SICILY
The largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, which can currently boast 7 sites, scattered along its territory, to have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Aeolian Islands, are a magical place where history and myth merge, where you can ascend to steaming volcanoes, visit prehistoric villages, or go out by boat with fishermen.
Photo: Hiron 1986, CC BY-SA 4.0
About Sicily.
The UNESCO World Heritage Sites include:
Archeological sites in Agrigento, which highlight the magnificence of one of the most important ancient cities.
Villa Romana del Casale and its mosaics, which depict scenes of every day life in societies of the past.
Etna is one of the most important active volcanoes in the whole planet.
Siracusa, the biggest and most beautiful Greek city according to Cicerone, with its Greek theatre and an incredible amount of history.
The Baroque of Val di Noto, with its architectonic and artistic features that characterize churches and buildings of eight beautiful cities in south-eastern Sicily.
The Arabo-Norman route, which extends from Palermo to Monreale and Cefalù and includes nine steps, one for each wonder that represents the combination of different architectural and artistic traditions of Islamic, Western and Bizantine populations.
The Aeolian Islands, an archipelago made up of seven volcanic islands, are a great natural treasure due to their geology.
Things To Do
A land in which to immerse yourself, rooted in classic history, made of contrasts, and shaped, throughout history, by the influence of rulers and civilizations with culturally diverse backgrounds. You will get lost in the meshes of stories and anecdotes, during the visit to princely palaces, immense, up to 600 rooms, of rare beauty. To guide you in the dream of other times, you will find to welcome, the same owners, princes, and nobles, who still live there in Catania as in Palermo.
You can start by going on a journey to discover the former capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, Palermo, with its ancient monuments and palaces of rare beauty, centuries-old churches, and beautiful gardens. You will be enveloped by the Arabic atmosphere of Kalsa, which together with monuments of Norman origin and the Cathedrals of Cefalù and Monreale, granted Palermo the opportunity to become a UNESCO site.
You will be thrilled to see the city from the top of a church’s dome, where you will be close to fantastic noble palaces and not far from the Cathedral, which will amaze you for its impressive size. You will be captivated by a unique masterpiece: The Palatine Chapel, which will dazzle you with its mosaics. You will be able to witness the perfect combination of Arab, Byzantine, and Western art in all its glory. While visiting the Valley of the Temples, one of the most extensive, representative, and best-preserved archaeological sites of classical Greek civilization, you will be captivated by the beauty of the imposing Hellenic temples of ancient Girgentum, Agrigento.
The real Catania will reveal itself while you walk through the historic marketplace and the Spanish alleys that lead in front of Baroque palaces, the scenic Via Etnea, and the Cathedral. You can’t miss the chance to have granita and brioche for breakfast in true Sicilian style. The beauty of the ancient Greek theaters, such as the one in Taormina, from whose steps you can admire an unparalleled panorama, will steal your heart.
By boat, you can reach the seven Aeolian Islands, listed as World Heritage Sites, which are made of fire and have breathtaking landscapes. Let yourself be lulled by the waves of the sea while watching the setting sun before you move on the discover the rebirth of the vineyards, Malvasia, and its wine.
Photo: Scott Wylie, CC BY 4.0
Cities To Visit
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Sicilian capital, a city overlooking the sea and which was the capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, as well as home to kings and nobles. Palermo alone would deserves a long visit because it is a city with a rich cultural heritage and treasures, some known and others less known, which testify its historical importance. Do not miss the Cathedral, the Palazzo dei Normanni with the Palatine Chapel, the Church of Martorana, the numerous eighteenth-century villas and noble palaces and of course the marketplaces.
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Catania is he second largest metropolitan city in Sicily, It sits at the foot of Mt. Etna, an active volcano . In 2002 Catania became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to its beautiful landmarks like Piazza del Duomo with its elephant fountain, the Cathedral of Sant'Agata, the Greek-Roman Theater and Palazzo Biscari.
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Messina is a port city in north-eastern Sicily .The province of Messina borders that of Palermo. Messina is full of breathtaking panoramas. Not far from Messina there is the village of Taormina which has historical, artistic and natural beauties that make it one of the most famous and appreciated Sicilian destinations in the world.
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Known for having two patron saints, San Giovanni (Ragusa Superiore )and San Giorgio( Ragusa Ibla), the city of Ragusa is a hilltop city in south-eastern Sicily. It is characterized by Baroque buildings and beautiful views. The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist was built in the center of Ragusa at the end of the eighteenth century and is characterized by an elevated churchyard. Located 15 km from Ragusa, the Castle of Donna Fugata, one of the most beautiful noble residences in Sicily, was built by Bernando Cabrera, grand executioner of the Kingdom of Sicily. It later became the summer residence of the noble family Arezzo. Today the castle is a museum that hosts rooms of rare beauty,exhibitions of period furnishings and an art gallery.
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A city in western Sicily with a crescent-shaped coastline, Trapani sits between the Mediterranean Sea and the Ionian sea. It lies at the foot of Mount Erice, across the sea from the Aegadian Islands. It is near the archeological site of Selinunte and the well known Salt Pans.
You can spend hours leaning against the balustrade of the village of Erice admiring the vastness and beauty of the landscape.
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This hilltop city on Sicily's southwestern shore has a vast archeological site called “ the Valley of the Temples” where there are the ruins of the ancient city of Akragas with its well-preserved Greek temples. Its ten temples, three sanctuaries and necropolis offers unique sensations to visitors who can get a hint of the majesty of Greek architecture.. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997, this valley is not only the symbol of the city of Agrigento, but also one of the most representative symbols of Sicily.
Eolian Islands Photo :Andrea Campagna
Villa Igiea Photo: Rach Theo
Therasia Resort, Vulcano Island
Therasia Resort, Vulcano Island
Verdura Resort, Photo: Sara Abilova
Capofaro Resort , Salina Island
From the coast to the mountains, ancient monuments and palaces of rare beauty, centuries-old churches and beautiful gardens.
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Palermo with its Cathedral,the palace of the Palazzo dei Normanni with the Palatine Chapel. The Temples Valley ,declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997, this valley is not only the symbol of the city of Agrigento, but perhaps one of the most representative symbols of Sicily. Noto, undisputed capital of Sicilian Baroque. The Temple of Zeus with its Archeological Museum , just to name a few of the most important sites to visit.
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The Aeolian Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for their natural beauty and extraordinary volcanic activity, are a magical archipelago where history and myth intertwine. Though united by the sea, each island has its own distinct character: Lipari is the most vibrant and urban, Panarea the most glamorous, and Filicudi effortlessly radical-chic. Remote and untamed, Alicudi offers raw solitude, while Salina charms with its quiet, rural elegance. Stromboli and Vulcano complete the archipelago with a powerful, primordial allure.
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Mozia Island, with its Saline,once a Phoenician colony, and today a place rich not only in history and culture, but also in valuable natural beauty. The Etna Volcano, surmounted by a constant cloud of smoke, reminds us that volcanic activity is still present and quite frequent. Walking over rivers of incandescent lava that flows underground, surrounded by black stones of past flows, and ancient eruptive cones now inactive will give us indescribable emotions.
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Much of the island's cuisine is based on the use of fresh vegetables such as eggplants, peppers and tomatoes and fish such as tuna, sea bream, sea bass, cuttlefish and swordfish. Some of the best known foods are Sicilian cassata, iris, Sicilian cannolo, granita and arancine. Sicily is wide and with a panorama of lands and climatic conditions that allows you to go from the sea to the hilly areas, to the volcanic peaks of Etna where the territory gushes and exudes minerality.Among the best Sicilian wines such as Nero d'Avola, Grillo, Grecanico, Malvasia delle Lipari and Moscato d'Alessandria.