The Sicilian route

About the destination: The Metropolitan City of Catania is a metropolitan city in Sicily, southern Italy. Its capital is the city of Catania. It replaced the Province of Catania and includes the city of Catania and another 57 municipalities (comuni). It was initially created by the reform of local authorities (Law 142/1990) and then established by the regional law 15 August 2015. The metropolitan city shares borders with the Metropolitan City of Messina (the former Province of Messina), the Province of Enna, the Province of Syracuse, the Province of Ragusa and the Province of Caltanissetta. Part of its territory includes the Metropolitan area of Catania. The Metropolitan City is situated facing the Ionian Sea to the east, the Metropolitan City of Messina to the north, the Province of Enna and the Province of Caltanissetta to the west, the Province of Siracusa and the Province of Ragusa to the south. Mount Etna, Europe's largest active volcano, is located in the province.

About the destination: Syracuse was the greatest of Sicily’s Grecian cities, at one time rivalled only by Athens. Its sites are better than many in Greece. Hot and dry, this provincial capital encapsulates Sicily's timeless beauty. Go to the island of Ortigia, the lovely historic centre, for the Temples of Apollo and Athena. The latter, now the city’s cathedral, has a richly embellished baroque façade, added in the 18th century. Across the street, the Museo Archeologico Nozionale has some exceptional Greek vases. Another museum in the Palazzo Bellomo has a superb collection of paintings and sculpture, amid miniature courtyards, fountains and elegant stairways. For the big sights, travel across town to the archaeological park, Neapolis. Here is the Greek theatre, where classical Greek plays still perform. The many well-preserved reminders of its ancient glory make Syracuse a city of lingering and romance.

About the destination: Agrigento is a charming city on the southern coast of Sicily. Agrigento is famous for its Temple Valley, the best preserved Greek ruins outside of Greece. The city has a beautiful old town centre and is a place of great historical and architectural importance. The Valley of the Temples is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world and in 1997 it was named a UNESCO World heritage site and is one of the most mesmerising sites in the Mediterranean. The temples, a dozen of them, erected in 5 BC, are located on the ridge to the south of the town. Back in town, explore the maze of tiny alleys, squares and side-streets, see the Norman Duomo of Saint Gerlando, the Church of Santa Maria dei Greci built on the steps of a Greek temple and the Church and Convent of Santo Spirito where you can taste almond sweets made by the local Cistercian cloister nuns. The wonderful Doric monuments, the cobalt-blue sky, the salubrious climate at the peerless view make Agrigento a desirable place where a long stay is delightful.

About the destination: Life in Palermo is intense. People and buildings are tightly packed into every available space and chaotic markets make the narrow footpaths impassable. Lush gardens exist along poor narrow streets, and drying laundry resembles the festive banners of a public celebration. Stroll along via Roma up to Corso Vittorio Emanuele, admiring the squares and the exuberant cathedral. The Palazzo dei Normani is an extraordinary fusion of styles, its Byzantine mosaics are a reminder of the city's Golden Age. The ruins of the Church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti stand around the corner, with its pink domes shielding an exotic cloister garden. The National Gallery of Sicily, housed in the Palazzo Abatellis, has a superb collection of paintings and sculpture. In the mornings, don’t miss the massive open-air Capo market. Most of Palermo’s nightlife occurs in the beach district of Mondello. There you can join the strolling crowds of young Italians sampling fish from seaside kitchen stalls and eating gelato.