INTRODUCTION:This guide devoted to
Sicily aims at
facilitating the organization of travellers’ itineraries around the
region and providing information on all the
unmissable sites on the island and further
useful information.
Sicily is the biggest island in the
Mediterranean Sea and covers everything you could want for a complete holiday, embracing
history, culture, art and a spectacular sea, a combination you´ll be hard pressed to find anywhere else but Sicily, a land that leaves visitors more in awe with every
step they take.
Besides the main island of Sicily
there are also many other much
smaller islands: the fabulous
Aeolian Islands, the Aegadian islands, Pelagie, Pantelleria and Ustica.
Sicily is becoming continually
more accessible as an international
tourist destination thanks to more and more airlines flying to the island. Although not long ago organizing a trip to
the island was not an easy task because of the limited number of flights,
nowadays, fortunately, there are plenty of options for
travellers coming from all over the world to enjoy this special place.
The increase in accessibility together with the investment stimulated to improve
and increase accommodation in the region has led
to a gradual
growth of the tourism industry in Sicily in recent years.
This was certainly anticipated and since the wonders of this island were first discovered, more and more
travellers were sure to grow interested in seeing them for themselves.
HISTORY:The island´s name derives form the first people that inhabited the region: the “siculos”
and “sicanos”.
Because
of its strategic
central position in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily
directly experienced some of the most important events in history and the many invasions
it underwent left an
historical and cultural heritage that
has contributed to this unique setting.
Sicily is the combination of the many
civilizations that peopled and dominated it: it is the history of the
Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Muslims, the Romans, the Byzantines, the
Spanish... and today Sicily still reflects this multiculturalism in the singular personality of the Sicilian people.
The historical symbol that best represents
the island is no doubt the
Valle dei Tempi, spectacular archaeological
buildings situated in the province of Agrigento, to the south of the
island, whose construction began in approximately 580 BC. This area, of undeniable
historical interest, includes an archaeological park as well as more
vestiges located in the acropolis and other places scattered in the
city. The
acropolis of the Valley of the Temples is one
of the symbols of the island and no doubt one of the must-see destinationsfor travellers to Sicily.
Together with the Syracuse it is one of the places that attest to the
importance
of the Greek power over the island.
INTERESTING DATA:When talking about the tourist destinations
of the island we need to highlight, among others,
Taormina, Syracuse,
Caltagirone, Cefalù , Piazza Armerina, Acireale, Trapani, Ragusa and
the beautiful Palermo.
The most adventurous visitors might like to climb the slopes of
Mount Etna, the highest active volcano
in Europe, that gives unsurpassed views of its practically continuous
eruptions of lava.
Those with a little more time to explore should visit the main towns and get to know the island´s unique personality, that, although geographically speaking is part of Italy, has managed to maintain distinct from any of the regions of the transalpine country.
The small islands already mentioned which form part of Sicily are places of special beauty which can be reached
by means of ferries linking to the main island.
The Aeolian islands boast some of the
most precious and exclusive places of Sicilian geography: the pretty
Lipari, the tranquil and serene Salina, the elegant Panarea
or the volcanic Stromboli made famous by Roberto Rossellini in the
scenes of his most celebrated films. Signs on the island indicate the places he and Ingrid Bergman visited during their stay on the island.
There are a few experiences
that can be compared to a nighttime
swim enjoying the sight of an active
volcano and its incandescent magma.
Sicily is an encyclopaedia of
history,
culture, art, gastronomy and cultural traditions including the
“Opera
dei Pupi”. This is a puppet theatre in which the characters are
the knights of Charlemagne’s army and is one of the most important
popular traditions in Sicily.
The excellent gastronomy of the island reveals traces of all the people that
occupied it and so is rich in variety. Its
exquisite sweets are a benchmark throughout Italy and there are
few cities in the country which do not have a prestigious Sicilian confectioners.
As you´ve already seen there are
endless reasons to pay a visit to Sicily, this land which will never cease to surprise you. We also suggest you look at the Divino Italy website dedicated to
Villas in Italy but also more specifically to hotels and
Villas in Sicily. If you want to book a house next to the beach, you can also visit Vacation Homes Sicily which is a nice site with many properties in the island.
As last recommendation you could also visit DivinoVillas website where you will find many private villas for rent in sicily.
We hope this guide will help to awaken an interest in Sicily amongst those who have not yet decided on their next holiday destination, and equally be useful to those who are planning upcoming trips to the island.