Insight Guides: Explore Sicily

How To Use This E-Book

This Explore Guide has been produced by the editors of Insight Guides, whose books have set the standard for visual travel guides since 1970. With top-quality photography and authoritative recommendations, these guidebooks bring you the very best routes and itineraries in the worlds most exciting destinations.

Best Routes

The routes in this book provide something to suit all budgets, tastes and trip lengths. As well as covering the destinations many classic attractions, the itineraries track lesser-known sights. The routes embrace a range of interests, so whether you are an art fan, a gourmet, a history buff or have kids to entertain, you will find an option to suit.

We recommend reading the whole of a route before setting out. This should help you to familiarise yourself with it and enable you to plan where to stop for refreshments options are shown in the Food and Drink box at the end of each tour.

Introduction

The routes are set in context by this introductory section, giving an overview of the destination to set the scene, plus background information on food and drink, shopping and more, while a succinct history timeline highlights the key events over the centuries.

Directory

Also supporting the routes is a Directory chapter, with a clearly organised AZ of practical information, our pick of where to stay while you are there and select restaurant listings; these eateries complement the more low-key cafs and restaurants that feature within the routes and are intended to offer a wider choice for evening dining. Also included here are some nightlife listings, plus a handy language guide and our recommendations for books and films about the destination.

Getting around the e-book

In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

Maps

All key attractions and sights mentioned in the text are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map] just tap this to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

Images

Youll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of the destination. Simply double-tap on an image to see it full-screen.

2014 Apa Publications (UK) Ltd

Table of Contents

Recommended Routes For...

Baroque at its best

Succumb to Sicilian Baroque in Noto, Ragusa and other cities of the Val di Noto Unesco World Heritage site ().

Neil Buchan-Grant/Apa Publications

Castles

Sweep away the cobwebs by visiting great medieval castles, including those in Erice (), built by the Normans or Swabians.

Neil Buchan-Grant/Apa Publications

Island hoppers

Sail on ferries or hydrofoils to the stunningly beautiful Aeolian Islands () off the northeast coast, popular for volcano-climbing and viewing, wallowing in mud baths, hiking, sailing and swimming.

Neil Buchan-Grant/Apa Publications

Markets

The teeming markets of Palermo (), with mountains of glistening fresh produce and raucous street life, are riveting spectacles. Dive in early to see them at their best.

Neil Buchan-Grant/Apa Publications

Mosaic art

Admire the Byzantine Norman mosaics in Palermos Cappella Palatina () for superb Roman floor mosaics.

Insight Guides

Top museums

Discover outstanding collections of prehistoric and classical archaeological remains in the museums of Agrigento ().

Insight Guides

Top temples

Sicily has more ancient Greek temples than Greece. Track down the most splendid at Agrigento (), and in summer stay for Greek drama under the stars.

Neil Buchan-Grant/Apa Publications

Volcanoes and views

Explore Sicilys dramatically active volcanoes: a cable car, trail-bashing jeep tour or climb up Etna ().

Insight Guides

Chiesa del Ges detail

Neil Buchan-Grant/Apa Publications

Explore Sicily

Goethe found Sicily intoxicating, from the Classical temples and Etnas eruptions to the volcanic Sicilians themselves. To have seen Italy without seeing Sicily, he wrote, is not to have seen Italy at all for Sicily is the key to everything.

Sicilys strategic maritime setting, at the crossroads of Mediterranean trade routes, has always played a crucial role in the islands history. Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Normans and Spaniards all left their mark, embellishing the island with some of their finest works and creating a beguiling cultural hybrid.

Sicilian smile

Insight Guides

The varied legacies are redolent in the complex traditions and customs, as well as the diversity of architectural styles. Its perhaps not surprising that Sicilians see themselves as a separate nation from mainland Italy or the rest of Europe. When they cross the 4km (2.5-mile) Strait of Messina to the Italian peninsula, theyre off to il Continente .