Sicily

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[edit] Provinces


[edit] Cities

[edit] Islands

[edit] Other destinations

Image:Aeolian islands.jpg
The Aeolian Islands

[edit] Understand

[edit] Talk

Natives of Sicily speak Sicilian, an ancient Romance language that is comprised of many different languages (Spanish, Latin, French, Arabic, among others) and is considered an entirely separate language from Italian.

Most Sicilians are proficient in Italian and modern day schools are teaching English to students. You can not count on being understood in English. You may have better luck with French. Be advised that when traveling to small villages, the people (especially the older residents) may not speak Italian.

[edit] Get in

There 3 possible way to arrive in Sicily: By airplane: There are 2 main airports in the cities of Catania and Palermo; By Boat: Use the strait of Messina in Calabria; By train: Use the trains that link Rome, Milan and Naples with the cities of Sicily (Catania, Syracuse, Palermo, Messina) The name of the train is Eurostar.

[edit] By Plane

Sicily's main airports are in Palermo and Catania.

Catania is the larger airport, with domestic flights to most parts of Italy, some international routes and many charter flights.

Palermo is smaller, although growing, with a range of domestic flights and a few international budget flights.

There are also three other smaller airports, in Trapani and the minor islands of Pantelleria and Lampedusa.

[edit] By Train

Sicily is linked to the main Italian train network at Messina. Long distance trains from Rome and Naples cross the Straits of Messina by ferry and continue on to Palermo and Catania

[edit] By Bus

Long-distance buses link Rome and Naples to Catania and Palermo.

[edit] By Boat

Large, slow car ferries link Palermo with Naples, Genoa, Livorno, Sardinia and other Mediterranean destinations. The are also car ferries between Milazzo, the Aeolian Islands and Naples, and between Trapani and Tunis. See Central Med Ferries

Across the Straits of Messina, there are at least hourly ferries between Messina on Sicily and Villa San Giovanni on the mainland. There are also several hydrofoils each day between Messina and Reggio di Calabria.

There are Catamarans and ferries running to/ from Malta from Pozzallo (90 mins) and Catania 3hrs. This service is provided by Virtu Ferries

[edit] Get around

How to get around the island?

You can get around by train, that connect the main cities (Messina, Palermo, Catania, Syracuse); By car, using the freeways, A18 Catania-Messina, A19 Catania-Palermo, A20 Messina-Palermo; By bus, the have departure centers in the main airports and the railways stations

Be careful, although public transport is very good during the week, there are not many services on Sundays - check the timetable carefully and ask the locals.

[edit] By Train

The railway network in Sicily is quite good and cheap. Regular, quite fast trains run on the main lines between Messina and Palermo and Catania, with fewer trains on the other routes. See www.trenitalia.com

[edit] By bus

The bus network in Sicily is quite extensive and cheap. The main hubs are Palermo and Catania, but routes link most of the main towns frequently and most small towns at least once a day. From virtually everywhere you will be able to get a bus direct to Palermo.

[edit] By Boat

There are regular ferries and hydrofoils from Sicily to its Islands, although services are somewhat reduced during Spring and Autumn and even more so during Winter. For timetables see a summary at: Booking Italia or the individual companies: SIREMAR, Ustica Lines and NGI. The main routes are:

[edit] By Plane

If you have less time and more money, there are flights to Pantelleria and Lampedusa.

[edit] See

The best places to see are:

  • The city of Agrigento, on the southwest coast, with its Greek temples
  • The beach resort of Cefalu, seaside town at the east of Palermo
  • The city of Enna, 1000 meters high city…the highest of Europe
  • The village of Erice, a little medieval town
  • The mountain Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe
  • The town of Marsala, the heart of wine-production
  • The city of Palermo, the capital of Sicily
  • The temples of Segesta with some excellent Greek ruins.
  • The city of Syracuse, on the southeast coast, with its Greek theatre.
  • The little village of Taormina, with a beautiful Roman-Greek theatre
  • The Alcantara Gorges, a natural park in a volcanic river
  • The Nebrodi Park, a natural reserve full of forests
  • The Aeolian islands, 7 little island of Volcanic origin
  • The city of Catania, a mix of historical evidences, churches and museums

What are the best beaches to choose?

  • Mondello Lido, near Palermo
  • Mortelle, near Messina
  • Spiaggia Sabbie Nere (Vulcano island), a “Black Sands Beach” in the Aeolian islands
  • Lido Mazzarò (Taormina), the best summer resort of Sicily
  • Marina di Ragusa, on the southeasters Sicily

[edit] Itineraries

[edit] Do

What are the best activities to practice?

You can practice different activities like Trekking, Wine tours, Bicycle trips, Sight-seeing, Winter sports on the Etna mountain, horseback ridings, scuba diving and much more…It depends on your budget and the period you choose. i.e. in the summer months the best things to do are swimming the in the waters of the coast; in the autumn months the best activities are trekking on the Sicilian natural parks and in the winter the queen is Mount Etna where practice Skiing, alpine skiing and much more…

[edit] Eat

Making the most of its island coasts, Sicily has some of the world's best cuisine to offer. Much of the island's food is made with creatures of the sea. Unlike the northern parts of Italy, cream and butter are hardly used for typical dishes in Sicily. Instead, the natives usually substitute tomatoes, lard (rarely) or olive oil. The cuisine is very exotic and has many spices and unique flavors to offer. Sicilians cultivate a uniquely Sicilian type of olive tree, which they affectionately call the "saracena". The food is typically Mediterranean but there are strong hints of Arabic and Spanish flavor (Sicily was conquered by many people during its long history). Sicilians like spices and have particular affinity for almond, jasmine, rosemary, mint, olives and basil.

Sicilians have notorious sweet tooths and are among the best dessert makers in Italy. Try the cannoli (tubular pastries filled with sweet ricotta cheese), granita (ices mixed with real crushed fruit and their juices), and their most famous export, cassata (Arabic inspired cake). Make sure not to pass up the pine nut and almond cookies, as they are always a crowd pleaser.

Arancini (sometimes Arancine), fried rice balls with fillings, is a Sicilian fast food that is relatively cheap. They can be hard to find outside of Sicily, so try them while your there.

[edit] Drink

Sicilians are not big alcohol drinkers (Sicily has the lowest rate of alcoholism in all of Italy). Sicily counts more vineyards than any other Italian region and boasts one of Italy's most progressive wine industries. Noted mainly in the past for strong bulk wines and often sweet Moscato and Marsala, the island has switched its emphasis toward lighter, fruitier white and red wines. For a detailed list of wines and grape varieties, please visit Sicily Guide.

Sicily is divided into three main producing wine districts:

  • Trapani province in the west
  • Etna in the east
  • Ragusa on the southern tip

Most well-known Sicilian wines: Nero d'Avola, Bianco d'Alcamo, Malvasia, Passito di Pantelleria, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Etna Rosso, Etna Bianco.

Some Sicilian wine producers: Planeta; Cusumano; Tasca d’Almerita; Tenuta di Donnafugata; Feudo Principi di Butera (Zonin); Morgante; Duca di Salaparuta; Benanti; Palari; Firriato; Marco De Batoli; Salvatore Murana.

Sicilians enjoy a fruity lemon liquor called Limoncello during the long, hot, and dry summers.

[edit] Stay safe

[edit] Get out

[edit] External links

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