Category:Sicily
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Sicily (Sicilia) is a rugged and attractive island on the southern tip of Italy, and is one of the country's 20 regions. It is separated from the mainland region of Calabria by the 5km Straits of Messina. It can get very hot during the Summer, so it is better to visit during Spring and Autumn, whilst it is still quite pleasant during Winter.
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[edit] Cities
- Agrigento - famous for its Greek Temple Valley
- Catania - busy university city & #1 economic center
- Gela - important Greek vases
- Messina - busy city & link to the mainland
- Palermo - throbbing capital, plenty of sights
- Syracuse (Siracusa) - attractive old town and greek ruins
- Santa Caterina Villarmosa
- Taormina - main resort & tourist spot. Great Teatro Greco and views of Etna and the coast.
- Trapani - attractive city and gateway to Pantelleria and the Egadi islands
[edit] Islands
- The Aeolian Islands - beautiful group of volcanic islands
- The Egadi Islands relaxing islands off the west coast
- Ustica - diving center near Palermo
- Pantelleria - Arab-influenced solitude
- Lampedusa and Linosa
[edit] Other destinations
- Augusta - a town north of Syracuse
- Acitrezza
- Caltabellotta - a hilltop village outside Sciacca.
- Castelbuono - a very pleasing village near Cefalù
- Cefalù - Sicily's main beach resort, with an attractive old town
- Eraclea Minoa - Greek ruins above an attractive beach
- Gole dell'Alcantara - a deep impressive gorge carved by the Alcantara river on the edge of Etna
- Marsala - Interesting museum
- Mazara del Vallo - Arab influences including a Couscous festival
- Milazzo - gaetway to the Aeolian Islands
- Monreale - impressive cathedral above Palermo
- Mount Etna - the impressive 3323m high active
- Pergusa
- Piazza Armerina - home of impressive Roman mosaics
- Ragusa - impressive baroque architecture
- Segesta - another greek temple and ruins
- Sciacca - quite south coast port
- Selinunte - another group of impressive greek temples
[edit] Understand
[edit] Talk
Natives of Sicily speak Sicilian, an ancient Romance language that is comprised of many different languages (Spanish, Latin, French, Arabic, among others) and is considered an entirely separate language from Italian.
Most Sicilians are proficient in Italian and modern day schools are teaching English to students. You can not count on being understood in English. You may have better luck with French. Be advised that when traveling to small villages, the people (especially the older residents) may not speak Italian.
[edit] Get in
[edit] By Plane
Sicily's main airports are in Palermo and Catania.
Catania is the larger airport, with domestic flights to most parts of Italy, some international routes and many charter flights.
Palermo is smaller, although growing, with a range of domestic flights and a few international budget flights.
There are also three other smaller airports, in Trapani and the minor islands of Pantelleria and Lampedusa.
[edit] By Train
Sicily is linked to the main Italian train network at Messina. Long distance trains from Rome and Naples cross the Straits of Messina by ferry and continue on to Palermo and Catania
[edit] By Bus
Long-distance buses link Rome and Naples to Catania and Palermo.
[edit] By Boat
Large, slow car ferries link Palermo with Naples, Genoa, Livorno, Sardinia and other Mediterranean destinations. The are also car ferries between Milazzo, the Aeolian Islands and Naples, and between Trapani and Tunis. See Central Med Ferries
Across the Straits of Messina, there are at least hourly ferries between Messina on Sicily and Villa San Giovanni on the mainland. There are also several hydrofoils each day between Messina and Reggio di Calabria.
There are Catamarans and ferries running to/ from Malta from Pozzallo (90 mins) and Catania 3hrs. This service is provided by Virtu Ferries
[edit] Get around
Be careful, although public transport is very good during the week, there are not many services on Sundays - check the timetable carefully and ask the locals.
[edit] By Train
The railway network in Sicily is quite good and cheap. Regular, quite fast trains run on the main lines between Messina and Palermo and Catania, with fewer trains on the other routes. See www.trenitalia.com
[edit] By bus
The bus network in Sicily is quite extensive and cheap. The main hubs are Palermo and Catania, but routes link most of the main towns frequently and most small towns at least once a day. From virtually everywhere you will be able to get a bus direct to Palermo.
[edit] By Boat
There are regular ferries and hydrofoils from Sicily to its Islands, although services are somewhat reduced during Spring and Autumn and even more so during Winter. For timetables see a summary at: Booking Italia or the individual companies: SIREMAR, Ustica Lines and NGI. The main routes are:
- The Aeolian Islands from Milazzo. A few also run in Summer from Cefalu, Palermo and Messina.
- Ustica from Palermo.
- Trapani to the Egadi Islands and Pantelleria.
- Porto Empedocle (near Agrigento) to Lampedusa and Linosa
[edit] By Plane
If you have less time and more money, there are flights to Pantelleria and Lampedusa.
[edit] See
[edit] Itineraries
[edit] Do
- Bike tours in Sicily [1] Guided and self-guided tours through Sicily, mediterranean island of myth and legend.
[edit] Eat
Making the most of its island coasts, Sicily has some of the world's best cuisine to offer. Much of the island's food is made with creatures of the sea. Unlike the northern parts of Italy, cream and butter are hardly used for typical dishes in Sicily. Instead, the natives usually substitute tomatoes, lard (rarely) or olive oil. The cuisine is very exotic and has many spices and unique flavors to offer. Sicilians cultivate a uniquely Sicilian type of olive tree, which they affectionately call the "saracena". The food is typically Mediterranean but there are strong hints of Arabic and Spanish flavor (Sicily was conquered by many people during its long history). Sicilians like spices and have particular affinity for almond, jasmine, rosemary, mint, olives and basil.
Sicilians have notorious sweet tooths and are among the best dessert makers in Italy. Try the cannoli (tubular pastries filled with sweet ricotta cheese), granita (ices mixed with real crushed fruit and their juices), and their most famous export, cassata (Arabic inspired cake). Make sure not to pass up the pine nut and almond cookies, as they are always a crowd pleaser.
Arancini (sometimes Arancine), fried rice balls with fillings, is a Sicilian fast food that is relatively cheap. They can be hard to find outside of Sicily, so try them while your there.
[edit] Drink
Sicilians are not big alcohol drinkers (Sicily has the lowest rate of alcoholism in all of Italy). Sicily counts more vineyards than any other Italian region and boasts one of Italy's most progressive wine industries. Noted mainly in the past for strong bulk wines and often sweet Moscato and Marsala, the island has switched its emphasis toward lighter, fruitier white and red wines. For a detailed list of wines and grape varieties, please visit Sicily Guide.
Sicily is divided into three main producing wine districts:
- Trapani province in the west
- Etna in the east
- Ragusa on the southern tip
Most well-known Sicilian wines: Nero d'Avola, Bianco d'Alcamo, Malvasia, Passito di Pantelleria, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Etna Rosso, Etna Bianco.
Some Sicilian wine producers: Planeta; Cusumano; Tasca d’Almerita; Tenuta di Donnafugata; Feudo Principi di Butera (Zonin); Morgante; Duca di Salaparuta; Benanti; Palari; Firriato; Marco De Batoli; Salvatore Murana.
Sicilians enjoy a fruity lemon liquor called Limoncello during the long, hot, and dry summers.