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'To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not having seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the key to everything.' So said Goethe. Hostels in Ustica. Tuscany might want a look in, and Rome might beg to differ, but Sicily, with a history of foreign occupation across the centuries, is certainly fascinating, with a real pot-pourri of culture, cuisine and architecture. Plus the odd volcano. Nightlife Entertainment in Capo D Orlando

As elsewhere in the Roman Empire, the Romans were replaced by the Vandals and the Ostrogoths, who demolished far more than they built (one rare example is the villa of Piazza Armerina) and were swept away by the Byzantines. Calendar of events in Milazzo The Arabs who followed them moved the capitol from Siracusa to Palermo, renamed most of the existing towns, and planted the first carobs, date-palms, citrus trees, jasmines and melons. Hostels in Ustica. The Normans took over in 1061. Hostels in Ustica They tore down almost all signs of Arab culture. Last minute accommodation Licata They brought the island to a new level of prosperity and planted a different kind of seed, still visible today in the blonde and red tresses of many Sicilians. Hostels in Ustica. It is to the Normans that we owe the most spectacular of Sicily's architectural treasures. Self catering accommodation Marsala From the cathedrals of Cefalù, Messina and Monreale to Palermo's Zisa and Cuba, the churches of San Giovanni degli Eremiti, San Cataldo and the Martorana. Under the realm of Frederick II, the Swabian king, Sicily became one of the centers of the Western world, and perhaps it is not surprising that the principal architectural endeavors of this era. These lasted only from 1220 to 1250, were of a military nature, such as the castles in Siracusa, Catania and Salemi. Hostels in Ustica. When Frederick died in 1250, his successor Manfred was murdered by the ruthless Charles of Anjou, whose French allies streamed into the island and established a new aristocracy so despised that it led to the popular uprising called the Sicilian Vespers. Palermo apartments Eventually, in 1302, the French gave way to the Aragonese (part of the same dynasty which sponsored Christopher Columbus), who dominated until 1734. Hostels in Ustica. The aristocracy created during this realm left their magnificent homes, such as Palermo's Palazzo Sclafani and Palazzo Chiaramonte, scattered all over the island. Tourist Information office centre Acitrezza The Aragonese clergy, while wielding the heavy arm of the Inquisition, effectively conspired to keep almost all artistic traces of the Renaissance out of the island.

Begin your Sicilian odyssey in its capital city - Palermo. Hostels in Ustica 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. Agritourism in Palermo Today Palermo has an air of faded grandeur and an unrivalled display of Norman art and architecture and Baroque churches. Hostels in Ustica. 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. Places of interest in Erice Don’t miss the magnificent 12th century Norman cathedral at Monreale, 8 kilometres southwest of the city. Car Hire Erice The inside of the cathedral is covered in breathtakingly glittering mosaics.

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