Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for sicily
An Emblem of Catania
By Linda Tancs
A black basalt statue of an elephant is an emblem of Catania in Sicily. Known as the Elephant Fountain, the pachyderm sits atop a fountain located in the center of Piazza del Duomo. Its most curious feature is the Egyptian-style obelisk set on the marble saddle of the elephant’s back. As far back as the ninth century, the city was known as “the city of the elephant.” In ancient times, it was thought to possess magic powers, including the ability to predict the eruptions of nearby Mount Etna. The mysterious elephant is now featured on various insignia, such as the coat of arms of the city and the university as well as various clubs and organizations.
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Catacombs of Palermo
By Linda Tancs
The residents of the Capuchin Monastery Catacombs in Palermo, Sicily, have been dying to meet you. That’s where you’ll find thousands of mummified bodies and other corpses dressed in various forms of finery. It was considered a status symbol to be buried there so, not surprisingly, the dead include doctors, lawyers and friars. The oldest corpse is that of Silvestro da Gubbio, a friar who passed in 1599. More than just a macabre tourist attraction, the chamber provides a historical record as well as scientific data for medical study.
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Phoenician Wonders in Sicily
By Linda Tancs
The ancient city of Motya (Mozia) was originally a Phoenician settlement occupying the island of San Pantaleo off the coast of Sicily. One of its most famous attractions is popularly known as the Motya Charioteer, a marble statue discovered in 1979 that dates from the ancient Greek Classical Period. It’s one of many ancient treasures you’ll find at the Whitaker Museum. Reachable by ferry, the closest train station served by the national service is Marsala. The ferry departure point is approximately 2 miles from the station.
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A Norman Masterpiece in Sicily
By Linda Tancs
Built between 1170 and 1189, the Norman cathedral in Monreale is one of Sicily’s key attractions. Among its treasures are the 12th-century Byzantine mosaics, estimated to have been made with nearly 5,000 pounds of gold. They depict scenes from both the Old Testament and New Testament as well as the lives of saints. King William II of Sicily (William the Good) lived just long enough to see the completion of his commissioned church. He’s the last of the Norman kings to be buried there. Monreale is a few miles from the center of Palermo; there’s regular bus service from Piazza Indipendenza.
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An Island Between Two Worlds
By Linda Tancs
Sandwiched between Tunisia and Sicily, Lampedusa is an island between two worlds. The last trace of Italian terrain before the African coast, it forms part of the Pelagie Islands, an island group that includes Linosa and Lampione. One of its most popular spots is Rabbit Island (Isola dei Conigli), a few hundred feet off the coast. Contrary to its name, there are no rabbits, but you will find a protected loggerhead sea turtle population and a beach considered by some to be the best in the world. Gastronomically, the island offers a mix of Sicilian and African dishes, particularly along Roma Street (Via Roma), where the majority of shops and restaurants are located. Lampedusa is served by air from many of Italy’s principal cities. You can also take a ferry or hydrofoil from Sicily.
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Sicily’s First Nature Reserve
By Linda Tancs
All roads may lead to Rome, as the saying suggests, but no roads make their way into Zingaro Reserve in Sicily. The locals made sure of that in 1980 when they blocked the construction of a coastal road, the result of which was the establishment of a nature reserve in 1981. It stretches for a little over four miles along the northwestern coastline of the Gulf of Castellammare between San Vito Lo Capo and Scopello. Three walking paths traverse the park from end to end, ranging from a two-hour walk to over seven hours of hiking. In addition to blue bays, tiny beaches and panoramic views, you’ll be amongst a large variety of rare and endemic plants and almost 40 species of birds of prey that nest there. The site also boasts La Grotta dell’Uzzo, one of the most important prehistoric settlements in Sicily, where 10,000-year-old human remains and tools have been found.
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Volcanic Splendor in Sicily
By Linda Tancs
Stromboli is more than an Italian-style turnover. It’s also one of a string of UNESCO-designated islands north of Sicily known as the Aeolian Islands. Shaped over the millenia by volcanic activity, the islands are named Lipari, Vulcano, Panarea, Salina, Alicudi, Filicudi and Stromboli. Charming and idyllic, each island has its own flair, from the street-free, donkey-fueled transport of Alicudi to the drama of a night cruise in Stromboli to witness its volcano’s fiery emissions, one of the most active volcanoes in Europe. From the largest of the islands (Lipari) to the smallest (Panarea), enjoy some local treats, like a sulfurous bath in Vulcano, sweet Malvasia wine and seasoned bread. Milazzo, Sicily, offers the most reliable ferry services to the islands.
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The Door to Sicily
By Linda Tancs
The Greeks founded the Sicilian city of Messina and named it “Zancle,” a reference to its sickle-shaped natural harbor that provides a main point of entry for visitors. Just three miles across the Strait of Messina, its most famous attraction is likely the astronomical clock. Be there at noon for the movement that lasts about 12 minutes. The clock’s figures include a roaring lion and crowing rooster. Afterwards you can visit the tower for amazing views of the city.
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Valley of the Temples
By Linda Tancs
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Valley of the Temples is a testament to Magna Graecia (Great Greece) in Agrigento, Sicily. It boasts remarkable temple ruins dedicated to the gods and built by the rulers of Akragas (now Agrigento), one of the largest Greek cities on the Mediterranean in the sixth century B.C. Now in ruins, the colossal Temple to Zeus was one of the biggest Greek temples in antiquity. The oldest temple is Hercules, but the best preserved is Concordia. Most city buses leave from Piazzale Rosselli and ride by the site.
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Sicily’s White Elephant
By Linda Tancs
The Grande Hotel San Calogero in Sicily has been waiting for guests for over 60 years. Dubbed the ghost hotel, it stands vacant for decades now thanks to governmental gaffes and design flaws. The 300-bed, five-story hotel was intended to showcase southern Sicily’s Sciacca, a pretty seaside town built on rocky heights that overlook the Mediterranean. Sicily’s white elephant stands atop a rocky outcrop on Monte Kronio, within walking distance of the thermal springs and basilica.
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