From Palermo’s Liberty-style palazzi to Taormina’s cliffside views and the baroque towns of the Val di Noto, Sicily blends city culture, resort living, and countryside retreats. Based on August 2025 data by immobiliare.it, the region’s average asking price is roughly €1,170 per m², well below the Italian average. This partially makes up for the lower accessibility of Sicilian markets when comparing with mainland alternatives.
Provincial market overview
Province of Palermo
Beyond its lively regional capital, the province stretches along the Tyrrhenian sea with a string of beach towns and mountain villages in the Madonie. Palermo (city) offers grand apartments in Liberty-era buildings, renovated historic cores around the Quattro Canti, and sea-oriented districts like Mondello.
Day-trip magnets Cefalù and Monreale add coastal and cultural value. Investors find a mix of year-round rental demand in the city and seasonal demand along the shore. Average asking prices sit around €1,290 per m², with Cefalù among the province’s premium markets.
Province of Catania
Anchored by Mount Etna and a busy airport/port hub, Catania province combines an energetic urban center with wine country and Riviera-style coastline from Aci Castello up toward Acireale. In the city, classic palazzi and 19th-century blocks dominate, while suburban villas climb the lower Etna slopes with sea or volcano views.
Beach buyers often look to the Playa and towns south toward Augusta. Provincial averages hover around €1,150 per m², with Catania (city) higher due to services, universities, and logistics.
Province of Messina
This is Sicily’s northeastern gateway, facing the mainland and opening to the Aeolian Islands. The coast alternates long beaches and dramatic promontories, while the Nebrodi hinterland offers stone villages and cooler summer temperatures.
Taormina—the province’s emblem—commands the highest prices in the region thanks to its rich history, dramatic sea views, boutique hospitality, and limited inventory. The provincial average is roughly €1,230 per m², with substantial premiums in Taormina and quality seafront zones (Giardini-Naxos, Letojanni).
Province of Siracusa
Baroque Ortigia and the Greek theater define the urban core, while beaches south toward Arenella, Fontane Bianche, and Vendicari attract second-home buyers and investors. Inland, olive and citrus estates frame the approach to Noto, where golden stone facades and careful restorations sustain demand for period property.
The province of Siracusa averages about €1,220 per m²; Siracusa (city) and Noto trend higher, especially in walkable historic zones and along the coast.
Province of Ragusa
Celebrated for the Val di Noto baroque towns—Ragusa Ibla, Modica, Scicli—and the sandy beaches of Marina di Ragusa and Donnalucata, this province balances culture with relaxed seaside living. Buyers choose between honey-colored stone houses on stepped lanes, countryside farmhouses, and modern coastal apartments.
With an average near €1,060 per m², the province of Ragusa offers good depth at mid-market levels, with premiums for fully restored heritage homes and front-row beach addresses.
Province of Trapani
On Sicily’s far west, Trapani combines the medieval hill town of Erice, the salt pans and windmills of Marsala, and ferries to the Egadi Islands. The Zingaro and Monte Cofano reserves add hiking and postcard coves, while San Vito Lo Capo is a signature beach destination.
Wine estates (Marsala) and dammuso-style country homes broaden the palette beyond city apartments. The province averages roughly €1,160 per m², with seafront and heritage centers setting the upper tiers.
Province of Agrigento
Home to the incredible Valley of the Temples and coastal viewpoints such as Scala dei Turchi, the province of Agrigento offers some of Sicily’s most accessible pricing. Buyers look to hilltop historic centers for value or to coastal communes (e.g., toward Sciacca) for second-home potential.
Expect average asking prices around €880 per m², with higher asks and lower flexibility for sea-view positions and well-restored properties in tourist-facing areas.
Province of Enna
Sicily’s highland heart features panoramic towns—Enna, Piazza Armerina—and cooler summers. This is a value market where space and countryside are the draw, suited to buyers prioritizing quiet, authenticity, and long views over immediate beach access. Average asking prices cluster near €770 per m², with opportunities in historic houses and farmsteads.
Province of Caltanissetta
An inland province with smaller, workaday centers and a largely local demand base. For lifestyle buyers, it offers entry-level price points, room to renovate, and access to the central road network. At roughly €670 per m², it is Sicily’s lowest provincial average, with the best prospects tied to well-preserved cores and properties with land.
What’s moving the market
Tourism-led areas—Taormina, Cefalù, and the Val di Noto towns—consistently outperform inland markets. The combination of international visibility, walkable historic centers, and limited inventory of historic homes (Liberty-era palazzi, seafront apartments, baroque townhouses) supports stronger pricing. Fully renovated, well-located homes see the fiercest competition.
When purchasing property abroad, it’s important to understand the tax implications of buying a house in Italy, which can help you plan ahead and avoid unexpected costs.
Spotlight: Taormina & Val di Noto
Taormina (Messina)
A high-demand resort setting with views of Isola Bella and Etna, a renowned 2,300-year-old theater, and a compact historic center. Asking prices surpassing €3,500 per m² reflect scarcity and long seasonal appeal. Demand concentrates on terraces with open views and properties within easy reach of Corso Umberto and the cable car to the beaches.
Val di Noto (Siracusa/Ragusa)
Baroque jewels (Noto, Modica, Scicli, Ragusa Ibla) pair UNESCO-listed streetscapes with countryside villas and citrus or olive plots. Noto averages roughly €1,800 per m²; restored period homes, masseria-style conversions, and panoramic countryside houses command premiums, while surrounding towns provide more varied entry points.
Accessibility & infrastructure
Sicily’s main international gateways—Catania Airport (CTA) on the east coast and Palermo Airport (PMO) on the north—link the island to major European hubs, with seasonal routes expanding coverage. Motorways A19 (Palermo–Catania), A20 (Palermo–Messina), and A18 (Messina–Catania–Siracusa/Modica) carry the bulk of inter-city traffic; away from these spines.
Many provincial roads are single-carriageway, and summer traffic can lengthen coastal and cross-island journeys. Italy’s alta velocità (high-speed train) network does not operate in Sicily—the island’s network relies on conventional lines, so travel times are longer and delays are common.
Your Sicilian Property Awaits
Sicily’s proposition is clear: coastal and baroque-core towns command durable premiums; inland provinces deliver space and authenticity at lower entry points. With provincial averages spanning €650–€1,300 per m² and stand-out markets such as Taormina and Cefalù trading well above the mean, buyers can choose between historic apartments, countryside estates, and sea-view homes within a single region.
| Province | Avg. Price per m² (€) | Key Characteristics & Top Locations | Buyer Profile & Market Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agrigento | ~880 | Valley of the Temples, Scala dei Turchi. Hilltop historic centers offer value; coastal areas for second homes. | Value Seekers. Most accessible pricing. Higher prices for sea views and restored properties in tourist areas. |
| Caltanissetta | ~670 | Inland, workaday towns. Well-preserved historic cores and properties with land. | Budget Buyers/Renovators. Sicily’s lowest-priced market. Prioritizes space and authenticity over luxury. |
| Catania | ~1,150 | Urban center (Catania), Mt. Etna slopes, Riviera coastline (Aci Castello). | Urban & Coastal Buyers. Higher in the city due to services, university, and logistics. |
| Enna | ~770 | Highland towns (Enna, Piazza Armerina). Cooler summers, panoramic views, countryside. | Authenticity Seekers. Value market for those prioritizing quiet, space, and long views over beach access. |
| Messina | ~1,230 | Gateway to mainland, Aeolian Islands, dramatic coast. Taormina is the premium hotspot. | Luxury/Resort Buyers. Taormina commands the highest prices in Sicily (>€3,500/m²) due to views and scarcity. |
| Palermo | ~1,290 | Vibrant capital (Palermo), beach towns (Mondello), cultural magnets (Cefalù, Monreale). | Investors & City Lovers. Mix of year-round city rentals and seasonal coastal demand. Cefalù is a premium market. |
| Ragusa | ~1,060 | UNESCO Baroque towns (Ragusa Ibla, Modica, Scicli), beaches (Marina di Ragusa). | Culture & Coast Balance. Good value. Premiums for restored heritage homes and beachfront properties. |
| Siracusa | ~1,220 | Historic Ortigia, Greek theatre, beaches (Fontane Bianche), Baroque Noto. | Culture & Second-Home Buyers. Higher prices in walkable historic zones (Noto, Ortigia) and along the coast. |
| Trapani | ~1,160 | Medieval Erice, Egadi Islands, beaches (San Vito Lo Capo), wine country (Marsala). | Diverse Lifestyle Buyers. Offers city apartments, country homes (dammusi), and seafront destinations. |
