The captivating beauty of Sicily itinerary

Firstly a few facts: Sicily is a very large island (its surface extends over approximately 9900 square miles). It is the closest point of Europe to North Africa (Tunisia is approximately 177 miles from Marsala in Southern Sicily), its population is 4.7 million, most of which is concentrated in its larger cities and surroundings. 

Due to its strategic position in the Mediterranean, Sicily has seen possibly more invasions and power take-overs than any other European region: Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, French, Spanish, Austrians and finally the Italians have ruled the land over the centuries; and each one of these civilizations left a mark, making Sicily one of the most diverse places on earth culturally: in its architecture, but also in its agriculture, cuisine, language and traditions. 

Roughly speaking when thinking of visiting Sicily it is worth bearing in mind that it is not traversed by highways linking the various sites and areas. Hence it is advisable to decide how much time one has and choose to cover one side of the island as opposed to trying to see it all.

Left: The cathedral in Noto. Right: Citrus groves near Catania.

A good rule of thumb is to consider that if one has a week or ten days it is good to concentrate on Eastern Sicily where there are a plethora of landmarks to visit.

If on the other hand one wishes to take a short 3-4 day break, Palermo the “capital” of the region, to the west, is an excellent starting point.

I first visited Palermo in 1996 when the city was a very different place to today. At the time the crime rate (mostly internal feuding between mafioso families that did not really affect outsiders) was pretty high making it a place that was low on visitors' bucket lists. Today the city is thriving and is a place that more and more foreigners want to visit. Though at times rough around the edges, it is a city that grips one emotionally and is full of hidden gems.

Eastern Sicily offers everything from volcanos, to volcanic islands,  perfumed citrus groves, cactus fields, breathtaking cream-coloured Baroque cities that turn golden in the early sunset hours, a countryside in which fields are segmented by beautiful stone walls, plateaus from which to see miles of incredible landscapes, colorful ceramic artefacts, artistic and elegant crafts  and lastly an exotic cuisine which carries within it French and Middle Eastern influences as well as being typically Italian! 

The towns of Siracusa with Ortigia, the magnificent Noto, the two towns of Ragusa facing each other, the elegant Modica, the gritty but fascinating Catania and the uber touristy and deluxe Taormina, all lie on the Eastern side of the island and we would recommend these as your Sicilian adventure starting point. 

If you have time to spare, starting early June and until October, the Eolian Isles on the north coast of Sicily, are a perfect sea escape: two of them, Vulcano and Stromboli, have active volcanos on them, some are still truly rural, some glitzy, some understated and tranquil havens of luxury.

Left: Lava cutting the road on Mount Etna. Right: The top wines at Benanti.

Wine lovers also have their fair amount to discover as the slopes of Etna are home to many excellent wineries, of which two or three rank as outstanding, with the volcanic terroir granting a very distinctive palate to the wines; and then there are the strong and aromatic dessert wines such as the Moscato di Pantelleria and the wines made from the Zibibbo grape.

The western side of Sicily with its towns of Marsala, Mazara del Vallo and Trapani have a different flavour, also due to their proximity with Tunisia so for example their cuisine is strongly tinted by Arabic traditional dishes and one may find that cous cous often figures on menus. Agrigento, in central southern Sicily is home to the famous Valley of the Temples, an extraordinary collection of magnificently preserved temples dating back to Sicily’s Greek period. 

Palermo is a treasure trove of incredible art and architecture. Following the Norman conquest from the Arabs in 1061, the city started to develop Christian architecture, often created by the Arab craftsmen who remained at the service of the new lords. 

Hence the magnificent Cathedral and cloister of Monreale, the Palatine Chapel in the Norman Palace and truly extraordinary mixed style buildings such as San Giovanni degli Eremiti, a church that strongly resembles a mosque, examples of which can be found also in the Churches of San Cataldo or La Martorana.

The following centuries enriched Palermo further with the creation of incredibly ornate Baroque churches with inlaid marble decorations which are mesmerizing. 

The city is also dotted with magnificent private noble palaces to which we can gain access, which allow one a glimpse into the splendors of what was and still is, a very aristocratic city. 

The colorful food markets and the patisseries offering cannoli and cassata are yet another attraction of this extraordinary and compelling city. 

You might have gauged that we are pretty crazy about Sicily and very much hope that our enthusiasm is contagious, especially for our friends and guests that have visited Florence, Venice and Rome many times. Please bear in mind we also work with a company that specializes in exclusive villas, should you wish to stay a week or longer.

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