Connect with us
.png "accredited agent (1920 × 760 px)")
Majolica Travel S.r.l.s.
Via Don Orione, 30 | Palermo (Sicily)
Office (+39) 091 5077 283
Mob. (+39) 327 619 0641
Sicily
© 2021-2024 Majolica Travel S.r.l.s. - All rights reserved | VAT n. 07003890824 | D.D.S. n. 137/S7
Island of history, myths, legends and awareness
THE MAGIC ISLAND
Sicily's millenary history is marked by many events, dominations, passing cultures, legends, and myths, which have influenced and shaped it, to the point of becoming a unique land that arouses great amazement even to those who live it every day.
We must not stop at Sicily told by the famous Sicilian writers. To Sicily of fiction, honorable men and beautiful women strolling by the sea, kissed by the sun. That is past and past history. To truly understand this island, it is necessary to put aside preconceptions and rumors. We have to strip Sicily of the dress that movies and old novels have sewn on it. That does not mean that we should forget about its history, in reverse. The better way to understand and love Sicily of today is to know its origins.
Impossible to list everything!
You have to come to Sicily to find out its jewels
CULTURE Archaeological parks, medieval, baroque, renaissance, modern and contemporary architectural monuments, well preserved.
TRADITIONS Enchanting villages, festivals, and exibitions, loved by Sicilians.
MADE IN SICILY The Sicilian culture comprises master craftsmen: the puppeteers, the master carters, the potters, creators of unique ceramics with bright colors.
NATURE Protected natural and marine parks, with breathtaking coasts and clear waters rich in fauna and flora.
FOOD The very famous Sicilian street food and traditional recipes, handed down for generations, are known worldwide.
WINE The delicious wine, strictly organic, of many varieties, winner of awards recognized worldwide.
SPORT AND TREKKING Unique nature trails, for walks on spectacular panoramic backgrounds, among all, the Mount Etna, a force of nature which often gives us impressive lava eruptions.
HERITAGE Sicily of the new generations is committed to handing down and keeping up with the times, the legacy they cherish with commitment and devotion.
AWARENESS This is the new Sicily of excellence, more sensitive to the problems our planet is putting us in front of.
Sample a taste of Sicily. Watch our videos shot in Sicily for you.
Sicily at a glance
World Heritage
Sicily boasts 7 Unesco Sites: Valley of the Temples, Villa Romana del Casale, the Aeolian Islands, the Baroque cities of Val di Noto, Syracuse, and the necropolis of Pantalica, Mount Etna, the Arab-Norman route of Palermo, Monreale, and Cefalù.
Choose what you like more, you are spoiled for choice. Ask an MJ Travel Consultant to help you build the perfect experience for you in Sicily.
Essential information for those traveling to Sicily.
THE BEST TIME TO COME TO SICILY
The climate in Sicily mirrors the Mediterranean one, therefore relatively mild and pleasant. Every period allows enjoying the island in various ways, with activities suitable for the chosen period.
In general, travelers can visit Sicily all year round, museums and archaeological parks are always available, and most do not have seasonal closures. So for those who intend to take a Sicily's highlights tour, you are welcome all year round.
If you wish a beach holiday or a boat tour to discover the islands, the ideal period is summer, from June to the first half of September. Temperatures are high, with peaks in August. The sea temperature is delightful. This period is also ideal for water sports: canoeing, windsurfing, stand-up-paddle and much more.
From December to March it is possible to have beautiful sunny days, with low temperatures. Furthermore, for winter sports lovers, Etna offers spectacular slopes with breathtaking views.
See the Temperatures of the Main Locations in Sicily.
ARRIVING BY AIR
TRAVEL SAFETY ADVICE
Travellers can get up-to-date travel safety infos from us. We are Local Travel Agents always ready to assist you, whenever you need.
The island is served by two international airports—one in Palermo, the Punta Raisi airport, and the other in Catania, the Fontanarossa airport. In addition, there are two secondary airports, Birgi and Comiso, and various helipads scattered throughout the island.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
1 January New Year’s Day
6 January Epiphany
March/April Easter Sunday
25 April Liberation Day
1 May Labour Day
2 June Republic Day
15 August Ferragosto
1 November All Saints’ Day
8 December Feast of the Immaculate Conception
25 December Christmas Day
26 December St Stephan’s Day
CLOSURES
Mondays: Some museums and tourist attractions are closed for the day.
Sundays: Many shops close early or for the entire day.
Public Holidays: Shops, museums and attractions close early or for the entire day.
A RICH HISTORY
Sicily's strategic position in the Mediterranean Sea has made it a popular destination for various peoples who have fought over it over the centuries. The well-preserved remains of past civilizations coexist on a single island, such as the Greek, Arab, and Norman ones, which gave the island periods of great splendor.
The presence of human beings in Sicily dates back to the prehistoric period of the Paleolithic. The island was inhabited by the Elymians, the Sicilians, and the Sicans. The arrival of the Phoenicians was fundamental for the development of civilization on the island. Palermo was founded by the Phoenicians, used as a city port (from which the name of the city derives), became one of the most important trading centers in the Mediterranean.
GREEKS AND ROMANS With the Greeks, the island experienced a significant period of cultural and artistic splendor. Agrigento, Syracuse, Catania, Gela, Messina and Taormina became the fulcrum of scientific discoveries and of great prosperity. Archimedes, born in Syracuse, was one of the most important figures of that period. In the following six centuries, Sicily will be dominated by the Romans, who exploited it as a colony. With the fall of the Roman Empire, the Medieval period begins.
BYZANTINES AND NORMANS The island falls into the hands of the Byzantines, who had to face the continuous attacks of the Muslims. It was the Arabs who gave the island a cultural rebirth. The Normans drove the Arabs off the island and founded the Kingdom of Sicily. Thanks to Emperor Frederick II, the island becomes the cradle of culture in the Mediterranean.
OTHER DOMINATIONS The dominations continue with French and Spanish passage, up to the Bourbon domination and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. In 1860 Garibaldi landed in Sicily to unify Italy. The story continues with decadent periods for the island. After the Second World War, Sicily becomes the theater of violent events and atrocities. Mafia devastated the soul and image of the island and its inhabitants.
Today many Sicilians fight against that violence. They are committed to bringing out the true Sicily, the contemporary one that aims at excellence, beyond the stereotypes and preconceptions that now belong to dated novels and films.