All you need to know to plan a visit to charming Scopello, Italy, a picture-perfect village in Sicily with a breathtaking sea view, a historical center, and fantastic food.
Scopello is one of the most charming villages in Sicily, Italy.
Perched on the tops of a hill, it is a tiny town with a historical center, a historical tonnara of Hollywood fame and breathtaking sea views.
It is one of those places that will add an extra layer to your experience of Sicily and while known to tourism, it feels like a bit of a find!
Very different from localities such as Taormina and Siracusa yet equally charming, it is a place we love that we now always recommend including in your Sicily itinerary.
In this guide, you will find the best things to do in Scopello, Italy, why we loved it and practical tips for visiting.
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The best things to do in Scopello, Sicily
Scopello is a tiny village and the main thing to do here is to take in the beauty of its lovely alleys, the charm of flowers on sun-drenched balconies and the incredible views of the Mediterranean below.
You will see all the best Scopello has to offer by taking a stroll around the town.
However, there are a few highlights that you should make an extra effort to seek you as they will really add to your experience.
These are the best things to do in Scopello!
Discover Baglio di Scopello (town center)
Scopello was originally a Baglio, a Sicilian gated rural community or country estate historically belonging to local barons or the church.
Scopello’s Baglio dates back to the XV century. Today is a beautiful piazza, surrounded by high walls and shaded by luscious vegetation, under which cafes, restaurants and craft shops thrive.
The Baglio is at the very entrance of the city and it is lovely to visit.
Interested in learning more facts and tidbits about Sicily? Find more here!
The large gate framed by local stone in warm earth colors allows you in and a piece of local history and souvenir shops quickly surrounds you!
Scopello’s Baglio is lovely and easy to enjoy: the best way is to stroll, snoop around the shops, and sit in the piazza for a refreshing drink or coffee.
Good to know: the baglio is a great stop if you have kids. The piazza is car-free and there is a lovely gelato shop!
Lounge in Scopello’s piazza
Immediately outside the Baglio is a large piazza with a lovely fountain and several cafe terraces.
The piazza is large considering the size of the town and a lovely place to taste local specialties: the cafe beside the Baglio has delicious arancine and nice outdoor tables, perfect for people-watching!
Experience Scopello’s tonnara
The village of Scopello is gorgeous but the jewel in the crown is not in the town itself but farther downhill, towards the sea.
This is where you find Scopello’s tonnara and one of the most beautiful sea landscapes you can get!
Scopello’s tonnara is what put Scopello on the map of international tourism.
It appeared in Ocean 12 and has attracted a lot of attention since then.
The tonnara is gorgeous and worth the walk (careful with young kids, it is not the most accessible of places).
Good to know: the tonnara is glorious on a quiet day but can get very busy. Try visiting outside on the weekend or during local festivities to avoid crowds.
Take a walk to the outdoor church.
The main church in Scopello overlooks the main square; however, if you stroll immediately outside the village, you will find another consecrated space, this time outside.
In spring and autumn, weddings and ceremonies are celebrated here and the setting is stunning.
The altar is positioned so the congregation looks out to the sea and the breathtaking view!
Try all the food
Sicilian food is out of this world tasty and you can taste plenty of it in Scopello!
Foods to try and the best places to eat in Scopello are:
Pane cunzato, a local type of bread dressed in olive oil, tomato, cheese and anchovies
Sfincione, a kind of focaccia with tomatoes, onions and yet again, anchovies
Inside the village, you can taste pane cunzato and sfincione in the local forno (bakery).
Arancine, traditional Sicilian fried rice balls – we had the best ones at the cafe on the main piazza
CousCous alla trapanese and anything fish – a fantastic address for this is La Tavernetta,
For drinks with a view, a great place is the Bellevue Lunge Bar which delivers just the stunning views its name evokes.
Go to Scopello beaches.
Scopello is on a hill and the closest access to the sea is its tonnara, on a rocky stretch of coast.
The best sandy beaches in Scopello are outside the town.
The best beaches in Scopello are:
Playa at Castellammare del Golfo
Beautiful sandy beach just outside of Scopello. This is the best Scopello beach if you want a full beach day and if you eat visiting Scopello with children.
Zingaro Reserve
A stunning nature reserve with beautiful beaches and crystal-clear water
Baia di Guidaloca
A superb beach with calm, crystal clear waters and rocky areas perfect for snorkeling (bring water shoes for the kids!)
Cala Mazzo di Sciacca
Fantastic, family-friendly beach with slowly degrading sea access, the option to rent sun loungers, umbrellas, and fantastic views and water.
Scopello Accommodation: best hotels and agriturismo in Scopello
There is a good choice of accommodation in Scopello, ranging from hotels to B&bs and agriturismo.
Some we tried and had a good experience with are:
Hotel la Tavernetta outstanding, especially for the views from its stunning garden
Baglio La Riserva, nicely renovated and with a lovely garden
Baglio Buccellato, with a charming garden
Agriturismo Tenute Plaia, with a stunning terrace with sea views
Baglio di Scopello is especially suitable for families with young kids, thanks to the shallow
How to get to Scopello, Sicily
Scopello is a tiny village perched on top of a hill in the North-West of Sicily, Italy.
The closest big cities are Palermo, immediately to its East and Trapani, to its West.
Palermo and Trapani are the closest airports to Scopello and the best way to get to Scopello is by car (private or arranged by your hotel) or bus.
I highly recommend you get your car to visit this area.
The town of Scopello is car-free and a handy parking lot is available just outside the village entrance. Still, the car will allow you to discover the Zingaro Reserve, Castellammare del Golfo and Segesta, all stunning locations near Scopello that are best accessible with private transport.
If you are looking for car rental options, we recommend Avis.
If you prefer to rely on guided tours, we recommend you book via GetYourGuide, an excellent provider of tickets and tours we use on all our travels and that has excellent tours and cancellation options.
Activities in Scopello you may enjoy are:
Good to know! You can find more beautiful destinations in Italy here and off-the-beaten-track places in Italy here.
I hope you enjoyed this essential guide to visiting Scopello and it inspired you to take a trip to this stunning corner of Sicily. Safe travel planning!
This post was originally written in 2014 and has been fully updated in 2022 with recent information and new photos.
Looks amazing Maria, Sicily is always somewhere that has interested me to visit, maybe it my love of the Godfather movies who know but maybe one day for us.
We didn’t make it to Sicily on our trip to Italy. Now, I am regretting it. It looks so beautiful!
What a beautiful and cozy village to get married in! I have only been to Taormina one day from a cruise ship, but I really want to get back to Sicily! I had the best pizza of my life there! 🙂
Hehe I can imagine! I also can’t wait to go back to Sicily: this area was amazing but deserves well over a week end to be explored
What an incredible place for a wedding, and such an amazing way for the bride to be brought to the ceremony!
This reminds me of panicale, a hilltop village in umbria, so very beautiful! I so love travelling in Italy – the food, the people and the beautiful landscape. Scopello looks lovely!
Oh Umbria, one of my favourite parts of Italy! I have heard of Panicale but have never been: i was looking for a day trip idea from Rome and you might have just given me one…
My family is from Sicily and we considered getting married there. This makes me sad I didn’t.
This looks like a great Sicilian vacation. 😉 I loved visiting Sicily several years ago though my favorite part was the catacombs. LOL Anyway, loved that you included so many historic facts. 😉
I love that you called our public transportation as “scarce”. And how great to experience it all with kids. I too have foodies in the making.