Casa delle Rondini

Location Siculiana, Sicily, Italy

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Sicily is Sicily

Sicily, Italian Sicilia, island, southern Italy, the largest and one of the most densely populated islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Together with the Egadi, Lipari, Pelagie, and Panteleria islands, Sicily forms an autonomous region of Italy. It lies about 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Tunisia (northern Africa). The island is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Messina (2 miles [3 km] wide in the north and 10 miles [16 km] wide in the South). The capital is Palermo.

CLASSICAL CROSSROADS

Seductively beautiful and perfectly placed in the heart of the Mediterranean, Sicily has been luring passersby since the time of legends. The land of the Cyclops has been praised by poets from Homer to Virgil and prized by the many ancient cultures – Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Elymians, Romans and Greeks – whose bones lie buried here. Whether in the classical perfection of Agrigento's Concordia temple, the monumental rubble of Selinunte's columns or the rare grace of a dancing satyr statue rescued from Mazara del Vallo's watery depths, reminders of bygone civilisations are everywhere.

MEDITERRANEAN FLAVOURS

A delectable layer-cake of culinary influences, Sicily's ancient cuisine continues to rely on a few key island-grown ingredients: shellfish and citrus, tuna and swordfish, pistachios, almonds and ricotta. Talk to the septuagenarian chef at a Catania restaurant and she'll confide that she still uses her grandmother's recipe for pasta alla Norma, joyfully sharing the poetic imagery that links it to Mt Etna: the tomatoes are lava; the eggplant, cinders; the basil, leafy greenery; the ricotta, snow. Modern chefs may play with the details, but Sicily's timeless recipes – from the simplest cannolo to the most exquisite fish couscous – live on.

Siciliy's Superlatives

The Valley of Temples in Agrigento

The large complex of temples and tombs in Agrigento dates as far back as 500 BC and includes Sicily's best preserved Doric temple-Tempio di Concordia-one of the most perfect to survive anywhere. Along with it in the eastern group is the Tempio di Juno Lacinia, almost as large, and in the western group is Temple of the Olympian Zeus, the largest of them at 40 meters but toppled by an earthquake. The circular Doric Tempio di Heracles, also in the western group, was destroyed by the Carthaginians and rebuilt by the Romans, only to be partially destroyed in an earthquake. The entire group is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Cathedral of Monreale

The cathedral of Monreale reflects at once the politics, religion, and artistic heights of Sicily under the Normans. And in doing so, it also achieved a place in the art history of Europe, all the more remarkable because it remains today almost exactly as it was built in the 1100s. The cathedral's architecture represents the move away from Eastern Byzantine forms, but its decoration with dazzling mosaics-considered the church's magnificent highlight-keep it firmly in the Byzantine traditions. They cover every available surface, in intricate illustrations of Biblical text and themes rendered in vibrant colors and with exceptional artistic virtuosity.

Church Mosaics in Palermo

Two of Palermo's three major churches, the Cappella Palatina and Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio, better known as La Martorana, are famed for their mosaics. Those in the chancel of the Normans' court church, Cappella Palatina, are thought to be from 1143 and the mosaic of Christ between Peter and Paul from about 1350. Other highlights of the church are the Arabic stalactite ceiling, the pulpit on carved and inlaid pillars, and the tall candelabra. La Martorana's beautiful mosaics are also from the 12th century on a gold ground and are the oldest of their kind in Sicily. The image of Christ is the centerpiece, and elsewhere in the vaulting, dome, apses, and narthex are scenes from the New Testament.

Eastern Temples at Selinunte

One of the largest and most significant of Sicily's ancient sites, Selinunte has eight Greek temples dating as far back as the fifth century BC, plus the nearby Temple of Demeter. The most important are those known as the Eastern Group, labeled by letter: Temple G for its impressive size and Temple E for its architectural grandeur, considered the highpoint of the Classical period. Temple G, now in ruin, was among the largest of all Greek temples. In a separate section is the large Acropolis surrounded by defensive walls, some dating from the seventh century BC. Temple C is the largest and oldest, from about 550 BC, and sits on the highest ground.

Mount Etna

Etna is an enigma; even its height is never certain as it changes with each new eruption. But at more than 3,000 meters, it rules the skyline with its often-smoking cone. Volcanic vents, fumaroles, hot springs, and lava flows add to its changing landscape, much of which you can explore (although not too close to the central crater) on foot or in all-terrain vehicles designed for traction in the volcanic surface. Roads lead to the base of cable cars, which will take you to the 2,500-meter point, an easy day trip from Catania or Taormina. In the winter, you can ski near the summit.

Villa Romana del Casale in Enna

A 12th-century landslide buried this sprawling Roman villa outside Enna, thus preserving it almost intact to be discovered and excavated eight centuries later. One of the best-preserved villas anywhere in the Roman Empire, it still has most of the original decoration. In the 50 rooms so far excavated are more than 3,500 square meters of mosaic floors with detailed scenes from mythology and contemporary life, including hunting wild animals for use in gladiatorial combat. The thermal baths with their colonnaded courtyard and fountain are especially beautiful. The villa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, Syracuse

One of the largest theaters in the ancient Greek Empire is a good reason, but not the only one, to visit the archaeological park in Syracuse. The view of the excavations as you approach along Viale Rizzo will give you an idea of their extent, which includes both the Greek Theater and a large Roman Amphitheater. The massive Altar of Hiero II dates from the third century BC, a century later than the 15,000-spectator Greek Theater. The Roman Amphitheater is from the third century AD and is partly hewn from the bedrock.

Discover Sicily and start building your trip!

THEME ITINERARIES

SICILY IN BLUE - THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACHES
https://www.visitsicily.info/en/discover/sea/

SICILY OF SMALL ANCIENT VILLAGES
https://www.visitsicily.info/en/discover/borghi/

SICILY - ART, TRADITION AND ANCIENT TRADES
https://www.visitsicily.info/en/discover/arte/

GREEN SICILY - PARKS, RESERVES AND OUTDOOR SPORTS
https://www.visitsicily.info/en/discover/active-holidays-eng/

SICILY FOR KIDS - THE PLACES FOR FAMILIES
https://www.visitsicily.info/en/discover/family/

THE SICILY OF THE SOUL - THE WAYS OF FAITH
https://www.visitsicily.info/en/sacred-journeys/

SICILY - AN OPEN-AIR MUSEUM - ITINERARY OF ARCHEOLOGY
https://www.visitsicily.info/en/discover/archaeological-sicily/

SICILY - ALONG THE PATH OF WRITERS
https://www.visitsicily.info/en/the-street-of-writers/

SICILY - THE MAGNA VIA FRANCICEGNA
https://www.visitsicily.info/en/the-magna-via-francigena/

SICILY - THE VIA DEI CASTELLI DELL'ETNA
https://www.visitsicily.info/en/the-route-of-etna-castles/

Local Transport

Urban bus 500 mt
Palermo airport 160 km
Agrigento train station 20 km

Parking

free public parking in the area subject to availability

 Read More About The Siculiana Area

  Climb The Astounding Scala Dei Turchi

The Scala dei Turchi, or Turkish Staircase, in Realmonte on the island of Sicily is a naturally occuring phenomenon. It is a rocky cliff, an unusual white in colour, which has been eroded by the sea over the centuries. Due to this extraordinary appearance and its mention in Andrea Camilleri's series of detective stories about Commissario Montalbano, it has become a popular tourist attraction in the area.

The white, starkly beautiful crags and hollows of the cliff-face, paired with the rich blue of the ocean and the stunning sunsets in the area make it an astounding sight.

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  Explore The Ancient Valley Of The Temples In Sicily

Agrigento is a town on the Southern coast of Sicily and is the capital of the province of Agrigento.

It is built on the site of Akragas, an ancient Greek city which was one of the leading cities of the Magna Graecia during the golden age of the empire. Later, it became a Roman town and was named Agrigentum.

During the middle ages it was renamed Girgenti until 1927, when 'Agrigento' was devised as a way to commemorate the city's past. It is probably now most well known for the Valley of the Temples, though it has much more to offer as a tourist destination and as a city.

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  Discover The Archaeological Area Of Agrigento

If you’re planning a vacation to the stunning Italian island of Sicily, then why not set aside a day or two to explore the fascinating area of Agrigento?

This UNESCO World Heritage Site lies on the outskirts of the modern city and attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. This incredible site consists of quite a few ancient Greek temples, many of which have survived the test of time quite well.

Stay in a gorgeous vacation rental in Sicily where you can easily commute to Agrigento to see this wonderful ancient Greek site as well as other magnificent attractions in the city itself.

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  Embark On A Tour Of Agrigento

Located in the south of Sicily is the wonderful city of Agrigento, which is the capital of the province of the same name! Agrigento was built on the site of an ancient Greek city called Akragas and has a rich history and collection of ancient monuments to show for it.

Tourists wishing to visit Agrigento for a day or two have a superb selection of holiday villas across Sicily to choose from, many within a two hour drive.

The city and surrounding area of Agrigento is a massive tourist attraction today because of the eight Greek temples that still stand here!

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  Kolymbetra Garden: A Magical Garden In The Valley Of The Temples

Italy is home to some truly unique and beautiful parks and gardens. However, most still confirm to certain aesthetics; green manicured lawns, pathways, fountains, trimmed hedges, neat flowerbeds, and more. While these stunning outdoor spaces are well worth exploring in their own right, if you are in search of a more specific and singular yet equally stunning garden and you have found a vacation rental in Sicily, then we recommend a visit to the Kolymbetra Garden in Agrigento, on the South Coast of Sicily.

Kolymbetra Garden, or Giardino della Kolymbetra, is a very Sicilian kind of garden. Located in the heart of the Valley of the Temples, and often overlooked but readily visited if you are already at that other famous attraction, it is a lush and fragrant space that hosts all sorts of events. The landscape of this area is made up of almond and olive tree groves, with irrigated citrus groves and orchards cutting through this. Kolymbetra is an example of an irrigated citrus garden but also boasts great historical and archaeological value. Situated in a small valley to the west of the Hill of the Temples, nestled between the Temple of Castor and Pollux and the Temple of Vulcan, the six hectares of garden are framed picturesquely by these great monuments of the distant past. It is also mentioned in ancient records, noted as the site of a Greek pool mentioned by Diodorus Siculus in the first century AD as the place where Carthaginian slaves were brought in to build aqueducts that delivered water to the sumptuous pool that they also built in the area. While this artificial lake has long since been destroyed and disappeared, the land remained fertile and the profitable fishing industry that had thrived there when it was a fish hatchery was replaced by the Moors with a business based on abundant trees yielding delicious fruits.

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  Are There Luxury Villas In A Resort In Italy?

For those who are thinking about a vacation in Italy and who like to travel in style and comfort our luxury villas in resorts in Italy are the only way to go. These properties have all of the bells and whistles that you could ask for - amazing interiors, incredible locations, excellent amenities, endless character- as well as the pleasures and comforts of both a villa holiday and a hotel break. Here, everything is taken care of and all you need to do is sit back, unwind, and enjoy your vacation. Of course, we have lots of incredible luxury vacation rentals in Italy to choose from but today we have put together a curation of some of our most impressive, plush, and special examples in a stunning resort in Sicily…

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