Sicily Guide

A volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli, close to the Northern coast of Sicily, has started to erupt more violently than usual, sending a flow of lava into the sea, emergency services said on Tuesday, advising locals to keep away from the danger areas. “There’s a general alert,” said a member of the Civil Protection for the Aeolian Islands, off of Sicily. “The emergency services are monitoring the situation, clearing zones at risk … But at the moment we don’t foresee an evacuation.”

Stromboli, a classic cone-shaped island, is a constantly active volcano, attracting thousands of visitors every year to climb to its summit and admire the regular blasts of molten rock. But more powerful eruptions can be dangerous. The last time, in December 2002, a large eruption caused the island to be closed to visitors for months. Buildings around the coast were damaged when a huge chunk of rock broke off and plunged into the sea, causing a 10-metre (33 feet) tsunami.

Source: Reuters

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Sicily is a wonderful island, yet not spoiled by mass tourism. It is surely a great retreat for an ideal “off of the beaten path” vacation. If you are new to the island or plan to go back, here are the top ten best kept secrets of the island:

1. The Archeological Area of Selinunte
   Located on the southwest coast of Sicily in the province of Trapani, Selinunte was founded by the Greeks in the 7th century BC. Its name comes from the word selinon, which means wild fennel, a widely common plant throughout the area. Selinunte flourished for two centuries under Greek domination. It is by far my favorite archeological spot in Sicily; I love it for the beautiful panoramic views above the Mediterranean Sea.
2. Stromboli
   Part of the seven Aeolian Islands in the Messina province, Stromboli has one of the world’s most active volcanoes. It erupts constantly every four to ten minutes. Its clouds of steam by day and fountains of glowing cinders by night make it worth the visit. Be advised to find a good guide for the four hour climb.
3. The Sicilian Baroque
   Around 1730, Sicilian architects had developed confidence in their use of the Baroque style. Their particular interpretation led to its evolving further into a personalized and highly localized Baroque style. Eight towns in southeast Sicily, Caltagirone, Militello Val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo, Ragusa and Scicli represent a considerable collective undertaking, successfully carried out at a high level of architectural and artistic achievement (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Astonishing!
4. Vendicari Beach, Pachino (SR)
   Since 1984, Vendicari marshlands have become part of the Natural Reserve named “Oasis and Fauna of Vendicari” and are protected by the State Forest administration of the Sicilian Region. Wide and immaculate beaches make this area one of the most pristine in Sicily. On clear days, you can see the coast of the African continent from here.
5. Teatro Massimo, Palermo
   The opera house’s construction started on January 12, 1874 but was stopped for eight years from 1882 until 1890. Finally, on May 16, 1897, twenty-two years after the laying of the foundation stone, it was inaugurated with a performance of Verdi’s Falstaff. In 1974, the building was closed for renovations due to updated safety regulations. It remained closed for twenty-three years due the factors including cost over-runs, corruption and political debate. But finally it re-opened on May 12, 1997, four days before its centenary. The Teatro Massimo is the second largest opera house In Europe. Take one of the morning guided tours to discover more about it.
6. Annunziata of the Catalans, Messina
   The church was built between 1150 and 1200 on the remains of a pagan temple dedicated to Neptune. It is an interesting example of how various architectural styles were added to a late Byzantine construction. The church has been known by the name “Catalani” ever since the 16th century, when the senate of Messina gave it to the powerful guild of the Catalan merchants.
7. Martorana, Palermo
   The famous Greek admiral George of Antiochia commissioned the church in 1143, which was completed in 1151. After the Sicilian Vespers of 1282, the island’s nobility gathered in the church for a meeting that resulted in the Sicilian crown being offered to Peter III of Aragon. The common name La Martorana originated under King Alfonso of Aragon, who in 1436 assigned the church to the nuns of a Benedictine convent established in 1194 by Eloisa Martorana.
8. Palazzo Abatellis , Palermo
   The building was designed by Carnalivari at the end of the 15th century as the residence of Francesco Abatellis, harbormaster of the Kingdom of the two Sicilies. The palace is one of the most significant Gothic-Catalan architectonic samples in Western Sicily. Its gallery features sculptures and paintings from the 12th to the 18th century. Highlights: The Triumph of Death fresco; the Annunciation by Antonello da Messina; The Malvagna Triptych by Mabuse and the fine collection of statues by Antonello Gagini and Francesco Laurana.
9. Morgantina, Enna
   Morgantina was founded by King Morges in the 12th century BC. Six centuries later, the Greeks colonized the city that was destroyed by the Romans during the Punic Wars in 211 BC. Morgantina was rebuilt by the Romans and became a prosperous city, but was abandoned around 30 BC for unknown reasons.
10. Pelagie Islands
    Pelagie Islands consist of Lampedusa, Linosa, and Lampione. They are small islands in the Mediterranean Sea between Malta and Tunisia (south of Sicily and they are part of Agrigento province.

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According to Costanzo Jannotti Pecci, president of Confindustria/Federturismo, the lack of infrastructures is the major obstacle to the development of tourism in Southern Italy.

During a conference at Cnel, Mr. Pecci argued that the construction of the bridge could have represented a great symbolic action. Under the pressure of strenous lobbies, the project has nw been stopped. As an example, he claimed that the Millau Viaduct, the tallest vehicular bridge in the world inaugurated in December 2004, did increase tourist presences exponentially in the region. Besides adding to the tourism industry, the Strait of Messina Bridge could have had an enourmous impact on the island’s logistic system by establishing the basis of an efficient and modern integrated transport system between Sicily and the Mainland.
The Strait of Messina Bridge was a planned suspension bridge that was to cross the Strait of Messina, a narrow section of water between the eastern tip of Sicily and the southern tip of mainland Italy. After years of discussion and planning that had come very close to beginning construction, the project was cancelled by the Italian government in October 2006.

Construction was to begin in 2006 and was expected to be completed in 2012. If completed, it would have been the largest suspension bridge in the world. While the bridge had been planned for many decades, the idea for a bridge has been around since Roman times. A design for a restrained buoyant submarine tube tunnel that would have been anchored to the seabed was submitted by British engineer Alan Grant in an international competition promoted by the Italian government in 1970.

Two ministers of the newly elected government of Romano Prodi stated their opposition to the project when taking up office. As of August 2006, the project was announced as “under review” for budgetary reasons. Citing concerns that the project was too expensive, likely to enrich criminal gangs and might not be earthquake-proof, the project was terminated in October 2006 over protests from southern Italian legislators.

The funds reserved for building the bridge will instead be used to improve ferry service between Messina (Sicily) and the mainland at Villa San Giovanni in Calabria and hydrofoil service from Messina to Reggio Calabria, as well as other transportation projects.

Source: Wikipedia

Sicilian tourism has been growing at an extremely slow rate. This is the impression that came from the third “Giornata dell’Ospitalita’”, a conference that recently took place at the Hotel Astoria in Palermo. Politicians and tourism professionals gathered together to discuss actions that could be taken to avoid a possible disaster for the industry.

In spite of the fact that the Region has invested heavily to increase the number of deluxe accommodations on the island, the occupancy rate per room has not grown proportionally. After the successful summer months that saw Sicily reaching record high presences, travelers have not flocked as originally hoped.

I personally believe that these signs should worry operators and push them to work closely with politicians on a strategy that promotes Sicily in a more dynamic way. Tourism is not only an industry that can be easily affected by political events and socio-economic situations, but it is also one of the most proactive industries. The edge gained this past summer could abruptly vanish, consequently making vane all the efforts made by the Region to promote tourism in the last five years.

No action is not an option.

Sicily will be the official sponsor of the first Bit Tourism Award in Milan this coming February 21. Bit, Borsa Internazionale del Turismo, is the largest exhibition in Italy of the tourism industry, showcasing a comprehensive collection of suppliers from over 120 countries at the Fiera in Milan from February 22 through 25.
The award, promoted by Bit and Panorama Travel, will be given to destinations such as cities, regions and countries which have distinguished themselves among Italian travelers and tourist facilities in the world, voted by professionals.

The Sicilian Region will be present at the exhibition with an innovative booth and a new slogan: “Sicily, the colors live here”.