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Sicily - Italy Travel
The largest island in the Mediterranean Sea is the island of Sicily, Italy travel and exploration is just a short journey away with the Italian mainland across the narrow Messina straight, however Sicily is a world apart in atmosphere. Taking a holiday in Sicily offers ideal last minute holidays in Italy, as everything Italian seems a little more appetising here, not only the food but the history and culture as well.
Visitors on a holiday in Sicily can explore the island's colourful history. The Mafia influences on the island meant that Sicily was ignored as a holiday destination for a long time. Today, however, the island is experiencing a tourism boom and a surge in development as the destructive influences of the Mafia wane. Visitors on a holiday in Sicily will discover that the Sicilian people are gracious, noble and welcoming and that the island itself offers natural and historic attractions of great beauty and enormous interest.
Sicily's major cities of Catania and Palermo are home to some of the most beautiful architecture in the world, as the island has witnessed the occupation from may different civilisations over the centuries, from the Greeks, Romans, Normans, Arabs and in more recent times the Italians, French and the Spanish. There are massive Romanesque cathedrals, the best-preserved Greek temples in the world, Roman amphitheatres and magnificent Baroque palaces. The continuous blue skies and temperate climate, lush vegetation and rich marine life all add to the island's appeal. Nature has given Sicily Mount Etna, Europe's tallest active volcano, a dramatic coastline and a fertile soil that gives forth much of the bounty on which the island's unique and delicious cuisine is based.
Palermo
Palermo is over populated and jumbled, with a high level of crime, corruption and pollution from both noise and decay. All these unpleasant adjectives can be applied to Sicily's capital, Palermo, but this does not stop most visitors falling in love with this city on the northwestern coast of the island. It may be exceedingly ugly in some respects, but it is also a place of beauty that is slowly being revived and restored by the determined city fathers to regain a semblance of its former glory. At various times during its varied and colourful history Palermo, beautifully sited on a wide bay under the bulk of Monte Pellegrino, has enjoyed a position as one of the greatest cities of Europe, particularly under Arab and Norman domination in the Middle Ages. The legacy of the past is evident today in its treasure-trove of Byzantine, Baroque and Norman historic buildings and relics in its many museums. The rescue of Palermo has been aided by funds allocated by the European Union and the wane of the reign of the Mafia. Today the pulse of the city beats fast and furious even in the oppressive summer heat in its hectic street markets, cobbled squares and narrow alleyways, where sirens squeal and traffic roars indiscriminately. Old, historic quarters like Kalsa are being restored and restaurants, galleries and cafes are opening to cater for the tourist trade. Several days are required to appreciate the sights of the seething city before moving on to explore the rest of the island.
Galleria Regionale
The Gothic Palazzo Abbatellis was originally built in 1488 and is now home to Palermo's largest art museum, which is devoted to medieval art and relics. The collection includes several particularly interesting works. The Bust of Eleanor of Aragon by Francesco Laurana, for example, dates from 1471 and is considered to be the epitome of Renaissance Sicilian sculpture, while the beautiful masterpiece painting Our Lady of the Annunciation is considered Antonello da Messina's greatest work. Also renowned is the chilling Triumph of Death fresco by an unknown 15th-century artist that covers an entire wall.
Address: Via Alloro 4; Telephone: (091) 616 4317; Opening time: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday 9am to 1.30pm; Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9am to 1.30pm and 3pm to 7.30pm; and Sunday 9am to 12.30pm; Admission: €4.50
Marionette Museum
A unique attraction in the ancient city of Palermo is the Museo delle Marionette, which is dedicated to the history and ancient Sicilian art of puppetry. Free shows are often put on in summer, but the museum collection itself, the greatest of its kind in the world, is entertainment enough. Most of the antique puppets on display evoke Norman Sicily, representing chivalrous heroes and Saracen pirates, knights, ladies and troubadours. The collection includes puppets from the Far East and even some English 'Punch and Judy' dolls.
Address: Via Butera 1 (around the corner from the Palazzo Chiaramonte); Telephone: (091) 328 060; Opening time: Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 7pm; Saturdays 9am to 1pm; Admission: €3 (adults), €1.50 (children)
Monreale Cathedral
The twelfth century Monreale Cathedral is situated on mountain slopes in the suburb of Monreale and it is one of the most popular places of worship in the Region. The dazzling cathedral is a mixture of Arab, Byzantine and Norman artistic styles, a blend of medieval Christian and Muslim architecture. The magnificent mosaics that cover 68,243 square feet (6,340 sq metres) of the cathedral's dome and all of the walls on the interior are unsurpassed. The adjacent Benedictine abbey features a cloister with 228 carved stone columns, many inlaid with mosaics, depicting scenes from Sicily's Norman history.
Transport: Monreale can be reached on bus 389 from the Piazza Indipendenza in Palermo, taking about 20 minutes to reach the cathedral; Opening time: Daily 8am to 6pm. The abbey cloister is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 1pm, and usually from 3pm to 7pm during the tourist season; Sundays 9am to 12.30pm
Capuchin Catacombs
The Capuchin Catacombs are a fascinating and macabre subterranean attraction, containing the mummified remains of around eight thousand ancient Palermo inhabitants. The Capuchin friars began mummifying and embalming the bodies of the city's nobles back in 1533, and the tradition continued for centuries with the last body (a seven-year-old girl named Rosalia) being embalmed in 1920. After embalming, the corpses were hung along the walls of the catacombs, dressed in their best, which they still wear proudly, like the military officer in an 18th-century uniform complete with tricorn.
Address: Piazza Cappuccini 1; Telephone: (091) 212 117; Opening time: Daily 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 5pm (until 7pm in summer); Admission: €1.50
Palazzo Mirto
The Palazzo Mirto is a spectacular example of Baroque opulence and one of the only aristocratic homes open to public exploration, which offers visitors an insight into the lives of 19th century nobles. The Palace was the residence of the Lanza Filangeri family whose last heir left the estate to the Ministry of Cultural Assets in 1982. Most of the princely rooms and salons are furnished with original items that belonged to the family.
Address: Via Merlo 2, off the Piazza Marina; Telephone: (091) 616 4751; Opening time: Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 9am to 1.30pm; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 1.30pm and 3pm to 5pm; Admission: €2
Regional Archaeological Museum
Palermo's shabby looking Archaeological Museum is the last place you would expect find some of Europe's greatest archaeological treasures, however the musty museum is home to some of the best European relics. The collection is housed in several old convent buildings, dating back to the 13th century, and includes artefacts from the Phoenician, Punic, Greek, Roman and Saracen periods found on the island. Highlights include two Phoenician sarcophagi dating from 5 BC, and the Pietra di Palermo, a black slab discovered in Egypt containing hieroglyphics that is known as the 'Rosetta Stone' of Sicily. One room is devoted to the marvellous finds unearthed at the temples of Selinunte. There is also an interesting section devoted to underwater archaeology.
Address: Piazza Olivella 24; Telephone: (091) 611 6805; Opening time: Tuesday to Saturday 8.30am to 6.45pm, Sunday and Monday 9am to 1pm; Admission: €4.50 (adults), €2 (children)
Ustica
The unique small island of Ustica is situated a short ferry ride from Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea and offers unusual landscapes of petrified black lava and an underwater city. The ancient volcanic island was originally inhabited by the Phoenicians and fell prey to pirate raids often during the Middle Ages. In the 20th century Ustica became a penal colony. Today the island is a designated national marine park and its crystal clear waters and undersea treasures, particularly the submerged ancient city of Osteodes, attract divers from all over the world. Every year in July the island is the venue for an International Underwater Activity Show.
Transport: Ferry from Palermo
Solunto
Solunto is home to some spectacular Roman ruins and is situated in the slopes of Mount Catalfamo which overlooks the coastline near Santa Flavia, just ten miles from Palermo. The site was originally a Phoenician village that was expanded by the Greeks who conquered it in 396 BC. By 255 BC it had fallen to the Romans, who rebuilt much of the original town. No complete structures remain and the ruins consist mainly of floors and the lower portions of walls and columns. Portions of mosaics and paintings are still visible. An impressive view of the Gulf of Palermo can be had from the hilltop above Solunto, and there is a small archaeological museum at the site, although most of the artefacts from Solunto are in the Palermo's Regional Archaeological Museum.
Syracuse
Syracuse has a distinctly Greek flavour and is perhaps more predominantly influenced by Greece than Italy. This city on the southeastern corner of Sicily's Ionian coastline once rivalled Athens as the most important city in the ancient Greek world. Its Greek heritage can still be found in abundance in both the ruins of buildings older and more splendid than the Parthenon and in the myths and legends centred particularly on its oldest quarter, the island of Ortygia. Archimedes once strode the streets here and today tourists who stroll around the Neapolis Archaeological Park on the Terminite Hill can still get a feel for Syracuse's golden age of power and prosperity. As well as the Hellenic relics, Syracuse also boasts more than its fair share of Roman ruins and some fine medieval Gothic architecture and art, all treasures to be singled out from among the uninspiring high-rises and motorways that make up the modern city. Parking is a problem in the city, particularly on Ortygia where most of the medieval sights and the best shops are located, and the heat can become unbearable in the height of summer; however no visit to Sicily is complete without exploring the antiquities of Syracuse. Most visitors prefer to make day trips to the city from the more comfortable surrounding resort areas, where soft white beaches and fine wines can be enjoyed on the shores of the Ionian Sea.
Ortygia
The small island of Ortygia is connected to Syracuse by the Ponte Nuova (bridge) and is home to the majority of interesting sights in the Region. The remains of the Temple of Apollo are sited in the Piazza Pancali; this is the oldest Greek temple in Sicily, built in the Doric style in around 565 BC. The cathedral in the nearby Piazza Duomo is uniquely made up of the original walls of a 5th-century BC Greek temple known as the Athenaion and near the sea, reached along Via Capodieci, which is the mythical Spring of Arethusa. There are medieval relics on the island too, including Maniaces Castle dating from the 11th century. Apart from the many historic sights, the island of Ortygia also offers numerous boutiques and craft shops, as well as restaurants and cafes galore. Several hours are required to explore the island fully.
Paolo Orsi Regional Archaeological Museum
Home to anceint relics from the Greek, Roman and early Christian periods of Sicilian history, the Paolo Orsi Regional Archaeological Museum is one of the best in Italy. The museum building itself is ultra-modern, consisting of glass and steel exhibition halls connected in a hexagonal shape. The exhibits cover a vast range, from the skeletons of prehistoric animals to the renowned Landolina Venus statue.
Address: Viale Teocrito 66; Telephone: (0931) 464 022; Opening time: Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 1pm; Monday and Wednesday 3.30pm to 6.30pm
Parco Archeologico della Neapolis
On the edge of Syracuse lies the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis (archaeological park), which is home to a Greek amphitheatre that is able to hold fifteen thousand people and witnesses the performances of Aeschylus' and Euripides ancient works. Today Greek dramas are still played here on occasion. Inside a leafy quarry at the site near the theatre is the ear-shaped cavern, the Orecchio di Dionigi, reputedly used by Dionysius as a prison. Nearby is the Roman Amphitheatre, built in the time of Augustus, where gladiators fought each other and wild animals in gory contests.
Address: Via Del Teatro; Telephone: (0931) 66206; Opening time: Daily 9am to 6pm (April to October), 9am to 3pm (November to March); Admission: €4.50
Mount Etna
The active volcano Mount Etna is Sicily's most impressive natural attraction, which has been shaking the island for centuries and most recently erupted in 2002. About 20 miles (32km) from Catania the craters below the summit can be reached from the town of Piano Provenzana at the base by mountain bus or on foot. This town also serves as a ski resort in winter, and during summer is a base camp for hikers intent on enjoying the wooded scenery and exploring the interesting caverns in the area. Various species of oak and stone pine, birch and beech trees cover the lower mountain slopes, while frogs, toads, tortoise and Sicily's ubiquitous lizards hide in the forest streams. Foxes, weasels, squirrels and other small mammals stalk the forests and a plethora of bird species fill the trees and the Gurrida Lake area.
Lipari:
The Aeolian Islands are situated north west of Sicily and Lipari is the largest island of the group, which has become a popular holiday destination and is home to some excellent tourist facilities. The town of Lipari is dominated by a cliff-top citadel, built in the 1500s, and buffered by two beaches, the Marina Lunga on which the harbour is sited, and the Marina Corta. Lipari, with its hotels, restaurants and bars, makes a good base for exploring the other islands of the archipelago, including Salina, Filicudi, Stromboli, Panarea and Vulcano, all of which offer beautiful scenery, volcanoes, castles, thermal resorts, water sports, fishing and some lovely volcanic-black beaches. Most visitors get to the Aeolian Islands by ferry from Milazzo, in Sicily, but the more glamorous arrive on yachts.
Taormina:
The famed resort town of Taormina was once home to some of British history's most prominent aristocracy from the nineteenth century and was home to D H Lawrence when he wrote the erotic novel Lady Chatterley's Lover here. The town boasts what is surely the most photographed view in Sicily, across the beautiful ancient Greek amphitheatre to the sea with Mount Etna in the background. Taormina today remains Sicily's favourite tourist haunt with its winding medieval streets and tiny passages hiding some great restaurants, cafes and ice-cream parlours, some hidden in secluded gardens and others in pleasant squares or terraces with sea views. It is a great place to shop, too, with thousands of boutiques selling crafts, fashion, jewellery, ceramics, mosaics and porcelain dolls. A popular beach is at Giardini-Naxos, a few miles away, and a funicular connects the old town to the coastal area of Mazzaro below. The stone walls of the old city, sited on a plateau, enclose some fascinating archaeological monuments and medieval palaces including the Palazzo Santo Stefano.
