Sicily is the largest island of the Mediterranean Sea and at the same time an important part of Italy.
Located near the very "sock of the Italian boot", it is washed by three seas at once - the Mediterranean, the Tyrrhenian and the Ionian.
The island is known both for its wonderful nature, which contributes to a wonderful vacation, and for its ancient historical monuments, which occupy leading positions among the attractions of Italy.
Arrangement
The island is located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea.
The direct distance to the coast of Africa is 140 km. And the total length of the coastline of the island is 1500 km.
By and large, Sicily can be classified as a mountainous country.
Its only fairly large plain is in the province of Catania.
The most rocky topography of the area is in the north, it becomes sandy and hilly to the south.
In the eastern part of the island is the highest active volcano in Europe, the mysterious Etna.
The volcano itself and the area adjacent to it with an area of 1,250 square meters are under state protection as a nature reserve.
Weather
The climate in Sicily is typically Mediterranean, that is, rather mild.
It is moderately hot in summer. The vast majority of precipitation falls from October to March.
The seawater temperature is optimal, because even in winter the water temperature does not fall below +16°C, and in summer it generally reaches +27°C.
That's why you can swim at the Sicilian resort from May to November.
Fauna
The hills and small plains in the central and southern provinces are dominated by fruit crops.
Among them are mainly citrus fruits, such as: orange, lemon and tangerine.
There are also numerous vineyards, olive orchards, pomegranate, almond and fig orchards.
Chestnuts, beeches, tamarisks, and cork oak grow in mountainous areas.
Conifers, on the other hand, are quite rare. Most of the hilly slopes are covered with bushes of lavender, rosemary, oil pistachio, oleander and dwarf palm.
Since wild forests have been cut down for centuries, today you can enjoy the corners of wild nature only in special state reserves.
Such legally protected areas of wild forest are found around Mount Etna and on the coast in the provinces of Agrigento, Messina and some others.
Events
Holidays on the island do not end all year round.
It can be fairs or carnivals, or festivals, or even religious processions.
Every city has its own patron saint, to whom street processions are mostly dedicated.
In the summer (August 15), Sicily celebrates the general Italian holiday - Ferragosto.
An annual film festival and summer season of film, theater and music takes place in July in Taormina.
On July 10-16, the feast of Saint Rosalia is celebrated in Palermo, and on August 13-14 in Messina, a procession of giant dolls of the Mother and the Griffin takes place.
In autumn, the whole island celebrates the Harvest Festival.
Common winter holidays are Christmas and Epiphany.
In February, the Feast of the Almond Blossoms is celebrated in Agrigento. On February 3-5, all of Catania honors Saint Agatha.
On the eve of Great Lent, a carnival takes place in Acireale.
At this time, huge carts, the height of which reaches 12 meters, move through the narrow streets of the ancient city.
Each trolley has a picture of Sicilian life.
In the spring, Sicily celebrates Easter week. On April 25, Ragusa celebrates the feast of Saint Ragusa.
The first Sunday of May is the day of Saint Lucia, the patron saint of Syracuse.
The third Sunday of May in Noto is the Flower Festival. On this day, the main street of the city is decorated with flowers.
The end of May in Cefalu (Cefalu) - the holiday of merry inventors.
Rest
The coast of Sicily is simply strewn with wonderful resorts.
Everyone will be able to choose something for themselves.
The best beaches of the Mediterranean and local attractions, which are located quite close, have come together here.
Sicilian cuisine
Sicily is almost an ideal vacation spot for beach lovers and for fans of studying ancient monuments.
But at the same time, one should not forget about another important attraction of the island - Sicilian cuisine.
Many different Sicilian dishes are traditionally considered Italian.
Among them, of course, are pizza, pasta, as well as various fish and cheese dishes.
Like all the traditions and culture in this place, it took a little bit from every people who once lived in these lands.
From the Arabs, for example, came love for saffron and rice, from the Greeks - for fresh fruits and vegetables, from the Romans - for pasta.
Borrowed dishes include "couscous", traditional for the province of Trapani.
This dish clearly has Arabic roots. In the province of Ragusa, various meat dishes are more popular.
The most famous is "falsomagro" - a roll filled with egg, ham, meat and cheese, boiled in wine and tomato sauce.
In some Sicilian provinces, meat dishes are even more popular than on the mainland.
Local residents especially like rabbit and pork dishes.
Shish kebab made from young goat meat and lamb is popular almost everywhere.
And all meat dishes are prepared with a lot of spices.
