Introduction to Sicily

An introduction to Sicily Sicily is a land of extremes and contrasts, a magnification of all things Italian. It is also an island of enormous intensity, a concentrated distillation of history, architecture and gastronomic delights, where incandescent volcanoes light up the night skies, mountain ranges jostle for supremacy, and where the sea has sculpted a coastline of stunning variety and beauty.With its wonderful climate, Sicily is eminently visitable all the year round and each season has its own distinctive charm. There is always something to do, whether it be lounging on golden beaches, hiking in the mountains, visiting ancient archaeological sites, skiing on Mount Etna or shopping in Palermo’s fashionable boutiques. Wherever you turn you will see evidence of Sicily’s 3,000 years of history as the strategic crossroads of Europe. Nowhere else have Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, French, Germans, Spanish, Italians, and even the British, left such an enormous collective legacy. The island is a vast open-air museum, a testament to nearly every Mediterranean civilisation of the past.Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, and the largest region in Italy. It’s packed with things to see and places to go, so you shouldn’t expect to “do” it all in one go. This is especially true if we include Sicily’s delightful archipelagos, the Aeolian Islands, the Egadi Islands and the Pelagie, all supremely worth a visit.