| Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and | | | | Sicily, even along the coastal road, and you'll be |
| it's more than a simple Italian island; Sicily is a | | | | overwhelmed by an embarrassment of little |
| unique place full of art, archaeology, history, | | | | riches, like fried sweet or savory dough pockets |
| folklore and Mediterranean breathtaking scenery. | | | | stuffed with ricotta. Every town has its own |
| Having been ruled by Asians, Africans and | | | | trademark snack, but they all have arancini, |
| Europeans, this wonderful island is a cosmopolitan | | | | literally "little oranges," which are actually |
| place with a multicultural society. Imagine this: Sicily | | | | deep-fried risotto balls, one of Sicily's trademark |
| have been a Greek colony, a Roman province, an | | | | snack foods. Driving around the most famous |
| Arab emirate and a Norman kingdom. The | | | | localities you can taste many specific and local |
| Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Swabians, Angevins and | | | | cuisines. Also snacks are in rare form in Sicily. |
| Aragonese made Sicily their own, leaving behind | | | | Catania is famous for sweets: pasta di mandorla, |
| an eclectic history that you can still touch today! | | | | a soft cookie made from almonds and honey, is a |
| Knowing this is easy to understand why this land | | | | delicious showcase for the famous Sicilian bitter |
| is so complex, and why it's a land like no other. | | | | almond. Going to Siracusa don't miss the |
| WHAT TO DO THERE Just because the great | | | | spectacularly chaotic and wonderful fish market in |
| natural beauty of the land (Sicily is an island in the | | | | the center of the city: fresh pesce spada |
| sun, with heavenly beaches, majestic mountains | | | | (swordfish) and ricci (raw sea urchin) are a must! |
| and Europe's greatest vulcan, Mount Etna) and the | | | | Marsala is a sleepy town with an ancient Punic |
| incredible complexity of it's history, there is really | | | | warship in its archeological museum and an |
| very much to do there! Basically, you can group | | | | amazing wine tradition that spans hundreds of |
| your activities in Sicily into five main categories: | | | | years. You may encounter marsala wine more |
| Swimming. The island's rocky coastline makes it | | | | often in a dish of sauteed chicken or veal than |
| an ideal diving platforms; snorkellers and scuba | | | | you do as a after-dinner drink, but here, this |
| divers will appreciate the variety of marine life in | | | | fortified wine is taken very seriously. Palermo is |
| its waters. There are also plenty of beaches to | | | | the place where you can have the chance to |
| choose from, particularly at Taormina in the | | | | sample the island's most traditional home-cooked |
| north-east, which is part of a huge nature | | | | specialties. Pasta con le sarde (an emblematic dish |
| reserve, and Mondello, near the town of Palermo, | | | | that goes back to the Saracen conquerors, with |
| one of the island's most popular sandy beaches. | | | | fresh sardines, olive oil, raisins, pine nuts, and wild |
| Climbing and Trekking. The Romans thought the | | | | fennel) is different at every restaurant. Firm white |
| 3,323-metre Mount Etna - which last erupted in | | | | fish such as orata (sea bream), simply grilled and |
| 2001 - was the forge of Vulcan, the god of fire. | | | | served with lemon and olive oil, are reliable staples |
| Local authorities monitor its activity closely, and | | | | as secondi piatti almost anywhere in town. And |
| visitors can take a day trip up to its lava dunes | | | | nothing is more famous in Palermo, or in Sicily as |
| and moon-like surface. If you don't fancy the hike, | | | | a whole, than spaghetti alla Norma (with a sauce |
| the 70-mile Circumetnea railway runs around the | | | | of tomato, fried eggplant, ricotta, and basil). |
| base from Catania to Giarre Riposto. A round trip | | | | TRAVELLING TO SICILY If you plan to bring |
| takes around five hours. Driving. One of the best | | | | your own car or have hired a car in a different |
| ways to explore the island is driving all around it, | | | | part of Italy, at some point you will need to take |
| to explore the many historical and archaeological | | | | a ferry. The same goes for if you are arriving by |
| places. The Old Palermo (In just a few hours on | | | | train. There are many option to get there with |
| foot you can explore some of Sicily's most | | | | your car: you can book your ferry from many |
| famous monuments and charming squares, such | | | | ports (Naples, Genova, Villa S. Giovanni, and |
| as the Piazza Pretoria), the Valley of Temples in | | | | Cagliari), and you can choose four different Ferry |
| Agrigento (The largest collection of classical Greek | | | | Companies (Tirrenia, SNAV, Grandi Navi Veloc,i |
| ruins in the world, with many well preserved | | | | Caronte) You can also book hydrofoils, but in this |
| temples, monuments and other buildings which | | | | case you can't bring your car with you. Getting to |
| create a truly surreal atmosphere), the Greek | | | | Sicily by Ferry, there are a few things you should |
| Amphitheater in Taormina (The view of Mount | | | | take into consideration, like the frequency of the |
| Etna and the sea beyond is absolutely superb at | | | | Ferry services, booking rules, and places where |
| Taormina's 10,000-seat ancient Greek | | | | buy tickets… Although passenger and car |
| amphitheater, which was erected in the third | | | | ferries do operate throughout the year, Car |
| century BC and expanded by the Romans), | | | | ferries to and from Sicilia get extremely busy |
| Siracusa (with it's dense archeological zone, with | | | | during the summer and it is advisable to book |
| theatres ancient churches, greek temples, norman | | | | your ticket well in advance. This can be done at |
| battlements, baroque façade and much | | | | the various ticket offices located in travel |
| more), Monreale Duomo (A jewel of Norman | | | | agencies, but what we strongly recommend is to |
| architecture, well known for its magnificent series | | | | get in touch with a professional agency, to get all |
| of mosaics adorning the whole interior), and many | | | | you need in one simple stop. That's what |
| many other attractive places around this beautiful | | | | Traghetti Sicilia can do for you! General |
| land. Eating. Sicilian cuisine is one of the oldest in | | | | information's, timetables, tickets, travel assistance |
| existence, and Sicilians even have a reasonable | | | | and much more, to help you booking with ease |
| claim to the invention of pasta. Their cuisine | | | | your ferry tickets from Naples, Genova, Villa S. |
| represents Sicily's unique cultural mix, imaginatively | | | | Giovanni, and Cagliari ports. Traghetti Sicilia |
| combining fish, fruits, vegetables, and nuts with | | | | Agency is now open 24/24 and this will speed up |
| Arab and North African ingredients such as cus | | | | and simplify the whole process for you. |
| cus (couscous). Stop for a coffee anywhere in | | | | |