Guide to Italy
Must See Italy
- Amalfi Coast
- Basilica di San Francesco
- Cappella degli Scrovegni
- Cenacolo Vinciano
- Colosseum
- Grand Canal
- Leaning Tower of Pisa
- Mt Etna
- Pompeii
- San Gimignano
- Sardinia
- Sicily
- Siena
- The Uffizi
- Valley of the Temples
Places in Italy
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The island of Sicily is a place of contrasts, from the crumbling grandeur of its capital, Palermo, to the Greek ruins at Syracuse, volatile Mt Etna and the Aeolian Islands. It's home to touristy Lipari, jet-set Panarea, rugged Vulcano and spectacularly spouting Stromboli.
Squatting strategically in the Mediterranean, and its largest island, Sicily has attracted waves of invaders and colonisers, leaving a historical detritus that includes Greek temples, Roman ruins, Norman churches and castles, and Arab and Byzantine domes.
Sicilians remain strongly tied to the land, despite the summer heat, which can be utterly scorching. Luckily, the beaches are superb. Other sights include the magnificent 12th-century cathedral at Monreale and the touristy but unmissable Taormina, with its Greek theatre, panoramic public gardens, palazzo, cathedral and beaches.