The Aeolian Islands off the coast at Milazzo are well worth a visit. 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. Etna Volcano. The island of Lipari is the most developed. Diving Schools Acireale Sample some of the island’s sweet white Malvasia wine while here. Head for Taormina – Sicily’s most picturesque town. 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. Etna Volcano. The town was an important centre for trade and art through successive Roman, Norman, Spanish and French rules. Farmhouse Accommodation Acireale  

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. Ferries Capo Di Orlando 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. Etna Volcano. The Normans took over in 1061. They tore down almost all signs of Arab culture, 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. Etna Volcano. It is to the Normans that we owe the most spectacular of Sicily's architectural treasures, 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, which lasted only from 1220 to 1250, were of a military nature, such as the castles in Siracusa, Catania and Salemi. Etna Volcano. 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. Entertainment in Caltanissetta Eventually, in 1302, the French gave way to the Aragonese (part of the same dynasty which sponsored Christopher Columbus), who dominated until 1734. Etna Volcano. The aristocracy created during this realm left their magnificent homes, such as Palermo's Palazzo Sclafani and Palazzo Chiaramonte, scattered all over the island. Historical Places in Agrigento 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.

Etna Volcano