It's the largest island in the Mediterranean, with 14,000 years of history.
Sicily is in the center of the Mediterranean Sea and has been central to several world-changing civilizations including the Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans. It is rich in artistic, musical, literary, culinary, and architectural heritage, and has some of the most beautiful beaches and scenery in the Med. Yet many travelers never go beyond mainland Italy.
Don't let this be you! Even if you've already done the 'big three' Italian destinations of Rome, Venice and Florence, there is so much more to Italy.
Here are half a dozen reasons Sicily should be your top destination on your next trip to Italy or the Mediterranean.
Mount Etna:
The slopes of Mount Etna dominate views of the island. 3300 meters (11,000 feet) high, Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe and the highest mountain in Italy south of the Alps. In the balmy Mediterranean, Etna's seasonal snow cap is a startling sight, as is the black ash it occasionally sprinkles over the island. Mount Etna is the symbol of Sicily, a source of myths, legends and spiritual mystique.
Any trip to Sicily will include opportunities to get great views of the volcano – a classic view is from Taormina - but you can also journey up the heights of the mountain. You'll want warm layers in the upper reaches of Etna even in the sunny Mediterranean.
Taormina:
This mountaintop town has some of the best views of Mount Etna, including the most famous view of the volcano and the coast from its Greek amphitheater. The amphitheater is not just a scenic ruin, it's still used for concerts and plays that bring it alive. Taormina is the bustling resort town of Sicily. Within its medieval walls, most vehicles are excluded. That creates a special atmosphere, with vacationers strolling the stone streets between restaurants and shops.
It's a must-visit place for the view, and a great base to explore eastern Sicily and enjoy nearby beaches.
The Valley of the Temples:
Valle dei Templi is not, in fact, a valley – but it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This ridge in Agrigento in southwestern Sicily is covered by not one, not two, but seven temples dating back to the 5th century BC. They are in classic Greek Doric style and each dedicated to a different god. Zeus, Hera, Heracles and the usual suspects of Greek mythology remain memorialized at this site that is almost overwhelming in its beauty and scale.
If you can, return in the evening, when lighting creates an even more other-worldly atmosphere.
Teatro Massimo
Move over, La Scala. Palermo's Teatro Massimo is Italy's largest opera house, third-largest in the world. Many people say they are not in love with opera, but this grand opera house on the city's Piazza Verdi is the place to treat yourself to an Italian classic: Verdi, Puccini, maybe a Bellini. The theater experience will transform you and the level of music, ballet and opera is truly world-class. Bask in the splendor of the architecture and design and indulge in people-watching the local community of arts supporters.
Still not convinced? Then go to re-live the 'Godfather'. The closing scenes of Part III of the mob movie classic were filmed here.
Cuisine and Cannoli
Sicily is so renowned for its cuisine and regional specialties, it's often nicknamed 'God's Kitchen'. Among the most famous of its specialties are sweets, both iced and pastries. Cannoli are a staple of Sicilian cuisine which of course has crossed the Atlantic to also become an icon of Italian-American cuisine and culture. It's thought cannoli, tubes of fried pastry filled with a sweet, creamy, ricotta cheese-based filling, may have started as a fertility symbol. Originally, they were only served as a treat during Carnevale. Luckily, you can now try Sicilian cannoli at the source year-round on the island.
Just like when they're made by your grandmother, you don't have to limit yourself to one. Different regions of Sicily have cannoli variations, like the enormous versions near Palermo you'll want to post pictures of yourself eating.
Wine
Like its regional culinary specialties, Sicily has its own unique wines, a few you won't be able to taste at the source anywhere else in the world, like Nero d'Avola cultivated near the baroque town of Noto. There's archeological evidence that Sicily was one of the first regions in Italy to embrace winemaking. Sicily's limestone-based land, hills, sun, and sea breezes provide the base for remarkable wines.
The western part of Sicily is the home of Sicily's most famous wine, Marsala. This liqueur wine was the first DOC wine in all of Italy, and of course is the basis for savory dishes like Veal Marsala, and enhances sweet dishes like zabaglione and tiramisu.
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