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Sicily

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Port of Messina, Sicily

Introducing Sicily

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More of a sugar-spiked espresso than a milky cappuccino, Sicily will reward you with an intense bittersweet experience rather than anything lightweight and frothy. In Sicily it seems as though the sun shines brighter, the shadows are darker, and life is lived full on and for the moment. Overloaded with art treasures, undersupplied with infrastructure and continuously struggling to thwart Mafia-driven corruption, Sicily possesses some baffling social topography. Brace yourself to reconcile baroque architectural beauty in Catania with modern squalor in Palermo, artistic excellence with moral ambivalence and the rational with the sensual. This is an island to be visited with an open mind – and a healthy appetite; one factor remains a constant, and that is the uncompromisingly high quality of the cuisine.

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After some 25 centuries of foreign domination, Sicilians are heir to an impressive cultural legacy, from the refined architecture of Magna Graecia to a beguiling, if contradictory, artistic fusion of Arab craftsmanship and Norman austerity. This complexity of culture is matched by a startling diversity of landscape that includes the smouldering Mt Etna, an aquamarine coastline with a tiara of Aeolian Islands and Parco Naturale Regionale Delle Madonie.

Today, Sicily’s new generation is loathe to remain trapped in the past. New ventures are seeing aristocratic entrepreneurs prising open the doors of some of Europe’s finest palazzi and villas, while sensitive agriturismi (farm stay accommodations) are shedding light on Sicily’s hidden rural treasures and national parks. Sicily also has a refreshing lack of neon-blazing entertainment and theme parks, which further helps preserve its individuality and appeal.

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Last updated: Feb 20, 2012

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Thorn Tree forum discussion

Recent posts

  1. MTL avatar
    RE: Sicily in July - where to stay and where to visit?

    by MTL 01 June 2012

    Siracusa is my favourite place in Sicily. Once spent a week in a rented apartment in the old town- loved it
  2. jennzsmile avatar
    RE: Amalfi Coast or Sicily?

    by jennzsmile 01 June 2012

    I agree with lucapal in that you could probably fully explore the Amalfi coast within a week. I'd say spend the week there, and then if…
  3. higgs_bossom avatar
    RE: T Word

    by higgs_bossom 01 June 2012

    There are nice Greek ruins in Sicily for whatever that's worth.

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