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living of sicily south italy

tour south italy - explore south italy - visit south italy

the hot zone of the mediterranean seA

SICILY

Travel and Holiday to south Italy, Sicily, Etna, Eolian Islands, Agrigento, Taormina, Capo d'Orlando, Palermo, accommodation by the sea or rural

Official Regione Siciliana Web Site

Welcome to Southern Italy - Friendly People - Azure skies - Cristal clear sea - and much more History Nature Culture Traditions..

HOTEL ROOMS ACCOMMODATIONS OFFERS IN SICILY


STAY BY GEOGRAPHICAL DESTINATION IN COASTAL MOUNTAIN OR RURAL AREA


Wine & Food     Mount Etna     Eolian Islands     Pantelleria     Lampedusa     Ustica


Discover this wonderful island, home of great historic and romantic sites like Agrigento and Taormina and only few hours away from other beautiful locations of Southern Italy like Calabria and it's wonderful rugged coast, Campania and it's splendid sites like the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Capri, or even Apulia and it's characteristic Trulli Houses.

This beautiful island hosts the Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano, which looms menacingly over the eastern end of the island. If you are lucky, you could witness the glow of molten lava flowing from fissures in the rock and the most spectacular fireworks display you have ever seen.

This is the island where Africa meets Europe blending Baroque with Classical. Sicily is a land where not only you can sit and enjoy the heat of the sun but also discover and explore its Greek Temples, Baroque churches and any other historical site you can find. No need for great studies to make great discoveries: Sicily will just show them to you, with all their glamour.

The name of Sicily has varied and adapted various times going from Trinacria to Sicel and finally to Sicily, but the changing rule over Sicily, from the early Greeks and Romans to the day Italian Republic, has yielded a strong and unique culture. It features sprawling green hills to perched villages, to walks beside the 15th century lava of Mount Etna, the choice to visit this Diamond of the Mediterranean is endless and inspiring.

Sicily's position in the Mediterranean, lying as it does between Europe and Africa, has over the centuries, made the island a strategic centre for trade. However, it has also been target of many invasions by foreign conquerors, including a brief occupation by the British in the early part of the 19th century.


Concordia Temple Sicily Regione South Italy Scala Turchi Sicily Regione South Italy Agrigento Sicily Regione South Italy Valle Templi Sicily Regione South Italy Capo Orlando Sicily Regione South Italy Cefalu' Sicily Regione South Italy Cefalu' Sicily Regione South Italy Cefalu' Sicily Regione South Italy Eolian Islands Lipari Sicily Regione South Italy Eolian Islands Lipari Sicily Regione South Italy Eolian Islands Stromboli Sicily Regione South Italy Eolian Islands Panarea Sicily Regione South Italy Eolian Islands Vulcano Sicily Regione South Italy Etna Volcano Sicily Regione South Italy Etna Volcano Sicily Regione South Italy Palermo Sicily Regione South Italy Palermo Sicily Regione South Italy Messina Sicily Regione South Italy Taormina Sicily Regione South Italy Taormina Sicily Regione South Italy Taormina Sicily Regione South Italy Taormina Sicily Regione South Italy


Food & Wine    Other Info   


The Nature and Variety of Sicily's cuisine has surely been influenced by it's history the regions history, in fact the influences from North Africa, Greece and Spain are evident.
Sicily is very well known nationally for its wonderful sweet dishes. The most famous are the "Cannoli", deep fired pastries stuffed with ricotta, and rolled in bitter chocolate, many have tried to repeat the recipe out side of this region but Sicily's Cannolo is "best served in Sicily" and doesn't even taste the same if you'd try to take it with you in Calabria that can be only few minutes away with the "Traghetto".
Seafood is abundant, fresh, and presented in great variety. This swordfish dish is a must, "Pescespada" stuffed with brandy, Mozzarella and herbs cooked on a charcoal grill.


Souvenirs & Suggestions


Taormina has many exclusive boutiques, where you can find the top designer labels. A relaxing walk along the "Corso Umberto" is a must for the fashion conscious, either just to window shop, or maybe for that special purchase.
Why not take home with you one of those colourful ceramics, with such diversity of design and style , they always remind you of that warm, hot diamond of the Mediterranean, Sicily. Try the world famous fortified Marsala wine, produced only in Sicily, similar to the UK's known Port wine, you'll surely like to take a taste of Sicily back home with you.


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Myth


Sicily was chosen by the gods of the Olympus as the scene of their stories of love and hatred, of passion and revenge, of sudden wrath and deep compassion. One day, to free her daughter Proserpine from the insistent courting of Apollo and Mars, Ceres decides to hide her in a safe place: Sicily. But as Proserpine is picking flowers along the banks of Lake Pergusa near Enna, she is sighted by Pluto, the god of the underworld, who wants her as his bride. Pluto was a god with rough manners, so he breaks out of the round, carries away poor Proserpine on a golden chariot pulled by four black horses and disappears into an abyss that breaks open near the spring of Arethusa. Only the nymph Cyane hears her cries and rushes to her aid, but will be punished for doing so.
Ceres starts her wanderings across the island to seek her lost daughter and uses the firebrands lit in the Etna to dispel the shadows of the night. The pain-stricken goddess of fertility leaves everything to wither away and perish. After losing her sickle in Trapani (believed by some to be at the origin of the cape in front of the city), the goddess reaches the court of King Keleus who generously gives refuge to her. To thank him for his hospitality, Ceres raises his son Triptolemus and reveals to him the secrets of agriculture. The goddess's grief touches Zeus who sends Hermes to intercede with Pluto to release Proserpine who in the meantime has eaten the pomegranate (the fruit symbolizing the bounds of love). She agrees provided that she can return to him in the underworld for a part of the year. This explains the passing of the seasons and the rites dedicated by man in their honour to propitiate a fruitful season and to favour the return to the goddess on earth.

Erice too was the scene of godly events. According to tradition, Astarte, the goddess of fecundity, lived there. A huge bonfire burned in her temple to guide sailors at sea to the port like a beacon in the night. Once ashore, they would pay homage to the goddess in the temple where once a year the sacred doves would be set free to reach the homonymous twin temple of Sicca Veneria (today Kef) in Tunisia (their flight is remembered in the city's coat of arms). The vast expanse of the plain of Milazzo was chosen by a god as the pasture for his herd. The port of Messina was the work of Orion, the titan punished by the gods. Akragas was a giant born of Zeus and the nymph Sterpes. The construction of the city bearing his name is attributed to the work of his powerful arms.





worlds hot zone in the  mediterranean sea

 

The South of Italy

7 REGIONS from ROME to SICILY

 

APULIA

Apulia, a land located in the centre of the Mediterranean at the southern extremity of Europe, offers splendid views from commanding positions, over fertile valleys towards the sparkling Adriatic, delicious food and wine and a wonderful warm climate. Here, Nature imposes itself with a wonderful variety of rich colours: red earth, dark green pine, silvery green olive trees and lush vineyards; sparkling white labyrinths of towns which seem to glisten in the sun; milky white medieval centres with tangles of streets and alleyways, all against a backdrop of the deep blue Mediterranean Sea. In this land you will find gems of architectural and historical interest: Romanesque, Byzantine and  Baroque churches, cathedrals, castles, towers, prehistorical remains and last but not least the Trulli Houses.

BASILICATA

Basilicata, magical and vague. Land of light and clay, woods and mountains, that can lead to the desire of its discovery without noticing. This is a small region who’s solitary mountains gently fall to the Tyrrhenian Sea on one side and to the Ionian Sea on the other. Basilicata is surrounded by other territories of Southern Italy, like Calabria that leads to Sicily, Campania with it's Amalfi Coast and Sorrento, or Apulia with it's Trulli Houses. Some of it's typical villages lay peacefully on the rocks allowing a silent and reserved stay with great views of it’s rugged coast, others lay next to the beach, surrounded by nature, offering fun and entertainment.

CALABRIA

This is a land with a wonderful coast line; dramatic cliffs overhanging secluded bays; steep cliff paths to small rocky coves; islands and caves to explore; long stretches of beach, gently curving into the distance all are lapped by the clear, azure sea. Calabria makes up the "toe" of Italy and is an area little known to British visitors. The scenery is spectacular and dramatic, rising to over 6000 ft in the mountains, and dropping steeply to the coast with its long stretches of beach, crescent-shaped bays, craggy cliffs and islands dotted about in the crystal clear, blue, Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas. You will be spoilt for choice whether in the mountains or on the coast, there is more to see and explore than can possibly be done in a couple of weeks. On the other hand, the slow southern Italian pace of life is perfect for just relaxing. Calabria is steeped in history, myth and legend. There are prehistoric settlements and early cave dwellings. The region features in the writings of Homer and Virgil and has been fought over by Hannibal, Romans, Sparticans and many others. It is also rich in living tradition and folklore. Throughout the year, there is a wealth of festivals and carnivals, involving much music and dancing, often in traditional costume.

CAMPANIA

This is the land where the deep South of Italy truly begins. Campania is the region that houses wonderful world wide known sceneries like the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento and Capri but is also doorway to other most beautiful locations of Southern Italy like Calabria with it's wonderful rugged coast, Sicily and it's romantic and historic towns like Agrigento and Taormina, and also just few hours away from Apulia and it's characteristic Trulli Houses or Basilicata with beautiful towns like Maratea. Campania features a volcanic sea of the deepest shade of blue lined with miles of dramatic coast and dotted with such lovely islands that almost seem to be tiny, brightly coloured jewels. Sharp contrasts don't miss in this region going from the heat, noise and urban sprawl of troubled Naples to the calming qualities of Sorrento, from the romantic islands of Capri and Ischia to the undiscovered coastline of Cilento. One typicality of Campania will never miss throughout the whole region and that's the warm welcoming as well as the calm qualities of it's people. Enjoy all of Campania's culinary gems, starting from the world known "pizza" that originates from this region of Italy, and created in Honour of the Queen Margherita, going through it's cakes and sweets and ending to it's typical liquors.

 

MOLISE

The Molise region shared its history with Abruzzo until the fall of the Roman Empire, as evidenced by findings in Pineta of Homo Aeserniensis, who moved between the two regions on a seasonal basis. All the main centres in Molise became Roman colonies with the conquests during the Social War and the Samnite Wars and Second Punic Wars (such as Morrone del Sannio, Isernia, Larino, Venafro and Pietrabbondante), with the formation of new Christian-led urbanisations, such as the Diocese of Trivento, until the Normans arrived. Invasions by the Goths and Lombards followed and, after the latter's conversion to Catholicism, the church gained much power over Molise. A key date in the history of Molise is 1221, when Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor turned Molise into a district of imperial justice. Several monasteries were founded here, including the splendid site of the Madonna delle Grotte in Rocchetta a Volturno.
 

SARDINIA

Seaside views in Sardinia are among the most marvellous in the world. Beautiful little isles scattered around its coastline. The coasts are scraggy and rocky, surrounded by shallow sea and astonishing beaches of fine sand and coves. Striking beauty of nature, christal-emerald clear waters of the Mediterranean sea, warm, welcoming people, typical cuisine, old traditions and wonderfull culture, all in one territory, with museums to visit, plenty of activities to take part to, natural environments to explore or beautifull beaches to simply relax on. Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean, full of culture, history, nature, folklore and entertainment.

SICILY

This wonderful island is the home of great historic and romantic sites like Agrigento and Taormina and only few hours away from other beautiful locations of Southern Italy like Calabria and it's wonderful rugged coast, Campania and it's splendid sites like the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Capri, or even Apulia and it's characteristic Trulli Houses. This beautiful island hoststhe Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano, which looms menacingly over the eastern end of the island. If you are lucky, you could witness the glow of molten lava flowing from fissures in the rock and the most spectacular fireworks display you have ever seen. This is the island that hosts great historical architectural buildings andwhere Africa meets Europe blending Baroque with Classical. Sicily is a land where not only you can sit and enjoy the heat of the sun but also discover and explore its Greek Temples, Baroque churches and any other historical site you can find. No need for great studies to make great discoveries: Sicily will just show them to you, with all their glamour.

 

the  tyrrhenian sea

the worlds hot zone

worlds

from Rome south The South of Italy

MOUNT VESUVIUS VOLCANO

POMPEI ERCOLANO PAESTUM

AMALFI POSITANO COAST

MOUNT ETNA VOLCANO

STROMBOLI VOLCANO

EOLIAN ISLANDS

CAPRI ISLAND

TRULLI LAND

FRIENDLY PEOPLE

HOT ROMANTIC CHARACTER

BREATH TAKING COASTAL VIEWS

BREATH TAKING MOUNTAIN VIEWS

HISTORICAL CHARACTER MONUMENTS

TRADITIONAL OLD CHARACTER ROOKED TOWNS

LOTS OF BEAUTIFUL TIRRHENIAN & IONIAN ISLANDS

LOCAL TRADITIONAL CELLAR WINES TESTING

LOCAL TRADITIONAL FOOD

LOCAL TRADITIONAL CHEFS

LOCAL TRADITIONAL WINES

 

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