Golf in Sicily
The largest island in the Mediterranean pairs two Kyle Phillips championship courses on the coast at Verdura with the links and parkland of Donnafugata and a volcanic setting below Mount Etna. The courses that matter, the season, the costs and how to plan a sun, golf and culture week on Italy's most characterful island.
Photograph: Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte Hotel, via Google
Why golf in Sicily
Sicily is the warm, characterful end of Italian golf, an island where the season runs long, the courses are uncrowded and a round comes wrapped in baroque towns, volcanic landscapes and some of the best food in the Mediterranean. The headline is Verdura, the Rocco Forte resort near Sciacca on the south west coast, where Kyle Phillips laid out two championship courses and a short course on a mile and a half of private coastline. The East Course is widely rated the finest in Sicily, with several holes running hard along the sea, and it has hosted European Tour and senior tour golf.
Away from Verdura the island spreads its golf wide. In the south east, near the honey coloured baroque towns of the Val di Noto, Donnafugata offers two contrasting eighteens, a Franco Piras links and a Gary Player parkland. In the north east, in the foothills of Mount Etna, Il Picciolo gives the most dramatic setting in Sicilian golf among vineyards and volcanic terrain. Add the warmth of a long shoulder season, the temples of Agrigento and the beaches of Taormina, and Sicily makes an unhurried golf and culture trip rather than a course bagging sprint.
The regions
The south west coast
The Sciacca and Agrigento stretch, home to Verdura Resort and its two coastal courses, within reach of the Valley of the Temples, the natural base for a golf focused stay.
The south east and Val di Noto
The Ragusa and Noto corner, where Donnafugata sits among baroque towns and stone country, golf paired with Sicily's finest UNESCO architecture and wine.
Etna and the north east
The volcanic country around Mount Etna and the resort town of Taormina, the setting for Il Picciolo, with vineyards, lava landscapes and the island's most scenic golf.
The courses that matter
Verdura East Course
The best course on the island, a Kyle Phillips design of around 7,300 yards with several holes running along the Mediterranean, firm, strategic and the host of professional events. The standout round in Sicilian golf.
Verdura West Course
The shorter, tighter sibling at Verdura, also by Kyle Phillips, a clever par 70 that rewards position over power and gives the resort a genuine two course pairing for a multi day stay.
Donnafugata, Links Course
An inland links style layout by Franco Piras in the south east, often rated the more interesting of the resort's two courses, set in open stone country near the baroque towns of the Val di Noto.
Donnafugata, Parkland Course
The Gary Player parkland eighteen at Donnafugata, a softer, tree framed counterpoint to the links, making the resort a comfortable two course base in the south east of the island.
Il Picciolo Etna Golf
The original Sicilian course and the most dramatic, laid through vineyards and volcanic terrain in the foothills of Mount Etna. Reported closed for renovation into late 2026, so confirm the status before planning around it.
I Monasteri Golf Resort
A parkland resort course near Syracuse on the south east coast, a relaxed, well kept option that rounds out a Sicilian itinerary and pairs naturally with Donnafugata and the Val di Noto.
Designers and pars verified June 2026 from resort and course listings. Il Picciolo was reported closed for renovation into late 2026; course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| April to June | Warm, dry days, green countryside, firm turf | Prime golf and the best all round month, book ahead |
| September to November | Warm sea, settled weather, the grape harvest | Excellent golf and culture, the connoisseur's window |
| December to March | Mild on the coast, cooler inland, quietest courses | Best value, comfortable winter sun golf at Verdura and Donnafugata |
| July and August | Hot and busy, beach season in full swing | Play early or late, pair golf with the coast |
Sicily plays close to year round on the coast, with the shoulder months the sweet spot for golf and sightseeing together. Summer is hot but very playable at first and last light. Always confirm tee times before you travel.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Verdura championship courses | From around 120 euros | Resort guests often pay preferential rates |
| Donnafugata green fee | Around 90 to 120 euros | Links or parkland, season dependent |
| Il Picciolo green fee | Around 90 euros | When open; confirm renovation status first |
| A week, all in | Around 2,000 to 4,000 euros per person | Good hotel, golf and transfers, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Sicily has two main international airports, Catania in the east and Palermo in the west, both with good connections across Europe, and several airlines add seasonal routes in the warmer months. Verdura sits roughly an hour and a half from Palermo on the south west coast, while Donnafugata and Il Picciolo are closer to Catania in the south east and north east, so the choice of airport often follows the courses on your list. The island is large and the roads are scenic but slow, so a hire car or a private driver makes the daily run between course, town and coast far easier.
Where to stay
For a golf first trip, Verdura Resort is the obvious base, a Rocco Forte property with the two courses on site, a long private beach and a serious spa, ideal for a stay and play week. In the south east, Donnafugata Golf Resort and the boutique hotels of Ragusa and Noto put baroque Sicily and two courses within easy reach. Around Etna, Taormina is the glamorous base for a round at Il Picciolo paired with the volcano and the coast. One planner can match the resort to your golf and fold in the culture and the food that make Sicily special.
Plan your Sicily golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Sicily golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in Sicily?
Spring and autumn are the sweet spots, roughly March to June and September to November, with warm, dry days and firm turf. Winter is mild and very playable on the coast and is the quiet, value season. High summer in July and August is hot, so golfers play early or late. Always confirm tee times directly before booking.
Which is the best golf course in Sicily?
The two Kyle Phillips courses at Verdura Resort near Sciacca are the standout, with the East Course widely rated the finest in Sicily and several holes running along the Mediterranean. Donnafugata in the south east offers a Franco Piras links and a Gary Player parkland, and Il Picciolo provides the most dramatic setting in the foothills of Mount Etna.
How much does golf cost in Sicily in 2026?
Indicative green fees run from around 90 euros at Il Picciolo and Donnafugata to roughly 120 euros and up at the Verdura championship courses, with resort guests often paying preferential rates. A week of golf in Sicily with a good hotel typically lands between 2,000 and 4,000 euros per head excluding flights. Prices change by season, so always confirm directly before booking.
Is Il Picciolo open in 2026?
At the time of writing, Il Picciolo Etna Golf was reported to be closed for course renovations into late 2026, with a planned reopening around November 2026. Dates can move, so always confirm the current status with the resort before building a trip around it, and lean on Verdura and Donnafugata if Il Picciolo is not available for your dates.
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The Tee Sheet
Mediterranean course openings, shoulder season value and the trips worth taking. Every other week.