Archive for 'Islands'

Jutting out to sea on the west coast of Sicily, stands the tremendous city of Trapani! This picturesque urban area offers lots of things for the tourist to see and do as well as some of the finest scenery in the world to gaze upon!

Why not stay in a gorgeous vacation villa in Erice, only a few kilometres from Trapani. Here you can sit back, relax and soak in the panoramic views of the Trapani area before and after your thrilling days of exploration!

Why not kick start your day of adventure by sailing out to the nearby Egadi Islands and stop off on the island of Pantelleria? This is the largest island off the coast of Sicily, which in turn, is the largest island off the coast of Italy!

The beautiful historical city of Syracuse on the island and region of Sicily is indeed a sight to behold! It’s a haven of ancient Greek culture and is still home to many wonderful monuments built by this intelligent and diverse civilisation.

This city is believed to be well over 2,700 years old and was one of the major urban strongholds of the Mediterranean because of its strategic position on the south east corner of Sicily.

Syracuse was also the birthplace of the famous mathematician, Archimedes. He was born here in approximately 287 BC and went on to become one of the greatest scientific and mathematical minds of all time!

Tourists will be thrilled to hear that the city of Syracuse, including the intriguing Necropolis of Pantalica is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means that is a place of huge touristic interest and presents its history and culture in a very accessible and interesting way to the public. Visitors have a great choice of vacation rentals in Syracuse to choose from. They can relax and unwind in picturesque surroundings after a few days of exploring the historical sites left behind by the famous Greek civilisation!

On the Northeast coast of Sicily, on the narrow strait of Messina between the island and mainland Italy lies the stunning city of Messina! Known as ‘The Door of Sicily’, visitors would thoroughly enjoy a relaxing stay at a holiday villa in the Taormina area, along the east coast of Sicily where they can base their exploration of the north eastern city of Messina.

Ferries transport visitors between the narrow stretch of water between Sicily and Reggio Calabria in the region of Calabria frequently and so is a busy place, full of life and excitement!

Those with a love of outdoor sports such as surfing, canoeing and hiking will certainly love it here! Take a day to sail out to the Aeolian archipelago, a collection of pretty little islands waiting to be explored. Stop off at Vulcan island to immerse yourself in natural thermal pools of hot mud and saltwater which are excellent for treating many aggravating skin conditions! There are many hiking trails set up through the islands that offer breathtaking views, no matter where you turn your head!

On the east coast of Sicily lies the splendid city of Catania, the second largest on the island of Sicily. It has had an unfortunate history of violent earthquakes over the centuries that have forced its inhabitants to rebuild from scratch many times!

It has also been plagued by volcanic eruptions from the tallest volcanic in Europe that stands over it called Mount Etna! The worst one occurred in 1669 when the city was practically buried under a sea of molten lava and ash. Catania has been buried a record seventeen times under the outpouring of Mount Etna’s eruptions since the beginning of recorded history!

Catania has been uniquely rebuilt using hardened lava as the building material. This had lead to the nickname ’The Grey City’ because of all the new buildings that have been built from the extrusive igneous rock. Many would wonder why anyone would choose to live here, but if you come to visit, you’ll soon find out!

Visit the stunning capital of Sicily called Palermo! This beautiful coastal metropolis is over 3000 years old and is a major advocate of history, culture, architecture and gastronomy! It’s located in the northwest of Sicily in the gulf of Palermo, facing the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The urban area within and surrounding Palermo is the 5th most populated in Italy. Tourists have a great choice of holiday rentals in Palermo to choose from where they can relax after busy days of exploring this exciting place!

Palermo is a very catholic city. One of the biggest events is the feast day of the city’s Patron saint called St. Rosalia every year on July 15th. Witness the colourful processions and festivities that take place at this exciting time of year. Sounds of jolly music fill the air, smells rise up from delicious street food and the sights to be seen of people laughing and chatting together is truly a heartwarming experience!