SICILY

Discover Sicily

Guide to vacation in Sicily (Sicilia)

With a coastline of some thousand kilometres, Sicily offers the visitor the greatest imaginable variety of marine environments: wide sandy beaches, sheer cliffs, remote tiny beaches, world famous resorts, an interior enriched by the remains of ancient civilizations.
The most interesting centres on the south-east coast include Pozzallo, Donnalucata, the ruins of ancient Camarina (6th century BC.), Gela (with a visit to Capo Soprano and the archaeological area), Falconara, Porto Empedocle, near Agrigento (for the archaeological area, see the description of the city), the remains of Eraclea Minoa, Sciacca (also a spa), the exceptional archaeological complex of Selinunte, with splendid Doric temples, and the famous fishing town of Mazara del Vallo.

Beyond picturesque Marsala, famous for its wine, the ancient Phoenician city of Mozia (on a small island), the visitor reaches the north coast of Sicily, where some of the tonnare are still in use (tunny fishing is a traditional activity here), then Terrasini, Isola delle Femmine, Mondello (the Palermo beach), S. Flavia, Termini Imerese, amidst luxuriant vegetation, and Cefalù, known for its great Norman cathedral (12th century).

Farther along lie S. Agata di Militello, Capo d'Orlando, the re mains of Tyndaris, with the Greek theatre (3rd century BC.) and Milazzo, on a narrow peninsula. One must not ignore the beauty of the smaller islands, ideal for those seeking a holiday in contact with unspoilt Nature: the Aeolian islands, solitary Ustica, the Egadi, Pantelleria and the Pelagie, close to Africa.

The interior of the region has much to offer the tourist: in the east stands Randazzo with the handsome cathedral of S. Maria (13th century), Adrano, in the shadow of its Norman castle (11th century, archaeological museum), Paternò amongst flourishing citrus groves, Lentini, and its nearby archaeological area, the remains of the Greek colony of Megara Hyblaea, the great rupestrian necropolis of Pantalica, Noto with a fine Baroque Duomo, Modica, with the Baroque church of S. Giorgio, Calascibetta, and its 13th century church, Castelbuono with the 12th century Castello dei Ventimiglia, and Monreale, with its famous Duomo (12th century).