Archive for 'Main Islands'

We've already featured a recipe for granita, a Sicilian semi-frozen dessert but the dish itself is so rich in history and tradition that it seemed a waste not to discuss that at all. This delicious and refreshing dish is made from sugar, water and various flavourings and, while originally from Sicily, is now available all over Italy. It is somewhat like a sorbet or snow cone but has a coarser, more crystalline texture – though the degree of this changes from place to place. There are lots of different flavours but some common and traditional ones include lemon, mandarin orange, jasmine, coffee, almond, mint, strawberry and black mulberry. Chocolate is a particular tradition of the city of Catania.

In the idyllic beauty of Sicily, you will find Syracuse, a historic and lush city and province. There are plenty of wonderful things to do to pass your time on a trip to Syracuse but one of the most distinctive sights in the area is the Ear of Dionysius, or Orecchio di Dionisio, a very particular cave set within the Stone Quarry of Paradise, or Latomia di Paradiso. The cave was named by the great, and troubled, Italian Master, Caravaggio and given due to the lingering presence of a ghost.

Stomboli is a small island to the north of Sicily and contains one of the three most active volcanoes in the world. It has regular but small explosions which cast out glowing lava. This has been taking place for at least 2000 years, with written records going back that far, and is unique among the volcanoes of the world. Due to the reliability of activity and the generally small explosions with a lack of serious danger, it has become a major tourist attraction and draws thousands of visitors each year, hoping to see a volcano in action. If you would be interested in seeing such a thing for yourself, find a luxury villa in Sicily and make a trip out to Stromboli!

Palermo Cathedral was founded on the site of a Muslim mosque, which in turn had replaced an Early Christian basilica in 1184 by the Archbishop of Palermo. His aim was to create something more astounding than the cathedral at Monreale nearby and so a competition broke out between the two cathedrals which became known as the “Battle of the Two Cathedrals”. It is still debatable as to who the winner was but the cathedral at Palermo is stunning in its own right. A fantastic example of the Arab-Norman architecture that is awaiting news on UNESCO status and which is one of the defining characteristics of the city, it is a must-see for any with a love of Western churches, Islamic architecture and Byzantine mosaics as it sees all three combined.

The Arab-Norman architecture of Palermo is a collection of buildings and monuments with design and decorative features that came about from an intertwining of cultures. Sicily's history is a tale of a long succession of rulers from a variety of places and cultures. Sicily was especially influenced by the Islamic conquest (827-1091) of lands in what is now Italy and then by how this combined with Norman rule (1071-1194). Alongside Byzantine influences, this led to a multi-ethnic culture that saw Western and Islamic cultures combined in art and architecture among other areas. Find a luxury villa in Sicily and you could see it for yourself!