Visit Sicily Italy

The island of Sicily is surrounded by many other smaller islands that are often overlooked by well worth the visit. Because many tourists are not aware of them they are somewhat untouched by the crowds and hordes of on lookers who only want to visit for a short time period. This makes them an ideal place to just hang out and get to know some of the locals and how the real people of Italy live day to day.

The Island of Listica is just a short 67 km distance away from Sicily so it makes for a quick get away if you want to escape for a short rest bit. There is a small village called Ustica which is a nice example a typical smaller Italian village. If you want you can even spend some time inland to explore the Fortress of Falconara Head which was built in the 17^th century.

The Islands of Le Pelagie are located on the south west coast of Sicily. These islands are comprised of Lampedusa Linosa and the deserted island of Lampione. These islands are small and are of mainly the working people of Sicily with not too many tourist attractions. It is just some small fishing villages and ancient monuments of the Greek and Roman time periods.

The island of Pantelleria is the largest of the islands that are surrounding Sicily. This island is basically all that remains of a giant volcanic eruptions so it is a great place to grow crops. The town is situated with the Barbacane Castle and both go hand in hand together with each other. It is well worth a visit to spend some time here as not many tourists make there way into this area and it is some what well preserved from that type of traffic.

There are actually some other smaller islands surrounding Sicily but I am going to cover those islands later as each have their own particular attributes that would be better served with their own coverage. If you do find yourself wanting to get away from the crowds of tourists then these islands may just be your ticket.

It is very tough job to try and quantify the top ten sights in any country. There are just so many factors to consider. So I am in a quandary here in how I should justify my selections. Since I consider the majority of the people who visit this site to be busy travelers I think that should be my primary motive in the selection process. So I have broken down some of the most popular tourist sights in Sicily.

The first sight to check out in Sicily would be the city of Taormina as this really is a jewel of a city in Sicily and perhaps one of the most frequented sights. There is a ancient Greek-Roman theatre and is the largest in the whole of Sicily.

The second sight to see is the town of Selinunte which boasts one of the largest archeological parks in the whole Mediterranean. This is actually the starting point for many sightseeing tours in Sicily as this makes for a great introduction to the island.

The third sight to see is the city of Segesta. This city was founded by the Greeks and has a great example of a Doric temple. Here you can actually see a still active salt mine that is of ancient origins.

What is a visit to Sicily without a visit to the fourth sight to see, Mount Etna. This is perhaps one of the most famous Volcanoes in Europe and certainly the most famous volcano in Italy. Still active Etna rumbles and roars away during various times in it s history. Just be careful when visiting this sight as it can be dangerous because after all it is an active volcano.

A visit to the Sicily without going to Palermo is actually quite impossible as this is the way many enter the island. There are just too many things to see and do in this city to list. Suffice it to say that this is one sight you should not go without seeing at least a bit of.

A visit to the famous Benedictine Abbey of Monreale should make the list for most. This is a great example of ancient Mosaics that depict both the New Testament and Old Testament. You can really see the care and attention that these artists put into their work by admiring the care and detail they put into every detail.

The town of Cefalú is one of the richest cities in Italy in its archelogical gems and art work. This can make the list for many travelers as you can really see the best works of art throughout the centuries by just visiting this one town.

If you want to have a great time relaxing then a good city to visit would be Catania. Having numerous sights to pass your time and some of the best hotels in Sicily this town is a great place to stay if you want to soak up the sun or just do some sightseeing.

The last two sights to see are the small towns of Siracusa and Agrigento because these two towns have some of the best examples of ancient ruins in the island. Not only this but they are great to visit for a time as not too many tourists stay there for too long.