Sicily
Greek temple at Agrigento (
Daniel Cowan); Palermo market (© Alex Zhavoronkova); Ragusa church (GFDL).Strategically poised between Europe and Africa, yet belonging to neither, the Italian island of Sicily has been inhabited by the cultures of half the civilized world.
During the 6th and 5th centuries BC, Sicily was a major part of the ancient Greek world; its city of Siracusa (Syracuse) nearly rivaling Athens in importance. Spectacular Greek ruins can still be seen across the island, most notably in the Valley of the Temples south of Agrigento.
The Romans took over Sicily in the 3rd century, followed soon after by the Vandals, Ostrogoths and Byzantines. The Arabs ruled Sicily from the 9th to 11th centuries, leaving their mark in the Sicilians' love of ornamentation and other aspects of art and architecture.
The Norman era, beginning in 1061, saw brilliant artistic achievements, such as the cathedrals of Monreale and Cefalu, and eclectic architecture like that of Santi Pietro e Paolo outside Taormina. Most recently, Sicily was successively ruled by the French, the Spanish, and finally the Italians. This wide variety of influences are reflected in the unique Sicilian Baroque style of the 17th and 18th centuries.
It's easy to see why those who arrived here were often reluctant to leave — for all its modern chaos, Sicily is still a paradise of deep blue skies and temperate climate, lush vegetation and rich marine life, unique cuisine and fruity wines.
Major Cities
- Agrigento
- Cefalù
- Monreale
- Palermo
- Syracuse (Siracusa)
