Sicily Islands: Heart Of The Mediterranean Sea

Italian island Sicilia is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is surrounded by smaller islands and is collectively called the Sicilian region. 

Sicily is the meeting point between Africa and Europe, the East and the West. This beautiful island is a hub of the Mediterranean culture and one of Italy’s more alluring destinations.

The island is visited by family members, honeymooners, adventure lovers and lazy people who just want to lay by a beautiful beach. Sicilia is drained by several rivers, most of which flow through the central area and enter the sea at the south of the island.

Apart from the sandy Mediterranean beaches, Sicily is packed with UNESCO World Heritage sites and hills striped with dry stone walls and dotted with carob, almond and olive trees, the southeastern corner island has a character all of its own.

Here are some of the places you would want to visit the next time you are in this majestic island:

Ragusa Ibla is a beautiful maze of bright limestone streets built on a hill between two deep valleys, Cava San Leonardo and Cava Santa Domenica. It is curved, columned, and the luminous facades are one of the most attractive in the region. Ibla is home to 14 UNESCO World Heritage buildings in an area of less than one square kilometer. In the center of this small city is the famous Piazza Duomo, it is charming and is ruled by the Cathedral of St. George. If you want to enjoy the view, challenge yourself for a hike up the steps toward Upper Ragusa, Greek for modern town, to the balcony of the Church of Santa Lucia and look back at the tiled rooftops, campaniles, domes and facades of Ibla lit during sunset.

Ortygia is a great place to visit for those who love history and culture. It is a small island and is the historic center of Sicily located in the heart of ancient Syracuse. It is a bridge that links the little island off the tip of the modern city. You will love walking around the narrow, often black-paved alleys that offer interesting discoveries at every turn.

The architecture is very similar to the Ragusa area; here you’ll find different kinds of constructions, from palazzos of the Byzantine era, Norman era, Medieval era to baroque styled and Neoclassical courtyards and churches. To one side, you will find a large protected harbor that made Syracuse one of the greatest trading centers in the world. Today, Ortygia has an understated liveliness, with intimate hotels and restaurants.

Sicily is famous for its crafty ceramic, display rooms and workshops that are generously spread around the town. The most histrionic ceramic feature of all of them is the “La Scala,” which is a 142-step staircase displaying mainly beautiful constructions — each step has a different ceramic tile and glistens in the night. Taking the 142 ceramic steps of Caltagirone is worth it.

Wandering the Medieval Erice will give you the opportunity to learn why this place has won the most delightful hilltop town award in Sicily. It is widespread with cobbled streets, old villas, beautiful views of full nature, secret piazzas, boutique shops and cafes and restaurants. There is a lot to do in this small town and just walking with a camera would not be enough.

When it comes to beaches, Sicily is the Mediterranean leader in this category. The Rabbit Beach is located on the island of Lampedusa off the south coast of Sicily and was named as the best beach in the world by TripAdviser based on millions of reviews and international ratings. It is basically an isolated beach with an unspoiled nature reserve that can only be reached by boat and is one of the few places in the Mediterranean Sea where loggerhead sea turtles go to lay their eggs.

A visit to the Pescheria fish market that is not to be missed is usually done every morning. It is located in a huge vibrant square right below the Cathedral of Catania. You can enjoy watching international chefs looking for the perfect catch and maybe even get a good bargain on one of their catches. You can actually pick your fish and go to the corner where many cooks are ready to fry your catch and you can eat it right there.

It is said that San Vito lo Capo is Sicily’s most beautiful coast line. It has an outstanding arc of sand with a backdrop of spectacular mountains and it is the best place for adventurous activities. The food in this town is inspired by the Moroccan culture.

Sicily’s wonderful national parks are a must visit. The island comprises a number of picturesque wilderness areas such as Parco dei Nebrodi, Parco Regionale dell’Etna Regionale and Parco delle Madonie. These give you the opportunity to enjoy great sceneries by walking, hiking, sky gliding and other adventurous activities that will allow you to enjoy the wildlife side of this island.

When you are in Sicily, make sure to attend a concert at the wonderful Greco-Roman theater in Taormina. This famous theater is one of Sicily’s most celebrated ruins that dates back to the Roman times. It is worth visiting in the day time and in the evening because it is an open-air opera house. The concerts are usually held during summer time when many tourists fly to Sicily to experience the perfect blend between the past and the present.

Everyone knows that one of the best things to do in Italy is to eat. Make sure to indulge in the foods of Sicily. The island offers a variety of mouth-watering dishes borrowed from Italian grandmothers of the past and which are celebrated until this day.

Some delicacies that you must try while you’re on the island include the wonderful Arancini, made with rice balls stuffed with cheese and meat, pizzas with delicious toppings, the sweet cannoli, which is a tubular pastry stuffed with sweet ricotta cheese and finally the famous Pasta alla Norma, it is a divine combination of eggplants, tomatoes and smoked ricotta cheese.
                       (Writer: M H Ahssan - Copyrighted Article for Travelcop)