Thanks to Gmacorig
How can you choose the best itinerary to spend your time-travel in the best way?
The first thing is to choose what type of travel you want to do:
- adventure trip
- cultural trip
- relaxing trip
Are you an adventure traveller?
Well, the best adventure trip you can do here in Sicily is to visit volcano Etna. To spend in the best way your time you should book your accommodation in a Bed and Breakfast in Nicolosi or in Linguaglossa, two small and characteristic villages on Etna.
You can reach Linguaglossa taking A 18 Catania-Messina Highway and getting out at tollbooth of Fiumefreddo. Now you have to follow road signs to Linguaglossa.
If you decide to go to Nicolosi, the only thing you have to do is going to north Catania and follow the road signs to Nicolosi, that is very near.
The other step consist to contact an excursionist guide that will take you on the higher crater of Europe, such a little Tibet in Mediterranean sea.
But don’t forget to take with you your mountain equipment:
- hiking trousers and shoes
- thermal undershirt
- hiking hose and jacket
…considering you want to enjoy this show in winter, a very characteristics time to visit Etna, when the crater is full of snow. But the summer is a good time too, the only difference is a easier hike because the absence of snow and higher temperature.
Volcano Etna has many woods with hidden trails, and they are magical places for your hiking. But you should be careful: during your hiking you have to hear what your guide tell you about the place for your safety.
You can hike on the eruption places and admire that wild scenario. So wild that some scientists have made astronomical experiment useful for moon’s studies because the characteristics of Etna soil are similar to Lunar soil. The eruption places are in the higher points of Nicolosi, Linguaglossa, Belpasso and Zafferana, where you can admire the wonderful Bove Valley, a valley full of lava.
Your Hiking can be directed to Philosopher Tower, a high refuge seat in a place where a long time ago was attended a rudimentary construction that legend ascribes to Empedocle, a philosopher from Agrigento lived about V century a. C.
The Legend tells that he has fallen inside the crater because he felt immortal.
Well, the ancient construction was the Empedocle house for his studies. But another explanation tell us more, in fact maybe the Emperor Adriano ordered to build a refuge because he liked to Hike on Volcano Etna!
Your Hiking can now become a cultural adventure of History and Philosophy.
The classic hike is to visits the principal higher crater at 3.340 metres.
But another important thing you have to know: Volcano Etna is an important place where skiing: here are two skiing structure in Nicolosi and Linguaglossa.
Are you a cultural traveller?
The fist thing to do is choosing what kind of attraction you want to visit:
- monuments
- churches
- ancient culture
If you will be patient about Sicily all these attractions will be accessible to you.
You can begin visiting Messina and its particular Dome Church.
The second step is taking A20 Highway and get out in Cefalù to visit its Mosaics and the House where Satanist Aleister Crowley have gone in 1920. After this you can go to Palermo, the capital of Sicily to see the interesting construction style of the city.
Here you have to visit the Norman Palace, the seat of Sicilian Parliament; the many theatres attend in the city; the characteristics market of Vucciria. At least, if you will go there in Summer, on the 15 July there is the S. Rosalia Festivity.
Another beautiful place near Palermo is Monreale. It is known because its ancient Dome: in fact it was made around XII century.
To complete the west Sicily you can’t lose the Greek show of Segesta, with its Doric Temple made around V a. C. and the Greek theatre. If you want to remain in the same Greek atmosphere, it is sure you will enjoy seeing Agrigento and its magic Temples Valley. You can arrive here taking SS 189 Palermo-Agrigento.
Porto Empedocle is attached to Agrigento, and it is the native place of the Philosopher Empedocle and of the Writer Luigi Pirandello: here you can visits its House Museum where you can see the exhibition of his school report.
The next historic place is Syracuse, reachable taking SS 115. In this site you will find another ancient scenario: Apollo temple, Greek theatre where have place INDA shows (National Institute for Ancient Drama ) and Roman Amphitheatre used for gladiators fights.
Another important thing is the beautifulness of Ortigia, an island inside the hearth of the City, famous because of its particular construction characterized of white colour of plaster. This side is famous all over the world and it is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites together with Pantalica Necropolis, an archaeological side near Syracuse.
Going to North you will arrive in Catania, the second City of Sicily after Palermo.
You should visit the Dome where is S. Agata Cathedral and the statue of Elephant, the symbol of the City called Liotru.
From the Dome you can go to Ursino Castle, a construction made around XIII century.
If you remain in the centre of the city you can visit Monastery of Benedictine and the Ursino-Recupero Library which contains very old Books. In the back of this monuments you can find S. Nicola Church that is the bigger one of Catania.
Inside it you can admire a fantastic show because its ancient age, the Meridian and the Graves of soldier dead during World War II.
In the neighbourhoods there are Houses Museum of the Musician Vincenzo Bellini and the Writer Giovanni Verga. In the same place you can find Greek theatre and Stesicoro square, where you will see the ancient city underground.
Missed is the Via Etnea Street, a long way that rise up until the higher point of the city from which you can go to Etna. If you go in Catania on the 5th February you can see the folklore of S. Agata Festivity.
Then you are ending your circle and you should visit Taormina, sitting on a little hill where you can enjoy a wonderful landscape.
Are you a relaxing traveller?
Well, now I ask you a question: do you know how many tourists came here in Sicily for holiday? Japanese, Germans, English, French, American, Canadians and other people from all over the world are happy to spend their relaxing time here in Sicily.
A tourist can visits our beautiful beaches: Playa of Catania, Mondello in Palermo, Marina di Ragusa in Ragusa, Fontanebianche in Syracuse, Taormina near Messina.
But also the Sicily Nights offer some interesting thing, in fact you can live leisure of Nights of Catania full of Discos, Pub and Restaurant where you can taste the food of Sicily: Cannoli, Pistacchio, horse meat, Norma pasta, pizza.
Many Pubs or Disco are at the playa beach: after having dinner or having a dance you can have a swim in the Jonio Sea in the night.
If you want a night with magic landscapes go to Taormina, and you can observe from the central square the enlightened coast by a telescope just paying one euro.
Your relax can continue with a walk on the villages near Catania: Acicastello, with its Norman Castle, and Acireale with its beautiful Dome.
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