Travel to Sicily

Travel to Sicily

Sicily has a rich history and culture as through the centuries it has been ruled by the Greeks, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Swabians and Spanish. This mixture of civilisations can be seen in the architecture of buildings in the city and the people of Sicily. Sicily is an interesting destination with its ancient villages, beautiful buildings, and remarkable scenery.

Transportation to Sicily

There are two airports on the island of Sicily, one in Palerma and the other in Catania. Both these airports accommodate local and international flights making flying a popular choice with travellers from Europe. Visitors travelling from North America will usually have to fly via Rome or Milan. There are several buses and taxis readily available to transport you to and from the airport to Sicily. Eurorail offers train services that connect Sicily to many parts of Europe via the major Italian cities of Rome, Genoa or Milan.There are several dailyferry crossings from various ports in Italy to Sicily. There are also ferry services that connect to the Greek Islands and certain ports in Europe. Passengers on these routes may have to change ferries to arrive at Sicily.

What to see

There are several buildings of interest tosee in Sicily, each one offering its own charm and history. They include the 15th century Norman palace of King Roger 11 and Fredrick 11. Here you can walk around the palace viewing the grandeur of the rooms and the courtyard which houses the royal chapel with its unique Arab painted ceiling. The Cathedral was built in the Norman-Arab-Neoclassical style which reflects the citys past civilizations. One of themost populargalleries in Sicily is the Palazzo Abatellis art gallery located in a 15th century Gatalan-Gothic palace. The art gallery exhibits paintings and sculptures, some of which date back to the 12th century. The archaeological Museum holds an interesting and vast collection of items recovered from Sicilys past civilizations.

Day trips

Sperlinga, about a two hour drive from Sicily, is known as the cave house town and lies on top of a mountain. The town is very small but what makes Sperlinga so unique is that many of its older homes, hundred years and older, have been carved out of the mountain. Forza Dagra, near Taormina, is situated on top of a mountain and is known as the Godfather Town as parts of the movie The Godfather were filmed here. The town is also an ancient medieval site and ruins can still be seen. Unfortunately, during World War II many people were killed here because of the bombings and today the town is slowly dying off. Stromboli can be reached by boat and is home to the most active volcano in Europe. The volcano generally erupts every thousand or so years.

Activities and leisure

There is so much to do in Sicily for both water and land lovers. Water lovers will thrive on Sicilys windsurfing, scuba diving, swimming or fishing. Hiking is available and there are many tours that can be arranged or trails that you can hike on without a guide. The best hiking is to be had at Pantalica in the Anapo river valley or the more extreme hike up Mount Etna. Walking and cycling tours can also be arranged from one of the many local tour operators. During winter, skiing and snowboarding are available and you can even ski down an active volcano.

Safety issues

Sicily, like all major cities around the world, has its fair share of petty thieving and snatching. Travellers are always recommended to have travel insurance as this will be of great aid if they happen to be the unlucky victim. Travel insurance will also come in useful if you intend to participate in extreme sports.