Travel to island Sicily, Italy
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and it's more than a simple island of Italy and a premiere travel destination for more and more vacationers. Sicily is a unique place full of art, archaeology, history, folklore and Mediterranean breathtaking scenery. Ruled by Asians, Africans and Europeans, this wonderful island is now a cosmopolitan place with a multicultural society due to its history: Sicily has been a Greek colony, a Roman province, an Arab emirate and a Norman kingdom.
The Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Swabians, Angevins and Aragonese ruled Sicily too, leaving behind an eclectic history that travelers can touch today! Knowing this is easy to understand why this land is so complex, and why it's a land like no other. All this things expalin why Sicily is a favorite travel destination in Europe.
Some of the best vacation resorts
Being a large island, Sicily has many vacation resorts that attract many travelers each year.
The north shore of Sicily has reefs, olive groves, secluded coves and countless seaside hotels and resorts. Here is located Cefalu, a gorgeous city with splendid beaches, one of the top travel attractions of Europe.
On the western side of the north coast is Palermo, the capital and island's largest city. During your tour of Sicily don't miss the 12th-century Monreale Cathedral, located 6 mile (8 km) west of town, because it has impressive biblical mosaics. About 50 mile (80 km) west of Palermo is the ancient village of Erice. This village is interesting because it features an ancient temple dedicated to Venus.
The southern coast has a milder climate, so there's a good place for swimming and diving round the year. This is one of the reasons why many travelers choose this resort to spend here their vacation.
A relaxing tour
A tour of Sicily must include Agrigento (for the Valley of the Temples), Acireale, Taormina (a beautiful town perched on cliffs, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea), and Mount Etna (10 902 ft/3 323 m), which is an active volcano on the east coast. In winter you can enjoy here excellent skiing, with great ocean views from the mountain.
Some of the best ancient Greek and Roman ruins on the island and in the same time main travel destinations are the Greek theatre from Taormina and San Domenico's Monastery (near Messina), the Greek theater from Syracuse, the 5th-century BC Temple of Concord in Agrigento, and "Casale Armerina" - a jewel of Roman architecture, with wonderful mosaics, located near Enna.
A tour of Sicily should also include Catania, Trapani, Modica, Ragusa, Gela, Caltanissetta, island Sromboli, Pantelleria Islands, Pelagian Islands, and Aeolian Islands.
