Geography

Sicily, Italy

Sicily, Italy

Sicily (Italian: Sicilia (siˈtʃiːlja); Sicilian: Sicilia (sɪˈʃiːlja)) is the largest island in Italy and in the Mediterranean Sea, a wonderful land rich in history and traditions, where art and culture are mixed with breathtaking natural beauty. The island is adorned with cultural jewels, but the city of Palermo is particularly renowned for its culture, architecture, and art that is displayed around every corner. In the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula, Sicily is separated by the narrow Strait of Messina. Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe, and one of the most active in the world, currently 3,329 m (10,922 ft) high, is its most prominent landmark. The island has a Mediterranean climate, which is typical.

Sicily, Italy

From the ocean to the mountains and countryside, from the volcanos to the fishing villages, there are really many reasons why to go to Sicily. By around 750 BC, Sicily had three Phoenician and a dozen Greek colonies and it absolutely was later the positioning of the Sicilian Wars and therefore the Punic Wars. The key Sicilian cities, such as the capital city of Palermo or Catania, founded on the slopes of the Etna volcano, will be opened to tourists or travelers. Then there is Syracuse, famed for the magnificent island of Ortygia and the Archaeological Park, or Agrigento, with its eternal Greek Valley of Temples (known as Valle Dei Templi). Other than that, the peaceful Ragusa or the Sicilian baroque Noto pearl.

Following the Expedition of the Thousand, a rebellion led by Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Italian unification, and a plebiscite, Sicily became part of Italy in 1860. Visitors/travelers will discover interesting places in Sicily to plan excursions, such as the Gorges of Alcantara, Selinunte with its Greek temples, Segesta, the Roman mosaics in the Villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina, the salt-pans and windmills in Trapani, the famous pottery-decorated staircase in Caltagirone and the traditional lava and fumarole landscape of Aetna.

A volcano at Sicily, Italy

Sicily incorporates a rich and unique culture, especially with relevance to the humanities, music, literature, cuisine, and architecture. it’s also home to special archaeological and ancient sites, like the Necropolis of Pantalica, the Valley of the Temples, Erice, and Selinunte. Seven Sicilian locations are on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites: in addition to the Baroque cities Noto, Modica and Ragusa, the Aeolian Islands, the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento and Syracuse with the rock-cut Necropolis of Pantalica, this prestigious award was obtained also by mount Etna being one of the most symbolic and active volcanos in the world, the Villa Romana del Casale, in Piazza Armerina, e il Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale, an itinerary through the Norman-Arab history of great artistic value.

The total area of the island is 25,711 km2 (9,927 sq mi), while the area of 27,708 km2 (10,698 sq mi) is within the Autonomous Zone of Sicily (which includes smaller neighboring islands). There is a large range of fauna in Sicily. The red fox, least weasel, pine marten, roe deer, girgentana, wild boar, crested porcupine, European hedgehog, common toad, Vipera aspis, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, black-winged stilt, and Eurasian hoopoe are among the animals. One of the best examples of unspoiled coastal wilderness in Sicily is the Zingaro Natural Reserve. Sicily is additionally famous within the world for its typical cousin food, rich of recipes that blend up ingredients from different cultures.

Not only is Sicily suitable for water sports and hiking, but bird watching is also a fan favorite. Sicily has a wide number of archaeological sites since many different peoples settled, ruled, or conquered the island. Some of the Greek world’s most prominent and best-preserved temples and other buildings are also found in Sicily. Football, which came to the fore in the late 19th century under the influence of English, is the most common sport in Sicily.

 

Information Sources:

  1. thesicilyisland.com
  2. italia.it
  3. wikipedia