Palermo was founded by Phoenicians who sailed there from their native Carthage. Tourist Information office centre Capo D Orlando The Greeks colonized the whole island, leaving some of the most beautiful and best-preserved temples they ever built at Agrigento, Selinunte and Segesta. Giarre weather forecast. Around those glorious sites they planted Sicily's first olive trees and grape vines. Diving Centres Dive Sites and Schools Solunto Traces of the Roman period in Sicily can be found in the amphitheatres at Taormina and Siracusa, as well as in that city's Christian catacombs. But perhaps Rome's most lasting (and infamous) contribution to the island came in fostering the great land ownerships which eventually impoverished the peasantry and led, many centuries later, to the founding of secret societies aimed at destroying the fabulously wealthy landlords. Giarre weather forecast. In Palermo, these groups were known as mafia. Last minute accommodation Noto  

Tourism is an important earner of foreign currency. Giarre weather forecast. There are many castles and churches in Sicily to attract the tourist and important towns such as Taormina and Cefalu thrive on the tourist industry. Hotels Palermo Tours are available to visit Sicily's active volcanoes: Mount Etna, Europe's tallest volcano, and Stromboli, one of the Aeolian Islands. Trapani Holiday Flats Other places of interest are Madonie National Park, the Baroque towns of south-eastern Sicily, the Cathedral of Monreale, the Dorian Temple and Theatre at Segesta, the ancient Greek Theatre of Taormina, the ancient town of Syracuse and the archaeological area of Agrigento. Last minute accommodation Ragusa

Begin your Sicilian odyssey in its capital city - Palermo. Giarre weather forecast Spectacularly situated along a wide sweep of bay at the foot of Monte Pellegrino, Palermo was the wealthiest and most magnificent city in Europe in the 12th century. Discount accommodation Giarre Today Palermo has an air of faded grandeur and an unrivalled display of Norman art and architecture and Baroque churches. Giarre weather forecast. Stroll along the Via Roma and Via Maqueda in the heart of the old town and get a sense of what Palermo is all about. Self catering accommodation Lipari Don’t miss the magnificent 12th century Norman cathedral at Monreale, 8 kilometres southwest of the city. Panarea Car Hire The inside of the cathedral is covered in breathtakingly glittering mosaics.

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