Sicily - a holiday destination of history, relaxation and culture

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, full of myths, traditions and archaeological treasures. Goethe called Sicily "Felix" , which is Latin for 'happy', and with good reason as Sicily remains one of the most beautiful, unspoilt and sunniest islands in the Mediterranean.

An ideal base or just to start your holiday, Palermo on the North East coast is the capital of Sicily. Whether you want a short city break or to stay longer Palermo has a wealth of places of interest from 6th century b.c. to modern times. Make your holiday in Palermo; Culture, history, sunshine and relaxation, activity, budget or luxury.

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£ 329

Dominated by it's cathedral and La Rocca, a huge cragg behind the town, Cefalu is a relatively small town but an excellent holiday destination. Whilst busy in the peak summer months it's only an hour from Palermo and it's beach and locality make the stay worthwhile

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£ 349

This volcanic archipelago is a popular summer holiday destination. The opportunities for walking, hiking, snorkelling, scuba diving, relaxing on beaches are often further rewarded by evening natural fireworks and displays fromthe remaining active volcanoes. Lipari, the largest island is best placed to take day trips to explore the other islands.

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£ 439

At the foot of Mount Etna,Taormina is the centre of the area lying between Catania and Messina. The warm waters of the Ionian are fringed by a number of popular destinations such as Taormina itself, Bay of Mazzaro and Giardano Naxos. Inland Etna at 3.300 metres dominates and provides both summer and winter recreation.

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£ 659

The 'city of black and white', an international gatweay to the east of the island of Sicliy. The region itself offers much to enjoy a holiday based in Catania. Inland, dominated by Etna, explore the mountain and venture into the centre of the island. Whilst the nearby resorts in the Taormina area provide for beach relaxation and water sports.

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£ 629

Renowned as the site of the ancient Greek city of Akragras. Agrigento, located on the southern coast is not without it's charms but the main point of intrest is the spectacular Valley of the Temples where there are the ruins of numerous temples, necropoli, houses and the ancient streets.

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£ 609

Climate
History
Cuisine
Wine

For most visitors to Sicily the main attraction is the almost guaranteed sunshine, amazingly coloured seas and breathtaking beaches. The Sicilian climate is typically Mediterranean with long hot summers and short mild winters. Sicily is truly sun-kissed with an annual average of 2,500 hours of sunshine, compared to 2,000 for mainland Italy, and 1,800 for Northern France.

In summer, temperature soar to an average 30/32 degrees celsius (July and August) and are a mild 10-14 degrees celsius between December and February. Most rainfall is in autumn and spring.

Due to its triangular shape, Sicily was once called Trinacria meaning "Three Capes", after Peloro, Passero and Lilibeo, which were its three corners. For the ancient Greeks, whose earliest settlements on the island date back to the 8th century B.C., Sicily was their most fertile colony. The artistic and architectural legacy of the Greeks is still present in towns like Catania and Taormina. Syracuse has its famous theatre, Agrigento and Selinunte their beautiful and impressive temples.

The Norman's left their mark too, transforming temples into magnificent cathedrals, the most beautiful example of which can be found in Palermo and Monreale. Sicily's rich cultural heritage, on show in its towns and cities, spans the great civilisations of the region, from Carthaginians, Greeks and Romans to the Vandals and the Goths, the Arabs and the Norman's, the Aragonese and the Austrians.

Sicilian cuisine is nothing if not eclectic. The variety and complexity of Sicilian cuisine reflects the result of thousands of years of history from many different civilisations and cultures. Ancient Greek roots are revealed in simple, natural food consisting of fresh fish and herbs. The Arabs were responsible for the oriental spices in food, inventing dishes made with flour in the shape of threads (triyah, or the equivalent of the modern vermicelli),

and for introducing couscous to Sicily. The influence of Arab civilisation can be also savoured in the exquisite Sicilian tradition of cake and pastry making. The Norman's introduced game meat, and later the French introduced the gateau, made of potatoes and rice, vegetable dishes and the famous fish soup adelotte.

There are many high quality Sicilian wines, each with a distinctive purity and strength and strongly evocative of the finest Marsala wines. Other wines include the Bianco di Alcamo, Regaleali, Corvo di Salaparuta, various types of Moscato and Passito (Pantelleria),

the excellent wines of the Etna district (white, rose' and red), Malvasia delle Lipari, Ambrato di Comiso and Faro di Messina.