Sicily Guide

A ruggedly beautiful mountainous island to the south of Sicily, Sicily boasts everything from volcanoes to picturesque villages to isolated beaches. The long history of being invaded by pretty much every regional superpower also means that it is a cultural melee of interesting influences.

Travel in Sicily

Getting around in Italy should pose no problem. The main roads are quick, easy and well constructed and, although the mountainous roads are somewhat more remote, they are none-the-less easily accessible to most tourists.

Public transport is good, with efficient buses and trains that run on regular timetables. Do be aware, however, that public transport services may be less frequent on Sundays than during the rest of the week. As with much of continental Europe, train tickets should always be validated on the platform before getting onto the train. A few of the bigger cities, notably Catania, have small underground networks.

Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanos in Europe

Things to see in Sicily

The Valley of the Temples, south of modern day Agrigento, is well worth a visit. Here, you can discover the ruins of six ancient temples. There is an audio tour and a museum to help you better understand the amazing spectacle that you are seeing. Remember to take some bottled water if you are visiting in summer, for the weather takes no prisoners in Sicily!

The city of Catania lies at the base of Mount Etna, from where you can ascend one of southern Europe's last remaining active volcanoes. You can either choose to go with the normal tourists or, for a bit of extra cost, hire a volcanologist who will allow you to go a little bit more off the beaten path. The mountain is more than 3,000 metres above sea level, so it'll be cool even in the middle of summer - unless it is erupting, when it'll be considerably warmer!

A lot of food thought as being `Italian' is in actual fact from Sicily. This includes cannoli, ricotta and pine nut and almond biscuits. Much of this food comes with Arabic influences, thereby giving you the best of best worlds. Therefore, you should come to Sicily hungry and ready to be fed.

The city of Catania lies at the base of Mount Etna, from where you can ascend one of southern Europe's last remaining active volcanoes.

AFerry.co.uk offers the best way to find the cheapest ferry routes to Sicily with its easy to use booking form. Begin your holiday on a ferry and start relaxing straight away!