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 Lipari © Italian Tourist Board Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, may be just
a short hop from the Italian mainland, across the narrow strait of
Messina, but it is a world apart in atmosphere and attitude.
Everything Italian seems a little more appetising here, not only
the food but the history and culture as well.
For a long time Sicily was ignored as a holiday destination,
largely because of the Mafia stranglehold and because of the
poverty of the people. Today, however, the island is experiencing a
tourism boom and a surge in development as the destructive
influences of the Mafia wane. Visitors discover that the Sicilian
people are gracious, noble and welcoming and that the island itself
offers natural and historic attractions of great beauty and
enormous interest.
The main cities of Palermo and Catania feature some of the most
exquisite architecture in the world, a legacy of the many great
civilisations that have vied for control of this strategically
situated island over the centuries, from the Greeks and Romans,
Arabs and Normans to more recently the French, Spanish and
Italians. There are massive Romanesque cathedrals, the
best-preserved Greek temples in the world, Roman amphitheatres and
magnificent Baroque palaces. The continuous blue skies and
temperate climate, lush vegetation and rich marine life all add to
the island's appeal. Nature has given Sicily Mount Etna, Europe's
tallest active volcano, a dramatic coastline and a fertile soil
that gives forth much of the bounty on which the island's unique
and delicious cuisine is based.
Resorts See our separate guides to the following Sicily holiday resorts: Palermo, Syracuse, Lipari and Taormina Attractions  Capuchin Catacombs © Sibeaster Capuchin Catacombs
The subterranean catacombs that contain the mummified remains of
about 8,000 ancient inhabitants of Palermo may be macabre, but are
fascinating to visit. The Capuchin friars began mummifying and
embalming the bodies of the city's nobles back in 1533, and the
tradition continued for centuries with the last body (a
seven-year-old girl named Rosalia) being embalmed in 1920. After
embalming, the corpses were hung along the walls of the catacombs,
dressed in their best, which they still wear proudly, like the
military officer in an 18th-century uniform complete with
tricorn.
Address: Piazza Cappuccini 1, Palermo;
Telephone: (091) 212 117;
Opening time: Daily 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 5pm (until 7pm in summer);
Admission: €1.50
 Il trionfo della morte © Sailko Galleria Regionale
Palermo's largest art museum, devoted to medieval works, is
housed in the Gothic Palazzo Abbatellis, built in 1488. The
collection includes several particularly interesting works. The
Bust of Eleanor of Aragon by Francesco Laurana, for
example, dates from 1471 and is considered to be the epitome of
Renaissance Sicilian sculpture, while the beautiful masterpiece
painting Our Lady of the Annunciation is considered
Antonello da Messina's greatest work. Also renowned is the chilling
Triumph of Death fresco by an unknown 15th-century artist
that covers an entire wall.
Address: Via Alloro 4, Palermo;
Website: www.regione.sicilia.it/beniculturali/palazzoabatellis;
Telephone: (091) 623 0011;
Opening time: Daily 9am to 1pm and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 2.30pm to 7pm;
Admission: €6
 Marionettes © Museo Internazionale delle Marionette Marionette Museum
One of Palermo's most unique attractions is the engaging Museo
Internazionale delle Marionette, a museum dedicated to the art of
puppetry, which is an age-old traditional Sicilian entertainment.
Free shows are often put on in summer, but the museum collection
itself, the greatest of its kind in the world, is entertainment
enough. Most of the antique puppets on display evoke Norman Sicily,
representing chivalrous heroes and Saracen pirates, knights, ladies
and troubadours. The collection includes puppets from the Far East
and even some English 'Punch and Judy' dolls.
Address: Via Butera 1 (around the corner from the Palazzo Chiaramonte), Palermo;
Website: www.museomarionettepalermo.it;
Telephone: (091) 328 060;
Opening time: Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm and 3.30pm to 6.30pm;
Admission: €5 (adults), concessions available
 Monreale Cathedral © Urban Monreale Cathedral
Of all the many architecturally beautiful and fascinating places
of worship in Palermo, probably the most renowned is the 12th
century cathedral in the suburb of Monreale, high on the mountain
slope about five miles (eight km) from the city centre. The
dazzling cathedral is a mixture of Arab, Byzantine and Norman
artistic styles, a blend of medieval Christian and Muslim
architecture. The magnificent mosaics that cover 68,243 square feet
(6,340 sq metres) of the cathedral's dome and all of the walls on
the interior are unsurpassed. The adjacent Benedictine abbey
features a cloister with 228 carved stone columns, many inlaid with
mosaics, depicting scenes from Sicily's Norman history.
Address: Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, Monreale;
Telephone: (091) 640 4413;
Transport: Bus 389 from the Piazza Indipendenza in Palermo, about 20 minutes;
Opening time: Daily 8am to 6pm
 Ortygia © realloc Ortygia
The Ponte Nuova (New Bridge) connects the mainland city
of Syracuse to the island of Ortygia, where most of the worthy
sights are located. The remains of the Temple of Apollo are sited
in the Piazza Pancali; this is the oldest Greek temple in Sicily,
built in the Doric style in around 565 BC. The cathedral in the
nearby Piazza Duomo is uniquely made up of the original walls of a
5th-century BC Greek temple known as the Athenaion and near the
sea, reached along Via Capodieci, which is the mythical Spring of
Arethusa. There are medieval relics on the island too, including
Maniaces Castle dating from the 11th century. Apart from the many
historic sights, the island of Ortygia also offers numerous
boutiques and craft shops, as well as restaurants and cafes galore.
Several hours are required to explore the island fully.
Transport: Across the Ponte Nuova bridge from Syracuse
 Palazzo Mirto © Motivase Palazzo Mirto
The excessive opulence of Baroque is nowhere better demonstrated
than in the magnificent Palazzo Mirto, one of the few aristocratic
homes of Palermo that is open to the public, offering visitors a
glimpse into the lifestyle of Sicily's noble 19th-century families.
The Palace was the residence of the Lanza Filangeri family whose
last heir left the estate to the Ministry of Cultural Assets in
1982. Most of the princely rooms and salons are furnished with
original items that belonged to the family.
Address: Via Merlo 2, Palermo (off the Piazza Marina);
Telephone: (091) 616 4751;
Opening time: Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7pm; Sunday, 9am to 1pm;
Admission: €3
 Paolo Orsi Archaeological Museum Paolo Orsi Regional Archaeological Museum
Syracuse's archaeological museum is one of the most extensive in
all of Italy, preserving relics and remains from the Greek, Roman
and early Christian eras of Sicily's history. The museum building
itself is ultra-modern, consisting of glass and steel exhibition
halls connected in a hexagonal shape. The exhibits cover a vast
range, from the skeletons of prehistoric animals to the renowned
Landolina Venus statue.
Address: Viale Teocrito 66, Syracuse;
Telephone: (0931) 464 022;
Opening time: Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm; Sunday, 9am to 1pm;
Admission: €6
 Greek Theatre © Dario Dado Parco Archeologico della Neapolis
The archaeological park on the western edge of the city of
Syracuse contains the celebrated rock-hewn Greek amphitheatre,
capable of holding about 15,000 people, where Euripides and
Aeschylus' works were performed in antiquity. Today Greek dramas
are still played here on occasion. Inside a leafy quarry at the
site near the theatre is the ear-shaped cavern, the Orecchio di
Dionigi, reputedly used by Dionysius as a prison. Nearby is the
Roman Amphitheatre, built in the time of Augustus, where gladiators
fought each other and wild animals in gory contests.
Address: Via Del Teatro, Syracuse;
Telephone: (0931) 66206;
Opening time: Daily 9am to 6pm (April to October), 9am to 3pm (November to March);
Admission: €4.50
 Regional Archaeological Museum © Dan Bock Regional Archaeological Museum
Some of Europe's greatest archaeological treasures are tucked
away in Palermo's somewhat musty museum, which is well worth
visiting even though it's rather shabby. The collection is housed
in several old convent buildings, dating back to the 13th century,
and includes artefacts from the Phoenician, Punic, Greek, Roman and
Saracen periods found on the island. Highlights include two
Phoenician sarcophagi dating from 5 BC, and the Pietra di Palermo,
a black slab discovered in Egypt containing hieroglyphics that is
known as the 'Rosetta Stone' of Sicily. One room is devoted to the
marvellous finds unearthed at the temples of Selinunte. There is
also an interesting section devoted to underwater archaeology.
Address: Piazza Olivella 24, Palermo;
Telephone: (091) 611 6805;
Opening time: Tuesday to Saturday 8.30am to 6.15pm, Sundays 9am to 1pm;
Admission: €4.50 (adults), €2 (children)
Excursions Catania
The second largest city in Sicily, Catania sits in the shadow of
Europe's highest volcano, Mount Etna, on the east of Sicily between
Syracuse and Taormina. Ugly, decayed and crime-ridden today, it was
once called the 'city of black and white' because of the use of
white marble and black lava to construct its elegant buildings,
many of which have since fallen into ruins or been destroyed by
war, earthquakes and lava flows. In summer Catania sizzles; it is
regarded as the hottest city in Italy with temperatures often
soaring to 104ºF (40ºC). Despite its unattractive
aspects, Catania is an ancient city, founded in 729 BC, and boasts
some interesting historical relics. There are two Roman
amphitheatres, one reminiscent of Rome's Colosseum, and a
13th-century fortress, Ursino Castle, which is now a museum. The
city's cathedral contains some royal tombs and was built in the
11th century.
Mount Etna
Sicily's greatest natural attraction is the very active volcano,
Mount Etna, which has been spewing lava and shaking the earth for
centuries, most recently in 2002. About 20 miles (32km) from
Catania the craters below the summit can be reached from the town
of Piano Provenzana at the base by mountain bus or on foot. This
town also serves as a ski resort in winter, and during summer is a
base camp for hikers intent on enjoying the wooded scenery and
exploring the interesting caverns in the area. Various species of
oak and stone pine, birch and beech trees cover the lower mountain
slopes, while frogs, toads, tortoise and Sicily's ubiquitous
lizards hide in the forest streams. Foxes, weasels, squirrels and
other small mammals stalk the forests and a plethora of bird
species fill the trees and the Gurrida Lake area.
Solunto
The Roman ruins at Solunto overlook the coast near Santa Flavia,
on the slopes of Mount Catalfamo. The site was originally a
Phoenician village that was expanded by the Greeks who conquered it
in 396 BC. By 255 BC it had fallen to the Romans, who rebuilt much
of the original town. No complete structures remain and the ruins
consist mainly of floors and the lower portions of walls and
columns. Portions of mosaics and paintings are still visible. An
impressive view of the Gulf of Palermo can be had from the hilltop
above Solunto, and there is a small archaeological museum at the
site, although most of the artefacts from Solunto are in the
Palermo's Regional Archaeological Museum.
Address: 10 miles (16km) east of Palermo
Ustica
An underwater city and a landscape of petrified black lava are
the characteristics of the unusual little island of Ustica in the
Tyrrhenian Sea just a short ferry ride 36 miles (57km) north west
of Palermo. The ancient volcanic island was originally inhabited by
the Phoenicians and fell prey to pirate raids often during the
Middle Ages. In the 20th century Ustica became a penal colony.
Today the island is a designated national marine park and its
crystal clear waters and undersea treasures, particularly the
submerged ancient city of Osteodes, attract divers from all over
the world. Every year in July the island is the venue for an
International Underwater Activity Show.
Transport: Ferry from Palermo
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