The island of Sicily is one of the most unusual resorts in all of Europe. Millions of tourists from Russia, as well as other countries annually visit this wonderful place.
Sicily is considered a real pearl of the Mediterranean. The history of this beautiful place can be traced to the development of various cultures. At the moment, the territory belongs to sunny Italy.
In this article, we will tell you about the island itself, as well as about the attractions located on it. There are a lot of them and you will learn about the most significant here.
Where is the island of Sicily located?
The island is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. To be more precise, between Europe and Africa. The area of the island of Sicily is about 25 thousand square kilometers. As mentioned above, at different times tribes fought for it, and all because the island has a specific location. By the way, Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean in terms of area.
It is worth noting that if you look at Sicily from space, you can see that it has the shape of a triangle. It is for this reason that in ancient times the island was called Trinacria.
Basic information about the island
The main administrative center of this place is considered the city of Palermo, which is not a secret for anyone. It is also worth briefly telling about the history of the island itself, since it is difficult to understand something about the sights without it.
In ancient times, Sicily had another name - Trinacria. That is what the Greeks called this place. Three tribes lived here - Sicans, Siculs, and also Elimites. The Sicans lived here initially, and the rest came here later, and this happened during the overpopulation of nearby lands. But that is not all. Later, global colonization began to take place here. Phoenicians and Greeks came here. The whole island was covered by a series of colonies. The Phoenicians settled in the western part of the island, and the Greeks in the eastern part. Later, a struggle for the island broke out here. The Greeks tried to completely subjugate him to themselves.
Later, the Roman Empire appeared and, finally, by 535 the island joined the Byzantine Empire. After some time, there was still some contention with France, but in the end, in modern times, Sicily is considered part of Italy.
Climate on the island
As for the climate on the island - it is Mediterranean. This means that here the summer is not hot, and the winter is very warm. Of course, sometimes the wind blows from Africa and it is commonly called sirocco. The island becomes unbearably hot as the thermometer rises to 45 degrees. It is good that such phenomena do not occur so often and generally do not last long. But just such a climate attracts most vacationers.
Flag of sicily
The flag of the island of Sicily, whose photo can be seen below, is not at all the same as the flag of Italy. The county has its own. It was adopted in the 13th century.
It is worth telling about one interesting fact. Many people ask themselves: what is depicted on the flag of Sicily? The Isle of Man in the Irish Sea has the same pattern. These flags are characterized by the presence of a triskelion in the center, that is, three legs, as well as the head of the Gorgon Medusa. On the flag of the Italian island, they symbolize three different points of it.
Such a sign is found not only on the flags of these islands. It was also used by the ancient Greeks, Etruscans, Celts. And this is not a complete list.
sights
What to see on the island of Sicily from the sights? This issue will be described in detail in the article. As you might guess, most of the attractions of the island of Sicily appeared a very long time ago. They are all not alike, because there were colonies of completely different cultures. It is also worth noting that natural historical monuments have been preserved to our time. About one of them in the next part of the article.
Volcano Etna
One of the most interesting sights on the island of Sicily in Italy, of course, is Mount Etna. Almost every person living here is proud of him.
The uniqueness of the volcano is that it is considered the highest of the active volcanoes in Europe - 3323 meters. It exceeds the height of the famous Vesuvius, located near Naples, almost two and a half times!
The downside of a volcano on the island of Sicily is the constant eruption of lava flows, destroying the nearest villages. This happens approximately every two to three months.
The volcano on the island of Sicily does not cause much harm to the state, since it is located quite far from it. But there are pluses, people use his gifts to develop their agriculture. All because the soil is rich in trace elements. In fact, the Sicilians are truly unique people. People learned to live near such a dangerous natural phenomenon.
Taormina city
This place can be called a real gem of the island of Sicily in Italy. Citizens are proud of the wonderful resort. There is definitely something to be surprised at. In addition, Taormina never complains about the lack of tourists. Here the charming nature - mountains, sea, wonderful gardens.
The city is located in eastern Sicily, that is, on the shores of the Ionian Sea. Since the 19th century, the island began to attract wealthy tourists, and this continues to this day. Nowadays, you can easily see famous musicians and artists on the island.
The city is mostly interesting in that you can spend time in it in different ways. For example, relaxing on the beach or wandering around the old medieval streets, while studying the architecture of the city.
Most of the tourists here are attracted by the ancient Greek theater, built in the third century BC. Previously, it was considered the most spacious theater of the island. About ten thousand people could be here at the same time. From here, Mount Etna is very visible. For this reason many tourists come here. Currently, the theater serves its purpose. Various festivals are often held here.
Many more travelers are attracted by the Roman Nahumiya. Previously, the so-called special structures designed for gladiatorial battles.
Palermo Cathedral
This unique building was erected in the city of Palermo in the Middle Ages. Until now, it amazes travelers with its grandeur, as well as beauty. Many architects, as well as artists from different countries, worked on the creation of the beautiful cathedral.
The history of the Cathedral dates back more than fifteen centuries, since there was another church here earlier, but after the Arabs captured the island, the cathedral turned into a mosque. And in 1072 he was again baptized in honor of the Virgin.
The building underwent major reconstruction in the 19th century. It was then that it was very much changed externally as well as internally. For example, a low dome was replaced with a wooden ceiling. In addition, the royal sarcophagi served as a message to create a memorial zone.
Today it is one of the most famous attractions of Palermo, as well as the whole of Sicily. This place is considered a symbol of the unification of various cultures. It is dominated by elements of classicism, as well as the Arabic and Gothic style.
The Cathedral is located in the very center of the city, so it is not at all difficult to find. Doors for local residents as well as tourists are open daily. It is forbidden to attend the cathedral only during Mass.
It is also worth noting that you can visit the Cathedral only in certain clothes. The shoulders should be covered, despite the weather. Entrance to the cathedral is free, but you will have to pay for a ticket to the tomb. The cost as of 2018 is 7 euros.
Temple Valley
This place is called a memorial throughout Sicily. It is located in Agrigento. The place is so historical, it can be said that even the dust underfoot seems to be somehow special and saturated with antiquity.
Once upon a time, this place ennobled countless slaves. It was thanks to them that these ancient sanctuaries were created.
In ancient times, the city of Agrigento had a different name - Agrigentum. It was founded in 581 BC. e. His fate was similar to the fate of the cities located on the island of Sicily.
In addition, tourists constantly come here and reviews about the temple valley are only the most positive. Few places where you can see such an ancient beauty.
As for the temples, their appearance has not been preserved to our times. In addition, I would also like to say that there are many ancient cities near Agrigento, about which scientists know very little, since excavations have not yet been carried out here.
Currently, this park includes many Doric temples, an ancient wall, as well as necropolises. The most ancient temple in this valley is the Temple of Hercules. It was built in 510 BC. e. The building is quite well preserved to our time, because it was restored several times - during the time of the Romans, as well as in the 20th century. During the last reconstruction, eight of the 36 columns were restored.
Botanical Garden
Another very popular tourist destination. It does not belong to the times of antiquity, but also has a historical character. The garden has existed for more than two hundred years, and the date of foundation of this wonderful place is considered to be 1779. Initially, it had only scientific significance and was built precisely for this purpose. It was open to tourists in 1795. The following year, a large aquarium appeared here.
This place is not ceased to admire both locals and travelers from different parts of our vast planet.
Currently, there are more than twelve thousand different plants. And the main attraction of the garden is large-leafed ficus. It impresses most visitors, as well as local residents with its extraordinary size and structure. He appeared here in the 19th century. Currently, the botanical garden includes several large greenhouses with various plants, as well as thousands of samples of mushrooms, algae and lichens.
In addition to all of the above, some species of animals and birds live in the botanical garden. These include ringed parakeets.
Royal residence
Another popular attraction in Sicily is considered the royal residence of the Normans. The second name of this wonderful architectural structure is the Palazzo Normanni. The Palatine Chapel is considered the most popular part of a visit to the palace.
As for the history of the construction of the building - for the first time on this place the Phoenicians built something, then the ancient Romans made their fortifications here. Then, in the 9th century, the Arabs decided to take possession of Palermo and built a residence in this place and called it the Palace of the Emirs. Then there were still quite a lot of conquests of this place. The founder of the building that has survived to this day is Robert Guiscard. He managed to subjugate all of southern Italy. In modern times, the royal castle is considered one of the most famous historical attractions of Sicily, as well as all of Italy. In addition, the Sicilian Parliament sits here.
The main value of the palace is considered to be its interior. As mentioned above, the Palatine Chapel is the most famous part of the palace. In addition to her, two more rooms have remained inside the building since the Normans. The most famous of them is Roger Hall. The hall is decorated with luxurious golden mosaics, for which crowds of tourists come to this place. The second room is called the Squire Hall. It was accidentally discovered during restoration work in the first half of the 20th century. As for the royal apartments on the third floor, the Hercules Hall has been preserved here.
Syracuse
Another rather great page in the history of Italy is considered a popular city on the island of Sicily called Syracuse. This ancient Greek settlement was once founded by the Greeks who came from Corinth. This happened in the 18th century, and initially it was not particularly different from all other Sicilian cities. But everything changed dramatically after the city was captured by a tyrant of a Greek colony named Gelon. He made this place his residence.
Once upon a time such famous people as Archimedes and Plato created here. There is even a square named after the scientist. Despite the fact that Syracuse belongs to Italy, it can rightfully be called the Greek heritage. In addition, I want to note that Dionysius the First ruled this settlement for the longest time.
The city has many attractions and one of the most famous is a cave in the shape of an ear. The construction is called the Ear of Dionysius. The place is a limestone artificial cave, which was knocked out in the rocks of Temenite. If you look at it from a helicopter, you can see that the cave has the shape of the letter S. Its length is more than sixty meters and its height is more than twenty meters. It has great acoustics.
The Cathedral in Syracuse also should not be ignored. It is considered a real gem of the local square. In ancient Greece, the temple was the richest place. Therefore, he was constantly robbed. The greatest damage to the construction was done in the first century BC.
Villa del Casale
And another popular attraction of the island is Villa del Casale. It was built in the fourth century BC near the city of Piazza Armerina.
Once the villa was the central estate of a huge estate and was one of the most luxurious buildings of this kind. The villa is primarily known for its beautifully preserved mosaics. And by the way, such mosaics belong to the richest collection of ancient Roman art. The facility is also under UNESCO protection.
For the first time, official excavations began here in 1929. After this, Giuseppe Cultrera took up the matter. Scientists suggest that the villa was the residence of some rich man. There are many rooms here. Among them are a living room, bedroom, kitchen and more.
In 1959, most of the mosaics were found. For example, scientists discovered interesting fragments of hunting scenes.
Kassibile River
Cassibile is a river in Italy, located in the southeast. Its length is thirty kilometers. Its source is located in the mountains of Ibleia, near the popular city of Palazzolo Akreide.
The place is not considered particularly popular. There are no lifts, and virtually no infrastructure. But next to Kassibile there is a reserve. Entrance to it is absolutely free, but you will have to leave your initials at the entrance. You can visit the park from morning to seven in the evening.
Most of all tourists are impressed by the lakes, the passage to which goes through a rocky staircase. Pointers are placed on the way to them, so it’s difficult to get confused. It takes about half an hour to go to the lakes. It is also worth noting that on the approach it is worth being careful, since a collapse of stones is possible. Here is crystal clear turquoise water. You can swim.
On the territory of the reserve itself there is a very large number of ancient grottoes.
Cathedral monreale
The famous archbishop's cathedral, located in the suburbs of Palermo. Belongs to the most important monuments of Arab architecture. It was laid by King William the Second Good. Very popular thanks to the cycle of mosaics associated with the Old and New Testament. In 2015, it was listed as a World Cultural Heritage Site.
The construction of the cathedral began in the 12th century at the behest of the king himself. According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream to William and pointed to this place for construction. The construction of the cathedral progressed very quickly. By the end of the reign of the king, the building was almost completed, to this day it has almost retained its original appearance. Unfortunately, in 1807 lightning hit him, and in 1811 the building was damaged by an unexpected fire, but was later restored.
The construction is among the special Sicilian monuments. It is unusual in that it has several different styles. There are signs of Norman as well as Islamic culture.
Where to stay on the island?
There are a lot of hotels on the island of Sicily. Of course, where to stay is a relative question, since to a large extent it depends on the budget of the traveler. By far, the best hotels on the island are Terra del Sole, as well as Villa Paradiso. Here are the best views, as well as rooms.