Visit My-Sicily.com for Sicily Hotels, Holidays and Car Hire.

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. Car Hire Piazza Armerina 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. Special holiday offers Sicily. The Normans took over in 1061. Special holiday offers Sicily They tore down almost all signs of Arab culture. Information about Capo D Orlando 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. Special holiday offers Sicily. It is to the Normans that we owe the most spectacular of Sicily's architectural treasures. Cheap Eolie Aeolian Islands Hotels 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. Special holiday offers Sicily. 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. Booking Hotels Messina Eventually, in 1302, the French gave way to the Aragonese (part of the same dynasty which sponsored Christopher Columbus), who dominated until 1734. Special holiday offers Sicily. The aristocracy created during this realm left their magnificent homes, such as Palermo's Palazzo Sclafani and Palazzo Chiaramonte, scattered all over the island. Milazzo lodging 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.

From early times Sicily has been coveted for its fertile land and today Sicily still has a largely agricultural based economy. Special holiday offers Sicily. Its main products include wheat (hard wheat from Enna for bread and pasta), barley, corn, peppers, tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes, potatoes, grapes, figs, pears, peaches, La Ficurinnia or the fig of India (from the West Indies) and citrus fruits and almonds (introduced by the Arabs). Special holiday offers Sicily A sweet liquid called "manna" is produced in Castelbuono and Pollina. Marsala Agriturismo This is collected from a species of Ash tree. It solidifies and is used in cakes and sweets. Special holiday offers Sicily. Dairy produce includes a number of cheeses such as Ricotta, Pecorino Siciliano and Caciocavallo Ragusano. Cheap Messina Hotels The Sicilian fishing industry provides tuna, swordfish, sea bream, sardines, octopus, squid, prawns and mussels. Other industries include wine (for example, Donna Fugata, Regaleali, Malvasia and sweet Marsala), balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, bottled water (from Geraci), salt and other food processing. Enna Bed and Breakfast Sulphur mines in Caltanissetta have traditionally played a part in the Sicilian economy. Today chemicals and refined petroleum are modern Sicilian industries. Special holiday offers Sicily. The growth of transport companies and the modernisation of Sicily's road system have been essential to Sicily's industrial development. Sicily holiday resorts Chief Sicilian ports are Catania, Messina and Palermo.

Sicily is a mountainous island — an extension of the Apennine Mountains separated from the mainland by the Straits of Messina. Special holiday offers Sicily There are many reasons to visit Sicily: water sports, beaches of rock and sand (including black sand), natural beauty, good food and friendly people. Information about Piazza Armerina

Discount accommodation Panarea
Ustica Map
Cheap guesthouses Giardini Naxos
Flats in Taormina
Farmhouses in Panarea