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Sicily
This cultural melange off the coast of Italy is fast becoming one of the hottest destinations in the world so get there before the crowds. Sicilians are proud of their unique hertiage and the island offers something for everyone; art, architecture, archeology, history, folklore and breathtaking scenery.
Sicily is an island almost constantly bathed in sunshine and culture-rich as a result of a succession of Mediterranean powers that have ruled its shores for two millennia. Slow down and to absorb the essence of the island on foot. What is revealed is Sicily’s deeply rustic culture - mountain villages, farms, shepherds and freshly-made cheeses. You can walk through a coastal nature reserve, the Riserva dello Zingaro, an oasis of biodiversity. Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, dominates eastern Sicily and a walk on the slopes of this astonishing mountain takes you above 2000m.
The paths along Pantalica Gorge are Sicily’s greatest necropolis where Neolithic tombs have been hewn into the canyon walls. En route to Palermo you stop in Piazza Armerina to visit the sprawling complex of the Villa Romana, once a Roman hunting lodge dating back to 305 AD. Its mosaics are breathtaking and virtually intact.
Near-by are the Aeolian Islands that are perched in the unsettled waters off the northern Sicilian coast. These islands offer excellent walking and marvelous vantage points over other islands.
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