We spent seven days visiting the tourist attractions that Sicily, Southern Italy has to offer.
Link to video image montage of our Sicily visit overview:- https://youtu.be/IcSMWs6WeMs
Link to video image montage of our Mount Etna, Sicily visit:-
Link to video image montage of our Palermo, Sicily visit:-
Link to video image montage of our Taormina, Sicily visit:-
Link to video image montage of our Siracusa, Sicily visit:-
Link to video image montage of our Giardini Naxos to Taormina, by sea, in Sicily visit:- https://youtu.be/oX_vLZgm9JI
Don’t be surprised when Sicilians fiercely explain to you with loving eyes, how they are more Sicilian than Italian.
The volcanic lava that covers the eastern part of the island in a 30 - 40 mile radius around Mt Etna, in places touches the waves, and together they form the special beaches of the Sicilian Riviera,
Overall there is a feeling of authenticity still left in this area of Italy, and sometimes you feel like you are back in time.
Sicily, Southern Italy 2022
In considering a trip to Sicily, we decided to take a guided tour with the Travel Department, with the same guide on-hand throughout the entire holiday.
The tour comprised a seven nights stay, the first two nights in Hotel Palazzo Sitano, Palermo. The remaining five nights were spent at a four star Unahotels all-inclusive hotel in Giardini Naxos on a half-board basis. All of our daily coach trips began and ended at our hotel.
After our seven nights in Sicily we flew directly back to Dublin from Palermo Airport.
Sicily’s strategic location at the centre of the Mediterranean has made the island a crossroads of history, a pawn of conquest and empire, and a melting pot for a dozen or more ethnic groups whose warriors or merchants sought its shores.
The myth that Sicily is a dry island without water is wrong. The Arabs taught Sicilians how to manage their water better during their occupation of the island, from 827BC until the 11th century. Following the Muslims, the Normans occupied the island, from 11th century until the 19th century. The two kingdoms of Sicily were invaded and occupied by Giuseppe Garibaldi in the 19th century. The island was a major centre of revolutionary movements: in 1860, as a result of Giuseppe Garibaldi’s revolt, it was liberated from the Bourbons and in the following year was incorporated into the united kingdom of Italy. In 1947 Sicily gained regional autonomy.
Garibaldi became an international figurehead for national independence and republican ideals, and is considered by the twentieth-century historiography and popular culture as Italy's greatest national hero.
Sicily was lucky with its historical invaders. They were in the main non-destructive and to the contrary repaired, improved and enhanced infra-structure, artistic and cultural sites during their tenures.
As a consequence of its historical water conservation practices, Sicily now boasts 42 man made reservoirs and all farming properties have ponds or holding areas for storage of mountain streams and the rains, when they fall.
Mount Etna
You can’t spend a week in Sicily and not attempt to hike some part of Etna.
Etna had been active for some weeks prior to our visit. The lava flows are off limits to tourists for safety reasons. Even when the weather seems to be against you, the Etna volcano is still one of the main Sicilian highlights.
The long drive up to the lower carpark (1900m) is already interesting enough, but the main fun awaits after you park up and attempt to hike one of the sites of eruption.
There’s a cable car that can take you up to 2,500m elevation, followed by a jeep ride up a further 300m - 400m. We chose to take the full tour to the 2900m viewing point with a stop at a few of the lower craters nearby, since the summit was completely clear on the day we visited.
Etna is covered in black volcanic ash. When you climb one of its peaks and take in the views, only then will you experience what power this ancient volcano still has.
Tips
Don’t forget the bug spray as the peak is covered in lady birds and they in turn attract some stinging predators;
Bring or hire proper climbing footwear as the lava dust and pebbles are very sharp on human skin;
Volcanic ash is alien for human eyes and lungs. With some many jeeps in transit up and down and the wind picking up the ash. Eye protection and a mouth covering are highly recommended;
Bring layers of clothing with you, as it can get cold.
Geology
Etna’s geological characteristics indicate that it has been active since the end of the Neogene Period (i.e., for about the past 2.6 million years). The volcano has had more than one active centre. A number of subsidiary cones have been formed on lateral fissures extending out from the centre and down the sides. The present structure of the mountain is the result of the activity of at least two main eruptive centres.
Villa Romana
Villa Romana del Casale or Sicilian Villa Rumana dû Casali: A mansion of a wealthy Roman family from the 4th century AD.
Located about 5 km from the town of Piazza Armerina or Chiazza. The highlight here is about 3,500 square metres of colourful and unique mosaics, which adorn about 50 rooms.
The mosaics depict images from the mythology and daily life of the owners of a particularly rich agricultural farm. Mosaics featuring wildlife hunting images, scenes from housework and home life, flora and fauna adorn both floors and walls.
Look for the mosaic that proves that the bikini is not really a 20th-century invention.
Visit the island of Stromboli
There are boat tours available during both day and nighttime.
Stromboli is the most remote island among the Aeolian Islands and it is also the most famous of them. It is the most active, continuously erupting volcano in the world
At its centre is a volcano that rises to a height of about 930 metres and has been active for thousands of years without a break. Known as the "Mediterranean Lighthouse" because during the day we always see a trail of smoke rising from it and at night its summit is red and hot.
Climate
Winter (Nov until April with temps 6C - 20C) to summer (May until Oct with temps 20C - 30C) and then back to winter, consequently Sicily experiences no discernible Spring or Autumn seasons.
Geography
The topology of the Sicilian countryside is hills and mountains, with very little flat lands. Farmers are very skilled, as a result, at tractor driving on hilly terrain.
Sicily forms an autonomous island region of Italy. It lies about 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Tunisia (Northern Africa). The island is separated from mainland Italy by the Strait of Messina (2 miles/ 3 km) wide in the north and 10 miles /16 km wide in the South. The capital is Palermo situated on the north-west of the island.
Pylon suspended roads are very common and generally run along the line of the valleys and riverbeds.
In the mountain regions of Sicily between 15th Nov to 15th April it is compulsory to carry tyre chains in a car because of the chance of heavy snows. It is possible to ski in Sicily during the winter months.
Population
The island of Sicily is the largest and one of the most densely populated islands in the Mediterranean Sea, with 5.5 million inhabitants.
With a land mass of 25710 sq kms, circa 30% the area of Ireland. (Ireland is 87000 sq kms)
The island is largely developed along the coastlines following an internal migration from agriculture regions to coastal areas. There is an active government campaign to encourage citizens to repopulate the countryside in order to relieve the ever increasing pressure on its main cities. To try to achieve this, the government provides grant-aid for house purchase in rural districts to city dwellers. Anyone who takes up the grants must then remain living in the rural properties for a minimum of 5 years.
Sicily’s part in the 2nd World War
In 1943 North African bridge head was established, in order to divide the attention and resources of the German military away from northern Europe. After heavy Sicilian bombing the Allies started an offensive via Sicily on 9th July, 1943.
The Allies launched “Operation Husky” before sunrise, a massive amphibious assault on the southern shores of the island. For the following three days it involved more than 3,000 ships landing over 150,000 ground troops, covered by more than 4,000 aircraft.
They moved in two divisions, one up along the east coast and the other up the west coast, to try to-cut off German withdrawal. By 3rd Sept 1943, Sicily was defeated and this started the end of the war and the defeat of the Germans.
Agriculture
Sicily produces Duran wheat, the main ingredient for pasta. As Sicilian wheat is very dry and production is organic, it is in high demand by top chefs and commands a premium price. To strengthen its market positioning, Sicily is fighting for greater disclosure on product packaging in order to emphasise their organic, pesticide-free produce.
Tobacco and coffee and mango and papaya have been introduced recently to diversify their agricultural production. Rice has been grown for the last eight years and is mostly the type used in the making of risotto. In the valleys surrounding Mt Etna, with their very fertile volcanic soil, grow an abundance of fruit and vegetables and are seen as the garden of Sicily.
Cattle and sheep open graze on the hills and mountains.
Sicilian sulphuric acid is no longer commercially viable as these minerals need mining whereas the Americans can produce sulphuric acid at a much cheaper cost. Due to the fact that they can produce it as a bi-produce of their other mining endeavours.
Sicily has recently started to use the bi-product of their red orange juice production, skin and pulp to make cloths.
Palermo
Palermo, the 2,700-year-old capital of Sicily, is full of architecture, history, and culture. Peppered with palaces, highly decorative churches and some amazing architecture, it is worth while getting a local guide in order to fully understand and appreciate the diversity of its history. Alongside its historic environs, Palermo offers a vibrant nightlife, a diversity of restaurants and street food, and an energetic and buzzing atmosphere. In Palermo, there are three main street markets in the city, with the Beccaria market being the most popular and touristy among them.
In the 1950s a government plan to address the North v South divide in Italy was undertaken. Northern companies came to Sicily and got the grants, built little infrastructure and then left. These buildings are now left derelict all over the outskirts of Palermo.
Rubbish collection and disposal is not working properly as new company who won the refuse contract, have not got enough trucks to meet the refuse collection demand.
Incinerators are seen as a solution but this proposed initiative is receiving enormous local push back.
Catania
Catania is quite a large metropolis and without a doubt the largest city on Sicily East Coast. With its myriad of diverse attractions, it becomes one of the main places to visit in Sicily.
In Catania don’t forget to check out the remnants of the Roman city. This is Catania’s number one attraction.
Piazza Duomo is a vast square featuring several churches and historical buildings. Impressive fountains can be found here too.
Catania is much more industrially developed than Palermo with robotics, motherboards, steel and recycling. Technology industry has been purposely centralised in Catania and it is at a much richer state of development in comparison to its equivalent in Palermo.
In Catania they produce their own solar panels. The company “3Sun” is a good of example of its huge investment in green energy production. It has no become the largest factory in Europe, if not the world, producing photo voltaic panels.
In terms of natural resources, Sicily boasts 3 refineries with over 100 oil wells
Because of this indigenous oil, Sicily was late to the green energy market.
Historically, Mussolini gave away the oil rights to foreign companies in return for political support. Despite this fact, Sicily is still dependant on imported oil for their oil fired electricity generation. There has been a move towards renewable wind and solar in recent years but this has still not gained the critical mass needed to support the islands total electricity appetite.
Siracusa
Siracusa, or “Syracuse” in English, is a city rich in ancient Roman and Greek history. Archimedes, the Greek mathematician, physicist, astronomer was born here. The Siracusa region is known for the production of lemons, potatoes & strawberries.
When walking towards the city centre is the Temple of Apollo, or rather its remnants. The ancient Greek temple dating from the 6th century BC is one of the oldest in Sicily.
Just before you reach the temple, you’ll cross over a bridge, which marks the start of Siracusa Old Town called “Ortigia”. Ortigia is an island and the old part of Siracusa is located there. At the end of the small island you can find Castello Maniace, a castle and a fortress all in one.
The centre square is called Piazza del Duomo. It’s here where you can find the magnificent Cathedral of Syracuse from the 7th century, with the long Italian name of Cattedrale metropolitana della Natività di Maria Santissima.
In our opinion, the old town of Siracusa is one of the lesser promoted beauty spots in Sicily.
Taormina
Taormina is one of the most beautiful and enchanting towns there is in Sicily, perched on a beautiful hillside. Although the town is very touristy, it is impossible not to get excited about the charm and uniqueness of the place.
It is enough to just wander in it and enjoy the colourful houses and the atmosphere that is around small shops on all sides and small and charming cafes.
In Taormina, you will not want to miss the ancient Greek theatre, an impressive historical and archaeological structure which also, because of its height, provides an amazing panoramic view.
Not only can you explore wonderful historical monuments such as the ancient Greek Theatre and visit the public gardens, you can also see a lively town or go to the beach via a cable car.
Our must see recommendation for a trip to Sicily, Southern Italy 2022:-
(1) Our visit to Mount Etna, was the highlight of our entire trip.
(2) Our second choice would be visiting the hill top town of Taormina.
(3) Our third would be our visit to Catania’s number one attraction: Piazza Duomo.
As always, the people we met on the tour and our Travel Department guide, Francesca and driver Nino, enriched the whole experience.
“You should travel away from home, to really appreciate the value of what you have at home, on your return.”
“Happiness is found in the journey and rarely in the destination, alone.”
Our observations and tips from our trips to the island of Sicily
The only thing predictable about Sicily is the friendliness of its citizens and the boldness of its motorcycle and car drivers.
Keep a bottle of water handy during your trips as there can be a reasonable degree of walking and climbing involved.
The region is blessed with a very good water irrigation systems fed from stored water, allied to this, it has volcanic fertile soils.
When dining out, order the ‘vino della casa’ (house wine) instead of a bottle. It usually comes served by the litre in a lovely carafe.
Italians don’t really do breakfast, they usually have a cornetto (croissant) and an espresso to start their day. Their real food comes at lunchtime. Even in hotels, don’t expect anything more than a ‘continental breakfast’. Italians eat late dinners between 08:00 - 11:00pm.
Italy doesn’t have much of a tipping culture but restaurants will usually add a service charge to your bill.
Try to buy tickets online, prior to your trip, they work out much cheaper.
Cash is king here. Make sure you carry enough cash with you each day to pay for incidentals like take away pizza or gelato. Even though things are changing, more often than not the smaller establishments will only accept cash.
Ice-cream (Gelato) is on sale everywhere. Enjoying an authentic creamy gelato is one of the real pleasures when in Italy. Not all Gelatos are equal, when you find a good one, stick to it.
While you don’t need to be fluent in Italian, knowing a few choice words and phrases will help you in situations outside of your hotel or visiting museums. Sicilians aren’t known for their mastery of the English language.
Italians invented the coffee culture along with the macchiatto, espresso, and cappuccino. However, there are no ‘cafes’ in Sicily, instead there are ‘bars’ and they are pretty much everywhere. When ordering coffee be sure to specify the type you want.
Sicilians see milk as something you should only have at breakfast. Sicilians consider it a massive faux pas to order a cappuccino or (caffè) latte with or after lunch or dinner.
Public toilets in Sicily are pretty dismal. They don’t have toilet seats and you need to pay 50 cents to use a toilet. Be sure to bring your own tissues and wipes.
Standing at the bar is cheaper, be prepared to pay a higher price to sit at a table.
Pack comfortable shoes (flip flops, sandals and sneakers), light scarves and hats (for sun protection) and UV sunglasses. Opt for lighter and brighter clothing. Shorts are acceptable in most restaurants. However, when visiting churches, the rule is simple: cover knees and shoulders or you’ll be refused entry.
Train transport remains in public ownership throughout Sicily. During peak times and on weekends the trains can be extremely busy and crowded. Train travel can be slow and cumbersome in Sicily.
You are advised to buy bottled mineral water: frizzante (sparkling) or naturale (still).
When it comes to mosquitoes, the island of Sicily is comparable to other Mediterranean regions, so take your usual precautions.
In most accommodations in Sicily, it is preferred that you do not throw toilet paper into the toilet. You should use the bin supplied instead.
Generally world wide you should not expect to eat great food in the historical centres, remember that you’re paying for the view and not high-quality food. Sicily is an exception to this rule with excellent food to be found throughout.
Italy is no stranger to pickpockets who operate all over the country. They tend to stay around monuments, archaeological sites and popular bus routes. Be wary if anyone tries to distract you for any reason, be suspicious, especially if they are adamantly trying to get your attention.
