Etna only add to the magical, Christmas feeling.
For a modern holiday in Sicily, Reale is the best choice. With outstanding contemporary design and amazing facilities, you’ll feel spoilt during your Christmas holiday! Light the modern fireplace in the open-plan living area and get cosy and festive, all the time taking in those sea views!
A Picture-Perfect Christmas
All of our villas in Sicily are beautiful. If you’re looking for a Christmas in Sicily with postcard-worthy views, you’re in luck! Imagine gazing out over gorgeous Sicilian countryside – or out to sea – at Christmas. In Sicily, that’s an easy reality.
Baia Faraglioni is a wonderful villa for Christmas. Its seafront location is incredible, with the bay and sea stacks below. For a unique Christmas, and perhaps even a Christmas day with Champagne in the jacuzzi, Baia Faraglioni is perfect.
Another beautiful choice for jaw-dropping views is Elysium. Set on a hill above the sea, you can even see Taormina from this contemporary villa. Christmas lunch on Elysium’s terrace is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that no one could forget!
Celebrate in Sicilian Style
Our villas are hand-picked for their amazing locations as well as their style, facilities, and high levels of comfort. You will feel the warm embrace of Sicilian welcome as soon as you arrive in any of our villas in Sicily. Many also have exclusive locations that lend themselves to stylish celebrations and are ideal luxury villas for Christmas in Sicily.
Festive Day Trips in Sicily
We all want to relax at Christmas, and staying in a villa in Sicily is the perfect way to do so. However, there’s a wealth of Sicilian Christmas traditions to explore. If you want to set out on an adventure, then here are a few ideas for fun and authentic day trips to get the most out of the festive period in Sicily.
Food and History in East Sicily
Visit Catania and stroll through the town centre under the sparking Christmas lights. Visit the historic fish market where you’ll adore the authentic atmosphere and amazing street food on offer. Then head to Piazza del Duomo and be wowed by the Sant’Agata Cathedral with its black lava stone and Baroque architecture, as well as the Elephant statue in the centre of the square.
Then head up to the fishing villages along the coast. Eat at a local restaurant at Aci Trezza – fresh fish is a must, obviously! – and then visit the impressive Norman castle at Aci Castello.
Authenticity in West Sicily
Start off in Custonaci and visit the Presepe Vivente in Mangiapane cave for a unique experience that will take you back in time.
Then head up to hilltop Erice. This small Medieval town has a fairytale feel to it, with its narrow streets and ancient buildings. It’s ideal for a stroll, and on a clear day you will see amazing views out to sea and across the countryside. Don’t miss a Genovese biscuit from Maria Grammatico for a real taste of Erice!
Then head down the hill and visit Trapani. This seaside town is perfect for an evening passeggiata under the typical Christmas decorations. You’ll feel so festive!
A Chic Christmas
Mount Etna dominates east Sicily. For a special day during your Christmas holiday in Sicily, explore the volcano and its surrounding towns. Start off by heading up the volcano and experience its other-worldly scenery, as well as its incredible views over Sicily.
Then head to Zafferana Etna. This town on Etna’s foothills is a gastronomic paradise, and is famous for its honey. There are many Christmas specialties to try, so come with an empty stomach!
End your day at chic Taormina. Enjoy a romantic stroll through the town and end your day sipping a glass of local wine with a view of the Mount Etna. Magic!
Christmas in Sicily for You
Create your dream Christmas holiday in Sicily, starting with a villa from Villatravellers. Get in touch and find out where to stay in Sicily at Christmas. Whatever your style, there’s a villa for you in our collection. Experience the unique charm and magic of this festive celebration in Sicily where lights, music, food, and great weather come together to create a truly magical time of year. With home-from-home comforts, but with authentic Sicilian style, our villas enable you to make the most of your Christmas holiday in Sicily.
Be inspired and spend the most magical time of the year in Sicily. You’ll never forget it!
If you can’t travel at Christmas, no worries! Read our article on the best time to visit Sicily and plan your next adventure.
