A three thousand years long history
Ever since cross-roads of various peoples and races, cradle of the Mediterranean civilization and fulcrum of sea trades and exchanges, the Sicilian island – thanks to its geographical position – has been a very important destination and a natural harbour for the ancient navigations on the courses of the merchants in the Mediterranean basin.
Land full of myths and legends, central land in between the Eastern and Western countries (it was the main colony of the “Magna Grecia” indeed), war outpost during the Punic age, destination of distant travels from the Scandinavian lands and from the Middle East, fortress of empires and reigns (the court of Frederic II during the Swabian rule, “the reign of the two Sicilies” during the Borbonic and Angevin rule) the island guards the most precious of the treasures: an astounding coffer rich in history, culture, art, traditions and folklore. Sicily – ancient land of conquer- still in the present days remains a land from which it is worth letting yourselves be conquered and charmed as well.
The several dominations unceasingly following one another in the running of centuries left ineffaceable artistic and cultural marks creating one of the most singular itinerary: from the Greek temples and Roman-Greek theatres (the majestic temples of Segesta and Selinunte, the mythic valley of the temples of Agrigento, the theatres of Siracusa, Segesta, Taormina, Tindari…, the millenary ruins of Hymera, Naxos, Mozia, Camarina…) to the ancient villas and Roman thermal baths (Piazza Armerina, Patti, Noto); from the linear geometries of the Arabian buildings to the stylised architectures of the Norman cathedrals (Palermo, Monreale, Cefalù…); from the blue and the gold of the Byzantine mosaics to the pomp of the peculiar soft and plastic lines of the Hispanic baroque (Noto, Modica, Scicli, Ragusa, Siracusa, Palermo, Catania); from the necropolis of the Bronze Age (Pantalica, Ispica, Cassibile) to the villas and urban mansions which are real liberty style old jewels; from the Courtyards and the ancient Farms to the Guard Towers and to the tunny-fishing grounds (Scopello, Bonagia…); from the alleys pervaded by the typical atmosphere of the craggy villages (Erice, Ragusa Ibla, Caltabellotta, Ganci…) to the suggestive seafaring villages (Aci Trezza, Aci Castello, Portopalo…).
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