The Best Bars In Sicily For The Perfect Blend Of Relaxed Evenings And Timeless Italian Charm

Aperol spritzes, nero d'avola, espresso martinis — you name it, Sicily has a bar that will serve a great version of it, not to mention plenty of wines and myriad mixed drinks. This vibrant, Southern Italian island is known for some of the best food in Italy, per Rick Steves, and its bars are perfect places to find delicious snacks and sweet treats made from locally sourced ingredients. From tiny, atmospheric wine caves and cocktail emporiums to luxurious rooftop bars and terraces with sweeping sea views, there's a spot for every style in Sicily. 

There are a few things American tourists should know before stepping foot in an Italian bar, such as the way Italian bars tend to be open most of the day rather than being nighttime-only events. They're also great places to refuel with an espresso during the day if you're not quite ready for alcohol. Italian bar culture isn't the same as State-side, as people here don't just gather after work for a cocktail, but rather, they linger throughout the day and night, noshing and sipping, and essentially enjoying what the Italians call 'dolce far niente' — sweetly doing nothing. 

To compile this list, we went in search of Sicilian bars that are both highly rated for cocktails as well as classic Italian ambiance, scouring reliable review sources like Google Reviews and Tripadvisor. We also relied on write-ups from trusted travel and spirits publications. You won't find any sports bars on this list — these places are designed for socializing and relaxing in a way that feels truly timeless. So pull up a chair and explore seven bars around Sicily that highlight not only local flavor and inviting spaces but also historic architecture and coastal views that couples can't get enough of, plus charmingly cobbled alleys buzzing with people enjoying a night out.

The luxury Rocco Forte Hotels group counts chef Fulvio Pierangelini among its greatest assets — a culinary star who serves as the brand's Creative Director of Food. It's his flair and knowledge of Italian cuisine that shapes the menu of Igiea Terrazza Bar at the beautiful Villa Igiea, in Sicily's capital of Palermo, a famous coastal foodie paradise with one of Italy's lowest costs of living. Here, you'll find fine cocktails and an upscale terrace experience overlooking the Gulf of Palermo, with sailboats and mountains stretching along a postcard-worthy coastline.

The area of the bar that's indoors is warm and inviting, with stone walls and unique, vintage frescoes painted by Sicilian artist Eugenio Morici. Igiea Terrazza Bar serves both lunch and dinner and is enlivened by nightly live music performances during the summer. And on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the bar even serves traditional afternoon tea starting at 4:00 p.m.

Igiea Terrazza Bar's signature cocktails are the work of mixologist Salvatore Calabrese, whose contemporary take on Sicilian influences delight with sculptural garnishes. The bubble-cloud of a drink called Tiger Rag, for example, combines Wild Turkey Bourbon, vermouth, Amaro Averna — a Sicilian herbal liqueur — and oak barrel-aged jasmine essence. Numerous wines and other classic cocktails are also available, but it's Calabrese's creative concoctions that really stand out.

Taormina has cropped up on pop culture fans' radar in recent years thanks to the popular show "The White Lotus," which filmed much of its second season at the phenomenal San Domenico Palace. The city is also home to some of Europe's most important Greek sites, and the views from its mountainous coastline are second to none. Inside another luxury hotel, the Belmond Grand, Bar Timeo offers 5-star views over the coastline from an elevated perspective. Open from 11 a.m. to midnight, this spot is ideal no matter what time of day you're looking for a relaxing drink, snack, and open-air island vibe. The aesthetic of the place evokes what the hotel describes as a "19th-century winter garden."

Bar Timeo is certainly on the more luxe side when it comes to cocktails, with signature concoctions averaging around 27 euros. You'll also find a wide range of whiskies, grappa, brandies, Cognac, and more. For those looking to soak up the atmosphere without the booze, there are a solid seven non-alcoholic mixed drinks to choose from. To go along with your drinks, the bar offers a range of snacks including seafood delights like oysters and a couple kinds of caviar, plus Italian specialties like bruschetta, burrata, and tuna caught by fishermen in Favignana, a small island off the west coast of Sicily.

Departing a bit from the high-end hotel bar experience to a destination that has much more of a local feel in Taormina, we find ourselves at Daiquiri. Located in an inviting stone passageway filled with palms and colorful artwork, this is a true gem nestled in the historic heart of the city, steps away from the beautiful Duomo di Taormina and numerous restaurants. Daiquiri provides the kind of relaxing, artsy, unpretentious vibe that makes you feel truly immersed in a city, as if you're one of the locals. "The best cocktails I tried in a very long time!" raves a visitor on Google Reviews. "You also get a few small tapas with your cocktails."

Daiquiri is open from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. every day of the week, and its list of inventive signature cocktails is extensive, with most drinks priced at 16 euros, as of this writing. And of course, a bar couldn't really call itself something as evocative as "Daiquiri" without having at least one or two of these iconic beverages on the menu, and they feature a total of seven different fruit- and botanical-flavored options. You'll also find a range of classic drinks, soft drinks, and a small handful of beers to choose from. And you should definitely not ignore the food menu, as small plates like the "Potato Cloud" with parmesan fondue and truffle sauce or herbed swordfish rolls with mixed Sicilian vegetables will be hard to resist.

Galleria delle Vittorie, or Victory Gallery, is a Italian Fascist-era shopping arcade that was abandoned towards the 1970s. Its rather shabby and worn appearance provides the unique backdrop to Mak Mixology, a trendy cocktail bar inspired by a 1930s aesthetic. The bar is the brainchild of cocktail enthusiast Filippo Genovese, who opened it in 2018 with a vision for something out-of-the-ordinary. The place has a courtyard feel, merged with a warehouse that has Art Deco design elements, so it feels spacious and airy but is technically indoors.

Genovese continues to envision Mak Mixology as a mingling of both Sicilian flavors and cocktail traditions from around the world. Along with a menu of delicious aperitivo options — typically a selection of light, small plates that fill the late afternoon or early evening snack gap before dinner — you'll find a robust selection of craft cocktails.

It's worth nothing that Italians traditionally eat dinner fairly late in the evening, which is something to keep in mind when planning your meals in Italy. The traditional aperitivo is somewhat akin to "happy hour" in the U.S., but with much more emphasis on local foods. These nibbles make great all-night bar snacks. At Mak Mixology, sidle up to some olives, bruschetta, and caponata — a traditional Sicilian dish made with eggplant — and jazz-inspired drinks like "Round Midnight," an ode to Thelonius Monk that's a take on the classic Americano. Not to be confused with the coffee, this cocktail is traditionally made with Campari and sweet vermouth. Come prepared to relax and listen to live music on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays starting at 8 p.m.

There's nothing quite like the intimate feel of a hole-in-the-wall hotspot for great drinks and chatting with friends. Cocktail-centric and also located in a small, intimate, cave-like setting, Bohème Mixology Bar is a speakeasy-style jewel of Sicily's port city of Catania. With funky vintage furniture and great local vibes, it doesn't have a cocktail menu, meaning that the seasoned mixologist behind the bar will learn what you like — or what you're interested in trying — in order to shake up something inventively tasty. "The concept of creating personalized cocktails tailored to your specific taste is both wonderful and innovative, supported by a staff that is genuinely attentive to accommodating your preferences as much as possible," shares a visitor on Tripadvisor (translated from Italian).

Catania is a stop along a stunning, tourist-free bike route, and you may just want to add Bohème Mixology Bar to your list of places to kick back and relax after a long day outside. Its terrace is situated in a pedestrian zone, so while the interior is snug, communal, and atmospheric, with a warmth that's extra inviting during the colder months, the terrace is a great place to enjoy the waning of the day. Subtle, rustic refinement is what this spot is all about, where regionally award-winning drinks and snacks are served with care and a little extra flourish here and there that will delight your epicurean senses. Try the "Radici di Terra Mediterranea," a spiced beet dish with smoked eggplant.

A list of excellent Sicilian bars simply wouldn't be complete without a good handful of rooftop gems with amazing views. Enter the Terrazza at the Gagliardi Boutique Hotel in Noto, a dreamy Sicilian city with ancient streets, food, and art. There's a truly relaxing atmosphere here, situated atop a 19th-century palazzo, with sofa seats overlooking the ornate 18th-century Palazzo Ducezio. This serves as Noto's town hall, and just behind that is the stunning Cattedrale di San Nicolò. With views like these, there's really nothing better than sitting back and just soaking it all in, especially toward the end of the day when the sun casts golden light on the surrounding buildings.

Adjacent to the Terrazza Galgiardi is the Lounge Bar, which serves drinks and snacks throughout the day. And when the weather turns colder in the winter, a gallery is transformed into an indoor bar space. "The real highlight was the rooftop bar and lounge, offering stunning panoramic views of Noto's baroque skyline," a visitor shares in a review on Tripadvisor. "Watching the sunset with a signature cocktail or local wine was simply magical." The Negroni Gagliardi is a good place to start, according to Lavinia Colonna Preti, who shares on SiciliaSecrets.com that it evokes notes of orange, artichoke, and almonds grown in the Noto Valley.

Taormina is far from the only place in Sicily with a claim to fame as a setting on screen. The little town of Savoca, which sits 26 miles south of Messina, the gateway to Sicily, is home to arguably one of the most iconic bars on the whole island: Bar Vitelli, which was made famous for appearing in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather." Nestled in the mountains just off the coast of the Ionian Sea, this slice of cinematic history is worth visiting for that reason alone, but it's also a very pleasant place to sit on a terrace beneath a canopy of vines and take in the view. Of course, it's quite a tourist attraction thanks to its film history, so it can get very busy. But if you're seeking a respite after a day spent in the sun, this is certainly a landmark place to find it.

Bar Vitelli features a wide range of artisan pastries, salads, and snack plates, plus beers, wine, cocktails, and almond and citrus granitas in the summertime. If in addition to its dining options, you just can't get enough of this spot's location and history, it also has a boutique hotel attached, called Bar Vitelli Charming Suites. Beautiful beamed ceilings and rustic stone walls add to the timeless Mediterranean feel.

Far from a comprehensive rundown of all of the great bars Sicily has to offer, this list aims to focus on those that fit the bill for timeless Italian charm — plus providing excellent service, creative drinks and food, and locations that are hard to beat. To compile this list, we focused on specific bars' official websites, some of which are connected to hotels, such as RoccoForteHotels.com, Belmond.com, Daiquiri-Taormina.com, MakMixology.it, Barvitelli.it, KalapintaMenu.it, plus bars' official Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Then we turned to trusted review platforms like Tripadvisor and Google Maps, seeking out Sicilian spots with at least 4.0 stars on either. From there, we dove into visitor comments, ensuring the overall experience emphasized great cocktails, tasty food, and an excellent vibe. We also relied on a number of blogs and beverage-specific publications like DrinksInt.com, TheRooftopGuide.com, Liquor.com, Wunderhead.com, Deskrib.com, TheMartiniHour.blog, and JameChanceTravels.com.