General Information about Sicily

An introduction to Sicily

Sicily is a land of extremes and contrasts, a magnification of all things Italian.

It is also an island of enormous intensity, a concentrated distillation of history, architecture and gastronomic delights, where incandescent volcanoes light up the night skies, mountain ranges jostle for supremacy, and where the sea has sculpted a coastline of stunning variety and beauty.

With its wonderful climate, Sicily is eminently visitable all the year round and each season has its own distinctive charm.

There is always something to do, whether it be lounging on golden beaches, hiking in the mountains, visiting  ancient archaeological sites, skiing on Mount Etna or shopping in Palermo’s fashionable boutiques.

Wherever you turn you will see evidence of Sicily’s 3,000 years of history as the strategic crossroads of Europe. Nowhere else have  Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, French, Germans, Spanish, Italians, and even the British, left such an enormous collective legacy. The island is a vast open-air museum, a testament to nearly every Mediterranean civilisation of the past.

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, and the largest region in Italy. It’s packed with things to see and places to go, so you shouldn’t expect to “do” it all in one go.

This is especially true if we include Sicily’s delightful off-shore islands and archipelagos, the Aeolian Islands, the Egadi Islands, Pantelleria and the Pelagie, all supremely worth a visit.

Expect to be surprised...

Expect to be enchanted...

Expect to come away wanting more...

This is what Sicily does best and we hope it will do it for you!

Click on map to enlarge

Map of Sicily | Think Sicily

The finest collection of villas in Sicily, exclusive to Think Sicily >>

 1/63 The beach at San Gregorio with the Aeolian Islands in the background.  2/63 Stunning views of Stromboli from Panarea.  3/63 Catania's splendid opera house.  4/63 Kite-surfing on the wonderful sandy beach near Ispica, south-east Sicily.  5/63 The magnificent Christ Pantocrator in the Duomo of Cefalù.  6/63 Cala Rossa in Favignana with Trapani and Erice in the background.  7/63 Rural peace and tranquility in the unspoilt Nebrodi Mountains.  8/63 The dramatic view of Trapani and the Egadi Islands seen from Erice.  9/63 Mount Etna full swing!  10/63 Playing on the sandy beach near Selinunte.  11/63 Sundown on Salina with views of Stromboli and Vulcano.  12/63 Views from the Pepoli Castle in Erice.  13/63 The pristine sandy beach and transparent waters of Mondello in May.  14/63 Photographer Lisa Limer catches the Festa di Santa Rosalia in Palermo.  15/63 A colourful shot of some houses in Marzamemi.  16/63 The crater of Vulcano with Lipari behind and Stromboli in the distance.  17/63 The white sandy beach in San Vito is one of the best in Sicily.  18/63 The Temple of Concordia in Agrigento's Valley of the Temples.  19/63 Messing about on boats on the beach at Selinunte.  20/63 The splendid Basilica di San Giorgio in Modica.  21/63 Small-scale fishing is still one of Mondello's primary activities.  22/63 The Duomo di Monreale seen from the cloisters.  23/63 The transparent waters of Pineta del Gelsomineto near Siracusa.  24/63 Lunch with a view on the beach at Mazzarò, Taormina.  25/63 Intricate Baroque flair on a balcony of Palazzo Villadorata in Noto.  26/63 Mount Etna seen from Lago Biviere in the Nebrodi Mountains.  27/63 Stunning views from Piazza IX Aprile in Taormina.  28/63 The delightful soft-coloured cathedral of Noto.  29/63 Fabulous coastal scenery at the old tonnara in Scopello.  30/63 Palermo cathedral rising above the palms of Piazza Vittoria.  31/63 A fabulous view of Catania from the heights of Mount Etna.  32/63 The Capo market in Palermo.  33/63 Selinunte is one of the largest and most beautiful Greek sites in Europe.  34/63 Modica, rising majestically from the gorge in which it sits.  35/63 Baroque Scicli lit up at night.  36/63 The Elephant on Pantelleria!  37/63 Isola Bella beach and coastline below Taormina.  38/63 Brightly coloured fishing boats in Pantelleria.  39/63 Palermo's Teatro Massimo, the 3rd largest opera house in Europe.  40/63 The spectacular sunset at the saltpans near Marsala.  41/63 Caricatures at the Carnivale di Sciacca.  42/63 An erotic mosaic with intricate pattern work at Villa Romana del Casale.  43/63 The annual May kite festival in San Vito Lo Capo.  44/63 The sun, the sea and columns of the Temple of Hera at Selinunte!  45/63 Mountains of freshly harvested salt in the saltpans near Marsala.  46/63 The lovely bay and coast of Mazzarò below Taormina.  47/63 Piazza Pretoria and the 'Fountain of Shame' in Palermo.  48/63 Via Nicolaci in Noto covered with flower art during the Infiorata.  49/63 Heading down to the beach at the Scala dei Turchi near Agrigento.  50/63 The Church of San Matteo looking over Scicli.  51/63 Palermo's cathedral is a fascinating melange of architectural styles.  52/63 The Temple of Segesta rising amongst the Mediterranean maquis.  53/63 Hovering above Vulcano in a helicopter is a fantastic experience!  54/63 The amazing tongue of sand below Tindari.  55/63 Siracusa's splendid Piazza Duomo.  56/63 The Gods! The theatre of Segesta has stunning views.  57/63 The fantastic view of Mt Etna seen from the Teatro Greco in Taormina.  58/63 The lovely Duomo in Siracusa.  59/63 Taking a cool breather during a walk around Selinunte.  60/63 The beautiful waters and coast of Isola Bella, Taormina.  61/63 The Greek theatre of Tindari with the Aeolian Islands behind.  62/63 A detail of the famous bikini girls at the Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina.  63/63 Intricate and imaginative detailing on a balcony in Scicli.