SICILY

Sicily is the largest Island in the Mediterranean. Inhabited since the dawn of prehistory, it is washed by three seas: the Tyrrhenian, Ionian and central Mediterranean.Most of its surface is mountainous or hilly.

The highest peak is Etna, this is Europe’s largest and most active vulcano.It lies on the east side of island in the province of Catania.

Etna

The Egadi Island – Cala Rossa, Favignana

In the seas round Sicily, the Aeolian or Lipari archipelago and Ustica lie to the north, the Egadi islands, a variegated and outstanding as well as a particulary beautiful archeological, geological, places for a really special holiday.

Catania

Palermo Cathedral

This city can be considered a real synthesis of the many different cultures and civilizations, politics and domination wich succeded in Sicily throughout the centuries.Founded by the Phoenicians, it soon became a centre of trade and political interests, in Norman and Arab times. Its many monuments, especially the baroque, give it a characteristic appearance.

Valley of the temples of Agrigento

The town and the province of Agrigento show a rich archeological and historical fortune.Once called Akragas it is one of the major cultural sites in the Mediterranean, the greatest time in Agrigento’s history was that of the Greeks, whose culture here assumed its own highly scenic particular forms.

Enna

Enna is the only seashoreless Sicilian province and because of its peculiar geographical position, it offers the possibility of an inland view of the whole island. The town is full of residences dating from XVI and XVII century, castles and fortifications. The mayor monuments is Lombardia castle probably named for people of Lombard origin who settled here in Enna.

Piazza Armerina

In the province Piazza Armerina which has also pre-roman strictures and roman villas found nowhere else in the world, as well as the famous mosaics in Villa Filosfiana.

Very delicious are products offered by the local cuisine: different kinds of pasta and roasts seasonings, the “buccellati”(typical short pastry biscuits whit a dried figs filling) and the “ciammelle” ( large milk biscuits). Finally, one of the characteristics of the provinces is its naturalistic environment..

Buccellati

The province of Ragusa is know for its baroque wonders. The baroque architecture can be found in the cathedral of Giovanni Battista, in the basilica of San Giorgio or in the church of San Giuseppe, and it mingles with the charm that connects architecture and power in Donnafugata residence castle. The province of Syracuse is one of the most charming of the island, both for the particular concentration of natural beauty and for the many monuments that surround it.

Ragusa (its baroque wonders)

Syracuse

Syracuse founded as a Corinthian colony was for a long time the most important town of the island.The most famous structures are the Greek theatre and the roman amphitheatre, but there are also the catacombs of San Giovanni; the Arethusa Fountain and Dionysus’s Ear, a cavern endowed with a good acoustic resonance.

Noto

After Syracuse the most fascinating city is Noto, a baroque art world centre: churches, nunneries and residences recall the magnificence of this style.Catania offers come examples of baroque building as the Elephant Fountain the Cathedral, Palazzo delle scienze and its annexes museums, the Roman Amphitheatre, the Bellini Theatre.

In Caltagirone, a town in the province of Catania, can be found baroque residences and ceramics of greats value. Caltagirone is also famous for the Cathedral and its Tesoro and the 142 steps forming the stairs of Santa Maria del Monte with ceramic risers.

Caltagirone

The town of Messina is placed on one of the two sides of the Straits of Messina. Elegant and high-class residences, churches and monuments offer many examples to know this town. The most famous structure is the mechanical clock of the cathedral, that is the biggest clocks in the world and real example of precision and an always efficient mechanism.

The mechanical clock of the cathedral

Taormina-Greek theatre

The most important small town from a touristic and historical point of view, which its Greek theatre.

Taormina-Greek theatre

The most important small town from a touristic and historical point of view, with its Greek theatre.

However the charm coming from this province derives from the Aeolian islands, famous all over the world for their pleasant sweet smells and beauties: Panarea, Vulcano, Stromboli and Filicudi.

Panarea

Pupi

The puppets are the famous Paladins of France and the puppetry technique harmonises with the texts incorporating the essentials of this form of drama typical of Sicily. While puppets are important the Sicilian Carretto is equally so, its side decorated with primitive pictures of the Paladins, lives of saints or heroic deeds done by historical figures, and tales of bloodshed. It is a symbol or artistic craftsmanship and part of folklore.

Finally sicily is famous for its cooking: the infinite numbers of way to cook pasta( characteristic are pasta and pilchard, cannelloni and cuscus), Sicily’s caponata, Sicilian cakes and ice creams, cassata, cannoli, the cotognate, pignolata and an infinite number of typical regional products.

Cannoli

Cassata siciliana

Pignolata

Pane e panelle

Produced by : IVB/Pedagogico