Where to Play Tennis in Sicily: Public Courts and Clubs for Visitors (2026)

You do not need to stay at a resort to play tennis in Sicily. The island has a long club tradition, with historic circoli in Palermo and Taormina and large clubs in Catania and Syracuse, and several of them will rent a court to a visitor with a racquet and a polite phone call. Little of this is written down in English, and many clubs put members first. Here is where visitors can realistically get on court, and how booking works.

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If you would rather have a court outside your bedroom door, our guide to tennis hotels in Sicily covers the resorts with their own courts, and the hub on luxury hotels with tennis courts in Italy compares Sicily with the mainland.

How court booking works in Italy

Most Italian tennis is played at private clubs (circoli), so in practice a visitor is a guest at someone else’s club. Four booking routes are worth knowing:

• Playtomic: the booking app most visitors already use for padel. TC Palermo 3 lists here. Create an account before you travel.
• Club systems such as Wansport: Tennis Club Umberto in Catania and Circolo Tennis Trapani use Wansport booking pages. Registration is open, but non-member booking is not stated, so check with the club.
• Phone and WhatsApp: still common in Sicily. Asking your hotel concierge to call usually works best.
• Through your hotel: some hotels are club members and can book for you at member rates. In Taormina, Hotel Villa Schuler offers this for the Taormina Sporting Club.

Guest fees and paperwork. Clubs charge per court hour or per player, sometimes plus floodlights. Members-only clubs may admit you only as a member’s guest. Some clubs affiliated with the Italian federation (FITP) ask regular players for a federation card (tessera) or medical certificate, so ask when you book.

Clay shoes and etiquette. A large share of Sicilian club courts are clay (terra rossa). Bring clay-court or all-court shoes with a herringbone sole; running shoes damage the surface and some clubs will turn you away. Brush the court at the end of your slot. We found no all-white rule at these clubs, but wear proper tennis clothing, and expect slots of 50 to 55 minutes.

The clubs: where visitors can play

We checked club websites, booking pages, tourist board listings and local press. Rules for non-members change, so confirm when you book.

Taormina Sporting Club (Taormina)

Founded in 1925, the Taormina Sporting Club has three clay courts beside the public gardens of Parco Duca di Cesarò, also known as the Florence Trevelyan gardens (the Villa Comunale), with the entrance on Via Bagnoli Croci. It is a few minutes on foot from Corso Umberto, which makes it a practical choice for a visitor without a car. There is a bar, changing rooms, showers, racquet hire and an instructor, and taormina.it lists English-speaking staff.

Published hours are 8am to noon and 4pm to 9pm from May to September, and 8am to 11:30am and 3pm to 7pm from October to April. Taormina.it lists 10 euros per person for singles and 6.50 euros per person for doubles per 55 minutes, plus 3 euros for floodlights; the page is undated, so check with the club for current rates.

Our research turned up contradictory information on hotel discounts: Villa Schuler’s own page quotes 10 per cent off court rental when booked through the hotel, while taormina.it quotes 20 per cent. It was not clear to us which applies, so confirm before you book. Local press reported in July 2025 that the club had been returned to the town, so arrangements may have changed.

Centro Sportivo Desport (Giardini Naxos)

Down on the coast below Taormina, this sports centre on Via Consolare Valeria lists tennis courts and lessons alongside artificial grass football pitches. Court numbers, surface, floodlights and prices are not published, so check with the club.

TC Palermo 3 (Palermo)

For visitors to Palermo, this club on Via Trapani Pescia in the north of the city is the most straightforward option we found, because it is listed on Playtomic. Its listing mentions tennis, padel, a gym and a pool, with opening hours of 7:30am to 10pm on weekdays and 8am to 10pm at weekends. Court numbers, surfaces and visitor prices are not published, so check in the app or with the club.

Circolo Tennis Palermo (Palermo)

Founded in 1926, Palermo’s historic club on Viale del Fante, at the edge of the Parco della Favorita, celebrates its centenary in 2026. The club’s own fact sheet lists clay and synthetic courts, a covered court, a centre court with stands and padel, and the club has hosted ATP Challenger events, including the revived Campionati Internazionali di Sicilia in 2026. It is a members’ club: its online booking rules allow only registered members to book. Ask your hotel about a guest booking, or come to watch a tournament.

Country Time Club (Palermo)

The Country Time Club on Viale dell’Olimpo hosts the WTA Palermo Ladies Open, played on its clay courts in July. For visitors it is a place to watch rather than play: court listings describe it as members only. Local press reported plans in 2025 for new synthetic courts and a stadium court; check with the club for the current state of works and any guest arrangements.

Tennis Club Umberto (Catania)

Catania’s Tennis Club Umberto, on Via Monsignor Domenico Orlando, has been running since 1975 and lists ten tennis courts, six clay and four resin, plus two padel courts. Booking is online, by phone or by email. Floodlights, visitor prices and English-language coaching are not published, so check with the club. With ten courts, it is worth trying when smaller clubs are full.

TC Match Ball (Syracuse)

On Viale Giuseppe Agnello on the mainland side of Syracuse, TC Match Ball lists outdoor clay, indoor clay and hard courts, plus padel and a tennis school. The club asks players to get in touch to book a court, by phone, email or WhatsApp. Court numbers, lighting and prices are not published, so check with the club.

Tennis Club Siracusa (Syracuse)

The city’s established club on Viale Santa Panagia 268, north of the centre, appears on tourist listings as a place to play tennis, but court numbers, surfaces and guest rules are not published. Our sources gave two different phone numbers, so confirm the contact first.

Cefalù

Visit Cefalù lists a local sports association with a single synthetic grass court on Via Roma. Otherwise tennis here is mostly at resorts, such as the Sporting Club at Mazzaforno west of town. Prices and visitor access are not published, so check with the club.

Circolo Tennis Trapani (Trapani)

In the far west, Circolo Tennis Trapani on Contrada Milo Errante offers tennis and padel and uses a Wansport booking page with open registration. The number of courts, surfaces and visitor fees are not published, so check with the club.

Comparison table: tennis clubs in Sicily at a glance

Best months and times to play

• April to June: the most comfortable months. Aim for weekday mornings.
• July and August: play before 10am or after 6pm. Some clubs close in the early afternoon anyway, as Taormina’s split hours show. Floodlit evening courts are the best tool you have.
• September and October: warm sea, softer light and fewer visitors.
• November to March: city clubs stay open and mild days are very playable, especially in Palermo and Catania. Indoor or covered courts, such as those at TC Match Ball and Circolo Tennis Palermo, help on wet days.

Where to stay nearby

Three of these have their own courts; the others are well placed for the clubs above.

Rocco Forte Villa Igiea (Palermo)

The Florio family’s Art Nouveau palace in the Acquasanta district has its own outdoor tennis court above the Gulf of Palermo, and the concierge can arrange coaching. See our Villa Igiea review and where to stay in Palermo.

Best for: city breaks with daily tennis.

Check rates at Rocco Forte Villa Igiea

Grand Hotel Timeo (Taormina)

The Timeo has no court of its own, but it sits beside the Greek Theatre in the centre of town, so the Taormina Sporting Club is a walk across town rather than a drive. See our Grand Hotel Timeo review for the full picture.

Best for: couples who want one hour of clay a day and a great deal of Taormina.

Check rates at Grand Hotel Timeo

UNAHOTELS Naxos Beach Sicilia (Giardini Naxos)

A large four-star beach resort below Taormina with floodlit tennis and padel on site, a private beach and several pools. It is seasonal. Our UNAHOTELS Naxos Beach review has the details.

Best for: families and groups who want courts on site and the Taormina club as a change of scene.

Check rates at UNAHOTELS Naxos Beach Sicilia

Ortea Palace (Syracuse)

The former 1920s post office at the entrance to Ortigia is a city hotel with no court, but it sits at the island’s bridges, outside the limited traffic zone, which makes the short drive to the clubs on the mainland side of Syracuse easy. Read our Ortea Palace review.

Best for: culture lovers who want a few sets between baroque sightseeing.

Check rates at Ortea Palace

Mangia’s Pollina Resort (near Cefalù)

About 13 km east of Cefalù on a pine-covered headland, Pollina has four tennis courts and two padel courts with coaching. It is seasonal and closed in winter. See our Mangia’s Pollina review.

Best for: active families on the north coast.

Check rates at Mangia’s Pollina Resort

Frequently Asked Questions

Can tourists play tennis at Sicilian clubs without being members?

Often, yes. The Taormina Sporting Club rents courts to visitors and TC Palermo 3 is on Playtomic. Circolo Tennis Palermo and the Country Time Club are for members.

How much does a tennis court cost in Sicily?

Few clubs publish visitor prices. In Taormina, the town’s tourism site lists 10 euros per person for singles and 6.50 euros per person for doubles per 55 minutes, plus 3 euros for lights. Elsewhere, check with the club.

Do I need clay-court shoes?

Yes, if you are playing on clay, which is common at Sicilian clubs. Pack herringbone-soled clay or all-court shoes.

Where can I watch professional tennis in Sicily?

In Palermo. The WTA Palermo Ladies Open is played on clay at the Country Time Club in July, and Circolo Tennis Palermo hosted an ATP Challenger in 2026.