%20(500%20%C3%97%20200%20px)%20(1).png)
SICILY
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is surrounded by three different seas: the Tyrrhenian, the Ionian, and the Mediterranean. It is separated from the mainland by just 1.5 miles of water. The Strait of Messina separates the island from the mainland region of Calabria.
Sicily has long been famous for it's beaches, well preserved archaeological sights, rich history, and regional cuisine. You will find different architectural stylings such as Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and Art Nouveau.
Palermo, Sicily's capital, lies on Sicily's northwestern coast at the head of the Bay of Palermo. Once Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman, and ultimately Italian, unified with the mainland only in 1861, it has a relatively recent “made in Italy” identity. Palermo is proud of its Arabic origins, going back to the 8th century, and its three main markets, Capo, Vucciria and Ballarò are reminiscent of an Arab marketplace. Street food in Palermo is a must try. Palermo is home to many churches, 2 palaces, and the largest opera house in Italy, the Teatro Massimo.
Syracuse, located in southeastern Sicily, is notable for its rich Greek and Roman history, culture, amphitheaters, architecture, and as the birthplace of Archimedes. This 2,700-year-old city played a key role in ancient times, when it was one of the major powers of the Mediterranean world.
The temple of Apollo was the first stone Greek temple in Sicily. It dates from 600 BC. The ruins of the Temple of Apollo are one of the first landmarks you come across when entering Ortigia, the oldest part of the city of Syracuse.
Agrigento is best known for the breathtaking Valley of Temples, with its vast archeological park that retains a string of five Greek temples, and the ancient city walls that surrounded the place that was named Akragas. These gigantic, yet graceful Greek structures have miraculously survived 24 centuries of tormented history.
Taormina is known as the pearl of the Ionian Sea and is located on the northeastern coast of Sicily. It has been a tourist destination since the 19th century. The Greek Theatre of Taormina is the second largest theater in Sicily, after the one in Syracuse.
Taormina boasts beautiful pebble beaches and a jaw-dropping view of Mt. Etna.
Mt. Etna is one of the tallest and most active volcanoes in Europe. It is the tallest peak in Italy, south of the Alps, with a current height of 11,014 ft., though this varies with summit eruptions. Over a six-month period in 2021, Etna erupted so much volcanic material that its height increased by approximately 100 ft., and the southeastern crater is now the tallest part of the volcano.
​
​
.jpg)
FOOD & WINE
Timbalo di Anelletti al Forno with Eggplant (pictured) is a classic Sicilian baked pasta dish you can find in Palermo. Made with meat ragu, peas, eggplant, hard boiled eggs, and anelletti, a small ring shaped pasta of Sicilian origin.
Pasta con le Sarde (pasta with sardines) is the national dish of Sicily, in which the tradition of Italian pasta meets the Mediterranean island's seafood-focused cuisine.
Pasta alla Norma is arguably the best representation of Sicilian cuisine out there, making the most of local tomatoes, eggplant, garlic, basil and ricotta salata (salted ricotta). It's called Norma after the nineteenth century opera of the same name.
Traditional Arancini are a deep fried rice ball made with arborio rice, mozzarella, peas, and beef ragu. These can also be found with other fillings.
A Sicilian cannoli is a deep-fried cylindrical pastry shell filled with sweet ricotta cream. In Sicily, the traditional ricotta filling is made exclusively with sheep's milk. The ends are traditionally topped with candied fruit, chopped pistachios or chocolate flakes. The cannoli originated in the city of Palermo.
Caponata is a Sicilian dish consisting of chopped fried eggplant and other vegetables, seasoned with olive oil, tomato sauce, celery, olives, and capers, in an agrodolce sauce. It's traditionally served as an appetizer, either spread on crostini or in a bowl alongside toasted bread for DIY slathering.
Sfincione, traditional Sicilian pizza, has a spongy, focaccia-like crust topped with a tomato sauce that's enriched with strong cheese, anchovies, onions and oregano.
.jpg)
Sicily's most famous wine, Marsala, was first made in the city of that name on the western coast of Sicily. It is a fortified wine, most commonly used in cooking to create nutty, rich, caramelized sauces.
Nero d'Avola is Sicily's best-known red wine grape and it's most widely planted. The grape, grown all over Sicily, is named after the seaside town of Avola in Sicily's southeast corner in the Syracusa region. It is medium bodied, and with its high alcohol content and high tannin, Nero d'Avola has a long, dry finish.
Frappato is a translucent, dry, light-bodied red that exudes candied red fruit aromas with spiced undertones. Expect low tannin, and a fruity, refreshing taste on the palate.
Grillo di Sicilia is one of the best-known and most appreciated Sicilian white wines. It is made from the grapes of the native Grillo vine, typical of the coastal area enclosed between Marsala and Trapani. This wine releases sensations of exotic fruit, with notes of mango, papaya, passion fruit and lemon, enriched with notes of dandelion and cut grass.
Since 1868, Amaro Averna is an authentic Italian aperitivo. With a story rooted in heritage and tradition, Amaro Averna is a true Sicilian craft. It was introduced during the early 1800s and is said to be a creation of the Benedictine monks of Abbazia Di Santo Spirito in the northern part of Italy. In 1868, the recipe was gifted to Salvatore Averna, a textile merchant.
CONTACT
Get in touch so we can start creating your Italy vacation.