First, find Sicily on the golf map
For many visitors, Sicily means Palermo’s markets, Greek temples, baroque towns and summer beaches. A golf trip seems less obvious, until you look at the map. Verdura lies on the southwest coast near Sciacca, roughly in the part of the island reached via Palermo. Il Picciolo is on Etna’s northern slopes, inland from the Taormina coast and reached via Catania. Palermo has a nine-hole city course. The former Donnafugata golf property near Ragusa is being redeveloped, with its first course planned for 2027.
These places are far apart. Sicily is the Mediterranean’s largest island, and a round on Etna followed by dinner near Sciacca is not a sensible day trip. The good itinerary begins with one golf area and gives it several days. That choice also decides what the non-golfers will see: sea and archaeological sites in the southwest, volcano and Ionian towns in the east, or Palermo’s cultural life in the north.
A Sicily-inspired golf landscape overlooking the Mediterranean, framed by olive trees and a rocky coastline.
Golf here is distinctive because the landscape does much of the work. The sea changes the light around Verdura; volcanic soil and vineyards alter the mood near Il Picciolo. A morning tee time can leave an afternoon for a swim or a long lunch. That combination, rather than a promise of dozens of interchangeable courses, is Sicily’s case for a golf holiday.
Verdura: golf beside the Mediterranean
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| The beach near Cottage Aquamarine, Menfi-Sciacca. |
The beach near Cottage Aquamarine, Menfi-Sciacca.
Near the port town of Sciacca, Verdura is the clearest answer to the question “where can I play serious golf in Sicily?” Kyle Phillips designed two 18-hole courses on the south-west coast. Their position gives the rounds a maritime setting that feels unmistakably Sicilian. There is also a nine-hole Executive course, temporarily closed for improvements, with completion expected in spring 2027. Check the current layouts and tee times before booking.
You do not have to spend the whole holiday within a golf resort. Sciacca has a harbor, ceramics and a lived-in old center. Menfi, farther along the coast, adds vineyards and long beaches; Selinunte’s Greek temples offer a remarkable excursion. These are places to spend time, not quick stops to fill the hours after a round.
Cottage Aquamarine is a 6-bedroom luxury villa with 3 bedrooms, a bio-design pool and direct access to a beach which can be reached on foot. The villas at Verdura require a drive to reach the golf course, so they suit guests who want golf as one aspect of their holiday, not a daily activity. Guests looking for repeated early tee times should check the exact journey time to the course before booking a villa. See luxury villas in Sicily by location and by accommodation details. Resort privileges and green fees vary by property and by booking.
Etna: an inland round with a volcanic backdrop
Etna and the Taormina coast.
Etna and the Taormina coast.
On the other side of the island, Il Picciolo stands at Castiglione di Sicilia on the northern slopes of Mount Etna. It is an 18-hole, par-72 course designed by Luigi Rota Caremoli, with a driving range and practice greens. Visiting golfers should confirm handicap requirements, green fees, and tee-time availability directly with the club. The setting is what stays in the memory: this is golf within a volcanic landscape, not a seaside resort transplanted to Italy.
Etna has its own holiday rhythm. Villages sit among vineyards and old lava fields; the mountain’s weather and colors can shift across a day. Taormina and the Ionian coast offer another rhythm, with the ancient theatre, beaches and places to dine after sunset. A traveler who expects to play several rounds should consider a base closer to Castiglione. Someone who plans one or two games may prefer the coast and drive inland for golf.
That distinction matters more than a glamorous villa description. A German traveler uses Luxusvillen auf Sizilien to compare locations, then checks the route from the property to the club. The same week can accommodate a golfer, a swimmer, and a guest more interested in a winery, provided no one assumes that “Etna area” or “Taormina area” means everything is around the corner.
Ragusa, Palermo and the freedom of a villa
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| Donnafugata Castle near Ragusa. |
Donnafugata Castle near Ragusa.
South-eastern Sicily is an attractive prospect, but its headline golf story is still to come. The former Donnafugata resort near Ragusa is being redeveloped as Costa Ragusa Golf. The Queens Course is scheduled for 2027 and the Castle Course for 2028. Neither date is confirmed: verify opening and visiting-player arrangements before planning a trip around either course.
Ragusa and Scicli already justify the journey. Their baroque streets and stone squares belong to a part of Sicily where lunch can take its time, and the coast is never far away. Palermo offers a different scale of golf: Golf Club Palermo at Parco Airoldi has nine holes and a school, useful for a lesson or a round during a city holiday. Near Syracuse, I Monasteri has been undergoing refurbishment; confirm reopening and visitor access before adding it to an itinerary.
A mixed group will enjoy the “villa” part of their stay the most. One guest might leave early for a tee time while others head to the beach, a local market, or an archaeological site of interest. At night, they will all sit down together for dinner at the “villa”. For French golfers, comparing location de villa de luxe en Sicile by area is fine, but it is much more useful to read the actual distances, capacities, pool season information, and included services. A luxury collection lets you choose from many different stays, not just book golf or stay near golf courses.
Sicily’s golf excellence is measured in a few memorable settings rather than the sheer number of courses. Play where the landscape interests you, allow the towns and food their own days, and the round becomes a reason to discover an island you may not have associated with golf at all.