Adventure Guide to Sicily

594 Pages·2007·54.026 MB·English

by  Joanne Lane

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Sicily
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Joanne Lane

SICILY
Joanne Lane
HUNTER
HUNTERPUBLISHING,INC.
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ISBN978-1-58843-627-6
©2007HunterPublishing,Inc.
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Coverphoto:HarboratCastellammaredelGolfo(SteveGeer)
Maps©2007HunterPublishing,Inc.
IndexbyIngeWiesen
4 3 2 1
Contents
Introduction 1
History 2
Geography/theLand 10
Government 18
TheEconomy 19
Education 21
Customs&Lifestyle 21
RegionalFood&Wine 39
JusttheFacts 45
Passport 45
Visas 45
TravelInsurance 46
EmergencyNumbers 46
Telephones 46
TimeZones 48
Language 48
Taxes 49
OpeningHours 49
WhentoGo 50
Immigration&Customs 50
Costs 53
Holidays 58
Transportation 61
SpecialConcerns 78
Safety 78
SicknessorInjury 78
PeoplewithDisabilities 79
SeniorTravelers 80
Families 80
InformationSources 80
Embassies&Consulates 80
TouristOffices 81
Maps 83
UsefulWebsites 84
Top20ThingstoDo 87
Palermo 95
GettingHere 97
GettingAround 100
InformationSources 103
Events 103
Sightseeing 105
Adventures 126
WheretoStay 130
WheretoEat 133
AroundPalermo 135
MontePellegrino 135
Mondello 136
Monreale 137
Ustica 140
iv (cid:1) Contents
Solunto 145
PianadegliAlbanesi 146
MonteIato 148
TheTyrrhenianCoast 151
TerminiImerese 152
Caccamo 156
Cefalù 158
ParcoNaturaleRegionaledelleMadonie 167
SantuariodiGibilmanna 169
Gratteri&Isnello 170
PianoZucchi 172
PianoBattaglia 174
Castelbuono 178
CasteldiTusa 181
SantoStefanodiCamastra 183
ParcoNebrodi 184
SanMarcod’Alunzio 191
TheCoastalRoutetoMilazzo 193
Milazzo 196
Castroreale 201
TheAeolianIslands 203
GettingHere 204
Lipari 205
Vulcano 215
Salina 219
Panarea 223
Stromboli 230
Filicudi 238
Alicudi 240
TheNorthernIonianCoast 243
Messina 243
TheCoastalRoutetoTaormina 253
Savoca 253
Forzad’Agora, 255
Taormina 256
GiardiniNaxos 265
AlcantaraValley 268
Catania 273
AroundCatania:North 303
AciCastello 304
AciTrezza 305
Acireale 307
AroundCatania:South 309
MountEtna 310
Siracusa&theSoutheast 341
Siracusa 343
TheSiracusanInterior 367
Pantalica 367
PalazzoloAcreide 371
TheSoutheasternCorner 375
Avola 375
Contents (cid:1) v
Noto 376
RiservaNaturalediVendicari 383
Marzamemi 385
Portopalo 388
Ragusa&theSoutheast 393
Ragusa 394
MarinadiRagusa 406
Modica 407
Ispica 413
Pozzallo 415
Scicli 417
TheCoast 423
Comiso 425
Vittoria 428
ChiaramonteGulfi 429
TheInterior 431
Enna&theNortheastInterior 431
Enna 433
Leonforte 438
Cerami,Troina&Cesaro 440
Sperlinga 440
Gangi 442
Caltanisetta&theNorthwestInterior 443
Caltanisetta 444
TowardtheCoast 446
Sant’AngeloMuxaro 446
PalazzoAdriano 450
Corleone 452
Ficuzza 456
TheSouthernInterior 460
PiazzaArmerina 461
Aidone 469
Caltagirone 471
TheSouthCoast 477
Gela 478
Agrigento 479
EracleaMinoa 491
Sciacca 493
MonteSanCalogero 498
Caltabellotta 498
Selinunte 499
IslandsofftheCoast 505
PelagieIslands 505
Lampione 511
Trapani&theWest 513
Trapani 514
IslandsofftheCoast 521
TheEgadiIslands 521
SouthofTrapani:MoziatoMazaradelVallo 536
Mozia 536
Marsala 538
MazaradelVallo 543
vi (cid:1) Contents
NortheastofTrapani 549
Erice 549
Bonagia 552
SanVitoLoCapo 553
Scopello 559
CastellammaredelGolfo 563
Calatafimi/Segesta 567
Language 569
Index 578
Maps
Sicily Insidecover
PalermoRegion 94
PalermoCity 104
PalermoHistoricalCenter 106
TyrrhenianCoast 150
Cefalù&MadonieRegion 159
LaRocca&CefalùCenter 162
NorthernIonianCoast 242
Messina 246
Taormina 257
GiardiniNaxos 266
CataniaArea 274
Catania 288
MtEtnaRegion 314
Siracusa&theSoutheast 342
Ragusa&theSouthCoast 392
Sicily’sInterior 432
TheSouthCoast 476
Trapani&theWest 512
MazaradelVallo 544
THE STAR SYSTEM
AdventureTravelGuidescoverallthesightsandat-
tractions.But,vacationtimeislimitedandprecious,
sowesteeryoutothebestandthenot-to-be-missed
with a star system. Attractions that earn one star
((cid:1)) are worth a visit. Two stars ((cid:1)(cid:1)) mean you
shouldexertabitofefforttogothere.Whenyousee
threestars((cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:1)),justdoit.Youwon’tbesorry.
Introduction
“L’ItaliasenzaSicilianonlasciaimmaginenellospirito:qui
èlachiaveditutto.”(ToseeItalywithoutSicilyisnottosee
Italyatall,forSicilyisthekeytoeverything.)Wolfgang
Goethe
icily has long been
IN THIS CHAPTER
regardedasItaly’sballto
kick.Itspositionatthetoeof (cid:1) History 2
the mainland’s boot has (cid:1) Geography/theLand 10
inspired many jokes at its (cid:1) Government 18
expense. But Sicily actually (cid:1) TheEconomy 19
has a lot to throw back. (cid:1) Education 21
Therearen’tmanyplacesin (cid:1) Customs&Lifestyle 21
theworldwhereyoucanski (cid:1) JusttheFacts 45
andthenhitthebeachafter- (cid:1) Holidays 58
wards for a refreshing dip; (cid:1) Transportation 61
enjoy temperate climates (cid:1) SpecialConcerns 78
year-round; go to markets (cid:1) InformationSources 80
with the most astounding (cid:1) Top20ThingstoDo 87
array of seafood; see Greek,
Roman,Etruscan,medievalandArabicarchitectureallinone
townasyoumeetsomeofthefriendliestpeopleintheworld.
TheislandofSicilyislikeanotherworldcomparedtotherest
ofItaly–onlythreekmawayovertheMessinaStraits.Andin
fact the people proclaim themselves Sicilians first, with dis-
tinctdifferencesinlanguage,culture,foodandday-to-dayliv-
ing. Many visitors find this surprising but refreshing. The
richnessincultureisseeninthearchitecture,theater,cinema
and art found everywhere. Despite the poverty, unemploy-
ment and much-publicized Mafia control, it’s a vibrant and
volatileplacebutfarsaferthantouristsexpect.
Sicilianshaveastrongsenseofcommunity,thepaceoflifeis
slow, schedules seem to have no importance and it can be
simultaneously frustrating, entertaining and totally memo-
2 (cid:1) History
rable.But,whetheryoucomeheretofish,dive,hike,ski,play
golfortraceyourfamilyorigins,thereisplentythatisappeal-
ingtovisitors.
Sicily has a diverse history which has left it with an
abundance of archaeological remains, architectural
marvelsandaneventfulpast.Itwasaconstantpawn
for marauding forces in the Mediterranean for over 6,000
years because of its strategic location. Each has contributed
insomewaytotherichnessofSicilianculturebutoftenata
cost as inhabitants bore the weight of one colonizer after
another.
The Italian peninsula has supported human life for thou-
sands of years. Cave paintings in Addaura on Monte
PellegrinoconfirmthepresenceofaPaleolithiccultureinSic-
ilybetween20,000and10,000BC.
TempleofHerainSelinunte
After 900 BC Mycenean and Aegean trading contacts were
replaced by Carthaginian ones from North Africa, particu-