Few places roll out the red carpet for children quite like Sicily. Kids are treated as a blessing rather than a nuisance, and even grand, design-heavy hotels embrace them — ideally not the ones smearing pistachio cannoli into the upholstery, but warmly nonetheless. A new roundup of the island's most family-friendly stays, compiled by a parent of three, makes the case that Sicily's best hotels for families are also among its most acclaimed.
The picks span every kind of family. Villa Sant'Andrea, a Belmond hotel, takes the crown for luxury. Veruda earns double honours as the best option for families with children of different ages and for having the strongest kids' club. Bracciallieri is the pick for teenagers, while Mangia's Costa Ragusa Borgo covers the all-inclusive camp. For families who prefer room to breathe, the island's agriturismos — farm stays — let children run free without the formality of a grand hotel.
The practical advice is where the piece really earns its keep. Peak summer heat is the big one: between roughly 11am and 4pm, small children will struggle outdoors, so parents of pre-schoolers might do better in shoulder season. Baroque towns come with ancient cobblestones that wreck prams, so a baby carrier or backpack is a smarter bet — or hop on the family train rides that tour the palazzi, gelato spots and chocolatiers.
Packing matters too. A wide-brimmed sunhat and long-sleeved swimwear for little ones protect against the fierce sun, and it's worth checking kids' club minimum ages and restaurant opening times before booking — a 7.45pm dinner service is a problem if your children eat at 5pm.
Hiring a car is recommended for anyone staying beyond Palermo or Catania, the two airport cities. One repeated warning: rental companies often fail to provide age-appropriate car seats even when promised, and transfers need reconfirming too. The author's solution was buying two foldable Cybex car seats for peace of mind.
For older kids, day trips are the rhythm of the island — boat outings to uninhabited islands and caves, swimming spots and maze-like towns, with nearly everything reachable from wherever you're based. And the winning formula for a longer break of ten days to two weeks? Splitting the trip between a family-friendly hotel (spa, good dining, kids' club, babysitting) and a villa (space, privacy, sleep for everyone). It works especially well for multi-generational groups.
For parents weighing up where to take the family this summer, Sicily offers a rare combination: genuinely pro-children culture, hotels with proper kids' clubs, and enough variety — beaches, Baroque towns, volcano slopes, vineyards — that no two days need look the same.
Story via Condé Nast Traveller UK.