About Sicily

Posted on Thursday, December 22, 2011

Taormina…a Sicilian Treasure

Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011

Although a bit cloudy, Mt Etna was visible and stood as a sentinel guarding the beautiful city below.  From the ship, to a tender to a bus that took us up to the city entrance as we enjoyed breath taking views at every turn.

A stroll down Corso Umberto is a feast for your senses as you pass bakeries, tratorias, cafes and gelateries of course. We noticed that the quality of merchandise was much better that the last visit 4 years ago— but some if the prices where molto $$$$.  Needless to say, there were plenty of sourvenier shops all around and lots of shoppers.

A short uphill climb from Piazza Duomo, took us to the Greco Roman Theatre ruins (picture above,) which are fairly well preserved and offer expansive views of the bay and picturesque cities around.

Whether you come for the history, culture or just to stroll around with the friendly locals, Taormina, Sicily is certainly an unforgetable part of Italy that should be on every itenerary.

Browse through our selection of Sicily tours

The Valley of the Temples

Posted on Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Travel to the Valley of the Temples, in Agrigento, Sicily, where you’ll see some of the best preserved ruins of ancient Greece. Among the countryside full of blooming almond tress are wonderful ruins of the temples that, in course of time, kept intact their architectural magnificence. Ten major temples are found in this valley. The temples have a Doric style, with 6 majestic columns on the front side, except for the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The most impressive is the Temple of Concordia, built in 440 B.C. it is nearly perfectly preserved and has continued to be used over time. At night the illuminated temple is a sight to behold. Come see why the Greeks chose this site on a cliff a few miles from the ocean. Experience the beautiful ocean view, and the soft, constant cool breezes. All the temples offer an amazing view at dawn and sunset when they display a warm golden color.

Sicily Travel Tips

Posted on Saturday, November 15, 2008

Sicily, also known as the "football being kicked by Italy's boot,"  is Italy’s largest Island, & is steeped in history, & possesses an extraordinary range of art, archaeology, culture and folklore.  Sicily offers visitors an extraordinary range of art, archeology, culture & folklore. You will come back surprised with the beauty of the island, history of the ancient world & touches of every Mediterranean culture.

Make sure & visit the archaelogical sites. Sicily has some of the best preserved temples from the ancient Greek & Roman times. This combination of civilizations has created a unique culture with a charm of its own.  Palermo is the regional capital of Sicily, & has some of the region's most important tourist attractions. The city revolves around the Piazza Vigliena, a Baroque square in the city center.  Other highly visited cities include Messina, Catania, Agrigento, Syracuse & Trapani. Mt. Etna, is Europe's highest & most active volcano. The mountains make Sicily perfect for adventure travel including mountain biking, camping & hiking. 

The dining-table is the place of introspection of all the different civilizations that have passed through the island. Popular dishes include locally caught seafood, eggplant, veal & of course olive oil & cheeses. Pastries & desserts are famous for their richness & stuffed with cheese, chocolate & fruit. Sicilian gelato is excellent, & you cannot leave without trying a cannoli which are tubular crusts with creamy ricotta & sugar filling. Sicily with it's warm temperatures, hilly terrain, sea breezes & rich soil, is very similar to the growing conditions seen in the best wineries of California or Australia. Marsala is Sicily's most well-known wine.

You can visit Sicily year round, but April through mid-October are the most popular months. Most coastal resorts close their hotels from November through March. Be careful with July & August, as they can be quite hot.