Sicily The Red-Hot Island

Text by Jérôme Bourgine
Photos by JP Durand

The 5 must-sees of Sicily:

1) Mount Etna, the biggest active volcano in Europe. You can reach the summit by foot, train or cable car. It's beautiful up there!
2) Palermo. Originally Phoenician, then Roman, Greek, Norman, Arabic... Visit the old city and the famous Palatine Chapel and its sumptuous Byzantine mosaic.
3) The Antiquity Sites, especially the Greek ones. In Agrigente, the Temples of the Concord and Junon, the huge Selinonte site and the Segeste one, preserved on its desert hill…
4) Ah! Syracuse... Just a short walk from the sea stands the legendary Arethuse Fountain. You may stroll along ancient houses, narrow streets, up to the Palazzo Bellomo, with its famous "Annunciation" by Antonello da Messina (1414).
5) The gripping view of the Greek Theatre of Taormine, set in the mountain and by the Etna, the Capo Taormina facing the Faraglioni, where The Big Blue was shot.

Other places worth seeing:

Erice the Medieval: a labyrinth of streets paved with cobblestone, old houses and gardens in bloom...
Monreale: Its cathedral shows the best of the Arabo-Norman style. 63,000 square feet of mosaic illustrating The Bible. Unique!
Cefalu: the seaside resort. A wonderful beach, Norman cathedral with its Sicilian mosaic. The Roman villa of Casale, with its many rooms and original mosaics.

Where to go:

In Palermo, The Antica Focacceria San Francesco on Via Alessandra Paternostro. For 170 years, its cast-iron stoves have provided pizza and stuffed breads. Great atmosphere!

Daily life:

On the menu:

• Pasta! "Pasta con le sarde" (sardine sauce) and also "cuttlefish ink" sauce.
• Fish: especially swordfish and tuna.
• Vegetables: all kinds.
• Cheese? Pecorino, ricotta and cacio cavallo (dried straddling stick).
• Desert: cassate, granita and delicious local pastry "les seins de la vierge". Sicilian wines: white and red, dry and sweet, they are delicious and really cheerful.

Where to stay: Hotels of all standards. Sometimes charming, offering assured comfort in "deluxe" and "classy", plus lots more. Country inns (agriturist) and summer camping.

Getting around: By car but keep your eyes open for the "ma che", they drive like crazy people. Trains go everywhere, they're cheap but very slow. There are also regular coaches between cities. By taxi, set the price before you leave.

Having fun: La passeggiata, the vesperal walk: young people holding hands, going slowly back and forth, observing each other, an unchanging ritual. Artistic events and festivals are numerous during the summer. Discotheques in a sea resort.

You will adore Sicily for its:

Beach atmosphere: Sun + beach + hot sea + trattoria + beautiful scenery = successful holidays.
Culture: Greek, Roman, Venetian, Norman sites, cathedrals, mosaics…everything you need to tan in an intelligent way.
Weekenders: A jump on a plane, into a car and that's all. 3 days are not too bad but 4 are better.

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