THE LAKE CIRCUIT WALK Emily Coles
Take the SS289 to Portella Femmina Morta the ISEA bus from Catania and Sant'Agata di Militello stops at Villa Miraglia, just 300m to the south . Just before the pass on the northern side take the forest track that heads east. The track winds through wood and meadow, with tantalising glimpses of Mt Etna in the distance, climbing gently to meet the main road at Portella Calacudera 1562m , a little more than 1km later. Here the route divides the left fork goes to Lago Maulazzo and the right is...
Ragusa Ibla
Your first sight of Ragusa Ibla will be the breathtaking views from the hairpin bends of Corso Mazzini. It is a lovely picture, the austere grey of the buildings nestied amid the green countryside, lifted by splashes of colour here and there from painted palazzi and the majolica-tiled dome of the Chiesa di Santa Maria dell'ltria. If you have the time, the old town is best accessed via the salita commendatore, a winding pass made up of stairs and narrow archways taking you past the remains of...
Lipari
The 'capital' of the islands, Lipari is the most populated and most popular of the Aeolians, not least because it's at the centre of the archipelago. With a good variety of hotels and restaurants it's the best-equipped base for hopping to the rest of the islands. Lipari Town is a delightful maze of pastel-coloured houses but the high level of tourism means that the main street is a little too crowded with beachwear and surf-gear shops. The town's real charm can be found in its back streets and...
History 1
From the massively powerful world empires to the wanton hands of feudal rulers and mysterious mafiosi, the people of Sicily have long been at the centre of brutal historical events. The island's position in the middle of the Mediterranean, between mainland Italy and North Africa, has meant that it has been involved in nearly every major Mediterranean war. Countless invaders, opportunists and reckless kings and emperors have influenced its language, art, architecture, food, religion and social...
BUS Cmz
All intercity buses arrive and depart from the main bus station Piazza Montalto . Tickets can be bought from kiosks in the station. Segesta 0923 2 1 7 54 runs express buses connecting Trapani with Palermo 8, two hours, eight daily . AST 0923 2 32 22 serves Erice 1.80, 45 minutes, 10 daily Monday to Saturday, four Sunday , San Vito lo Capo 3.50, 1 hours, eight daily Monday to Friday , Marsala 3, 30 minutes, eight daily Monday to Friday and Mazara del Vallo 4.40, 1 hours, three daily ....
DISCOUNT CARDS Senior Cards
Senior citizens are often entitled to public-transport discounts, but usually only for monthly passes not daily or weekly tickets . The minimum qualifying age is 65 years. Admission to all of Sicily's major sites, museums and archaeological parks is free for the over-60s. The only place they may be asked for some ID is at the Cappella Palatina in Palermo. Free admission to galleries and sites is available to under-18s. Discounts usually half the normal fee are available to EU citizens aged...
In Sicily
Excellent health care is readily available throughout Italy, but standards can vary. Pharmacists sell over-the-counter medication for minor illnesses and give valuable advice. They can also advise when more specialised help is required and point you in the right direction. In major cities you are likely to find English-speaking doctors or a translator service. If you need an ambulance anywhere in Sicily call 118. For emergency treatment, go straight to the pronto soccorso casualty section of a...
Panarea
Tiny Panarea is 3km long and 2km wide and feels more like a Greek island with its adobe-style whitewashed houses. Exclusive and expensive, it is popular with the international jet set who come here for one reason only -Hotel Raya. In summer luxury yachts fill the tiny harbour while flocks of day-trippers dock at San Pietro. The island's population lives almost exclusively on the eastern side of the island, in one of the three former hamlets of Ditella, San Pietro and Drauto, although you'll...
Detour Tyndaris
To visit the beautiful ruins at Capo Tindari, turn off the autostrada at the sign for Oliveri, from where brown signs will direct you to the Santuario della Madonna Sanctuary of the Madonna via scenic hairpin bends. If you're coming from the west, it is 6km from Patti on the SS113. You can see the enormous church from miles around it sits right on the cape, its dome glistening in the sun. A sanctuary has been here since the 16th century, when a boat carrying the sacred relic of the Madonna Nera...
Vulcano
Only 1km south of Lipari, across the Bocche di Vulcano, sits the steaming crater of Fossa di Vulcano or Gran Cratere, 'Large Crater' on Vulcano island. Worshipped by the Italian jet set for its therapeutic mud baths and hot springs, this little island is a great place to spend a day or two, enjoying the sulphur baths, taking a boat around the wild coast, and climbing up to the sleeping crater to see the steaming yellow sulphuric rocks. It's not a place to come and enjoy traditional sights -...
Himera
Founded in 648 BC by Greeks from Zankle now Messina , Himera admission free S9am-6pm was named after the river Imera, which flows nearby. It was the first Greek settlement on this part of the island and was a strategic outpost on the border of the Carthaginian-controlled west. In 480 BC the town was the scene of a decisive battie, with the combined armies of Theron of Agrigento and Gelon of Syracuse defeating a sizable Carthaginian army led by Hamilcar, who threw himself on the funeral pyre of...
GETTING AROUND Boat
Regular hydrofoil and ferry services operate between the islands but they can be disrupted by heavy seas. In Lipari Town nearly all hydrofoil and ferry services arrive at and depart from Marina Lunga also known as Porto Sottomonastero . Siremar and Ustica Lines have ticket offices in the same cabin opposite the port. Full timetable information is available at all offices. On the other islands, ticket offices are at or close to the docks. Single fares and approximate sailing times from Lipari...
Orientation Information Ajx
From Termini Imerese head east for 22km along the coastal SSI 13 to Campofelice di Roccella and then turn off for Collesano, 13km inland. From Cefal it is even easier just follow the directions for the Santuario di Gibilmanna Sanctuary of Gibilmanna , 14km to the south. The body responsible for the park is Ente Parco delle Madonie 0921 684011 www.parcodelle madonie.it in Italian Corso Paolo Agliata 16, Petralia Sottana S 8.30am-1,30pm amp 4.30-7.30pm Mon-Sat , which has its headquarters the...
AROUND SYRACUSE Castello Eurialo
Seven kilometres west of the city in the outlying quarter of Epipolae is the Castello Eurialo 0931 71 17 73 admission free S9am-1hr before sunset , the stronghold of Syracuse's Greek defensive works. Built during the reign of Hieron II, Castello Eurialo Euryalus Castle was adapted and fortified by Archimedes and was considered impregnable. Unfortunately for Syracuse, the castle was taken by the Romans without a fight. The views back to Syracuse make it worth the trip. To get here take bus 11...
Riserva Naturale Dello Zingaro
Saved from development and road projects by local protests, the tranquil Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro 0923 2 61 11 www.riservazingaro.it in Italian adult child 3 2 S 7am-9pm Apr-Sep, 8am-4pm Oct-Mar is the star attraction on the gulf. Sicily's, and Italy's, first nature reserve, Zingaro was created with the support of local people and ecologists. Now its wild coasdine is a haven for the rare Bonelli eagle, along with 40 other bird species and 700 plant varieties, some unique to this stretch...
Useful Phrases
vo-ray ree-ser-ra-re oon fo-vo-lo I'd like the menu, please. vo-ray eel me-noo perfa-i o-re What would you recommend ko-n mee kon-jee-lya Please bring the bill. mee porta eelfon-to per fa i o re Is service included in the bill eel ser-i ee tsyo e kom-pre-io nel kon-to I'm a vegetarian. jo-no vejeta yono na I'm a vegan, jo-no ve je ta yo no na Vorrei riservare un t volo. Vorrei il men , per fuvore. Cosa mi consigliu Mi porta il conto, per favore 1 llservizio e compreso nel conto Sono vegetariano...
Budget 1
Camping Jonio 095 49 11 39 www.camping.it italy sicilia jonio Via Villini a Mare 2 per adult 6-10, pertent 6-12, bungalow per person 20-50 This place is about 5km northeast of Catania, close to a beautiful rocky beach. To get there, catch bus 334 from Via Etnea. It also has bungalows. The services are decent here and if you fancy the beach and don't mind not being inside Catania, it's a good budget option. Agora Hostel 095 723 30 10 www.agorahostel .com Piazza Curr 6 dm 18-20, d 40-50 B A...
DANGERS ANNOYANCES Racism
As with nearly all European countries, Italy has seen a disturbing rise in racism. For decades Italy was one of the world's largest exporters of immigrants but now, as the first port of call for refugees from the Balkans, Eastern Europe and North Africa, it has become a net importer of people. For such a homogenous society with one of the lowest birth rates in Europe, the sudden influx has been traumatic and there are now an estimated half-million clandestini illegal immigrants in the country....
Marettimo
The most westward of the Egadi Islands, Marettimo is a collection of green mountain peaks and white-washed houses dipping into a little harbour packed with bobbing fishermen's boats. Marettimo is also the wildest and least developed of the islands. However, with the overfishing of tuna affecting fishermen's incomes, the villagers are starting to see the economic potential in tourism. This doesn't mean that you'll find it packed at any time of the year - on the contrary, this tiny island is...
Sciacca Carnival
Sclacca's carnival Is famed throughout Sicily for its flamboyance and fabulous party atmosphere. It's a carnival that requires a lot of preparation from the town's inhabitants - the grotesque papier-mache figures are made by hand for months in advance, using traditional methods from generations ago. There are several different theories about the carnival's origins and traditions. Some say that the celebration stems from Monte Cronio - named after the Greek god of time - where the ancient Romans...
Piazza Armerina
Set amid some of the most fertile territory on the island, this town simply called Piazza until the 18th century takes its name from the Colle Armerino, one of the three hills on which it is built. It is actually two towns in one the original Piazza was founded by the Saracens in the 10th century on the slope of the Colle Armerino, while a 15th-century expansion to the southeast was redefined by an urban grid established in the 17th century. You can easily spend a day or two wandering around...
Getting Started
There are several ways to organise a trip around Sicily besides simply touring the main towns and cities. If you fancy a sea-and-sun holiday, there are plenty of beach resorts and nearby islands. For history and culture it helps to organise travel around a theme - Greek ruins, baroque architecture or volcanoes. An option that is becoming increasingly popular involves renting a house in the countryside. The network of buses is efficient, extensive and cheap. Similarly, hydrofoil and ferry...