What are your thoughts when someone says “Sicily”? Do you think of a place with an amazing history, or do you associate it with the mafia? If so, then this blog post is for you. In this article, we will explore Interesting facts about Sicily and teach you some interesting things that most people don’t know about the island nation off Italy’s southern coast.
Geography of Sicily
Sicily is located off the southern coast of Italy and is also an island. The Mediterranean Sea to its west and the Ionian Sea to its east separate Sicily from mainland Italy, while Tunisia sits on the north side of Sicily.
Largest island
Sicily is the biggest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It has a population of about five million people and covers an area of 25,700 km²
Sicily is one of the 20 Italian Regions, Sicily is the autonomous region and the biggest Italian region.
Surrounded by three seas
Sicily is surrounded by three seas: the Ionian Sea, the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Strait of Messina. The coastline of Sicily is over 1000 km
Tallest Volcano in Europe
Mount Etna, located on the east coast of Sicily, is the tallest active volcano in Europe. It has erupted many times in recent years. Etna has been erupting for the last 3500 years. The biggest documented eruption happened in 1669 when it killed over 20,000 people.
Mt Etna is the highest point found in Sicily and the highest mountain peak in Italy can be found right here! Mount Etna
Other Volcanos
Other active volcanos on the island are Mounts Stromboli and Vulcano. but there also around 30 dormant volcanoes.
Sicilian Flag
The Sicilian flag is diagonal red and yellow with a Sicilian coat of arms. The coat of arms has a medusa head triskeles – three legs in rotational symmetry.
Landmarks in Sicily
Sicily is a beautiful island with a rich history. The landscape is varied, with mountains, hills and plains, and the coastline is rugged and picturesque. There are many interesting landmarks in Sicily, including:
Mount Etna – This active volcano is the tallest in Europe and one of the most popular tourist destinations on the island. It is located on the east coast of Sicily near the city of Catania.
The Duomo – This magnificent cathedral in the city of Palermo is one of the largest and most beautiful in Italy. It was built in the Norman style and has a huge rose window and beautiful Gothic arches.
The Temple of Apollo – This ancient Greek temple is located in the city of
Sicily is home to the largest opera house in Italy – Teatro Massimo in Palermo and it has been the location for many Hollywood movies.
The best preserved Greek ruins are found in Sicily in The Valley of the Temples near the city of Agrigento
The Greek Theatre of Syracuse was built in the 5th century BC and is the oldest surviving Greek theatre in the world. the theatre still host shows
History of the Sicily
The earliest inhabitants of Sicily were the Sicani and Sicanians, who came from different parts of Africa. The island was conquered by Arabs during the eighth century AD after they first attacked Malta in their quest to control all trade between Europe and North Africa. They also introduced Islam as a religion on the island following their conquest.
In the ninth century, Sicily was invaded by a group of Normans who were Vikings from Normandy in France. They stayed for about 100 years until they became part of the Sicilian population and an integral component in the island’s history.
The Norman kings ruled Sicily with their seat at Palermo on its southwest coast. In 1130, Roger II, the Norman King of Sicily obtained from Pope Innocent II a royal crown and invested himself as a King of Sicily.
The Kingdom of Sicily lasted from 1130 until 1816.
Climate in Sicily
The climate on Sicily varies significantly throughout the region, with some areas experiencing extreme heat during the summer months due to their location near deserts such as Libya or Algeria while other regions experience milder temperatures. Typical weather is the Mediterranean, which means hot summers (often over 38 degrees Celsius) but not too much rain – except for thunderstorms from time to time around Palermo and Catania
Best to visit during the spring because there is so much beautiful scenery and many of the festivals that happen only in this part of Sicily occur then as well! The climate can vary by region, with some parts being too cold and others with very high temperatures.
Famous Sicilian
Famous Sicilians: famous Sicilian personalities include Luciano Pavarotti or Totò, both internationally renowned opera singers;
Giuseppe Garibaldi who in 1848 led a thousand of his Redshirts in an invasion of Sicily – this revolutionary act was the start of the Unification process that finally lead to Italy being proclaimed a single nation by 1861 – Fact about Italy.
The Island of Sicily was the birthplace of famous people like mathematician Archimedes, Italian poet Giacomo da Lentini and actor Al Pacino.
Traditional Sicilian Food
If you’re looking for traditional dishes, think about trying pasta alla norma (pasta made with eggs, cheese, tomatoes) or couscous con Cannella e pistacchi noci (spicy-sweet dish) or delicious caciocavallo cheese.
Sicilian Wine
Sicilian Wine is a unique product of the Mediterranean, and Sicily produces some of the finest wines in Italy. The island’s major wine-producing area encompasses all around Etna volcano including its foothills as well as smaller areas at Castelbuono (in the west), Palermo (near Trapani) and Messina. Sicilian grapes – such as Nero d’Avola, Inzolia, Catarratto Bianco, Grillo and Chardonnay are used to produce crisp white wines tasting of citrus fruit; while reds made from varieties like Carricante or Frappato have an aroma reminiscent of strawberries
Sicilian Pizza
Pizza is one of Sicily’s most famous dishes and it has been around for centuries. It can be found in many different places, but the best pizza is said to come from Palermo. This area produces a type of Pizza known as sfincione which includes cheese and tomato sauce on top – with an outer crust that looks like focaccia bread. The dough base is made up primarily of semolina wheat flour, water and olive oil; sometimes adding onion or anchovies
Sicilian Pasta
Pasta might not sound Sicilian at first glance since it usually arrives mixed with other ingredients such as herbs or vegetables. But if you take pasta by itself then yes – there are some very interesting shapes coming out of Sicily. One pasta is called a cavatelli, these are short spaghetti shaped pieces that resemble the island’s famous cone shaped oranges.
Sicilian Fish Dishes
Sicily has some excellent seafood but one of its finest dishes involves anchovy and tomato-based sauce with bread crumbs on top – Italian-style! The dish is also known as piccante alla norma (hot style) because it can be made spicy by adding chilli pepper or hot peppers to taste.
Basil is a typical ingredient in Sicilian cuisine, but it’s not just for cooking purposes – it’s often used as decoration
Parsley, like basil, is commonly found around Sicily’s kitchen tables too because of its fresh and clean flavor. It compliments well any type of fish or seafood dishes and pasta sauces
Sicily Fun Facts: people from here like their coffee strong and have been known to drink as many as three cups a day – while others might not drink any!
Sicilian Mafia
The Sicilian Mafia, also known as Cosa Nostra, is a criminal syndicate in Sicily, Italy. The organization is believed to have been formed in the mid-19th century. The Sicilian Mafia is the oldest organized crime group in the world.
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