Sicily : suggested itineraries | Hip Hotels by ItalyTraveller.com

The sea beyond the strait of Messina

This Sicilian itinerary commences in Messina, the city which greets visitors arriving via ferry boat from Reggio Calabria and the Italian mainland. Messina is the city where the great 15th century artist, Antonio di Giovanni de Antonio, better known as Antonello da Messina, was born. His "San Gregorio Polyptic" is housed in the city's Peloritano Museum, where it hangs alongside Caravaggio's "Adoration of the Shepherds" and...

Wind and fire: the vital essences of the Aeolian Islands

The beautiful and varied islands of the Aeolian or Lipari archipelago were all formed at different times and are a unique record of volcanic island building. They, accordingly, have been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. The Greeks named the archipelago after Aeolus - the keeper of the winds. In winter these windswept rocky isles are home to only 12,000 people but in summer thousands of visitors arrive to sunbathe on the lovely beaches...

Arab Settlements and Doric Temples in Sicily

Palermo is a vibrant concoction of traditions and beliefs, a quite unique concentration of majestic churches and elegant palazzi, interspersed with the more humble dwellings which crowd the colorful streets and narrow alleyways animating the heart of the city. The market of Vaccuria is the perfect expression of the city of Palermo and its inhabitants. The colours and scents of the market inspired the painter Renato Guttuso for the making of...