Sunday, March 15, 2009

5 Places to Visit in Sicily, Italy

Sicily in Italy is a wonderful place to visit, not for just for its weather and great Sicilian food, but also for its cultural value and its slow and relaxed pace of life: Below 5 ideas for places to visit for a holiday or vacation in Sicily, Italy.

1. Catania is one of the largest cities in Sicily and is situate on the East coast of this Mediterranean island. Catania is situated between the ocean and the famous and active Etna volcano. Catania has an excellent fish market which you must see, if you really want to see Sicilian culture at its best and there is also an excellent day market. Catania has its own International airport which has recently been expanded and is well served by many major airlines.

2. Palermo is the other main city in Sicily and is located on the West coast and close to the ocean. Palermo is famous for the Mafia and has its own way of life and some excellent and traditional restaurants. You can also fly into Palermo airport with a number of airlines.

3. Taormina located on the East coast and about an hours drive south of Catania, is one of the jewels of Sicily. Perched on top of a cliff top and with a delightful view of the Etna volcano, Taormina is a stunning village with Greek theatre and also a cable car down to the beach below. There is a film festival here annually and many starts frequent this village. Taormina is many people's favourite place in Sicily and it is not hard to see why. There are hotels and even a youth hostel in the village centre s accommodation should not be a problem for you here.

4. Siracusa is also a very popular place for tourists and locals alike. This town has a really nice town centre and is close to the coast and is a bit calmer than the two big cities Palermo and Catania in Sicily. You may have to fly into Catania and then drive dwon to Siracusa, but it is worth your while to see this lovely town down South.

5. The Aeolian Islands are simply stunning. North off of the Northern coast of the main island of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands include the islands of Stromboli and Vulcano. These islands offer you the chance to stay on a small volcanic island and are tremoundous scenically.

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