Palermo was founded by Phoenicians who sailed there from their native Carthage. Sciacca Bed and Breakfast The Greeks colonized the whole island, leaving some of the most beautiful and best-preserved temples they ever built at Agrigento, Selinunte and Segesta. Tourist attractions in Sicily. Around those glorious sites they planted Sicily's first olive trees and grape vines. Taormina Accommodation 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. Tourist attractions in Sicily. In Palermo, these groups were known as mafia. Tourist attractions in Piazza Armerina  

Mt Etna, the largest volcano in Europe and one of the most active in the world, lies south of Taormina. Discount accommodation Giardini Naxos You are permitted to climb up to 2900m. Tourist attractions in Sicily. A rope marks the spot where the volcano’s unpredictability makes it unsafe to go any further. Further south, the town of Syracuse was once a very powerful Greek city. Piazza Armerina Accommodation Check out the medieval buildings on the island of Ortigia which lies in the centre of town. Don’t miss the 5th century Teatro Greco – a masterpiece hewn out of rock with a seating capacity for 16,000 people. Tourist Information office centre Egadi Islands The five Doric temples in the town of Agrigento are also well worth a visit. They are the most well preserved of Sicily’s Greek ruins and are truly spectacular.

A source of revenue for the Sicilian economy has been money sent home from migrants. Tourist attractions in Sicily 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 attractions in Sicily. Although far from home strong links bound Sicilian migrants to their families and communities in Sicily. Hostels in Lampedusa 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. Sicily weather forecast It is hardly surprising that Sicily should exert its "pull" on its own people as it has done to many others in the past. Camping and Caravan sites in Agrigento

Tourist attractions in Sicily