Sicily, the largest of the Mediterranean islands, lies between southern Italy and North Africa. Palermo Tours and Excursions The island can be seen as a "stepping stone" between Europe and Africa. Tourist Information office centre Panarea. A beautiful, mountainous island, Sicily has been occupied by a series of migrants and invaders. These include the Greeks, Cathaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Angevins and Spaniards. In 1861 Sicily became part of Italy when Garibaldi united the Kingdom of Italy and the island. Tourist Information office centre Panarea Eighty-five years later Sicily achieved "relative independence". This means that although Sicily belongs to Italy it is responsible for much of its own local affairs. Tourist Information office centre Panarea. The island is divided into nine provinces: Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Catania, Enna, Messina, Palermo, Ragusa, Siracusa and Trapani. Hotel Reservations Noto Throughout history islands have been invaded by foreign powers. Cheap Marsala Hotels However, Sicily's rugged terrain has provided its people with a degree of protection as many of its towns and villages are high in the mountains.  

Tourism is an important earner of foreign currency. Tourist Information office centre Panarea. 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. Discount hotels Taormina Tours are available to visit Sicily's active volcanoes: Mount Etna, Europe's tallest volcano, and Stromboli, one of the Aeolian Islands. Erice weather forecast 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. Booking Hotels Capo D Orlando

A source of revenue for the Sicilian economy has been money sent home from migrants. Tourist Information office centre Panarea Like many Europeans, in the nineteenth century and early twentieth century, a number of Sicilians migrated to countries such as the USA in search of work. Tourist Information office centre Panarea. Although far from home strong links bound Sicilian migrants to their families and communities in Sicily. Diving Centres Dive Sites and Schools Caltanissetta In fact, today, some Sicilian Americans are thinking of returning to their roots and small complexes of retirement houses are being constructed for American Sicilians. Discount accommodation Cefalu It is hardly surprising that Sicily should exert its "pull" on its own people as it has done to many others in the past. Cheap flats in Panarea

Tourist Information office centre Panarea