Sicily

Sicily, Italy

Sitting at the toe of Italy's boot, Sicily has been the jewel in the Mediterranean Crown since the Phoenicians first settled on the island in 900B.C. Within an area the size of Switzerland, something can be found to satisfy every travellers appetite - well preserved historical sites from the Phoenician period; Greek temples; Roman amphitheatres; Norman Towers; Mediaeval towns; Baroque architecture. All set in countryside as rich and diverse as anywhere in Europe. From rolling pastoral countryside to smouldering Volcanic Mount Etna, from long sandy beaches to small shingle coves, arid countryside to reservoirs 4 kms long, providing water for rich valleys resplendent wheat, olives and vines and rolling hills where cattle and sheep graze; and ghostly plains white with salt - you will find all this and more .

Meat from the hills and fish from the sea appear on the menus of every restaurant and Pizzas as thin as a whisper can be enjoyed everywhere. If you are going on a diet then go to Sicily before you start! Sardinian patisseries are a treat to the eye, filled with marzipan confections, cassata jewelled with candied fruit and luscious canola a tube shaped thin pastry filled with ricotta. The islands proximity to Africa has influenced its cuisine and you will find fragrant and lightly spiced seafood cous cous on many menus in the north of Sicily, of which Rick Stein was much enamoured on his recent series on the best cooking in the med. San Vito Lo Capo, in the north even plays host in September to the implausible World Cous Cous Festival when the streets are lined with every conceivable variety imaginable.

One of Europe's oldest wine producing regions, Sicily's wine has been improved over recent past years by grapes imported from elsewhere in Europe. The producers are now justifiable proud of their skills and are applying these to their roots to produce great traditional wines such as the spicy Nero D'Avola. Many wineries now open their doors to the public and a very agreeable day can be spent visiting the wineries on the wine route of the Strada del Vino Alcamo DOC, inland from Castellemare del Golfo. Making a come back as a fashionable aperitif or desert wine, the sweet red fortified Masala wine, produced in the town of the same name in the area of Trapani was formally relegated to a culinary ingredient.

Sicily's gangster past has been well documented, on paper and film; probably the most famous movies being The Godfather series whose Corleone family was named after a town 30 mins drive from Palermo and where some scenes of the films were shot. All this does nothing to prepare you for the geniune friendliness and hospitality which you will encounter throughout your stay these days, if you see someone walking towards you with a violin case, rest assured that it will contain a musical instrument. 

Aiden Rennells. Oct 2008
'Freelance holidays are our first choice holiday firm'

Where we go in Sicily

Scopello, Sicily   

An utterly delightful medieval village set on a ridge above a rocky coastline interspersed by small sand and pebble coves with water as clear as any in the med. Scopello is centred around its "Baglio" the agricultural hub of the original village and now centre piece to an atmospheric courtyard partially shaded by a huge eucalyptus tree under which tables and chairs from the various restaurants and gelatoria are laid out.

A variety of artisan shops, a post office, bank and bakery can be found around the cobbled village square or among the few narrow streets, as well as a handful of trattorias and cafes. When we visited, in an open gateway from the square an old man with a weather worn face was selling bunches of fragrant oregano, honey, beautiful green olive oil and a pleasing variety of vegetables, fresh from his walled garden.  More about Scopello >>>

Castellemmare del Golfo, Sicily 

The most important of the fishing ports in this bay, Castellemmare del Golfo fits snugly between the mountains and the sea at the far western reach of the Golf. The steep streets and little stepped alleys are lined with houses painted in soft pastel shades with flower filled balconies and piazzas and baroque churches make pleasant distractions as you wander down towards the sea.

The major activities of the town revolve around its picturesque harbour where tables and chairs are laid out beside the harbour providing congenial viewing points from which to watch the general hustle and bustle of fishing boats bringing in their catches and the general comings and goings of the little port,   More about Castellemmare del Golfo >>> 

Camporeale/San Cipirello, Sicily 

30 mins drive from Palermo, in the heart of the island where majestic outcrops of rocks give way to patchworks of grassland with grazing cattle and sheep and rolling hills clothed in vineyards, the small towns of Camporeale and San Cipirello interrupt the rich and beautiful landscape, with narrow streets and tall buildings and a rhythm of their own.

For historians, San Cipirello boasts the archeological site of the temple to Aphrodite, built by the Greeks in 550 B.C. with interesting artefacts on display. This central location offers many interesting day trips to the most interesting historical sites in Sicily, More about Camporeale/San Cipirello >>

Sicily