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Begin your Sicilian odyssey in its capital city - Palermo. Lampedusa Map 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 Ustica Today Palermo has an air of faded grandeur and an unrivalled display of Norman art and architecture and Baroque churches. Lampedusa Map. 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. Tourist Information office centre Ustica Don’t miss the magnificent 12th century Norman cathedral at Monreale, 8 kilometres southwest of the city. Houses to rent in Siracusa Syracuse The inside of the cathedral is covered in breathtakingly glittering mosaics.

The Aeolian Islands off the coast at Milazzo are well worth a visit. Lampedusa Map Mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey and thought to be the home of Aeolus (the god of the wind) by the ancient Greeks, they offer spectacular volcanic scenery and fine beaches. Lampedusa Map. The island of Lipari is the most developed. Erice lodging Sample some of the island’s sweet white Malvasia wine while here. Head for Taormina – Sicily’s most picturesque town. Campo Bello di Mazara Accommodation Its magnificent setting on a terrace of Monte Tauro overlooking the sea and its views of Mt Etna have long made it a top tourist destination. Lampedusa Map. The town was an important centre for trade and art through successive Roman, Norman, Spanish and French rules. Agritourism in Trapani

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. Information about Agrigento 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. Lampedusa Map. The Normans took over in 1061. Lampedusa Map They tore down almost all signs of Arab culture. Agri tourism Sicily 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. Lampedusa Map. It is to the Normans that we owe the most spectacular of Sicily's architectural treasures. Tourist attractions in Sciacca 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. Lampedusa Map. 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. Self catering accommodation Campo Bello di Mazara Eventually, in 1302, the French gave way to the Aragonese (part of the same dynasty which sponsored Christopher Columbus), who dominated until 1734. Lampedusa Map. The aristocracy created during this realm left their magnificent homes, such as Palermo's Palazzo Sclafani and Palazzo Chiaramonte, scattered all over the island. Messina Holiday Flats 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.

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