Choose Puglia if…
- you want lots of private group options for friends to book together
- you want special-occasion restaurants for a splurge night
- you love the setting: whitewashed hill towns, trulli houses, olive groves and masseria farm estates where many weddings take place
Choose Sicily if…
- guests are staying longer and want day trips
- you love the setting: a clifftop town with a Greek theater, an active volcano covered in vineyards, granita for breakfast and the bay of Isola Bella below
Side by side
| Puglia | Sicily | |
|---|---|---|
| Best season | May to June, September to October | May to June, September to October |
| Getting there | Bari (BRI) and Brindisi (BDS) are each about 1 hour from the Valle d'Itria. | Catania (CTA) is about 1 hour by car or bus from Taormina. |
| Car needed? | Mostly yes | Mostly yes |
| Activity prices | Budget-friendly | Budget-friendly |
| Group-friendly activities | 12 of 12 | 11 of 12 |
| Relaxed activities | 5 | 4 |
| Foodie activities | 4 | 3 |
| Adventure activities | 4 | 5 |
| Full-day trips | 1 | 2 |
| Seasonal activities | 2 | 3 |
| Budget eats on our list | 3 | 3 |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) | Euro (EUR) |
| Tipping | Not expected. Many restaurants add a small "coperto" cover charge per person. Rounding up or leaving 5 to 10% for great service is appreciated. | Not expected. Many restaurants add a small "coperto" cover charge per person. Rounding up or leaving 5 to 10% for great service is appreciated. |
| Dinner time | Dinner usually starts between 8 and 9:30 pm. Many kitchens close between lunch and dinner. | Dinner usually starts between 8 and 9:30 pm. Many kitchens close between lunch and dinner. |
Top group activities in Puglia
- Alberobello trulli walking tour. The UNESCO town of cone-roofed trulli houses with a local guide.
- Orecchiette pasta class in a masseria. Learn to shape orecchiette with a nonna, then sit down to lunch.
- Olive oil tasting at a historic masseria. Thousand-year-old olive trees, an old underground mill and a guided tasting.
- Polignano a Mare sea caves boat tour. See the town's cliffs and caves from the water, with a swim stop.
Top group activities in Sicily
- Mount Etna jeep tour with lava caves. Off-road up the volcano's slopes, walk old craters and explore a lava tube.
- Etna wine tasting at a volcanic vineyard. Taste Nerello Mascalese grown in black volcanic soil, with lunch.
- Isola Bella and Blue Grotto boat tour. A short boat trip along the coast with swim stops.
- Taormina and Greek Theater walking tour. The ancient theater with Etna as the backdrop, then the town's lanes.
Questions couples ask
Is Puglia or Sicily better for a destination wedding?
Choose Puglia if you want lots of private group options for friends to book together. Choose Sicily if guests are staying longer and want day trips.
When is the best time for a wedding in Puglia and Sicily?
Puglia: May to June, September to October. Sicily: May to June, September to October.
Which is easier for guests to reach, Puglia or Sicily?
Puglia: Bari (BRI) and Brindisi (BDS) are each about 1 hour from the Valle d'Itria. Sicily: Catania (CTA) is about 1 hour by car or bus from Taormina.
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