Sicily
Sicily Italy
Stunning Sicily is an island where the mountains greet the sea. With plenty of magnificent beaches to tour around, old fashioned medieval towns, attractive gardens and citrus orchards and the awe inspiring presence of the Mediterranean's utmost natural wonder, Mount Etna, you cannot help but give in to Sicily's abundant charms.
The east coast of Sicily sees the majority of visitors and is home to Taormina, Sicily's most well-liked and fashionable seaside resort. Beaches on the island tend to be pebbly, although there is a two mile stretch of sand at Mondello, close to Palermo. The east coast is characterized by beautiful grottoes and rocky coves, at the same time, inland the terrain is mountainous and fairly hard to reach.
Even though now a part of Italy, Sicily has a past notable for its foreign invasions, the legacies of which offer a feast for the right mind. Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Spanish and a lot more have been here, leaving behind temples, cathedrals, theatres and cities. You name it, Sicily's got it. Noisy, bustling Palermo teems with alleyways and piazzas that lay testament to an Eastern history, whilst towns and villages to the south of the island include Syracusa, one of the greatest and most striking cities in Hellenistic period. Today you can experience this sophisticated atmosphere by visiting ancient sites such as the Greek Theatre at Taormina, at the side of the stunning cathedrals and churches of later European and Arab invaders. Try the wonderful array of foods such as cous cous from Northern Africa and traditional Italian pasta and freshly cooked fish in Sicily.
