Sicily Overview

An island of contradictions, Sicily’s (see-CHEE-lee-ya) complex culture emerges from millennia of diverse influences. Every great Mediterranean empire since the arrival of the Phoenicians in 900 BC has left its mark here. A string of Greek colonies followed Phoenician rule, and even today, the island sports more Greek temples than Greece itself. Roman theaters, Arab mosques, and Norman cathedrals round out the physical remnants of Sicily’s past. While Italian culture dominates modern Sicily, the separation with the mainland is far greater than the narrow Strait of Messina suggests. The ancient Greeks lauded the “golden isle” as the second home of the gods, but today it is known to many tourists as the home of The Godfather. The Mafia remains an unspoken presence in Sicilian society, but has lately been largely reduced to mostly petty crime. Regardless of her connotations, Sicily overflows with the rich cultural, culinary, and natural wonders that its position at the center of the Mediterranean truly merits.

Bask in the glow of Byzantine gold at Monreale Cathedral near Palermo .
Interact with archaeologists restoring the world’s largest intact mosaic at Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina .
Scale Mt. Etna in the morning and party all night in Syracuse .
Commune with the sultry splendors of Pantelleria’s azure-lapped shores .

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