After years of traveling in Italy that started in the '80s (my whole life basically), increased significantly in the new Millennium, with my own astonishment I still haven't visited the largest Mediterranean island. Surprisingly enough, the right moment appeared to be under the Covid-19 pandemic. I traveled by ground and sea: crossed the whole Italian boot by car from north to south, made a short stop in Naples and surroundings and crossed the sea by boat; 11h of nighttime cruise from Naples to Palermo.
And there it was: first sight of Sicily at 6am under the sun-rising red light of Palermo. This city, founded by the Phoenicians in 734 BC, deserves by itself a whole chapter, but I'll only tell you what impressed me the most. Undoubtedly it was the Royal Palace (Palazzo dei Normanni) and more specifically rich mosaics of the royal chapel (Cappella Palatina), the best example of the Arab-Norman-Byzantine style of 12th century. But let me take a little historical step back.
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| Marsala |
By the archeological evidence, there was human activity on the island as early as 12000 BC, but the richer evidence starts with the Phoenicians and Greek who in 750BC already had several colonies. Carthaginians follow with dominations and wars such as the famous Punic wars against the Romans. After the fall of Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, Sicily was ruled by Vandals, Ostrogoths and then Byzantine Empire. Around AD 827 the island falls under the Arabic domination until the arrival of the Normans. After the Hohenstaufen family comes the turn of the Spanish House of Anjou. Unified under the house of Bourbon with the Kingdom of Naples, it finally became part of Italy in AD 1860 following the expedition of the Thousand, a revolt led by Garibaldi that started in very Sicily at the port of Marsala (Lilybeum by Phoenicians, renamed Marsa-Allah by the arabs) and culminated with the battle of Calatafimi (from the arabic Qal'at Fimi, that in turn comes from latin Castrum Phimes referring to the defensive castle of Euphemius overlooking the town).
This dense part of information is to show how Sicily is rich on influences of other powerful civilizations that fought for it, dominated it, embellished it and enriched it with their own architecture (Greek, Byzantine and Norman are the prevalent ones), traditions and language (see the above Arabic names). And just to get to know better one of these civilizations who's ancestors are brought to us closer by the series TV Vikings, the ones who fascinated me personally the most...who are the Normans? As the word itself says (from the North), they were an ethnic group that was formed from contact between Norse Viking settlers of a region in France, named Normandy after them (Rollo's legacy!!!) and indigenous Franks and Gallo-Romans. After raiding the northern Europe (mainly England, Ireland, Scotland and northern France), in the Mediterranean they settled in southern Italy, liberating Sicily from 250 years long domination by the Saracens (Muslim Arabs). They adopted customs and language of the territories where they settled which made the acceptance by the dominated locals much easier.
So there I was, exploring by car west-northern and southern part of the island, but my oh my if there are many things to see and learn! Two weeks exploring were just enough for half of the island! So I've made a vow to go back one day and visit the eastern part (Messina, Catania, Ragusa, Siracusa, Taormina being the most important visiting sites on the East, along with the volcano Etna).
SO WHERE HAVE I BEEN? Take a map or google Sicily and follow me: the northern coast starting from Cefalù towards Palermo and Trapani, then south to Marsala and Mazara del Vallo; then back towards East around Agrigento and cutting the island in half with Caltanissetta and Enna. Of course numerous internal small towns were on the list and on the way. Some days I would visit 3-4 towns in a day. Small as a village, but with too much civilization and history not to be called "town".
WHAT HAVE I SEEN? Many many castles (basically each bigger city has one and its mostly from the Arabic - Norman age), archeological sites (Phoenician - Greek - Carthaginian age), temples and churches (Roman and Byzantine age) and beautiful emerald green and sapphire blue sea with sandy and rocky beaches. A lot of olive trees and wine grape fields.
WHAT DID I LIKE THE MOST?
Extractions of memories and flashes are still vivid in my eyes, so I'll try to picture that for you.
- Majestic Cathedral of Monreale, little town on the hill just outside Palermo. Cathedral is not that impressive from outside as from inside with unique mosaics. With an additional ticket you can visit the hidden corridors and high balcony reaching the very top of the cathedral and from there you get to see the coast up to Palermo!
View from the Cathedral's top - Colorful village near Partinico decorated in vivid blue and yellow plaster in Gaudì style.
Partinico in Gaudì style - Castle of Euphemius has a breathtaking 360 view on the valley including the ancient Temple of Segesta and the hostoric city of Calatafimi, as well as Garibaldi's battlefield of the Expedition of the Thousand.
Calatafimi - Delicious dinner at the port of Castellamare Golfo, maritime village with a Castle by the sea, noted for having been the birthplace of many American mafia figures (Italian mafia in New York), it is also famous for being partly set for "Ocean's Twelve".
- Sunset swim on the stony beach at San Vito lo Capo where Alas, I lost my handwatch!
San Vito lo Capo - Mesmerizing sunset at the Trapani port and delicious dinner at the legendary Restaurant "Antichi sapori" that only the locals know about (and now YOU as well!)
Trapani - Intoxicating smell of almond paste sweets in the small streets of Erice (you might gain weight just by looking at that crazy variety of cookies!).
Erice - Rose color of salty waters in Mozia, where salt is produced and exported in whole Italy.
- Luxurious Hotel Carmine in the very city center of Marsala (yes, that's where the famous liquor is produced) and the museum of the Punic ship dated 3rd century BC.
Marsala - Strong Arabic spirit in Mazara del Vallo, from the language to the culinary art and a large minority of Tunisians in Kasba, being the closest point in Sicily to Africa, precisely Tunisia.
Mazara del Vallo - White labyrinth made of concrete at Gibellina Vecchia as a memorial to the village completely destroyed by the earthquake in 1968 and rebuilt 11km from the old one.
Cretto di Burri at Gibellina Vecchia - Massive archeological site at Selinunte on the hill looking over the sea, imagining the rich history it has to tell: founded by the Greek settlers in 651 BC, it had a happy, rich and dangerous situation as all the places on the border. In 409 BC it got utterly destroyed by the Elyminians and Carthaginians in one of the most terrible massacres of the ancient age. It became Carthaginian, but after the 1st Punic war it got completely abandoned. In Christian - Byzantine and Arabic era there were small communities living among the ruins, but in the Middle Age, following a strong earthquake it got forgotten until the discovery in AD 1823. Fascinating, isn't it?
Selinunte - Rose - orange - purple burning seafront sunset in Sciacca and the delicious calamari with pistachio dinner, after the steep climb to the city center which stands on the top of the hill.
Tired after million climbing steps in Sciacca - Entertaining swim among the pool-like coves next to the striking white Scala dei Turchi, a limestone cliff on splendid crystal waters. It derives it's name (Scale of the Turks) from the historical frequent raids by the Moors ( Mediterranean Berber pirates) who the locals wrongly exchanged for Turks. Ha ha ha
Scala dei Turchi - Legendary Agrigento was one of the leading cities of Magna Grecia (with around 200.000 inhabitants in the 6th century BC!), called Akragas by the Greeks, Agrigentum by the Romans, Jirjant by the Berber Arabs and finally Girgenti by the Normans. It has much to offer starting from the ancient Valley of the Temples, small part of the Ellenic Akragas mostly unexcavated until today. During the Vandalic and Ostrogoth Kingdom population retired on the hill and it's medieval structure is still visible today.
- Following the steps of italian writer Sciascia in his native town Racalmuto.
- Visiting an exibition by the rebel artists of Favara.
- Discovering a cave Calathansuderj and learning it was a hiding place since the Arabic age.
- From the Arabic Qal'at al Nisa (meaning Fort of the Women"), italianized Caltanissetta, the city followed the usual historic domination order as the rest of the island. But what is interesting about this town is the extensive mining of sulfur from the '800 that brought an economic boom and title "sulfur capital of the world" until the WW2 when the foreign competence overpowered the industry and the city fell in poverty still visible today.
- Navel of Sicily, city on the summit of a gigantic hill in the middle of the island is Enna and from the Norman Castle you can see, when the sky is clear, as far away as to the volcano Etna! I couldn't stop gazing the magnificent panorama at sunset, so aperitivo time came by quite fast. It is the highest Italian provincial capital at 931m above sea level. Originally called Henna, named by the Romans Castrum Hannae, by the Arabs Qasr Yannah and by the Sicilians Castrogiovanni, it only regained the original name with Mussolini in 1927. Enna is also where a Roman slave Euno started the first EVER servile uprising in 136 BC, that is 60 years before Spartacus.
Enna - Officialy founded (but pre-existing) in AD 1093, with the splendid and massive Norman Castle on the top of the rocky cliff, Caccamo is a perfect representative of medieval customs with the still active yearly competition of "elezione della Castellana di Caccamo", a long procession that sees ladies, Knights and flag-wavers parading in period customs. I tried to apply, but in order to be elected you need to be a resident for at least 15 years. No time traveling for me!
Castle of Caccamo - Cefalù is probably my favorite place so far. Maybe for the delicious food or the funny swim among the cliffs in a jacuzzi-like tabs, or the architecture of the city with the cathedral attached to the rock that is watching over the city (in fact the Greek called it Kephaloidion, for the rocks shape like a head). Small colorful streets are so romantic and cute and that's where I bought my first Coppola cap, a traditional kind of flat cap typically worn in Sicily.
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| Cefalù |
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| View on Palermo from the hotel balcony |
- Undoubtedly granita siciliana (Sicilian slushie) made of real almond or pistachio, no syrup. You will recognize the difference once you try the real one unique taste, but unfortunately the industrial made granita is being sold more and more as the traditional one is more expensive and difficult to prepare. The best ones I've tried are in bar "Morocco" in front of the Palermo cathedral and in a cute bar in Sciacca.
- Almond paste sweets in a rich variety of forms and flavors: there are plenty of artisan pastry shops in Erice.
- Canolo siciliano is a typical world known Sicilian sweet, but I am not so crazy about it. Still, give it a try!
- Cassata siciliana, it's the typical Eastern cake made in Palermo
- Fish-based pasta, because fish in Sicily is fresh, tasty and they know very well how to cook it, so that you'll lick your fingers until the last drop of the sauce!
- Fish-based cous cous is widely consumed around Trapani area.
- Arancino siciliano is a fried rice ball with a melted heart in cheese or meat.
- Caponata is the eggplant Parmigiana, loved in whole Italy, but originally from Sicily.
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